iMac Retina 5k lag when changing wallpapers

[Javier Casaudoumecq]

I recently purchased a iMac retina 5k (Intel i7 4GHz, 16GB ram, 1TB Fusion, AMD R9 M290X 2GB) and I have been noticing that the interface stutters when changing wallpapers on my desktop.

It doesn't happen every time but sometimes I am able to catch the transition and I can tell that even the mouse cursor stutters a bit till the wallpaper fully transitions to the next one.

additional info:
- I have an additional monitor attached running at 1920x1080
- The wallpapers are at 5k resolution (5120x2880) and change every 5 minutes (*only on the iMac not on the other monitor).

Has anyone else noticed this? Other than this strange lag the system runs perfectly.

 

[aevan]

I recently purchased a iMac retina 5k (Intel i7 4GHz, 16GB ram, 1TB Fusion, AMD R9 M290X 2GB) and I have been noticing that the interface stutters when changing wallpapers on my desktop.

It doesn't happen every time but sometimes I am able to catch the transition and I can tell that even the mouse cursor stutters a bit till the wallpaper fully transitions to the next one.

additional info:
- I have an additional monitor attached running at 1920x1080
- The wallpapers are at 5k resolution (5120x2880) and change every 5 minutes (*only on the iMac not on the other monitor).

Has anyone else noticed this? Other than this strange lag the system runs perfectly.

I can only assume it's a demanding process. I have a similar iMac 5K (everything else is the same as you, but with an i5) and the wallpapers change quickly, however it sometimes takes a few seconds to display all of them in the selection window. I use 3rd party 5K wallpapers, have around 20 of them in a folder. Then again, I always change manually.

But keep in mind, you are changing a 14 megapixel image every 5 minutes and probably during other CPU consuming work, I can imagine it can stutter a bit during the change. Seems normal to me (and probably will be for the next one or two generations at least). If you're bothered by this, you will probably have to change wallpapers less often

 

[fathergll]

I just ran into this issue trying to manually change my wallpaper in a folder filled with 24 MP images. It wasn't even rendering half the images in the preview box. i didn't spend too much time looking into it though

 

[Javier Casaudoumecq]

I can only assume it's a demanding process. I have a similar iMac 5K (everything else is the same as you, but with an i5) and the wallpapers change quickly, however it sometimes takes a few seconds to display all of them in the selection window. I use 3rd party 5K wallpapers, have around 20 of them in a folder. Then again, I always change manually.

But keep in mind, you are changing a 14 megapixel image every 5 minutes and probably during other CPU consuming work, I can imagine it can stutter a bit during the change. Seems normal to me (and probably will be for the next one or two generations at least). If you're bothered by this, you will probably have to change wallpapers less often

I believe you are right I am just going to have to either choose a static wallpaper for now or give it a longer change interval.

I still don't believe it should lag as much as it does it actually makes web videos (youtube, netflix) stutter while the wallpaper changes.

I hope an upcoming update can smooth it out a bit, the rest of the system is so fast its kinda disappointing that this happens.... maybe i should have gotten the 4gb card lol.

 

[aevan]

I hope an upcoming update can smooth it out a bit, the rest of the system is so fast its kinda disappointing that this happens.... maybe i should have gotten the 4gb card lol.

People like to blame the GPU for everything that is graphics related In reality, it is rarely that the GPU is to blame, in fact, I'm guessing if it was up to GPU, your M290X would change those wallpapers like a champ Hey, it runs WoW in 5K, it can change wallpapers, believe me Displaying a 5K image is not a problem for the graphics processor.

This is probably due to loading large images to RAM and some bad OS X optimisations. Those wallpapers are huge, you know BTW, I remember a time when you had to click "ok" and wait for some time before the Wallpaper would change in Windows

 

[Javier Casaudoumecq]

I remember a time when you had to click "ok" and wait for some time before the Wallpaper would change in Windows

Yea we have been spoiled.... lol.

But yea you are right I am running several games at 5k-4k resolutions without any problems so I shouldn't be blaming the GPU.