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fkjr2

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 18, 2012
32
0
Ok I am coming from a Dell XPS with loaded specs - I7, SSD, loaded graphics, etc so I am used to multi-tasking bliss - so now I have a loaded Macbook I7, 1GB Graphics, etc (loaded) and when I multi-task (4-5 apps open) plus watch videos with VLC or MPlayer, the Mac crawls/freezes....is this normal expected behavior?

I am thinking of upgrading to the 512GB SSD so I am hoping that will help things along.

I have to say that I do like the Mac but I am a power user so just want to make sure this is ok and to be expected for a $4000 laptop purchase!!

Cheers
 
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Have a look at Activity Monitor (Applications / Utilities /) and select All Processes and sort by CPU to see what the culprit may be.
Also check the "System Memory" tab to see what your "Page ins:", "Page outs:" and "Swap used:" are.

image below uses sorting by CPU as an example
Acitivty_Monitor.png

Further reading:
______________________________________________________​

Check the Console for hints.

 
I am using a program called FREE MEMORY on the top windows bar - would that help if I set it to free memory at a given threshold?
 
Ok I am coming from a Dell XPS with loaded specs - I7, SSD, loaded graphics, etc so I am used to multi-tasking bliss - so now I have a loaded Macbook I7, 1GB Graphics, etc (loaded) and when I multi-task (4-5 apps open) plus watch videos with VLC or MPlayer, the Mac crawls/freezes....is this normal expected behavior?

I am thinking of upgrading to the 512GB SSD so I am hoping that will help things along.

I have to say that I do like the Mac but I am a power user so just want to make sure this is ok and to be expected for a $4000 laptop purchase!!

Cheers

same RAM in both?
 
I am using a program called FREE MEMORY on the top windows bar - would that help if I set it to free memory at a given threshold?

It may, but that would only get rid of a problem, after it occurs. Have you even looked at Activity Monitor yet?
Or these Performance Tips For Mac OS X?

Anyway, I have had Macs from 768 MB (iBook) to now 8 GB (2009 MBP) and never had to use such application, and I use some RAM hungry applications quite often or have a lot of applications open (15 to 25).
 
I am using a program called FREE MEMORY on the top windows bar - would that help if I set it to free memory at a given threshold?

im not sure but i dont think that app does much beside moving the Unused Ram back to the Free Ram reading.


if an app requires more RAM than you have in the "Free" area im pretty sure it gets that needed RAM from then "unused" Ram
 
Oh, nice. And?

what do you mean and?

Just saying that I have the Mac with max configuration and it still freezes while for exampling downloading Picasa albums with other apps open together. Is this normal behavior?

My Dell XPS never did that (max configured)
 
what do you mean and?

Just saying that I have the Mac with max configuration and it still freezes while for exampling downloading Picasa albums with other apps open together. Is this normal behavior?

My Dell XPS never did that (max configured)

I asked you to open Activity Monitor and take a look at your CPU usage and RAM usage.
I also linked you to the Performance Tips For Mac OS X.

Have you done any of this? Otherwise we can only guess.


 
I asked you to open Activity Monitor and take a look at your CPU usage and RAM usage.
I also linked you to the Performance Tips For Mac OS X.

Have you done any of this? Otherwise we can only guess.



While he does need to look at the processes as you instructed, I think he was just answering iisforiphone's quesiton.

same RAM in both?
 
While he does need to look at the processes as you instructed, I think he was just answering iisforiphone's quesiton.

S/he does not need to, it is just something I ask in threads, where people report, that their machine is slow, thus post #2, by me, gave instructions on how to use Activity Monitor properly (including some links to educate oneself about that stupid little application), in order to find a culprit.

Maybe I was wrong in asking to do that though, I mean, the OP didn't specifically ask "Why does this happen?", s/he just asked "is this normal expected behavior?", thus my answer should have been just "no".

Silly, passive-aggressive me I guess.
 
guys thank you!

I dont mean to be evasive at all :) My apologies - I did look at AM and of course found Picasa taking most of the CPU power - my real concern/question is if even having checked the activity is it normal when doing such projects like downloading files, watching movies and surfing web for the Mac I have thats configured with highest specs to slow or be slightly non responsive during these loads on the CPU. Thats all I was asking :)

Thanks again for reading/helping - any input is always greatly appreciated.
 
guys thank you!

I dont mean to be evasive at all :) My apologies - I did look at AM and of course found Picasa taking most of the CPU power - my real concern/question is if even having checked the activity is it normal when doing such projects like downloading files, watching movies and surfing web for the Mac I have thats configured with highest specs to slow or be slightly non responsive during these loads on the CPU. Thats all I was asking :)

Thanks again for reading/helping - any input is always greatly appreciated.

If movie watching is Flash related, then sadly yes.

Adobe Flash Player is CPU intensive, thus more power is needed to feed the CPU, which results in higher temperatures and often higher fan speed(s) on mobile computers. As more power is used due to Flash, the battery life of mobile computers is shortened by a good bit.
To check, if Adobe Flash Player is responsible for less battery time or the heat, go to Applications / Utilities / Activity Monitor and select to show ALL PROCESSES and sort by CPU.

There are a variety of Flash blockers for all the four major browsers available.
A Flash blocker does what it says, it blocks Flash content, but via a click on the marked Flash object, the Flash object can be activated and used.

  • Safari: ClickToFlash, for which there is an extension and a plug-in; CTF allows you to download YouTube and other kinds of MPEG-4 encoded video too.
  • Opera: has a built-in Flash blocker
  • Firefox: Flashblock is an add-on to block Flash
  • Chrome: FlashBlock is an extension to block Flash

Also make sure to have the latest Adobe Flash Player version running, you can get it here.​
 
If movie watching is Flash related, then sadly yes.

Adobe Flash Player is CPU intensive, thus more power is needed to feed the CPU, which results in higher temperatures and often higher fan speed(s) on mobile computers. As more power is used due to Flash, the battery life of mobile computers is shortened by a good bit.
To check, if Adobe Flash Player is responsible for less battery time or the heat, go to Applications / Utilities / Activity Monitor and select to show ALL PROCESSES and sort by CPU.

There are a variety of Flash blockers for all the four major browsers available.
A Flash blocker does what it says, it blocks Flash content, but via a click on the marked Flash object, the Flash object can be activated and used.

  • Safari: ClickToFlash, for which there is an extension and a plug-in; CTF allows you to download YouTube and other kinds of MPEG-4 encoded video too.
  • Opera: has a built-in Flash blocker
  • Firefox: Flashblock is an add-on to block Flash
  • Chrome: FlashBlock is an extension to block Flash

Also make sure to have the latest Adobe Flash Player version running, you can get it here.​



I was actually using M Player to view the HD movie not flash or in the web browser
 
S/he does not need to, it is just something I ask in threads, where people report, that their machine is slow, thus post #2, by me, gave instructions on how to use Activity Monitor properly (including some links to educate oneself about that stupid little application), in order to find a culprit.

Maybe I was wrong in asking to do that though, I mean, the OP didn't specifically ask "Why does this happen?", s/he just asked "is this normal expected behavior?", thus my answer should have been just "no".

Silly, passive-aggressive me I guess.

That had me LOLing! :)

...or would that be LingOL? hmmm....
 
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