u/Dimpaulo

Hi everyone,
I’m experiencing a very specific "Heisenbug" while using Asobi (native app) for PlayStation Cloud Gaming on my new MacBook Air M4. I’m looking to see if anyone else on M3/M4 chips has encountered this or found a permanent fix.
The Setup:

• Hardware: MacBook Air M4 (2024/2026 model).
• Connection: Gigabit Fiber (950 Mbps Down / 13ms Ping).
• Asobi Settings: 1440p, 60 FPS, Ultra Low Latency mode enabled.
• Stats: Total latency is amazing (~16ms), Decode time is ~3.7ms.

When playing in Native Full Screen mode, the stream has constant micro-stutters/frame pacing issues (clipping). It doesn’t feel like 60 FPS at all.
The "Heisenbug" part:
The stuttering instantly disappears and the stream becomes butter smooth if:

1. I move the mouse to show the contextual menu.
2. I enable the Performance Overlay (stats in the corner).
3. I start a Screen Recording.
4. I play in Windowed Mode (even if maximized).

It seems like macOS "WindowServer" or the Metal Layer enters a low-power/throttling state when the screen is "clean" in full screen, and only forces a proper 60Hz sync when it has to composite a UI overlay or record the screen.
What I’ve tried:

• Disabling Location Services (AWDL lag).
• Turning HDR On/Off.
• Adaptive Frame Pacing (in-app setting).
• Playing with the charger plugged in.

The only "fix" right now is playing in a maximized window with the Dock and Menu Bar hidden, which prevents macOS from entering that bugged "Direct Display" mode.
Has anyone else noticed this aggressive display throttling on Apple Silicon? Any terminal command or setting to force the compositor to stay active in full screen?

First of all, a huge thank you to the developer; their dedication is so great that I almost bought it without thinking last night (and I'm still close to doing so).

I'd like to know if there might be any issues with save data, because I plan to use Asobi on my Mac and the PS Portal. I'm currently playing Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, and it would be frustrating to have a save data sync problem.

I saw that Sony hasn't announced anything, and that they might also be working on a Mac version of PS Cloud and similar services. We can agree that there's no risk of being banned for using Asobi, right? Are we sure of that?

Does anyone use Asobi on a MacBook Air or Apple TV and could share their experience, please? It might convince me to sell my PS5 pretty soon.

Thanks in advance for your answers.