M1 Air Safari Slowdown. Laptop Slowdown to a Crawl. Mem Usage Warning on Some Tabs. Frequent Restarts. What Gives?

grang on 20/07/2021 - 11:39

TL;DR: Having massive slow down issues of Safari browser and memory warn issues in tabs on M1 Mac.
(Also The Whicher Enhanced Edition Doesn't load via GOG launcher or direct)

—->
After 30 years on PC, bought an M1 Mac in December from an Ozbargain deal as our whole business is on Google infrastructure (docs, slides) etc and with WFH, on vid calls 60% of the day.

M1 and my learning curve started out really well. Still struggling with CTRL and CONTROL key swapping (I am a shortcut dude), but otherwise been a great transition.

However, lately, I am restarting the MAC regularly. It crawls to a halt.

I first stopped using Chrome and only safari… then safari stopped bottoming out and often says (This website uses too much memory) which is weird for some of the sites so labelled.

the irony is I bought this MAC to run 200 tabs across a few windows/accounts and not worry about it… lately it often it slows down where I can't even type.

NOW: I did install some software… this morning I took out I don't know, 30 minutes to finally get rid of Adobe Creative Cloud eco-system that came with only the photo editor I installed (early M1 native software). This was bloatier than almost any Windows software I have had to "unbloat" – I followed these instructions – https://macpaw.com/how-to/uninstall-adobe-creative-cloud

The Whitcher enhanced edition I bought of GoG doesn't load… it synchs, but never loads… whether I use the GOG launcher or native launcher.

Everything else seems ok… its just this dread of being super proficient in windows, fixing most problems quickly, and now sitting with "easy to install uninstall" MAC and it seems messy.

Any advice on the M1 Safari issue? I prefer to not use Chrome for most things these days (Chrome for google meet I have to as Safari doesn't allow me to share different screens).

PS: It Safari did feel snappier now that I uninstalled Creative cloud (used the app store…)
PPS: cross post to Whirlpool. no response there yet.

Computing Apple Computer Laptop Ultrabook

Comments

  • grang on 20/07/2021 - 11:41

    …oh and it would be nice to run the witcher on here too. My kids have taken over the main PC

    • anthpls on 20/07/2021 - 13:56

      https://applesilicongames.com/games/2SUZ3XaMFmjUbEb898amz8/t…

      Looks like Witcher requires the use of Crossover and won't run using Rosetta 2

      • grang on 22/07/2021 - 00:46

        right.. thx@ let me learn about "Cross over"

      • grang on 22/07/2021 - 01:03

        hang on.. the witcher wild hunt GOTY (III) is native windows Steam app and also windows native on GoG

        BUT the Witcher Wild Hunt Enhanced Edition - Directors cut as you have it is on GoG and comes with a native (I assume intel) install base,,,

        I guess I don't get it all yet, but it doesn't need to be the windows file… it should run on Rosetta 2 as intel to ARM translation?

        A few reviews I watched played witcher on ARM M1 Air… no mention of the windows version…. will hunt for link

        • anthpls on 22/07/2021 - 09:10

          From what I know because of the way Rosetta 2 translates OpenGL to Metal(?) during runtime not all older games will run. It sucks, can't get original Starcraft running either despite being a native Intel Mac version.

  • Morien on 20/07/2021 - 11:45
    +2

    Can't comment on much (no M1), but:

    System Preferences > Keyboard > Modifier keys

    • grang on 20/07/2021 - 11:53

      legend. I have looked all over keyboard settings… didn't see that "modifier button" down there… the Mac OS menu system does feel a bit 2000's .

      • grang on 20/07/2021 - 11:54

        how do I map my EXTERNAL keyboard… works on the laptop but not my IBM old school klicker keyboard USB (the same year Lenovo bought the PC division)

        • grang on 20/07/2021 - 11:57

          righto… a drop down at the top to choose the other keyboard… PURFECT

          now I can help my kids copy paste CTRL C/V without screwing it up

  • jaybraykay on 20/07/2021 - 12:57
    +2

    The M1 series macbooks are running apples new "Apple Silicon" processors which are actually pretty different to X86 (Normal) processors. There are heaps of benefits of doing this, but there are also drawbacks. Instead of swapping from windows to mac, what you have almost done is swapped windows to mac, and then made an equally large jump from Mac running x86 to mac runing apple silicon.

    Most applications (like i would assume The Witcher) don't run natively on the Apple Silicon chips, which either means that they won't be supported, or they will run slowly (as your computer essentially needs to translate some of the application in order to run correctly). The support will obviously get better as time goes on, but there are still teething issues.

    As for the memory issues, it's really hard to give you specific advice, there may be issues with some of the webpages you're viewing and the M1 chip, but I'd suggest 200 tabs is an insane number to expect it to be able to store in memory. There used to be add-ons for chrome to essentially free up memory in tabs you hadn't visited in a while, but not sure on the name.

    Good luck!

  • Mechz on 20/07/2021 - 12:58
    +3

    200 tabs, all at once?

    • grang on 22/07/2021 - 00:48

      funny enough, I could run 200 tabs (a 100 maybe more truthful ;)
      It was fine.

      But now even 10 or so tabs (when you use google docs and google meet and a few things, it is easily 10)… it gets slow.

      So yeah, the tabs is not the issue… it is some tabs.

  • Master Bates on 20/07/2021 - 13:48
    +1

    Sounds like you need more RAM. How much RAM do you have and is it upgradable?

    • jayboi on 20/07/2021 - 14:38
      +2

      is it upgradable?

      Hahahahahhahaahhahahahhaahhahaha
      We wish

      • Master Bates on 20/07/2021 - 15:04
        +1

        Must be one of those $500 upgrades at purchase.

        • jayboi on 20/07/2021 - 15:45

          yep
          typical apple these days tho :(

        • pinchies on 20/07/2021 - 15:46

          And 16GB RAM is only available on build to order. 8GB is the only model the stores stock 🤡 — so no way to get % off it either!

          • jayboi on 20/07/2021 - 15:49

            @pinchies: Well on the apple student store you can get discount on all models. They don’t check to see if you are a student too

    • grang on 22/07/2021 - 00:55
      +1

      Cool automation link.

      yeah. I agree. the reviewers all said 8GB is enough for well over 100 tabs - so a bit disappointed there are such large memory leaks. Some tabs are now labeled as grabbing ram… 300 to 800 MB for a single page at times… (Safari) and google I check in the resources view by dragging it to its own browser windoe)

      All my software bar Witcher is native M1 code. Word, browsers etc. So no excuse for the memory leaks.

      Maybe a software update… Whilst it is likely RAM related, I don't think 16GB would fix all of it… there is something else happenig.

    • grang on 22/07/2021 - 00:55
      +1

      PPS: Liked your Hyperise link. Sent it to my sales team as we use ZOHO CRM and its automation.

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