Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Sending back my rMBP for poor performance

F

Forkjulle

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 1, 2012
211
1
I am disappointed. I spent a lot of money on this rMBP. It's the mid-2012 model, with 512SSD, 16GB RAM, and 2.6 CPU.

The screen is what sold me, as I am an illustrator and work in Photoshop all day. (Photoshop looks fine on retina, and not nearly as terrible as everyone makes it out to be.)

But the performance is jerky and not smooth. Switching between desktops is jerky and even opening Finder is often not smooth. When I got the laptop, the Backspace key got stuck after it was pressed, though it seems a bit better now. And the Caps Lock key doesn't turn on when I press it. I have to hit it hard. It's moody and sometimes works.

I've looked at the Airs, thinking that they're better in performance, but they're too small. I can't go smaller than 15". The MacBook Pros are being phased out and are a bit clunky. Although, if they're comparable, performance-wise, to the rMBP, then I might consider.

But their screens aren't as good.

I suppose I'm going to swap for another rMBP and hope for the best. I'm really in a pickle, and I'll have to wait a few weeks for a new machine.

Bleh.

It's a lot of money for what is really just a great screen. The performance is certainly not worth the cost.

I'm pretty disappointed.
 
I have the same computer, and it's super smooth.

Is your software up-to-date? Try resetting your SMC.

Seems like your model may be wonky, I've never really experienced anything you've described.
 
wiznet said:
I have the same computer, and it's super smooth.

Is your software up-to-date? Try resetting your SMC.

Seems like your model may be wonky, I've never really experienced anything you've described.
Click to expand...

Everything is updated. I've checked multiple times.

How do I reset DMC?
 
Have you upgraded to Mountain Lion? I also found that some screen visualizations with the computer were laggy, but Mountain Lion apparently optimized something because it's now buttery smooth. If you're still using Lion I'd recommend trying the OS upgrade before you decide to return the thing.
 
wiznet said:
I have the same computer, and it's super smooth.
Click to expand...
So do I, and I see the issues he reports - regarding jerkiness. I'm just not bothered by them - but I do see them.

Many people report the issue. I think some people are more annoyed by it than others. Every model I've seen has the same problem. The dGPU/iGPU are both underpowered for the display when you consider what OS X does to get the retina view. I doubt this will be resolved until the 2013 model with a hardware update.

Please note: I am extremely satisfied with my laptop. The jerkiness of screen switching and some of the other movements doesn't bother me. The primary purposes for me are software development and managing a global Windows network. It excels at both.
 
Coldmode said:
Have you upgraded to Mountain Lion? I also found that some screen visualizations with the computer were laggy, but Mountain Lion apparently optimized something because it's now buttery smooth. If you're still using Lion I'd recommend trying the OS upgrade before you decide to return the thing.
Click to expand...

I'm using 10.8.2.

Is that Mountain Lion?
 
It is very very strange but it changes from machine to machine. I've exchanged three rmbp and 2nd one was the worst. Jerky, stuttery and slow, yes slow! Even with exact same configurations they are different. The one I have now has absolutely smooth graphics and no stuttering whatsoever. The fastest to all of them that I've had. So you might have one of those that are not working to their best performance and no resets or clean install will help, I tried it. Hopefully you will get another one that will work properly.:)

I guess that's why we see some people report their disappointments with laggy rmbp, and some are say to that what are you talking about, it is perfect! I've experienced it myself so now I know that not all of them are the same...
 
Forkjulle said:
I am disappointed. I spent a lot of money on this rMBP. It's the mid-2012 model, with 512SSD, 16GB RAM, and 2.6 CPU.

The screen is what sold me, as I am an illustrator and work in Photoshop all day. (Photoshop looks fine on retina, and not nearly as terrible as everyone makes it out to be.)

But the performance is jerky and not smooth. Switching between desktops is jerky and even opening Finder is often not smooth. When I got the laptop, the Backspace key got stuck after it was pressed, though it seems a bit better now. And the Caps Lock key doesn't turn on when I press it. I have to hit it hard. It's moody and sometimes works.

