Question Frustrated with older oneUI

[kwui]

So, I have Samsung J5 2017, on android pie, stock ROM, and it's just slow. It have 2GB RAM, and 'octa-core' is useless.

Even if I force stop chrome, and other apps, it still feels slow. I have termux, which is 2GB memory data, but it's turned off, (I don't use it often, but have termux:API and :Widget, which I need for jobs of git sync every 24h (for obsidian notes sync, but I don't update notes often, so it should finish jobs quickly).

Spoiler: What other apps

Chrome latest uses 430 MB storage, but often goes to 1.2GB max RAM usage, but average RAM usage is 37 Mb, but when I use it, and switch between tabs, it often can't keep tabs. really frustrated about this one. but I need bookmark and password sync, all in one google account.

Termux , this one is big deal (like, I have nice linux system inside, can't get rid of it), can't get rid of it, but even if force stop, phone is still slow

Quickedit , don't use often

Drive, is stock version (haven't even updated it to latest).

Maps is also on stock version

Opera , because I use chrome for password sync, but Opera if I actually need to browse something on phone, even on opera, websites just lag, and straight up opera app freezes

Wallet app

Viber , also uses 400Mb of storage, I don't use it often anyways, just check once few days, or when somebody text me..

Authenticator

VLC

Spotify , from last year, haven't updated since

Obsidian

Gmail , it's on latest always

Xodo , even when opening, pdf files takes time, adobe reader is also no better

WPS office , I tried other office apps, but they too take long time to load, as I'm opening files from "my files" most often

Calendar (Google) , it's on latest always

Keep (Google) , it's on latest always

Tasks (Google) , it's on latest always

Other than these apps, I'm signed in samsung account, have google sync, and samsung sync.
But only for essential samsung stock apps, I've disabled and don't use stuff like GameHub, Health etc.

But even with that, when I use it, move around it, it lags always, just is a drag.
Maybe because samsung always had that feel that it's dragging (even on TouchWiz era, it was prominent a lot, so shouldn't be surprise).
I had huawei once, and even lower specs, it still didn't had that dragging feeling of app loading etc...


Like, when I open Gallery, and open one album, it takes dragging time to load simple images (like, 3-4 secs). Same can be said about camera, when I open it, and when try to capture image, I literally need to hold it still for 2-3 secs, or it will be blurry. I expected more from something like this. Samsung is such a drag no matter how good specs are, they always mess it up.


I tried finding custom ROM , but I wasn't satisfied. They are not stable, lack features stock ROM have (like fingerprint, or camera).

I installed TWRP, but don't need root, as I haven't found tweaks that actually work. But I can install magisk, and root if needed, just haven't found anything worthy.

Found only one promising kernel that I can use it on stock ROM, but apparently can't find download link. Maybe that would solve problems, with better CPU allocation.

As I know rooting and putting CPU at max, or performance won't fix anything, but will still lag, with high battery drain.


Is there some RAM management which I need to apply, some TWRP tweak, mod, or magisk mod ?

Or maybe I'm mistaken about custom ROMs ? Maybe there are good custom ROMs, even if they're android 10 (on 2GB ram ? )

 

[joeldf]

There's really two big problems with that phone. The Exynos 7860 SOC, which is pretty much crap, and the 2GB of ram. Two things that you can't do anything about.

Samsung did release Android 9 for that phone, but other than better app compatibility, it won't do much more for you. 2GB is just not a lot of ram for any more current OS to handle well.

If you're getting enough lag that it's noticeable and actually getting in the way of working within your apps, then it's time to get something newer. Because anything you might install to try to make it better usually just makes things worse. There are no magic tricks to get past actual hardware limitations.