Game Mode on macOS - Prioritizing resources for gaming

Hands-On Apple March 6, 2025
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Hands-On Apple explores and explains the Mac — and beyond! From clever Terminal commands to little-known iOS settings, Mikah Sargent shares all the best tips and tricks for your Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch. You'll get all the details on Apple's apps and the best apps in the App Store, you'll learn about awesome accessories for your Apple devices, and you'll explore updates to Apple's operating systems — including iOS, macOS, iPadOS, and watchOS. Hands-On Apple is your one-stop shop for Apple know-how. You can join Club TWiT for $10 per month and get ad-free audio and video podcast feeds for all our shows plus everything else the club offers...or get just this podcast ad-free for $5 per month. https://twit.tv/clubtwit New episodes every Thursday.

Video Description

Ever wondered how to level up your Mac gaming experience with built-in features most users don't know about? Mikah Sargent leads gamers into Mac's game mode and controller connectivity, revealing tricks for gamers and tech enthusiasts. -Game Mode Overview A special Mac feature exclusive to macOS Sonoma 14 and Apple Silicon devices that optimizes gaming performance. When a game is in full screen, the system prioritizes the game's CPU and GPU access while reducing background task resource consumption. -Game Mode Activation and Controls Automatically activates when a game is in full screen mode. Users can toggle game mode on/off through a small controller icon or by swiping with three fingers and accessing the main screen. -Bluetooth Performance Boost Game mode doubles the Bluetooth sampling rate, improving wireless device performance. This is particularly beneficial for gaming accessories like controllers and wireless headphones, ensuring smoother audio and input synchronization. -Controller Connectivity Modern Xbox and PlayStation controllers can easily connect to Macs via Bluetooth. The system provides detailed controller settings, including battery percentage, button mapping, and custom profiles. -Advanced Controller Settings Mac offers comprehensive controller customization options, including: Button remapping, Haptic feedback adjustment, Light bar color customization, and Game-specific control profiles. -Buddy Controller Feature A unique accessibility feature that allows two controllers to function as one, helping less experienced players (like children) participate in games more comfortably. -Recording and Capture Options Users can set up custom controller buttons to trigger screen recordings and game captures, enhancing the gaming experience and content creation potential.   Use Game Mode on Mac - Apple Support - https://support.apple.com/en-us/105118 Connect a wireless game controller to your Apple device - Apple Support - https://support.apple.com/en-us/111099 Connect a PlayStation wireless game controller to your Apple device - Apple Support - https://support.apple.com/en-us/111100 Host: Mikah Sargent Hands-On Mac episode 172 More Info: https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-mac/episodes/172 Download or subscribe to Hands-On Mac at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-mac Want access to the ad-free video and exclusive features? Become a member of Club TWiT today! https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Products we recommend: https://www.amazon.com/shop/twitnetcastnetwork TWiT may earn commissions on certain products. Follow us: Website: https://twit.tv/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/twit.tv Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@TWiT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TWiTNetwork Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twit.tv/ X (Twitter): https://x.com/TWiT TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twittok LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/twit-llc About us: TWiT.tv is a technology podcasting network located in the San Francisco Bay Area with the #1 ranked technology podcast This Week in Tech hosted by Leo Laporte. Every week we produce dozens of hours of content on a variety of programs including Tech News Weekly, MacBreak Weekly, Windows Weekly, Security Now, Intelligent Machines, and more.

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