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scrolling takes 15% processor power?

L

ljx718

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 13, 2008
428
2
hey, im here with a launch 17 in i7 500hdd and 4 gb ram.

ive started to notice that the processor goes to 15% sometimes up to 20% while scrolling

this is on any website, the nvidia gpu or intell, on battery or plugged in. its not flash either because i have click to flash installed.

i just find it very odd that it needs that much processor just to scroll.

anyone else noticing the same thing?
 
You know, if you just scroll up and down really really fast, you can get 100% core usage.

EDIT: ah right, that was in Chrome. In Safari, I get like 20-something%
 
This is indeed crazy, no wonder I am not getting the advertised battery stamina!
 
prism said:
This is indeed crazy, no wonder I am not getting the advertised battery stamina!
Click to expand...

it could be it. i mean, why would it need so much processor. if it needs to render stuff, i though the gpu would do some of that.
 
Due to the i5/i7 has 4 virtual cores, max cpu usage is 400%
15-20% usage is 3.75-4% usage (overall), which seems normal
 
cluthz said:
Due to the i5/i7 has 4 virtual cores, max cpu usage is 400%
15-20% usage is 3.75-4% usage (overall), which seems normal
Click to expand...

coud explain it, but i have it so istat shows the 4 processors as one
 
DoFoT9 said:
scrolling as fast as i can with safari i get like 14% on my imac...

what an odd bug.
Click to expand...

I don't see it as a bug. I got the same results you did, but I'm scrolling up and down so fast to get that result that it's not how I scroll and the bump is only for a second. Scrolling normally as one would while reading a page results in a 1 to 2 percent increase in CPU usage and that is only while the scroll bar is being moved.
 
xlii said:
I don't see it as a bug. I got the same results you did, but I'm scrolling up and down so fast to get that result that it's not how I scroll and the bump is only for a second. Scrolling normally as one would while reading a page results in a 1 to 2 percent increase in CPU usage and that is only while the scroll bar is being moved.
Click to expand...
i actually get it no matter how fast or slow i scroll
 
Lol, try this in Chrome: on any page, even this simple thread, scroll as slowly as you can (works easier on a trackpad, 2 fingered scroll), it has to be consistent. I'm scrolling at about 10 pixels/second up, and the CPU usage in Activity Monitor goes up to like 80% of one core. THAT's absolutely insane!

And in Safari, doing the same thing, I get about 10% in Safari, and 10% in WindowServer. If I scroll as fast as I can up and down in Safari, I get to about 30% in Safari and the same in WindowServer.

ljx718 said:
i actually get it no matter how fast or slow i scroll
Click to expand...

I think what xlii is trying to say is that you don't scroll for very long, and that it's just a momentary spike.

Also, can I ask what you all think a reasonable %CPU usage for what may be a semi-complex (as a user it may not seem that difficult, hell the iOS does a good job) UI operation scrolling the page might be?
 
ljx718 said:
coud explain it, but i have it so istat shows the 4 processors as one
Click to expand...

I opened activity monitor and Safari peaks 25% with heavy scrolling on one core. It just doesn't seem right, I can at least not reproduce that CPU use on mine
 
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