Apple’s Working on a New ‘Pro Mode’ to Make Your MacBook Pro Even Faster
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The existence of something called a “Pro Mode” was first spotted in code strings in the latest macOS 10.15.3 beta by 9to5Mac.
While it may not show up in macOS 10.15.3, it’s likely that Apple could bring the feature to some of its Pro machines — like the 16-inch MacBook Pro — sometime in the future.
How Will Pro Mode Work?
As far as what Pro Mode does, it won’t let you download more RAM (which, to be clear, isn’t possible). Instead, it appears to be tied to a Mac’s power management system, allowing it to temporarily override some energy and cooling restrictions for increased performance.
Of course, that boost in speed will come at a cost. Specifically, the 10.15.3 code strings suggest that fan noise may increase and battery life will decrease. The reference to battery life also suggests that it’s probably a MacBook-specific feature.
They also suggest that macOS will override a fan’s speed limit, allowing it to blow more air, presumably in an attempt to overcome thermal throttling.
All of this really boils down to the fact that current MacBook Pro models have energy-saving mechanisms to keep their battery life optimized. But, if a user ever needed to prioritize speed over battery life, they could switch on Pro Mode and see a big boost to their performance.
Of course, Pro Mode will probably still have protections to guard against overheating and permanent damage. And because it’s meant to be temporary, additional code suggests that it would automatically disable itself at the end of the day like Do Not Disturb.
While the feature could be a new one for macOS, other laptops have had similar modes.
As mentioned, it’s likely that the Pro Mode will arrive on Apple’s MacBook Pro models, although there are indications that only models with Apple’s new thermal architecture could get it.
While the list of MacBook Pros with that architecture only includes the new 16-inch MacBook Pro at this point, an updated 13-inch MacBook Pro with a Magic Keyboard and similar thermal performance may be on the horizon.
