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MacBook Pro Reviews Provide First Look at High Power Mode

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The first 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro reviews are now out and there are a few notable tidbits that are worth highlighting.


Brian Tong's review provides a first look at High Power Mode, a new feature that is exclusive to 16-inch MacBook Pro models configured with an M1 Max chip. High Power Mode can be enabled in System Preferences under Battery > Power Adapter > Energy Mode when connected to a power source or under Battery > Battery > Energy Mode when running on battery.

High Power Mode is designed to maximize performance during intensive, sustained workloads such as color grading 8K ProRes video, according to Apple. Fine print in System Preferences indicates that High Power Mode may result in louder fan noise, suggesting that the feature allows the M1 Max chip to run hotter and ramps up fan speeds to accommodate this.

high-power-mode-macos.jpg

High Power Mode is not available on the 14-inch MacBook Pro, even when configured with an M1 Max chip, or on any models with an M1 Pro chip.

Tong tested High Power Mode on the 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M1 Max chip by exporting a 19-minute video in Adobe Premiere Pro version 15.4.1. The export took 7 minutes and 18 seconds, which was just 16 seconds faster than the same export took with High Power Mode turned off, so there wasn't a significant difference in performance in this particular test, but High Power Mode could have more benefit with other workflows.

Tong also said the bottom of the MacBook Pro was noticeably hotter to the touch while he tested High Power Mode compared to normal usage.

black-apple-stickers.jpg

Meanwhile, Dave Lee's review reveals that the new MacBook Pro models include black Apple logo stickers in the box rather than standard white stickers, as Apple associates the color black with its professional line of products.


We've seen Apple experiment with colors before. The new 24-inch iMac, for example, includes color-matching Apple stickers in the box.

Article Link: MacBook Pro Reviews Provide First Look at High Power Mode
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2021/10/25/macbook-pro-high-power-mode-system-preferences/
Last edited:
kylepro88

kylepro88

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Jul 30, 2006
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High Power Mode difference in his test wasn't huge... but odds are that changes if you're feeding it better optimized software. Premiere is faster than it used to be but it's always going to be slower than another NLE no matter what hardware you feed it. FCPX/Davinci is the real tell I think... so I hope someone does a nice test of that with High Power Mode on and off.
 
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ChrisA

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Jan 5, 2006
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I am waiting for a review where they find that a 10-core M1 runs faster than an 8-core M1 on something other than a benchmark test. I'm sure there are some things that will show this but I'm curious to see a list of them and how much the 2 more cores help in real-world use.

The test in this article is exactly what I'm looking for, we see that in a common use case we save 16 seconds on a 7-minute task This is about a 4% speed-up.
 
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jimbobb24

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Jun 6, 2005
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16 seconds faster on one sample isnt a difference…its statistical error. He should repeat each of them 4 more times and then would have something useful to share. Are the computational metrics better?
 
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davidako

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Sep 14, 2021
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It’s all a matter of perspective.

1. The vast majority of MBPs are throttled most of the time and the notch removes pixels.

Or

2. High power mode on 16” Max is a bonus and the notch is bonus screen either side. Please pay no attention to laptops with tiny bezels on all sides.
 
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pray2crom

pray2crom

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May 21, 2019
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Someone get Starcraft 2 running on it. I wanna know how well it runs! The previous M1 could barely play it at medium settings at 900p.
 
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GrindedDown

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Jun 4, 2009
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kylepro88 said:
High Power Mode difference in his test wasn't huge... but odds are that changes if you're feeding it better optimized software. Premiere is faster than it used to be but it's always going to be slower than another NLE no matter what hardware you feed it. FCPX/Davinci is the real tell I think... so I hope someone does a nice test of that with High Power Mode on and off.
Click to expand...
This is almost certainly the case. I remember there being a lot of gripes about premiere vs fcp and resolve when the M1 came out. Final cut and resolve have officially been optimized for these new chips whereas I don’t believe premiere has, though I’d love to be wrong.

I‘d be willing to bet that the performance increase for 10+ minute renders and exports will probably hit ~15% improvement in optimized apps. If it’s less than 10% for large sustained workloads, I don’t believe apple would have even included it as an option. It has already caused quite a ruckus.
 
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dashmatrix

macrumors newbie
Oct 25, 2021
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SO one thing I've noticed as MacBook's have evolved is the ever increasing number of them that come back to IT with a broken LCD screen. Usually small cracks that end the display's life prematurely. I have always suspected its due to the thinner and thinner nature, and the increasing amount of force required to install accessories like plastic shell cases or camera shuttler slides that create a flex in the lid when closed. I'll be anxious to see how many of the new ones come back with broken screens. These new screens look mighty thin and the Unleashed event slide where they showed all the additional layers of technology in these new screens is keeping me up at night. Durability really doesn't seem to be much of a topic in the reviews I've seen.
 
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TallManNY

TallManNY

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GrindedDown said:
This is almost certainly the case. I remember there being a lot of gripes about premiere vs fcp and resolve when the M1 came out. Final cut and resolve have officially been optimized for these new chips whereas I don’t believe premiere has, though I’d love to be wrong.

I‘d be willing to bet that the performance increase for 10+ minute renders and exports will probably hit ~15% improvement in optimized apps. If it’s less than 10% for large sustained workloads, I don’t believe apple would have even included it as an option. It has already caused quite a ruckus.
Click to expand...

I'm sure you are right that Apple wouldn't do this for anything less than 10% faster. And I'm going to guess that high power mode is really something that makes a difference 30 or more minutes into a process. There would need to be some time for some serious heat to build up before throttling really starts to happen, which the High Power mode is pushing through.

The reviewers haven't hit on the right way to really stress these machines.
 
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