I’ve noticed when streaming video on my new M1 MBA that the picture is really grainy and it lags. I have it side by side with my wife’s 2020 intel i3 MBA and streaming live TV from BBC iPlayer and her picture is much sharper and my stream actually lags behind a few seconds too. Could I have a dud MBA or is there an issue with WiFi streaming or maybe graphics with the new chip?
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M1 MBA poor video streaming performance
- Thread starter badger1212
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I haven't experienced anything like that with my M1 MBA, although I don't use the BBC iPlayer. If you had a potential hardware problem, you would probably see bad video a lot of the time at different places and not just using the iPlayer.
I use it for streaming frequently. It's great A/V. However, that's not singular to the MBA M1. My Thinkpad and even my old HP titanic works well (within the limitations of their display). You having issues is extremely likely to do with your connection, setup or apps you have running.
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I would think that if the issue is at your level. The reason why, many people have bought into the MBA and MBP M1s and it is not an issue that is plaguing forums. At least, not that I have seen.
Could be my set up, but it seems odd though that my wife’s MBA is right next to it with a much better picture. And I’ve only just got it so have barely installed anything, just Spotify and Chrome. YouTube seems to be poorer too so it’s not just BBC iPlayer.
It’s not just iPlayer. YouTube is poorer too.
I tried via Safari and Chrome and got the same results.
With your home wifi, are you and the mrs. badger both using the same channel (eg. 2.4 or 5Ghz)?
I watch BBC iplayer on VPN regularly and I haven't found an issue on M1 iMac as compared to my earlier 21.5 inch intel iMac. I do also own an M1 MBA; But haven't used it for media consumption so far (no travel since covid!). Will check on that device and revert.
Hmm I shall check that in the morning. I was wondering if it was WiFi related.
It seems to be some streaming services and not others. Netflix for example is fine, and I actually think Youtube is OK. Could be due to the compression methods the different services use.
No problems with streaming on my MBA M1, no matter what app i use.
I also do not have any WiFi-problems but I heard that there are problems with some routers.
Press and hold OPTION and the WiFi-symbol in the status bar to check your bandwidth.
You may also use an app like WiFi Explorer to optimize your WiFi.
I also do not have any WiFi-problems but I heard that there are problems with some routers.
Press and hold OPTION and the WiFi-symbol in the status bar to check your bandwidth.
You may also use an app like WiFi Explorer to optimize your WiFi.
Sounds like a WiFi or browser issue. Worth checking it's not connecting to a 2.4Ghz network - I know BT routers for example no longer allow you to separately broadcast the 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz networks, so I think it can be easy to accidentally connect to the wrong one (I disable 2.4Ghz).
Suspect it's a wifi issue too. Some possibilities:
- 2.4 / 5ghz as others have mentioned
- The intel mac may have connected first and is sucking up the bandwidth, and there isn't much left over for the M1 mac. (It's the responsibility of the mesh equipment to sort this out. But some are better at this than others)
- As you have a mesh wifi network, the M1 mac may be connected to a further away access point and not getting as much bandwidth. The M1 macs have a much newer radio system so it might be holding onto a further away access point or working around the intel mac in some way. (Again, some mesh equipment is better at fixing this than others.)
- The M1 mac might be connected to an access point that is re-using its own wifi to connect back to the home gateway, whereas the intel might be connected to a hardwired (ethernet-supplied) access point or the home gateway itself.
- Possible short-falling in your home router itself.
You can test by turning off other computers and streaming with just your M1 mac. Put it near to an access point that is directly wired to your home gateway. Turn the M1's wifi on and off to encourage it to reconnect to the nearest access point. Or even better, connect directly via ethernet and a USB dongle.
I don't know what TP Link stuff you have, but am not a huge fan of it. Amazon's Eero (non-pro) kit is well reviewed (and it's what I have) and is often around half price especially on Black Friday and Prime days.
If the TP link kit is here to stay, then try to have each access point connected via ethernet (or powerline) back to the main router, if it's the type of kit that even has ethernet ports.
Edit: 2.4ghz travels further, but carries less data, and 2.4 ghz radios are not as good at sharing out data between multiple devices, which becomes a problem when your mac can see 5-10 wifi networks from neighbours. 5ghz doesn't travel as far, but carries more data, and Wifi 5 (802.11ac) (only runs on 5ghz) is better at sharing between devices.
Try to make sure all your wifi devices use Wifi 5 (new name for 802.11ac but it's the same thing) and use the 5ghz band. (It's normal to have a few devices that can't, but the less you have on 2.4 ghz, the better)
- 2.4 / 5ghz as others have mentioned
- The intel mac may have connected first and is sucking up the bandwidth, and there isn't much left over for the M1 mac. (It's the responsibility of the mesh equipment to sort this out. But some are better at this than others)
- As you have a mesh wifi network, the M1 mac may be connected to a further away access point and not getting as much bandwidth. The M1 macs have a much newer radio system so it might be holding onto a further away access point or working around the intel mac in some way. (Again, some mesh equipment is better at fixing this than others.)
- The M1 mac might be connected to an access point that is re-using its own wifi to connect back to the home gateway, whereas the intel might be connected to a hardwired (ethernet-supplied) access point or the home gateway itself.
- Possible short-falling in your home router itself.
You can test by turning off other computers and streaming with just your M1 mac. Put it near to an access point that is directly wired to your home gateway. Turn the M1's wifi on and off to encourage it to reconnect to the nearest access point. Or even better, connect directly via ethernet and a USB dongle.
I don't know what TP Link stuff you have, but am not a huge fan of it. Amazon's Eero (non-pro) kit is well reviewed (and it's what I have) and is often around half price especially on Black Friday and Prime days.
If the TP link kit is here to stay, then try to have each access point connected via ethernet (or powerline) back to the main router, if it's the type of kit that even has ethernet ports.
Edit: 2.4ghz travels further, but carries less data, and 2.4 ghz radios are not as good at sharing out data between multiple devices, which becomes a problem when your mac can see 5-10 wifi networks from neighbours. 5ghz doesn't travel as far, but carries more data, and Wifi 5 (802.11ac) (only runs on 5ghz) is better at sharing between devices.
Try to make sure all your wifi devices use Wifi 5 (new name for 802.11ac but it's the same thing) and use the 5ghz band. (It's normal to have a few devices that can't, but the less you have on 2.4 ghz, the better)
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I have a TP Link MESH system. What's wrong with the 2.4GHz band?
Thanks these are all good points. I have the TP Link Deco M4s and have been very impressed with them. I’ll do some investigation.
At any one time we have ********s of devices including the kids watching Netflix so it could well be me joining the queue late for WiFi. I’ll see what it’s like when not many devices are connected including the rival Mac .