macOS menu bar app for controlling GPU usage on dual-GPU MacBook Pros to save battery life.
gSwitch is a macOS menu bar application that allows users to control which graphics card their dual-GPU MacBook Pro uses. It solves battery life problems by preventing unnecessary use of the power-hungry discrete GPU and works around buggy graphics drivers on some models. The project is now archived as newer Apple Silicon Macs no longer have discrete GPUs.
Users of older dual-GPU MacBook Pros (2011-2019 models) who want to extend battery life by controlling GPU usage and avoid graphics driver issues.
It provides simple, free control over GPU selection that Apple doesn't offer natively, with both GUI and terminal interfaces. Unlike system defaults, it lets users force integrated GPU usage to maximize battery life.
macOS menu bar app that allows control over the gpu on dual gpu macbooks
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Forces use of the integrated GPU to reduce power consumption, directly addressing the discrete GPU's high energy drain that ruins battery life, as highlighted in the README.
Helps avoid glitchy and buggy graphics card drivers on some MacBook models, providing a practical solution where Apple hasn't fixed issues, as stated in the project description.
Offers a menu bar app with integrated-only, discrete-only, and dynamic switching modes, plus terminal commands (--integrated, --discrete, --dynamic) for flexible management.
Shows dependent processes using the discrete GPU and hungry processes waiting for it, allowing users to identify and manage GPU-heavy applications effectively, as explained in the FAQ.
The project is no longer maintained or updated, as Apple Silicon Macs eliminated the need, leaving it outdated with no bug fixes or support for modern macOS versions.
Only works on dual-GPU MacBook Pros from 2011 to 2019, and may not function on older models with modern macOS due to removed APIs, as noted in the legacy section.
As admitted in the FAQ, gSwitch cannot safely disable the discrete GPU permanently; it only switches back to integrated mode temporarily, with risks of bricking the computer if forced.