Latest macOS Monterey beta shows a 'High Power Mode' for MacBooks is still in development

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Back in early 2020, it was reported by 9to5Mac that Apple was working on a “Pro Mode” targeted at MacBooks, it would let users get higher-than-default performance by disabling some energy-saving restrictions macOS has. Eight months later, this feature has made a reappearance in the latest macOS Monterey beta, it’s now called “High Power Mode”. References to this new mode were found all the way back in macOS Catalina 10.15.3. Some internal code referenced programs running faster, while simultaneously warning about shorter battery life and higher fan noise. However, the feature never saw the light of day and was later removed with more recent macOS releases.

But according to 9to5Mac, this new mode was brought back with the latest macOS Monterey release, with references to a “High Power Mode”. With macOS Monterey, Low Power Mode, similar to the one found on the iPhones and more recently the iPads too, was brought to MacBooks, it works in a similar fashion: It reduces CPU and GPU speeds while lowering the screen brightness in order to prolong battery life as much as possible. This High Power Mode, however, is supposed to do the exact opposite, it’s expected to let users run programs at full performance in exchange for shorter battery life for their machines. There aren’t specific details about how this new mode may actually work, there isn’t a way for users to enable it either; it’s assumed to increase the CPU clock speed while simultaneously activating the fan in order to reduce any risk of thermal throttling, a common issue with Intel Macs. It would be very useful for the current 13” M1 MacBook Pro too, which has been known for having exceptional battery life and non-existent fan noise. Or it could also be a new, exclusive feature of the new M1X MacBooks with even better graphics, rumored to be announced later this year.

macOS Monterey is currently only available as a beta release to users registered in the Apple Beta Software Program, the 8th beta has just been released. The public release date hasn’t been announced yet, it’s expected to come in the next few months of 2021.

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Published to Apple Scoop on 28th September, 2021.