Lack of more RAM starting to show on 6 Plus.

[HiRez]

Considering there is much more needed graphics buffer due to the more pixels in the screen, I am not surprised.

It's not "much more". 1.7 million additional pixels (at 1242x2208) over the iPhone 6 takes up an extra 5 MB for a 24-bit buffer, or 0.5% of 1 GB. Even if you triple-buffer the whole screen in software, that's only 15 MB. It's not zero, but let's not pretend like it's doubling the amount of RAM required.

 

[AustinIllini]

It's not "much more". 1.7 million additional pixels (at 1242x2208) over the iPhone 6 takes up an extra 5 MB for a 24-bit buffer, or 0.5% of 1 GB. Even if you triple-buffer the whole screen in software, that's only 15 MB. It's not zero, but let's not pretend like it's doubling the amount of RAM required.

For sure. Most of the graphics benchmarks we have seen so far have the iPhone 6 at an almost negligible advantage over the 6+, which would be expected based on your estimates.

 

[HiRez]

K ill show you the video of my 6 Plus performance when i get home and you decide if all the stuttering and lag is stupid or not.

The mistake you are making is assuming the lag and stuttering is due to a lack of RAM. It's possible, but more likely it is just a lack of optimization in iOS 8. My 4S lagged and stuttered like crazy when I loaded iOS 7.0 on it, by 7.1 everything was fine, and the RAM did not change in between.

 

[jav6454]

It's not "much more". 1.7 million additional pixels (at 1242x2208) over the iPhone 6 takes up an extra 5 MB for a 24-bit buffer, or 0.5% of 1 GB. Even if you triple-buffer the whole screen in software, that's only 15 MB. It's not zero, but let's not pretend like it's doubling the amount of RAM required.

Yes, and the iPhone also poops rainbows. There is a reason why many GPUs have dedicated RAM.

It is not because of the pixel amount. It is due to the graphic intensive computations that GPU does. Pixels as you so eloquently stated, are nothing in terms of space. But turn those pixels into a application in the 2MP range and you got some math to do to correct execute every animation smoothly. Open a 3D game and that memory requirement goes up. Polygons, triangles, textures... you name it.

The iPhone unluckily has to share CPU+GPU resources in terms of memory. In other words, that 1GB of RAM the iPhone 6 (and 6+) have, is shared between application memory and whatever the GPU needs (oh and remember, it's 4 cores in the GPU).

 

[HiRez]

It is not because of the pixel amount.

What you wrote earlier:

there is much more needed graphics buffer due to the more pixels in the screen

 

[cathyy]

Yes, and the iPhone also poops rainbows. There is a reason why many GPUs have dedicated RAM.

It is not because of the pixel amount. It is due to the graphic intensive computations that GPU does. Pixels as you so eloquently stated, are nothing in terms of space. But turn those pixels into a application in the 2MP range and you got some math to do to correct execute every animation smoothly. Open a 3D game and that memory requirement goes up. Polygons, triangles, textures... you name it.

The iPhone unluckily has to share CPU+GPU resources in terms of memory. In other words, that 1GB of RAM the iPhone 6 (and 6+) have, is shared between application memory and whatever the GPU needs (oh and remember, it's 4 cores in the GPU).

2D graphics are extremely simple for a GPU to calculate as compared to 3D graphics. Dedicated RAM in desktop GPUs is usually used to store textures. However iOS UI should be using vector graphics and hence it shouldn't be a lack of VRAM that's the issue.

Regardless it's probably the lack of RAM that's causing the slow down in the OP's case anyway. I have similar stuttering/lag issues on my iPhone 4 and it only gets smoother after I either free up the memory and/or close all open applications. If you guys used PCs 10 years ago, you would know that the most common tip to speed up your computer would be to add more RAM.

 

[Zwhaler]

return it and go buy a note 4. no one is forcing you to keep it

I second this! Do it OP!

 

[vgamedude]

i have zero issues - the RAM FUD is back again.

I have maybe 4 at most tabs in safari, can switch back and forth between asphalt 7 and other apps instantly without any lag or refreshing in safari.

People we need to stop these threads that spew FUD. the 1GB ram is perfect or else apple would not of put it in my i6+

I've seen your post everywhere and I thought you were kidding because it's just so ludicrous and unbelievable sounding but there is this creeping feeling I'm getting that you might actually be serious.

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The RAM anxiety is stupid. iOS is lean and efficient and does not need tons of RAM just to run smoothly, like that other mobile OS....

Yeah op apparently the issues are all in your head.

 

[Switchback666]

Wait for 8.0.1, maybe situation will improve.

Ive yet to receive my 6 plus but i wouldn't ditch it so far if i was in your position.

 

[vgamedude]

Wait for 8.0.1, maybe situation will improve.

Ive yet to receive my 6 plus but i wouldn't ditch it so far if i was in your position.

If he waits that long he will probably be past the return period.

If it's that bad op either exchange it for a new one on the slight slight chance it's something just with your phone, or get a refund and either get the 6, or wait and see if this stuff gets better for you later.

