Browser performance painful since getting M4 Mac mini with Sequoia

[SalisburySam]

I recently upgraded(?) my 2017 iMac to an M4 Mac mini with 1TB RAM and an Apple Studio Display. Since doing so I’ve been only mildly impressed with the performance boost. Worse, Internet speeds on three browsers (Safari, DuckDuckGo, and Opera) are just abysmal with many previously-used site page loads just timing out. This is everything from page loads, to CAPTCHAs, to even loading pages without much graphics or images. This has been a huge step down for me for Internet work. Almost wish I hadn’t traded in the working iMac and kept it for browser work.

Both devices were/are connected to 300mbps Ethernet, both used/using the same VPN and host sites, current versions of all software (Monterey on the iMac, Sequoia on the Mac mini), caches cleaned out, other stored browser chaff cleaned out.

What could I be doing wrong?

 

[Fishrrman]

Could it be the VPN?
Have you tried disabling that for a while, to see if things change?

One other thing to try:
Go to the users & groups pane.
Create a new "experimental" user account.
Give it administrative privileges.
Username and password are all you need.
Then...
Sign out of your "regular" account and sign into the experimental account.

Try some browsing now with Safari and other browsers.
Do things change?

When you're done using the experimental account, you can either delete it, or perhaps keep it around if you need to use it again (doesn't take much space).

 

[Boyd01]

My guess is also that it has something to do with the VPN but since I've never used one, can't help there. I have a base m4 Mini 16/256 that is primarily a media server for my Apple TV's but it's also connected to my home stereo system and I frequently stream music on the Sirius/XM website. No performance issues there. Don't normally do regular web browsing on that Mac, but just tried several sites including MacRumors. Seemed just as fast as my 2018 Mini on Monterey, no problems at all. I use Safari for everything (except testing a web app I'm developing on different browsers).

I have 500/500mbit FIOS internet and a hardwired gigabit ethernet LAN. Anyway, I don't think there's a generic issue with the m4 Mini (or if there is, it's not affecting me).

 

[Fishrrman]

Try this with your main account:
Go to

Speedtest by Ookla - The Global Broadband Speed Test

Use Speedtest on all your devices with our free desktop and mobile apps.

www.speedtest.net

Run a test with your VPN on.
Then run it again with your VPN off.
How much difference in speeds are there?

 

[SalisburySam]

Could it be the VPN?
Have you tried disabling that for a while, to see if things change?

One other thing to try:
Go to the users & groups pane.
Create a new "experimental" user account.
Give it administrative privileges.
Username and password are all you need.
Then...
Sign out of your "regular" account and sign into the experimental account.

Try some browsing now with Safari and other browsers.
Do things change?

When you're done using the experimental account, you can either delete it, or perhaps keep it around if you need to use it again (doesn't take much space).

Yes, could be the VPN and browsing is faster without it…but still painfully slow. And it is the same VPN as I used on the iMac (though more current version). I expect a slowdown with a VPN but not as drastic a slowdown as I see.

Hadn’t thought of a test user account, but will try that, thanks.