With Game Mode on Mac, Apple aims to make the platform more competitive as a gaming platform. It boosts frame rates and reduces audio and input latency. It also prioritizes games and reduces the demands of other apps.
It also lowers the latency of Bluetooth peripherals such as AirPods and Xbox/PlayStation controllers by doubling the Bluetooth sample rate.
Game Mode is a New Feature in Mac OS Sonoma
Game Mode is an effort by Apple to make Macs more appealing as gaming devices. It aims to deliver a fine-tuned gaming experience by prioritizing games, enhancing frame rates, and reducing audio and input latency. It also improves connectivity with wireless peripherals, such as AirPods and Xbox controllers.
The new Game Mode enables Macs with the latest Apple silicon to run demanding video games at high frames per second. It also reduces audio lag and input lag for Bluetooth controllers by doubling the Bluetooth sample rate. Apple says it works with any qwirkle game and is automatically enabled when you start playing.
The feature is easy to turn on or off, and there are no settings to configure. You can tell the Mac is in Game Mode by exiting full-screen mode and seeing a small game icon in the menu bar. It also shows up in the system status bar. Clicking the icon opens a drop-down menu with one option, “Turn off Game Mode.” Apple also announced a new tool for developers that makes it easier to port games from other platforms to the Mac.
It Boosts Frame Rates
Apple is making a concerted effort to make Macs a more viable gaming platform. Its latest macOS Sonoma update has a new feature called Game Mode that aims to improve game performance by prioritizing the CPU and GPU and reducing the demands on other applications. This will lead to smoother gameplay and higher frame rates. It will also reduce audio and input latency over Bluetooth.
The feature is automatically turned on when you launch a native Mac game in full screen. You can also activate it manually by clicking a game controller icon in the menu bar. This will open a menu with your game’s name and an option to turn Game Mode off.
In addition to boosting frame rates, Game Mode also decreases the amount of background apps that steal CPU cycles from your game. It also cuts down audio latency with AirPods and increases the Bluetooth sample rate for Xbox and PlayStation controllers.
It Reduces Input Latency
Apple’s new macOS Sonoma software is making its Macs more viable as gaming platforms. At this year’s WWDC 2023, the company unveiled a game mode that prioritizes CPU and GPU resources while reducing latency with Bluetooth controllers and AirPods.
This feature is called Game Mode and will automatically activate when you launch a video game in full screen on your Mac. It will prioritize the CPU and GPU, pushing applications to the background, thereby increasing frame rates and lowering latency. It also reduces audio lag with AirPods and will lower input latency for Xbox and PlayStation controllers by doubling the Bluetooth sampling rate.
You will be able to turn off Game Mode by clicking on a controller icon in the menu bar when you are playing in full screen. You will also be able to disable the feature by launching your game in windowed mode or opening the menu bar and selecting “Turn Off Game Mode”. You can also disable the feature through the System Preferences app.
It Reduces Audio Lag
Game Mode is a new feature in macOS Sonoma that optimizes gaming performance. It enables gamers to save valuable milliseconds by prioritizing games’ access to CPU and GPU resources. It also reduces audio latency for AirPods and input lag with popular gaming controllers like those for Xbox and PlayStation by doubling the Bluetooth sample rate.
The feature will work on any game that runs on a Mac with an Apple silicon processor and should be automatically enabled once you launch a native Mac app. This is great news for Mac users who want to enjoy more top titles without worrying about system resource use.
However, you should note that the feature is not a fix-all for gaming problems. Several factors can affect the performance of your Mac, including its graphics card, CPU, and RAM. To improve the gaming experience, you should check these factors and make necessary upgrades to your computer. You should also try to avoid using unneeded features and apps while playing.