Optimisation guide · Updated October 1, 2026
How to boost Civilization VII FPS on Mac
Civilization VII runs natively on Apple Silicon Macs. These are the settings that cost the most FPS and the preset that holds 60 FPS on each Mac.
What you would gain on a MacBook Air M4
Ultra, unoptimised
56FPS
With the guide’s settings
67FPS
1080p, 16 GB. Applying the guide gains 20% FPS on this Mac. See every figure →
The settings that cost the most FPS
- Shadow and screen-space effects: the main GPU cost on the map.
- Late-game turn times depend on the CPU, not on graphics settings.
Which preset to use on each Mac
The highest setting that holds 60 FPS (or 30 when 60 is out of reach).
| Mac | Native | 1080p High |
|---|---|---|
| MacBook Air M1 | 1440p Low · 34 FPS | 38FPS |
| MacBook Pro M1 | 1080p Low · 64 FPS | 45FPS |
| MacBook Pro M1 Pro | 1440p Medium · 64 FPS | 84FPS |
| MacBook Air M2 | 1080p Medium · 64 FPS | 53FPS |
| MacBook Air M3 | 1080p Medium · 68 FPS | 56FPS |
| MacBook Pro M3 Pro | 1440p High · 61 FPS | 95FPS |
| MacBook Air M4 | 1080p High · 67 FPS | 67FPS |
| MacBook Pro M4 | 1440p Medium · 66 FPS | 86FPS |
| Mac mini M4 | 1440p Medium · 66 FPS | 87FPS |
| iMac M4 | 1440p Low · 62 FPS | 70FPS |
| MacBook Pro M4 Pro | 1440p Ultra · 75 FPS | 133FPS |
| MacBook Pro M4 Max | 1440p Ultra · 127 FPS | 171FPS |
| MacBook Pro M5 | 1440p Ultra · 62 FPS | 115FPS |
| MacBook Air M5 | 1440p Medium · 69 FPS | 91FPS |
| MacBook Pro M5 Pro | 1440p Ultra · 93 FPS | 153FPS |
| MacBook Pro M5 Max | 1440p Ultra · 146 FPS | 176FPS |
| Mac mini M6 | 1440p Ultra · 74 FPS | 132FPS |
| Mac mini M5 Pro | 1440p Ultra · 94 FPS | 154FPS |
| Mac Studio M5 Max | 1440p Ultra · 147 FPS | 176FPS |
| MacBook Neo | 1440p Medium · 30 FPS | 40FPS |
Civilization VII-specific tips
- A turn-based game is fine at 30 FPS; on MacBook Air, capping FPS keeps the chip cooler and turn processing faster.
- Play in full screen so macOS turns on Game Mode, and close your browser: memory is shared with the GPU.
FAQ
Which setting gains the most FPS in Civilization VII?
Shadow and screen-space effects: the main GPU cost on the map.
Does Civilization VII support MetalFX?
Not in the Mac version: resolution is the setting that matters most.
How many FPS does this guide gain?
On a MacBook Air M4, going from Ultra to the recommended settings takes the game from 56 to about 67 FPS at 1080p (+20%).
Want to know exactly how many FPS YOUR Mac gets in Civilization VII?
Civilization VII FPS on every Mac →Estimates from our calibrated formula. Methodology