macbook air 2012 stuttering

[CM01]

Hi! I have a macbook air 2012 i5/4g ram. When I scroll on web pages in chrome, safari and other browsers there is a stuttering - like frame drops. Stuttering is there even in Spotify, itunes and some system apps. Cpu usage is normal, ram usage is normal, temperatures are normal. Same thing happens on every mac os I tested (from mountain lion to catalina). I bought it used a few months ago for 200€. Can it because battery is very bad? I recorded a video where you can see it. It is not that bad like on the video but still pretty bad, especially in safari.

youtube link

 

[ghanwani]

If the problem happens when it's plugged in then it's not the battery. If it only happens on the battery check to see if the power settings are trying to optimize battery life over performance.

From what you have in your video, it just looks like it's having trouble keeping up. 4GB of RAM is a little on the low side and I would imagine the hard drive is not that fast either (which means low swap speeds).

 

[SmOgER]

If the problem happens when it's plugged in then it's not the battery. <..>

That's actually not always the case. When my battery charge is very low (2% or so) it can be noticeably slower even while plugged in until it charges some more.

OP, try latest Safari technology preview if you're after scrolling performance.

 

[CM01]

That's actually not always the case. When my battery charge is very low (2% or so) it can be noticeably slower even while plugged in until it charges some more.

OP, try latest Safari technology preview if you're after scrolling performance.

Works the same. It is the problem with almost every app. You have 2013 mba? How does it scroll?

 

[SmOgER]

You have 2013 mba? How does it scroll?

Yes. Everything's smooth with Safari TP.

 

[CM01]

Yes. Everything's smooth with Safari TP.

Firefox, Chrome and other browsers, Spotify, music app and other apps with scrolling are smooth too?

 

[mj_]

You're using a webbrowser that is know to be a resource hog on a 9 year old low-end Mac loading modern shared content websites. I'm not surprised scrolling isn't smooth. I am surprised it's working at all.

 

[MBAir2010]

My 4gb 2010 MacBook air runs Safari much better after i clear cache and history, under the develop tab (which could be hidden) and is running as good as ever now with Mojave.

but on another sour note,
I'm using my 5th mag-safe power chord adaptor since 2010 starting today, my last one i hope!

 

[CM01]

I will buy a newer macbook anyway. I just tried to make it usable beacuse it is very small and light.

 

[MBAir2010]

I will buy a newer macbook anyway. I just tried to make it usable beacuse it is very small and light.

try resetting your router as well. i have an  airport that clogs the  devices at times
your MacBook air still packs a healthy punch, as does mine, depending on how well we maintain these fine notebooks

 

[CM01]

try resetting your router as well. i have an  airport that clogs the  devices at times
your MacBook air still packs a healthy punch, as does mine, depending on how well we maintain these fine notebooks

I tried EVERYTHING. Reinstaled OS multiple times, installed older macos versions, tried all browsers, external monitor, installed os on external drive. Nothing helped. Even OSX 10.8 has lagging - scrolling in app store is like 5 fps.

I know that this is an old laptop. I just bought it to experience macos outside of hackintosh. And it was very cheap.
It is really VERY slow (but cpu and gpu usage is normal) or there is a hardware problem. How do newer macbook scrolls? Is it buttery smooth or not? I just want a scrolling without lags without spending 2000 dollars on newest and greates mbp because my 6yo PC scrolls perfectly fine.

 

[MBAir2010]

you night have hard drive issues, i just installed a newer last May, one that boosted performance, the vendor claimed.
since you might buy a new MacBook air, i would not invest in your MacBook air

 

[CM01]

I will sell it as broken or something and buy 2015 mbp or newer. They should work okay I think.

 

[MBAir2010]

I will sell it as broken or something and buy 2015 mbp or newer. They should work okay I think.

you never know, i would use a used MacBook for at least 15 to 30 minutes before buying one since that is a gamble buying anything used

 

[Jack Neill]

I have a 2012 Air i5/4Gb. I put a MX500 SSD with a Sinetech adapter and am running Big Sur and nothing lags. Runs quite well for a 4gb ram machine. Sounds like you have a hardware problem, the Apple OEM SSD has weak R/W's

 

[SmOgER]

Firefox, Chrome and other browsers, Spotify, music app and other apps with scrolling are smooth too?

I don't use Firefox and only use Chrome occasionally. That being said, everything's smooth.

 

[CM01]

Then there is definitely a hardware problem. Thanks for helping me.