Everyone should be familiar with Low Power Mode on their iPhone, but top-tier configurations of the new MacBook Pro will reportedly have “High Power Mode.” This will give the macOS notebook even better performance when taking on “resource-intensive tasks.”
But the feature will only be available in the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 Max processor.
High Power Mode gets the MacBook Pro engine revving
The first references to High Power Mode turned up a macOS Monterey beta in September. That included the note, “Your Mac will optimize performance to better support resource-intensive tasks. This may result in louder fan noise.” And Apple confirmed to MacRumors on Thursday that the feature will be available in its just-announced notebook.
But the Mac-maker also made clear that it won‘t be available in the 14-inch MacBook Pro, even if it has an M1 Max processor.
Mode for Pros
As Apple explains, “Low Power Mode reduces the amount of power that your iPhone uses.” High Power Mode is likely to do the opposite — amp up the performance but also quickly drain the battery. Running the fan to keep the processor from overheating will add to the drain.
But of course virtually everyone using this mode will be in an office with their macOS notebook plugged in. Probably rendering 8K 3D video. Because it won’t be needed for everyday tasks. Early benchmarks of the new 16-inch MacBook Pro show it offers up to 181% faster graphics than the previous 16-inch MacBook Pro.
