Browsers on MBP 2011

[Peter Franks]

Was on Snow Leopard for several years so Safari wouldn't update and therefore been using Chrome.
Needless to say the CPU and googlehelper were just a constant, but it was much faster than old Safari, but the fan coming on for every YouTube video was a pain. Now I've updated to Sierra, Safari also brings on the fan for a lot of low quality videos. I look in Activity Monitor and see Safari/YouTube.com. Never saw site names with old Activity Monitor... Anyway. Was never mad on Firefox, and wonder what most use with older MBP. I'd like to use Safari again, but curious to alternatives, other than the usual suspects.

One other thing, you get a thumbnail preview with Firefox on YouTube, but new Safari, they don't move?

SSD early MBP 2011.

 

[Audit13]

Do you have the 15" or 13" MBP?

I was using Safari with HS on mid-2012 13" because it doesn't require hardware acceleration which kept the unit cooler and I could rarely hear the fans.

 

[Peter Franks]

it's the 13 inch, early 2011, so maybe it's just the age of the machine, but it does get on my nerves that YouTube is pretty much unwatchable using internal speakers, because the fans are so loud on Safari and Chrome. How do you get animated previews on side bar with Safari in YouTube? Also very laggy compared to Chrome. No idea why. Nothing obvious sticks out. Both have AdBlocker extension, and that's the only extension in Safari

 

[Audit13]

Maybe the fans are starting to malfunction? I don't remember whether the fans are ball bearing or sleeve.

Did you try cleaning out the air vents or replacing the cpu thermal compound?

 

[Peter Franks]

That's probably a stretch too far for me. When I swapped the HDD out for SSD I did give it a fair clean for dust, but nothing beyond that. I know Chrome google helper is a major player, and is often slated on here for CPU overdose, but Safari also has its fair share of players in activity monitor, so not sure.

Do you get the moving icons on YouTube?

 

[Audit13]

^^ Not sure that moving would help.

Does the fan issue arise with Chrome/YouTube or all apps?

 

[BrianBaughn]

On my old MacBook with Sierra I've found that the Maxthon 5 browser streams video better than any of the others. I have no idea why. It's wonky for browsing but when I'm streaming full-screen it's the one.

 

[Peter Franks]

^^ Not sure that moving would help.

Does the fan issue arise with Chrome/YouTube or all apps?

Not help no, I just like the preview feature, Sometimes it saves you watching something.
Yes, not all apps. Seems to have become more apparent with Sierra though. Never had a fan going off with 'Finder' before. The main culprit is video on both browsers though. YouTube always, but video on most other sites too yes.

On my old MacBook with Sierra I've found that the Maxthon 5 browser streams video better than any of the others. I have no idea why. It's wonky for browsing but when I'm streaming full-screen it's the one.

Thanks, never actually heard of that one before. Safari/Firefox/Chrome is only ones I've tried. All do the same.

 

[Audit13]

It happens on all videos or only videos at a particular resolution?

 

[Peter Franks]

When it comes to YouTube, even the lowest res videos, it doesn't make a difference

Separate from the browsers, because I had that on previous OS.

May be a Sierra thing too. The photoanalysis is on, as is Finder, I've never seen Finder in the CPU up high like that prior to updating to Sierra.

 

[Peter Franks]

Have to add, that there is also some lag on Chrome now when clicking back and forth out of full screen. I was using Chrome on Snow Leopard, a 9 year old OS, and YouTube was smooth, fast and no problems. I really don't get this at all. Everyone thought I was mad using an OS that old, but it ran smoother than this Sierra does. The Mail also was smoother. I have to put it down to the age of my MBP, as the SSD is updated, and RAM was upped too. Maybe I needed 16 instead of going from 4 to 8?

 

[chrfr]

When it comes to YouTube, even the lowest res videos, it doesn't make a difference

Separate from the browsers, because I had that on previous OS.

May be a Sierra thing too. The photoanalysis is on, as is Finder, I've never seen Finder in the CPU up high like that prior to updating to Sierra.

Photoanalysis will run and use a lot of CPU for a while then slow down once it's indexed all the photos. This is normal operation. Once that's done you should see lower CPU usage and then the fans should slow.

 

[Peter Franks]

Photoanalysis will run and use a lot of CPU for a while then slow down once it's indexed all the photos. This is normal operation. Once that's done you should see lower CPU usage and then the fans should slow.

Thanks, it's on the 4 or 5 day mark at the mo. Didn't realise that there was that many pics.
Seem to be getting a lot of spinning beach ball in Sierra that I never had on previous OS with SSD. Make me very reluctant to go to High Sierra