 

[HiRez]

Wait for 8.0.1, maybe situation will improve.

Ive yet to receive my 6 plus but i wouldn't ditch it so far if i was in your position.

Maybe, but I'm guessing it'll be 8.1 before we see significant improvement.

That said, I'm fine with the performance on my Plus right now. I have seen an occasional lag or stutter but nowhere near as bad as some people are reporting here, not sure what the difference is.

 

[Immiddx]

K ill show you the video of my 6 Plus performance when i get home and you decide if all the stuttering and lag is stupid or not

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no thanks im just getting a regular 6. Just putting it out there that at least my unit is not running smooth at all at this point. Not bashing iOS or Apple for that matter.

Just because you've decided the RAM is causing this problem doesn't mean it actually is.

 

[Savor]

The RAM anxiety is stupid. iOS is lean and efficient and does not need tons of RAM just to run smoothly, like that other mobile OS....

More than enough is better than just enough. Very short-sighted point of view.

And case you're wondering, RAM usage is gotten better since KitKat. And battery life too. That other mobile OS does multi-tasking better. Yet, we can get 2 GB RAM or sometimes 3 GB while KK can run on 512 MB while iOS devices is stuck at 1 GB going onto three years next year. We had 2 GB RAM since 2012 now.

Contentment and complacency gives you ZERO growth in tech. Unless you really love having a bottleneck, opening apps 5 at a time and then closing, or you enjoy crashing and lag like when apps get bigger and Apple starts utilizing that "64-bit." More BREATHING room like RAM could have lessen on CPU load, heating issues, and battery life.

 

[cathyy]

Just because you've decided the RAM is causing this problem doesn't mean it actually is.

Makes sense though to attribute it to the RAM.

Unless you think it's the CPU or GPU that's too slow.

 

[Immiddx]

Makes sense though to attribute it to the RAM.

Unless you think it's the CPU or GPU that's too slow.

It really doesn't. He's claiming he has 4 apps open. Even if iOS didn't manage its RAM to make it so these problems didn't arise, 4 apps wouldn't fill up all the RAM under normal scenarios. There is some kind of problem that isn't down to insufficient RAM. Either a memory leak due to an issue with one of the apps or some hardware problem makes more sense.

 

[darkfiber]

I have 340 apps on my iPhone 6 Plus (128GB). When I call up the app switcher I have about 90 apps on that list. Yet I have no issues with stuttering.

 

[briankeith513]

Yes I'm getting plenty of freezing and crashing, but I'm not so sure that this is a ram issue, rather than a software issue.

 

[CaptMarvel]

i have zero issues - the RAM FUD is back again.

I have maybe 4 at most tabs in safari, can switch back and forth between asphalt 7 and other apps instantly without any lag or refreshing in safari.

People we need to stop these threads that spew FUD. the 1GB ram is perfect or else apple would not of put it in my i6+

new asphalt game on Thursday!

 

[highlightshadow]

Most of the issues are a combination of:
1. iOS8 and its API's being buggy (had plenty of 'core' apps crash on my iP6 so far)
2. iOS8 not having all the tuning done to it which it will do given a couple more months
3. Apps not using new api's / optimised (again had plenty of older apps crash)
4. If not a clean install (ie you restored iP5 backup) then it could be old cruft jamming up the system .. i had to do a clean install on my iP5s about a month ago because some GPS functionality wasn't behaving... things get bad over time.

Version x.0 of an iOS is always pretty bad .... ppl (devs) were complaining about the GM build when it dropped... the release version is the same build ... there are plenty of issues but so far RAM ain't one

 

[Elisha]

Gotcha so its more of a GPU issue than anything? So am I SOL when it comes to smooth animations and performance for this Plus model until the next updated Plus comes out with better specs?

The gpu uses shared memory so yes and no! More RAM available means the more the gpu can use without having to offload background apps.
It's a ram issue trough and trough.

 

[dilutedq]

You realize you should never have much free ram? It'll always be filled up. That is always how IOS and OSX have worked. It's wasted if it's not being used.

 

[bigjim83]

I also think it's an ios 8 thing. My 5s has been more sluggish on 8 then 7.

 

[bambooshots]

You're not the only one experiencing lag and stuttering on the Plus. I am, too, and so have the reviewers who got advance units to review by Apple and have more hands on time with both the 6 and Plus.

They attributed it to the phone needing to upscale and then downscaling the display since the same problem wasn't present on the 6.

You're blaming the the issue on RAM and that may be true or it may be not true, but can't definitely say for sure.

It is irritating to me as well but I'm sure it'll be fixed in the next iOS update.

 

[Wrathwitch]

One:

Ignore almost all of the stupid crap we are spewing at you.

Two:

You have spent a LOT of money on this phone, if it's not performing to standards you expect, don't waste your time feeding the trolls and take it in to the store and replace it!

Very simple. Sheesh!

 

[kinster]

No lag on mine. I hardly shut things down too.