Apple Says High Power Mode on 16-Inch MacBook Pro With M1 Max Designed for Tasks Like Color Grading 8K ProRes Video

As we previously reported, we've received confirmation from Apple that 16-inch MacBook Pro models configured with an M1 Max chip feature a new High Power Mode that is designed to maximize performance during intensive, sustained workloads.

m1 max
MacRumors has since obtained an internal Apple document that indicates users will be able to enable High Power Mode in System Preferences on a 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M1 Max chip running macOS Monterey. Apple says that High Power Mode will provide users with "extreme performance" for tasks like color grading 8K ProRes video.

It's still unclear exactly how High Power Mode will function, but we should get a closer look at the feature next week when reviews of the new MacBook Pro models are shared. Based on code-level references to High Power Mode in the macOS Monterey beta found by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser, we do know that the feature "will optimize performance to better support resource-intensive tasks" and "may result in louder fan noise."

Apple only confirmed High Power Mode being available on 16-inch MacBook Pro models with an M1 Max chip, so we presume the feature is not available on any 14-inch MacBook Pro models or any models configured with the M1 Pro chip.

9to5Mac's Filipe Espósito was first to discover references to High Power Mode in the macOS Monterey beta last month.

There are two configurations of the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 Max chip available, including one with a 10-core CPU and a 24-core GPU and another with a 10-core CPU and a 32-core GPU. Pricing starts at $3,099 for this level of performance. The new MacBook Pro models will begin arriving to customers on Tuesday, October 26.

Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: MacBook Pro

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
macbook pro blue green

When Will Apple Release the M5 MacBook Pro?

Wednesday March 26, 2025 4:53 pm PDT by
Apple regularly refreshes the MacBook Pro models, and a new version that uses M5 series chips is in the works. Apple just finished refreshing most of the Mac lineup with M4 chips, and now it's time for the M5. Rumors suggest that we could see the first M5 MacBook Pro models this fall. Design There have been no rumors of a design update for the M5 MacBook Pro models that are coming this...
Apple Lumon Terminal Pro

Apple's Mac Site Features Fictional 'Lumon Terminal Pro'

Wednesday March 26, 2025 12:19 pm PDT by
Apple is going all out with promotions for the popular Severance Apple TV+ show today, and as of right now, you'll find a new "Lumon Terminal Pro" listed on Apple's Mac site. The Lumon Terminal Pro is designed to look similar to the machines that Severance employees like Mark S. and Helly R. use for macrodata refinement. The Terminal features a blue keyboard, a small display with wide...
Facebook Feature

Facebook's New iPhone App Feature Turns the Clock Back to 2007

Thursday March 27, 2025 1:59 pm PDT by
In the mid-to-late 2000s, Facebook was all about staying connected with friends and family. However, as the social media platform added new features and grew over time, that core experience began to get drowned out. That changes starting now, according to Meta, which today introduced a new feature that will "bring back the joy" of classic Facebook. Specifically, Meta has redesigned the...
Generic iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Soon With These New Features for Your iPhone

Tuesday March 25, 2025 6:45 am PDT by
Apple is expected to release iOS 18.4 to the general public as soon as next week, following more than a month of beta testing. Apple's website says some iOS 18.4 features will be released in "early April," so the update should be out as early as Tuesday, April 1. Apple this week seeded the iOS 18.4 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, barring the discovery of any...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Supports 8K Video Recording, Suggests Leaker [Updated]

Wednesday March 26, 2025 4:06 am PDT by
Update 7:25 pm: Based on comments from our forums, it appears the original Weibo post may have been mistranslated and "8K" actually refers to the high price of the device rather than 8K video recording capabilities. The iPhone 16 Pro currently starts at 7,999 yuan in China. Our original article follows below. Apple's forthcoming iPhone 17 Pro models are capable of shooting 8K video, up...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Expected Next Week - Here Are the Release Notes

Friday March 28, 2025 2:01 pm PDT by
With the second release candidate of iOS 18.4 that Apple seeded out today, the company finally provided us with release notes that give a full rundown on what to expect. There's an Apple Vision Pro app, new Apple Intelligence features for notifications and additional language support, plus an Apple News Food feature for Apple News+ subscribers, and several updates that should improve the...
iOS 18 4 Ambient Music Control Center

How to Use iOS 18.4's New Ambient Music Feature in Control Center

Thursday March 27, 2025 7:45 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 18.4 update for the iPhone adds an Ambient Music feature to Control Center. Below, we take a closer look at how it works. iOS 18.4 is currently in beta, so the Ambient Music feature is not widely available yet. The update will likely be released to the general public next week. To use the feature on iOS 18.4, open Control Center and tap on the plus sign in the top-left...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

'iPhone Fold' to Feature Metallic Glass Hinge That Resists Deformation

Thursday March 27, 2025 4:21 am PDT by
Last week, we covered a report claiming that Apple's book-style foldable iPhone (or "iPhone Fold," as we are provisionally calling it here) will use liquid metal hinges to improve durability and help minimize screen creasing. Today, a Chinese leaker provided more details on the properties of this hinge material that help to clarify why Apple chose it for its first foldable device. According...

Top Rated Comments

Mockletoy Avatar
45 months ago
This really does seem like a whole new mindset taking hold at Apple, as if they have finally remembered that these are tools for doing work, not status symbols for influencers and coffee shop posers.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
45 months ago

So are we to presume that all the benchmarks on Johny Srouji's charts were with this off?
We don't know yet; unlikely.


And does that mean that with this on it might actually surpass that most powerful PC laptop they could find?
We don't know yet.


Is it designed to be used only in short bursts?
We don't know yet.


Might it risk shortening the life of your hardware if you keep it on for extended stretches?
We don't know yet.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
45 months ago
So for high intensity task! Very nice. This is such a massive upgrade. Total pure horsepower! That’s all I see.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tmoerel Avatar
45 months ago

play boot camp gamesss. m1 can do canoooot
Who cares....these are machines for professionals. Gaming is irrelevant!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iBug2 Avatar
45 months ago
There was a time when Mac Pro was the only machine I could buy which was fast enough for what I do. I had 7 different models of Mac Pro/Powermac.

Then came a time when an iMac was fast enough and I didn't need a Mac Pro anymore so bought an iMac in 2017.

This week I ordered M1 Max MBP and selling my iMac because even a laptop is already fast enough for what I do. This machine will be more than twice as fast as my iMac anyway, but I realized that I won't need next years iMac update at all.

In the future I bet a Macbook Air will be fast enough for what I do or maybe an iPad will suffice.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iPhysicist Avatar
45 months ago
Turbo ('https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbo_button') is BACK!!!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)