Apple’s strongest Mac yet lacks one cool trick

Apple M4 Macs

Apple’s brand-new Mac Studio, powered by the M4 Max or M3 Ultra, is now out for everyone to grab. To go along with its release, Apple updated a help page that shows which power settings this Mac Studio can use—and which ones it skips. The result might catch you off guard.

Yes, the Mac Studio has a Low Power Mode, but it’s missing High Power Mode. Early reviews say this Mac Studio is the most powerful Mac Apple has ever built. Whether you pick the M4 Max or M3 Ultra version, you’re getting a machine that’s a total beast.

But what if you want to tone down all that strength sometimes?

Apple’s updated help page about Power Modes (spotted by MacRumors) says the new Mac Studio lets you switch on Low Power Mode. Why would you bother? Apple explains it does two handy things: it keeps the fans quiet for jobs needing silence and cuts down on energy use if your Mac stays on all the time. These are solid perks for a feature you might think isn’t needed on a Mac Studio.

Here’s the odd part, though: High Power Mode isn’t an option. Apple says High Power Mode lets the fans spin faster, giving extra cooling so the system can handle super heavy tasks better. When it’s on, you might notice more fan noise. It sounds like a great fit for a machine as strong as the Mac Studio, right?

But for some reason, it’s not included. You can use High Power Mode on certain MacBook Pros and even the M4 Mac mini, but can you use it on the new Mac Studio? Nope, it’s left out. This missing feature stands out since the Mac Studio is such a powerhouse. It’s a curious choice by Apple that’s got people scratching their heads!