I've looked at the Airs, thinking that they're better in performance, but they're too small. I can't go smaller than 15". The MacBook Pros are being phased out and are a bit clunky. Although, if they're comparable, performance-wise, to the rMBP, then I might consider.

But their screens aren't as good.

I suppose I'm going to swap for another rMBP and hope for the best. I'm really in a pickle, and I'll have to wait a few weeks for a new machine.

Bleh.

It's a lot of money for what is really just a great screen. The performance is certainly not worth the cost.

I'm pretty disappointed.
Click to expand...

For the GUI animations, I recommend that you:

a) Autohide the dock
b) Show dock menus as lists and not as stacks. From what I can see, this causes a massive amount of UI lag.

The two suggestions given above were recommended in another MR thread. After changing them, absolutely all GUI lag has disappeared from my system. I can run on the battery at any res using IG.

The remaining lag I have is in Safari. It's extremely minor whilst scrolling most web pages at 1:1 scale. I can navigate from the top to the bottom of a page in a single trackpad swoosh for about 50% of sites I visit. An additional 30% are somewhat choppy and the last 20% are distinctly lagging. An example of somewhat choppy site: www.thesun.co.uk.

Regardless of the website, whilst zoomed in to a page, the lag becomes much more apparent (even when running on the mains using discrete graphics). I've tried the "zoomed in" scrolling on a 2012 cMBP and there is some lag there as well, although it seems less pronounced.
 
TRY THIS: even if you're gonna return it, reset the SMC.


Once in a while my rMBP gets laggy as hell (even with discrete chip), everything stutters, scrolling is horrible, I get 5fps on games, I go and reset the SMC and everything is smooth as butter, I cannot get it to lag. I have no clue what is causing it.
 
zjazz said:
It is very very strange but it changes from machine to machine. I've exchanged three rmbp and 2nd one was the worst. Jerky, stuttery and slow, yes slow! Even with exact same configurations they are different. The one I have now has absolutely smooth graphics and no stuttering whatsoever. The fastest to all of them that I've had. So you might have one of those that are not working to their best performance and no resets or clean install will help, I tried it. Hopefully you will get another one that will work properly.:)

I guess that's why we see some people report their disappointments with laggy rmbp, and some are say to that what are you talking about, it is perfect! I've experienced it myself so now I know that not all of them are the same...
Click to expand...

I dont doubt what you are stating, however what you are describing is totally bizarre; same hardware, same software load, yet completely different performance experiences across three separate machines. Same with the latest EFI update many are highlighting that their systems are throttling overly aggressively and killing performance, i don't game a lot these days yet once again my 2.3 with all the latest updates including EFI, yet Amnesia "The Dark Decent" plays perfectly with high settings with no signs of throttling, all very perplexing.

Personally i have a 2.3 base and it`s been really smooth since day one and simply got better with every update of the OS...
 
bogatyr said:
So do I, and I see the issues he reports - regarding jerkiness. I'm just not bothered by them - but I do see them.

Many people report the issue. I think some people are more annoyed by it than others. Every model I've seen has the same problem. The dGPU/iGPU are both underpowered for the display when you consider what OS X does to get the retina view. I doubt this will be resolved until the 2013 model with a hardware update.

Please note: I am extremely satisfied with my laptop. The jerkiness of screen switching and some of the other movements doesn't bother me. The primary purposes for me are software development and managing a global Windows network. It excels at both.
Click to expand...

Most of the issue is completely gone with the latest software update. I see no lag switching to the Dashboard, and no lag when doing things like opening finder. There's a bit here and there on webpages, and such, but not to the extent he's experiencing. That's what I meant; that he seems to be experiencing it to an extreme level.

Forkjulle said:
Everything is updated. I've checked multiple times.

How do I reset DMC?
Click to expand...

