Many 15-inch MacBook Pro notebooks have two graphics processors (GPU)—a discrete GPU and an integrated GPU. The discrete GPU provides substantial graphics performance but uses more energy. The integrated GPU optimizes battery life by using less energy.
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Check if the discrete or integrated GPU is in use
The 2017 update of the 13-inch MacBook Pro ($1,299) isn't a groundbreaking refresh, but it does come with two very important new features: a reduced price and new processor options from Intel's. I have the 13' MBPR (Early 2015, 2.9 GHz i5) of my 78 year old father here, which is kind of dead after he – if he recalls correctly – performed an update from Big Sur 11.x to Big Sur 11.y (he grabs every update he gets offered, so unfortunately he doesn't pay much attention to the details). Let’s call this MacBook A.
Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro debuted in November 2019 with a Magic Keyboard and updated processors. A new high-end graphics option was added in June 2020. Learn about the smaller 13-inch MacBook. Below we are listing down some of the common MacBook Pro problems and their solutions. These possible problems and solutions are applicable for all the MacBook Pro models of MacBook Pro 13″, MacBook Pro 15″, MacBook Pro 17″. We hope this post will give you a brief idea about the most common MacBook Pro problems and possible fixes.
To see which graphics cards are in use, choose Apple () menu > About this Mac. The graphics cards currently in use appear next to Graphics. Learn which integrated GPUs your Mac might have.
Check if an app is using the dedicated GPU
To see if an app is using the higher-performance discrete GPU, open Activity Monitor and click the Energy tab. If you don't see the Requires High Perf GPU column, your computer only has one graphics processor.
In this example, iMovie and Final Cut Pro are using the higher-performance discrete GPU:
Learn more
Here are a few examples of apps and accessories that use the higher-performance discrete GPU:
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- iMovie
- Adobe Photoshop and Adobe InDesign
- An external display
Learn how to use an external graphics processor (eGPU) with your Mac.
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Learn how to set the graphics performance on your MacBook Pro or MacBook Pro with Retina display computer.