Bad performance, lag and stuttering after Catalina 10.15.4 update

A Troubleshooting Procedure that may Fix Problems with macOS El Capitan or Later

You should try each, one at a time, then test to see if the problem is fixed before going on to the next.

    Be sure to backup your files before proceeding if possible.

1. Shutdown the computer, wait 30 seconds, restart the computer.
2. Disconnect all third-party peripherals.
3. Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM
4. Reset the System Management Controller (SMC)
5. Reset your Startup Disk and Sound preferences, if needed, after resetting the PRAM.
6. Test in safe mode to see if the problem persists, then restart normally.  Use safe mode to isolate issues with your Mac and Playing Safe - what does Safe mode do?
7. Repair the disk by booting from the Recovery HD. Immediately after the chime hold down the Command and R keys until the Utility Menu appears. Choose Disk Utility and click on the Continue button. Select the indented (usually, Macintosh HD) volume entry from the side list.  Click on the First Aid button in the toolbar. Wait for the Done button to appear. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu. Restart the computer from the Apple Menu.
8. Repair permissions on the Home folder: Resolve issues caused by changing the permissions of items in your home folder.
9. Create a New User Account Open Users & Groups preferences. Click on the lock icon and enter your Admin password when prompted. On the left under Current User click on the Add [+] button under Login Options. Setup a new Admin user account. Upon completion log out of your current account then log into the new account. If your problems cease, then consider switching to the new account and transferring your files to it - Transferring files from one User Account to another.
10. Download and Install the macOS Catalina 10.15.4 Combo Update.
11. Reinstall OS X by booting from the Recovery HD using the Command and R keys. When the Utility Menu appears select Install OS X then click on the Continue button.
12. Erase and Install OS X Restart the computer. Immediately after the chime hold down the Command and R keys until the Apple logo appears. When the Utility Menu appears:

     1. Select Disk Utility from the Utility Menu and click on the Continue button.

     2. When Disk Utility loads select the drive (out-dented entry) from the Device list.

     3. Click on the Erase button in Disk Utility's toolbar. A panel will drop down.

     4. Set the Format type to APFS (for SSDs only) or Mac OS Extended (Journaled.)

     5. Click on the Apply button, then wait for the Done button to activate and click on it.

     6. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu.

     7. Select Install OS X and click on the Continue button.

jj3001 Said:

"Bad performance, lag and stuttering after Catalina 10.15.4 update: On my Mid 2019 MacBook Pro (Touch bar, 16 GB RAM) a couple of days after upgrading to macOS Catalina 10.15.4, I've been having a very weird issue:[...]"

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Perhaps this is a Faulty Device?:

You say "Mid 2019 MacBook Pro". So, is this device one-year-old yet? You have a one-year out-of-the-box limited-warranty. So, rather than fiddle with it anymore, I'd suggest you contact Apple Support, seeing if whatever needs to bet fixed can be fixed. If approved of, it would be performed free of charge. If you have AppleCare Plus, then, obviously, that would outdo the one-year timespan. The cost for service, of course, would be Apple's call.

Send-In Service:

So, contact Apple Support, seeing if you can have this device looked into. You would be shipped a box, and you would ship it back free of charge. If approved of, then whatever needs to be replaced/reinstalled would be done. Your local Apple Stores might be closed at the moment, so send-in service is the only way to get this looked at.

So, I Recommend Contacting Apple Support About Send-In Service:

• Contact Us - Choose Locations
• USA: 1(800)MY-APPLE
• Proceed from there as Necessary