Slow Graphics Performance MacOS High Sierra

Should we all report this issue to Apple formally to ensure it gets looked at and eventually fixed?

I guess we should all submit this form:

https://www.apple.com/feedback/macos.html

Have you tried resetting SMC? How to reset the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac - Apple Support

i'm sorry for misunderstanding,

i mention gfxcardstatus only for information purposes, it's not solving performance issues

if external monitor is plugged, it's not possible turn of external (nvidia) GPU

FCP X 10.4 works fine here with High Sierra (already did in 10.13.2, still does in 10.13.3).

I don't know which version you have; of older versions of FCP X, only 10.3.4 was even supported, and it had its issues. 10.4 has been pretty solid from the start.

Everything graphics related seems snappier with 10.13.3 (2014 15" rMBP, with NVIDIA graphics).

I never experienced the most severe symptoms described in this thread, but I did see slower graphics performance vis a vis Sierra. It seems fixed now...

Well, there is something I haven’t mentioned before!!!

After erasing my HD and re-installing El Capitan, I wrote in this forum that everything was back to normal, which is almost the truth…

The lagging problem is all solved, but my MBP is getting too hot very quickly. Which wasn’t the case before.

I did all the different resets suggested, and nothing helped.

I was thinking perhaps this has something to do with a firmware update that happened while updating to High Sierra, which is not reversible anymore.

I am using an USB fan tablet just incase and all is good, but was wondering if anyone had a similar issues?

@plochner I have severe UI lag on High Sierra at times and have have never touched the scaled setting once (and I would imagine it's a small minority who do). I've a Nvidia 750m on a mid-2014 Macbook Pro and it's been running at native resolution since day one. I'm just pointing this out incase somebody misinterprets your post to suggest that selecting 'scaled' is definitely creating the problem, whereas it appears to be affecting the situation on only certain hardware.

I am pretty sure Apple has been getting an earful from all sources on the sad state of these Drivers, especially for the slightly older Hardware.

If you are a developer yourself, you must also appreciate that working in a Lab, with your instruments applied, able to insert test code and stop in the middle can give far faster results than chasing down symptoms from uncontrolled reports from the field.

If there were a need for more info, there is nothing from stopping Engineering from jumping all over this forum and messaging everyone who might have additional (yet unseen) information. But they also have easy availability from friendly National Accounts and Educational Accounts, with large populations of specific model Macs available if needed.

Thanks Eli,

the nVidia Webdriver really does improve the situation on my macbook pro with the 750m GPU in it. The performance-issues are still there but the entire situation is significantly improved compared to the stock drivers provided by Apple in 13.3.3

10.13.4 just came out and I installed it. The discrete GPU now seems to be actually faster than the integrated one sometimes, and switching desktops no longer results in a slideshow. The three-finger-swipe-window-overview-thing used to stutter badly but is now also buttery smooth.

Now, let's hope Apple doesn't break graphics again in 10.14...

for me the beta7 that was propably the official 10.13.4 is better but defintly does NOT solve the issue. It is smother a litte bit so progress was made. But still far away from 10.12.x performance.

Basically what the did is just decresse the switch between intel and GeForce. So switch between full screen aps does not switch the active GPU. That is why it is smoother. But if I use Geforce only then it is lagging and shuttering.

To return to an older version of MacOS...

... you must have a drive with no traces of the newer version, or your Mac will protest and not perform the Install.

That means you must use a different blank drive --OR--

have a Trusted Backup (or two), ERASE the drive, do the Install, and restore your files later.

When I went back to Sierra, I made a current backup of all of my files, used a usb drive as an installer and reformatted my internal HD, back to HFS from AFPS before I could reinstall Sierra, then copied my files back.

It wasn't difficult, but as Grant Bennet-Alder says, you must have a trusted backup.

For what it’s worth, I’m on a 2016 MBP with the Radeon Pro 460 and I’m experiencing the same kind of issues; as soon as an app is tasking the GPU I get GPU black-outs (the screen is not updating at all).

Other examples:

The app switcher being drawn over the UI, but the windows not switching between the apps for a second or more (seems like the window manager froze up).

The already mentioned lag when typing in Web views, like Safari or Slack. The typing itself is registered, it’s just that the text shows up at once after a few seconds instead of character-by-character.

QuickLook preview caching; in a folder full of images running through images (arrow keys) will work smoothly for a few images, and then switch to low-res previews (basically finder icons scaled up). But even stepping back through images that were just viewed will again only show the low res version before rendering the high res preview, as if QL can’t even cache the last few images).

Periods when the screen is generally updating with just a couple of frames per second.

Things like mouse or keyboard input all register fine during that period, so it’s not a complete computer freeze, but likely the window server acting up.

This happens when GPU-intensive apps are open (Adobe CC suite, for example), independent of external/internal screens (less so with the internal, but still noticeable). Using the XRG app I can see the GPU RAM all being used, as well as all CPU cores running at 100% in those situation.

However, contrary to what people with NVIDIA GPUs experience(d), I’ve had this issue since I got the laptop, in 10.12 and 10.13. Now, I think I have read someplace that Apple does their AMD GPU drivers while NVIDIA works on the ones for the NVIDIA GPUs, which could explain why my AMD GPU had issues from the get-go, while NVIDIA GPUs suffered from the switch to Metal 2 (which, from my understanding, is also developed by Apple).

To me it all sounds like a pure driver issue. I don’t mind the traditionally lower gaming performance on macOS vs Windows on the same machine. But the stuttering and freezes are ridiculous for what is supposed to be a "pro" machine, and extremely frustrating when deadlines are looming.

smoofles

I ma not convinced you are suffering from the same performance problems as most other users here. I think you may have an unusual Hardware problem or a software conflict.

I urge you to pursue diagnostic steps as if you have a Random failure, not the systemic issues others are posting about here.

FIXED on MBP 15" 2017 with Radeon 555.

I recently installed the public release of High Sierra 10.13.4 - glad to say all my problems are solved.

I have put the machine to sleep 20 times and performed my 3D graphics test, in all cases the GPU ran at full speed.

Previously frame rates dropped to one third after just a few sleep/wake ups and nothing but a full shutdown/reboot would get the GPU back up to speed.

The sleeps were long (8 hours+) and short (5 mins), with and without power plugged in, low and high battery, all sorts of combinations. So far it's all good.

I also have a MBP 17" 2010 with nVidia 650m but it struggles to run Sierra, let alone High Sierra. Must admin I haven't tried 10.13.4 only 10.13.1 - but in the process I formed the believe you can perform "one upgrade too many on Apple gear". Each operating system upgrade seems to reduce the performance by 10-20%, then after a few upgrades there isn't much left except the ability to constantly drive the fan at full speed. I think I should've left that machine on El Capitan (oops too late now).

Similarly I have a MBP 13" it runs well with Sierra but seems to tank with High Sierra (10.13.1), I haven't got time to try 10.13.4 on it.

Well I'm smiling again.

Cheers Apple. (Going forward, hopefully we'll have 2 year release cycles with much more testing).