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.
Check if the discrete or integrated GPU is in use
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.
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Check if an app is using the dedicated GPU
The Apple TV app movie playback test measures battery life by playing back HD 1080p content with display brightness set to 12 clicks from bottom or 75%. The standby test measures battery life by allowing a system, connected to a wireless network and signed in to an iCloud account, to enter standby mode with Safari and Mail applications launched.
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
Learn how to set the graphics performance on your MacBook Pro or MacBook Pro with Retina display computer. Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Testing conducted by Apple in October 2020 using preproduction 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with Apple M1 chip, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD. The Apple TV app movie playback test measures battery life by playing back HD 1080p content with display brightness set to 8 clicks from bottom. Battery life varies by use and configuration.
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
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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.