With the launch of new and upcoming games like Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, Valheim, and the new version of Game Porting Toolkit 2 on macOS Sequoia, gaming on Mac is better than ever. One standout feature contributing to this improved experience is Game Mode. This article will delve into Game Mode, how to use it, and its benefits and limitations for Mac gamers.
Did You Know: We have a list of all Apple Watches, iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks that will support the latest OS versions released in WWDC 2024.
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What Is Game Mode on macOS
Game Mode is designed to optimize your gaming experience on Macs. When activated, it allocates more power from the CPU and graphics card to your game, while deprioritizing background tasks. This ensures that the game utilizes system resources efficiently, leading to smoother gameplay and higher frame rates.
In our tests on the old Macbook M1 Air, running Geekbench in the background showed nearly double the scores when Game Mode was off compared to when it was on. This is because Game Mode directs more resources to the game rather than the benchmark tool.
| Game Mode Off | Game Mode On | |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench Scores | 2322 (Single-Core) 8328 (Multi-Core) 32215 (Metal GPU) | 1461 (Single-Core) 5262(Multi-Core) 19114(Metal GPU) |
Game Mode also improves the Bluetooth sampling rate and reduces input and audio latency for wireless controllers and accessories like AirPods, resulting in more responsive gameplay.
What’s New in Game Mode in macOS Sequoia
macOS Sequoia builds on its existing features with smoother frame rates and better performance. One notable addition is the Personalized Spatial Audio feature, which creates a more immersive gaming environment and reduces audio latency with AirPods Pro (2nd generation).
Additionally, there is an updated version of the Game Porting Toolkit available for developers, allowing for easier and more effective porting of games to macOS.
Can You Enable/Disable Game Mode on macOS
Game Mode on macOS cannot be turned on manually. It activates automatically when you run the game in full-screen mode. However, there are a few prerequisites for the feature to work:
- Your Mac should have an Apple M-series chip.
- It should run on macOS Sonoma or later.
- The game must support Game Mode.
If Game Mode does not support a game, there is no option to manually start it.
Manually Pause Game Mode on macOS (Temporarily)
Game Mode will automatically pause when you exit full-screen mode or switch to another app, and it will resume when you return to the game in full-screen mode.
However, you can also pause or disable Game Mode temporarily. Click on the Game Controller icon in the menu bar and select the Turn Off option. This will disable Game Mode even if you are playing the game in full-screen. You can turn it back on at any time from the same icon in the menu bar.
However, if you prefer to disable Game Mode for any reason, you cannot do it permanently; you must manually turn it off each time.
Limitations of Game Mode on macOS
While Game Mode brings significant improvements to gaming on macOS, it does have some limitations compared to gaming modes on other platforms, such as Windows. Here are a few things it cannot do:
- It can’t record your gameplay.
- It doesn’t integrate with music services like Spotify to let you play music instantly.
- You can’t control the volume of each background app individually.
- It doesn’t display system performance stats.
- You can’t enable it manually for a game that does not support it.
Despite these limitations, Game Mode still provides a noticeably smoother and more responsive gaming experience for Mac users.
Set Up Gaming Focus Mode for Better Gaming
For an even better gaming experience, consider setting up Gaming Focus Mode on your Mac. This mode can start automatically when you open a game or connect a Bluetooth controller. While gaming, it blocks calls, messages, and other notifications to minimize distractions.
To set up Gaming Focus Mode: Go to System Settings, select Focus, click Add Focus and choose Gaming.
This additional mode, along with Game Mode, ensures that your gaming sessions are as immersive and uninterrupted as possible.