Shut down, then press (all at the same time) left shift, control, option, and power. Then, let go and press power again to boot.
 
wiznet said:
Most of the issue is completely gone with the latest software update. I see no lag switching to the Dashboard, and no lag when doing things like opening finder. There's a bit here and there on webpages, and such, but not to the extent he's experiencing. That's what I meant; that he seems to be experiencing it to an extreme level.
Click to expand...

Maybe my work habits are different. I run a lot of applications, 4 desktops, and 4 full screen apps. About 50% of the time there is lag switching desktops or going into Misson Control. This is on the latest updates, no VMs running (worse when I run a Win8 VM).

Applications usually running:
Xcode, 1-2 projects
Chrome
Mail
iTap, 2-3 remotes
Terminal, 3-4
Coda 2, 1 site
Textwranger, 1-5 documents
Preview, 2 eBooks
ForkLift
Numbers, 2-3 documents

None are heavy apps.

Also this is noticeable on all of the display models at the two Apple Stores local to my area.
 
bogatyr said:
Maybe my work habits are different. I run a lot of applications, 4 desktops, and 4 full screen apps. About 50% of the time there is lag switching desktops or going into Misson Control. This is on the latest updates, no VMs running (worse when I run a Win8 VM).

Applications usually running:
Xcode, 1-2 projects
Chrome
Mail
iTap, 2-3 remotes
Terminal, 3-4
Coda 2, 1 site
Textwranger, 1-5 documents
Preview, 2 eBooks
ForkLift
Numbers, 2-3 documents

None are heavy apps.

Also this is noticeable on all of the display models at the two Apple Stores local to my area.
Click to expand...

Interesting, I'm running two CS6 programs, and a few full-screen Apple Programs, and I have no lag four-finger swiping between Apps/to the dashboard. As somebody else above said, it seems some machines are more/less prone to lag, even under the same workload. But different work habits are definitely a possibility for lag induction.
 
You guys should post whether you're using discrete or integrated graphics. The Intel HD4000 will lag with that high of a resolution, but the NVIDIA 650M shouldn't have any problem pushing 2D and some 3D applications.

Turning off Automatic Graphics Switching will keep the NVIDIA card activated at all times - it'll kill the battery, but when you're plugged in it'll eliminate any lag you have.
 
I've tried turning off the various animations, hiding the dock, changing stack to list, etc, but there is absolutely no difference in performance before and after.

I've even turned off graphics switching, and no difference.
 
Forkjulle said:
I've tried turning off the various animations, hiding the dock, changing stack to list, etc, but there is absolutely no difference in performance before and after.

I've even turned off graphics switching, and no difference.
Click to expand...

Did you try resetting the SMC? Power off. Press (left side shift) shift, control, option and power. Then turn it back on.

Reset the SMC
 
Forkjulle said:
I've tried turning off the various animations, hiding the dock, changing stack to list, etc, but there is absolutely no difference in performance before and after.

I've even turned off graphics switching, and no difference.
Click to expand...

Well, if you've tried everything, and it doesn't work out for you, perhaps the best is to return it. We all have different work patterns and what's OK for one person might not be for another.
 
Personally I find it hard to believe those that claim they see no lag in the UI with their rMBP, even with the latest OS X update and after resetting the SMC. Case in point.

Switching to desktops using the swipe or ctrl + left or right arrow = smooth
But put one application in desktop 1 and another application in desktop 2. Now cmd tab between them = jerky

I've the dock set to autohide. When I click on applications it's jerky. If I click again immediately afterwards, then it's smooth.

This is on the 2.6 GHz model and using the Nvidia 650M. Jerky scrolling is still a problem in both Chrome and Safari, but not as bad as it was back in Lion.
 
Instal windows in bootcamp, I experience NO lag in windows compared to OS X, it's clearly a driver issue.
 
joshhedge said:
Instal windows in bootcamp, I experience NO lag in windows compared to OS X, it's clearly a driver issue.
Click to expand...

Except that little problem of ridiculously aggressive throttling under load, which is even worse than in OS X.
 
Same Build

We have the same build....Just got mine. I love it and runs great... Could just be a dud.... switch it out for a new one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back