Chrome slow and laggy on new M2 MacBook

Here's in important configuration detail that's needed for answering this question.

If you have the base level of the MacBook Pro with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage, then Apple tried to save some money by crippling the SSD design by including only 1 chip instead of two like in the M1 and M3 MacBooks. This means that read/write speeds on your M2 base level are operating at 1/2 that of the M1.

If whatever you're doing (and yes, Chrome is heavy just like Microsoft Office productivity apps) requires MacOS to start swapping on the SSD because, face it, 8GB RAM is too low, you will face a lot of stuttering and lagging on the laptop.

The general recommendation online for the M2 is to buy the 512GB storage option which adds another NAND chip and essentially 'doubles-up' read/write storage speeds bringing it back on par w/the M1 MBPs.

If this is the case for you, I am really sorry and wish you had done better research not to get straddled by such a money-grabbing poor decision negating the end user experience for a few $$ more.

Does Chrome support browser profiles? If so, create a new browser profile or use the browser's "guest" profile (if supported). Log out of the current Chrome profile and select the new Profile when launching Chrome. How does it behave? I am using Vivaldi which is base on Chromium and Vivaldi has these profiles including "guest". From time to time I also have to clear the browsing data on Vivaldi (Cache and Application Cache of the browser)....not sure if Chrome has a similar option. Once in a while I must clear Vivaldi's Storage as well.

I don't know how you use Chrome or your Mac, but you should quit the browser once in a while & relaunch it especially if you keep a lot of browser windows & tabs open. Even restarting the computer once in a while may help as well. Keeping lots of browser tabs & windows open will definitely cause performance issues with the browser. If this is the case, then you need to modify how you use the browser to lower the number of browser windows & tabs open simultaneously. I know Vivaldi provides different options, but not sure what Chrome itself has as options.

FWIW. Chrome runs fine on my M1 and M3 Macs. I don't have an M2 to test but it should make no difference. Try starting Chrome with all extensions disabled and see if that helps. You may want to contact Google Chrome Help in case they are aware of anything.

Srancoud wrote:

To start off please don't bother responding if all you have to tell me is that I should be using a different browser.

I'm aware of pros and cons of safari brave etc but I need chrome working normally.

what is extremely frustrating is that it worked fine on the M1 MacBook and now that I've upgraded to M2 it lags like crazy. I have called apple support and reinstalled multiple times. Apple says its and issue on google's end which I find hard to believe since there was no issue in on my M1 mac.

Surely this new M2 should be able to cope with the chrome bowser better than my old M1 MacBook.

I know others are having this issue and so far I've not seen one fix.

Thank you

Not to get into a debate over M1 versus M2 machines where it is presumed both are running Sonoma 14.4.1

Apple can fix Apple Services, Applications, Operating Systems.

Apple can not fix Third Party Applications used on the nice machines

Have a 1 M1, 1 M2 and yes 1 M3 All running Sonoma 14.4.1

Each performs equally well under all circumstance

Apple can’t fix the Users’ choice of Third Party Browser installed and used on this computer.

On the positive - consider using Brave which comes without the baggage of Google

That clearly falls Out-Side the Domain of Apple.

It belongs solely with the Third Party Application Developers to make it work on the Intended Version of macOS