Lots of Files on Desktop, Slow Down Performance Myth?

[sheetrock321]

....or Fact?

So some applications and other things have been opening/performing slower than usual.

I've almost always kept about 80GBs of files on my desktop. I like them there. Easier to organize, get to, plus hot corners to clear windows.

It's mostly movies, tv shows, GoPro MP4s, and documents (pdfs, photoshop files, etc.)

Organized, neat, and in folders.

I've never really had a problem with it slowing things down until recently, and I'm not even sure that's what's doing it.

Macbook Pro, 500GB 8GB Ram, about 2.5 years old.

I JUST cleared out a lot of space and have 330GB of hard drive space. That has helped for sure.

But I placed all the files in Documents to see if that would help even more.

I can't tell a difference.

Thoughts?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

I haven't experienced any slowdowns with lots of files on the Desktop too, but that slowing down myth probably stems from times when RAM was slower and smaller and many files previewing itself could take up RAM.
Now that you have organised them in folders, only the folder icons need to be displayed, which is no RAM hog at all.

If you want to enhance the performance of your Mac, be sure to check these two articles, do not just use applications, that promise to do it for you.

• Performance Tips For Mac OS X
• Mac Performance Guide

 

[p3ntyne]

As Simsaladimbamba said, the difference is much less noticeable nowadays however the idea is that the desktop will take longer to load as it has to load the images and preview content of the desktop files upon startup and some other occasions. It is not based on the amount of content (Gb-wise) but the amount of individual files placed there.

Personally, I keep nothing on the desktop and I love it.