CPUSetter For Mac

macOS does a pretty good job of managing your Mac's resources, but there are always situations when manual tweaking is advisable or just preferred. If you like to have a bit more control over how your processor is used, CPUSetter is certainly an interesting tool.

This app allows you to set the number of processor cores that are active at any given time, enable or disable hyperthreading and process throttling, as well as set custom CPU usage restrictions for specific processes.

CPUSetter lets you reduce the number of CPU cores that are active at any given time. While it's normally advisable to let your system manage the CPU, there are scenarios when changing this setting manually could have advantages.

You also have the option to disable hyperthreading and process throttling. Both will have an impact on performance, so make sure you have a good reason to turn them off. All these settings, including CPU core count, can be configured separately for AC and battery operation.

The app also comes with a process manager where you can change the amount of resources it is allowed to use, as well as set its priority. Take care, though, as you can easily make applications unresponsive or even break them entirely.

The system monitor is also quite handy, as it lets you keep an eye on your hardware while tweaking CPU allocation. It's fairly basic, but it provides you with all the information you need in a straightforward manner.

Most users won't have much need for CPUSetter, unless they are desperate to reduce their laptops' energy consumption as much as possible. However, if you've encountered a scenario where reducing CPU core count or disabling hyperthreading is helpful, this is the perfect tool for the job.