MacOS not using discrete GPU no matter why I do...

As I said in the title, my Mac is not using the discrete GPU which is causing very low fps in Play Mode. I have a 16' MacBook Pro 2019 with AMD Radeon 5500M.

• I switched off Automatic Graphics Switching for both Battery and Power Adapter.
• I forced Unity to use discrete GPU through Unity Preferences.
• I tried using several Unity Editor versions (2019.4.28f1 (LTS), 2020.3.6f1(LTS), 2021.3.12f1(LTS))

None of these helped me. If you need any other information please feel free to ask.

PS: My main (My company forces me to) Unity Editor version is 2020.3.6f1

 

I am facing the same problem, did you find a solution for this?
I've tried the same as you + :
- using gfxCardStatus to force using GPU (https://gfx.io/): Tool always reports that the Intel Iris GPU is used (the slow one)

 

Right click on unity.app and select prefer external GPU?

 

Do you use Big Sur? I did not have this issue with Catalina.
Apparently other users face the same issue: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252913154

 

Where do I find that option? I see nothing in the context menu nor in the Info screen.

 

Open unity , right click the app in the dock, press reveal in finder

Press get info

 

Thanks, but I don't have that option. Might be that this is only available with eGPUs as described here (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208544). I'm not using eGPU but have a Macbook Pro Mid 2015 with "Intel Iris Pro" and "AMD Radeon R9 M370X".

 

Ah sorry I thought you had one

 

Here is another thread reporting the same issues, I will cross reference this: https://forum.unity.com/threads/unity-editor-not-utilising-dedicated-graphic-card-in-mac.1121479/

 

Opened the same project with Unity 2019.4.31 and everything works (automatic graphic switching and the performance).
Unity 2019 shows <OpenGL4.1> in the editor header bar.
So this seems to be an Unity 2020 issue, where Unity 2020 shows <Metal> in the editor header bar instead.
Happens both with Unity 2020.3.19 and 2020.3.17

Unity 2019 FPS: 500+
Unity 2020 FPS: around 100

 

As update, while Editor performance is noticeably better on 2021.1.26, Unity is still not using the GPU, even when GPU is specifically selected in "Preferences/Device To Use". I check the status which GPU is used with the tool "gfxCardStatus", which reliably tells me when the Mac switches to the GPU and back.

On the screenshot, notice the Editor version and the "i" icon in the menu. "i" indicates that the integrated (slow) GPU is used (Intel Iris) while a "d" means one or more of the currently used applications is using the discrete (fast) GPU (in my case AMD Radeon R9 M370X on a Macbook Pro Mid 2015). "i" and "d" switch automatically depending what is requested by applications and/or the OS (e.g. if I connect an external monitor, "d" is shown).

Also, in Unity 2019.4.31, as said, this switching to "d" happens correctly.

 

I just noticed I'm having the same problem with a 2017 MacBook pro. I just turned off automatic graphics switching and restarted and my fps doubled...lol.

 

Update, this is still an issue with 2021.1.28.

Why does Unity keep IGNORING this issue?

Bug is reported here: 1371020

 

Hi Guys,

Please double-check and take a look at this screenshot


as you can see gfxCardStatus shows the Intel Iris GPU is active that is not true unfortunately

I'm sure Apple Activity Monitor (on the right) is much more authentic info in this case and that shows high load on the NVIDIA card, not on the Intel Iris during running my app in the editor.


But something is definitely wrong here that is sure.

I have a probably related, even more strange, similar issue.

For me, the Standalone Player builds perform significantly better on the low power Intel GPU than the discrete NVIDIA if i run the app with the -force-low-power-device from the command line

When the player uses the NVIDIA card it lags seriously in most of the cases, but not on the Intel one.


Unity 2021.1.28f1.3303 (cannot upgrade yet because of other serious URP bug in higher versions)
macOS 11.6.2 (20G314)
MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013)
Graphics Cards
Intel Iris Pro / NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M

 

One more quick contra test and its result

so it seems the switching is happening

as I can see the issue is that there is no performance difference in the Editor (I can see similar FPS values running the same project), but in a Standalone Player Build the Intel GPU performs better if I force use it via -force-low-power-device

 

You turned off auto graphics switching in osx preferences ?

 

tried both ways, no difference, anytime

• if I selected the Integrated Intel Iris in Unity preferences, restarted Unity then run the app in the Editor Player it was using the Intel Iris
• if I selected the Discrete NVIDIA in Unity preferences, restarted Unity then run the app in the Editor Player it was using the NVIDIA

as it is expected

 

i'd be curious why this option is not available for a Unity built standalone player application (only command line option is supported :S)

 

ok, we are getting closer i guess

please see this screenshot



on the left half of the image you can see the GPU load when I run my Standalone Player app with the -force-low-power-device cmd line option AND Automatic Graphics Switching was ON in the system preferences
the app run smoothly


the right half shows the result when I turned OFF the Automatic Graphics Switching (the app run the same way, cmd line with the -force-low-power-device option)
the app lag seriously


so, it seems if the Automatic Graphics Switching is OFF probably the standalone player app either

• tries to switch back and force between the cards, or
• tries to use both cards at the same time somehow

Dear Unity developers, could you check this, please?
(maybe this is also related to the other editor player performance issues on the macs with dual GPU?!?)

 

and the last test from me i guess (as based on these Unity developers can start to investigate, these results can be reproduced easily following the steps described above and here), so

this time I examined the editor only
I left "Device to use" in Unity Preferences on "Automatic"
then I run the same app as above without any changes

please see the activity monitor chart



in the left half, you can see the result when the Automatic Graphics Switching was OFF in macOS System Preferences

the right half shows the result when I switched ON the Automatic Graphics Switching

it can be seen that similar happens that in the standalone player

(but with the opposite result!!!)

probably same kind of "fighting" to switch between the GPUs?!!?

so strange

I hope Unity can start to investigate now, fingers crossed

 

Updating from Unity 2020.3.22f1 to Unity 2020.3.26f1 worked for me.
Also, Unity 2020.3.24f1 Cloud Build worked, that's what lead me to upgrade to 2020.3.26 locally.

I hope this helps.

 

thanks for signaling, but for me it is not an option unfortunately, I need 2021+ now :S