Galaxy S5 And Lag... Does It Or Doesn't It???

[prlundberg]

My Verizon model definately has lag. I have read all sorts of reasons on here: animations, not enough RAM, not clearing out RAM, clearing out RAM, bloatware, TouchWiz. None of that matters, the bottom line is that it is not acceptable in a flagship phone out of the box in 2014.

I haven't decided if I'll return it or not. I do like, for the most part, the features and functionality that TouchWiz brings to the table and I understand it's a tradeoff. It's not terrible and it doesn't make anything unusable or slow. But it's annoying.

I really don't understand the claims that there isn't any lag. I tried two others at the store, same thing. Maybe there is some confusion between lag and speed. Maybe it's carrier specific. Maybe some people don't use the apps that stutter or hesitate when scrolling like Chrome, Facebook, email, messaging, calendar, etc. Maybe the slight hesitation when selecting things is below their threshold for annoyance. Maybe some people don't care and/or ignore it. I don't know, but the lag is real...and disappointing.

 

[Jon Jackson]

My phone had a bit of lag and then I uninstalled app killer, cache cleaner, ram booster and lookout. Now it's amazingly fast and has ZERO lag, and I mean ZERO. Not one hiccup or even one second of lag now for 3 weeks. My friend has the iphone 5S and this S5 makes her phone look silly. Side by side there's no comparison. I love this phone and never thought I would own a device that has no lag, no stutter and no hesitation. LOVE IT.

 

[Ess_78201]

Coming from a Nexus 5, definite lag.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[AZgl1500]

I turned off Animations in Developer Options

For better battery life, I use the Battery Doctor Widget to switch on/off
Data, Sync, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth.

The heaviest abuser of battery consumption is Amazon Suites. I uninstalled that and blocked it.
Did the same with all of the other apps that I don't use.

I'm not a social network type person with the phone, so no Facebook, Twitter or other accounts on my phone.

I am getting 3 to 4 days of use between charges on my phone with just moderate daily use texting and talking.

I personally don't have a complaint about lag time, the phone is many times faster than my Galaxy S Fascinate was.

Also, using a black wallpaper w/o any animations will make a great improvement on getting rid of lag. I noticed that right off that it was faster w/o the garish wallpapers.

.

 

[LeoRex]

Well... just saw a head to head comparison of the S5 and the Moto E... yep... the $129 bargin smart phone. And as some here might have guessed, the Moto E actually was smoother and a bit more peppy than the vastly more powerful Samsung. Granted, once you crank up an app that needs horsepower, like a graphic intensive game, it wouldn't be the same... but coming out of the lock screen, launching the camera, loading up Google+ and scrolling (Moto E had a better frame rate).... simple things...

OK.... that's kind of messed up.

 

[Jon Jackson]

Well... just saw a head to head comparison of the S5 and the Moto E... yep... the $129 bargin smart phone. And as some here might have guessed, the Moto E actually was smoother and a bit more peppy than the vastly more powerful Samsung. Granted, once you crank up an app that needs horsepower, like a graphic intensive game, it wouldn't be the same... but coming out of the lock screen, launching the camera, loading up Google+ and scrolling (Moto E had a better frame rate).... simple things...

OK.... that's kind of messed up.

Yeah I saw that.....but the S5 does so much, and touchwiz needs an improvement...will future updates improve touchwiz or is that just wishful thinking?

 

[LeoRex]

Yeah I saw that.....but the S5 does so much, and touchwiz needs an improvement...will future updates improve touchwiz or is that just wishful thinking?

Well, I don't see it getting any better.. Samsung is kind of set it its ways. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if releasing GPE editions of their devices turns their stomach.

Plus, I think they are ripping more and more of Android's guts out and replacing their own stuff in there to get users used to THEIR UI language, apps and portals.... so when they try to slip one past everyone and switch to Tizen, people don't see much of a difference (which I happen to think will be a colossal mistake on their part).

 

[prlundberg]

Yeah I saw that.....but the S5 does so much, and touchwiz needs an improvement...will future updates improve touchwiz or is that just wishful thinking?

You have made several posts claiming your S5 does not lag at all like many of us have reported.

Glad that you now see the need for improvement. It is my suspicion that people who claim the S5 doesn't lag either don't have experience with competing phones or simply aren't bothered by it.

 

[Jon Jackson]

You have made several posts claiming your S5 does not lag at all like many of us have reported.

Glad that you now see the need for improvement. It is my suspicion that people who claim the S5 doesn't lag either don't have experience with competing phones or simply aren't bothered by it.

I'm more concerned about other people, my phone doesn't seem to have the same lag issues other people are talking about. I've played with other phones, hell I love best buy for allowing you to really play with different phones. Mine doesn't seem to lag like the one in the video VS the Moto E, but people are having some type of lag it seems. I've compared it to the iphone 5S and this S5 is faster, I've compared it to the HTC One and the Note 3.

As I stated before, I did have a slight lag when I had app killer, anti virus, lookout and a ram cache cleaner. After I removed those the phone is blistering fast. Mostly due to keeping a large cache and diminished RAM. However someone said that was the only reason, so I emptied the cache, and restarted the phone, and it was pretty much as snappy...there might have been like a 1/10 of a second to 1/5th of a second difference....but I am not sure, because I was looking for a difference.

But if they can make improvements to Touchwiz which is what people are pointing their fingers at, then all the better.

 

[Rev2010]

You have made several posts claiming your S5 does not lag at all like many of us have reported.

I don't see any lag on my S5 either (AT&T black S5). Only things I do when I get a new phone, as I've done with my past couple of Android's, is to turn off all bloatware and non-wanted apps and to go into developer options and turn off all animations and such.

Can you possibly post a Youtube vid of your phone's lag or someone else's video showing lag you're also experiencing so that others such as myself or Jon Jackson can test under the same app/circumstance and see if we get the same lag? For example, some have *said* they even see lag scrolling up and down web pages, I don't at all, it's perfectly smooth. So what examples can we test with that you are 100% clearly getting lag?


Rev.

 

[PainFX]

i think it's a software issue. TW, really needs to update the bug fix. Otherwise, the phone is smooth. I tried Nova, but ended up going back to TW. Real talk.

 

[Jon Jackson]

i think it's a software issue. TW, really needs to update the bug fix. Otherwise, the phone is smooth. I tried Nova, but ended up going back to TW. Real talk.

I was curious about Nova, Touchwiz seems to be doing its job, but I have heard so many people using Nova.

What made you decide to not use Nova anymore? And how would you go back to Touchwiz? Just be deleting Nova?

I don't see any lag on my S5 either (AT&T black S5). Only things I do when I get a new phone, as I've done with my past couple of Android's, is to turn off all bloatware and non-wanted apps and to go into developer options and turn off all animations and such.

Can you possibly post a Youtube vid of your phone's lag or someone else's video showing lag you're also experiencing so that others such as myself or Jon Jackson can test under the same app/circumstance and see if we get the same lag? For example, some have *said* they even see lag scrolling up and down web pages, I don't at all, it's perfectly smooth. So what examples can we test with that you are 100% clearly getting lag?


Rev.

Thanks Rev. I'm guessing some or all of these lag issues are related to an app or more to the point some utility app that they think is helping with battery or in general the use of the phone. On some thread, I suggested removing some things, one being lookout (disable actually) and when they disabled Lookout for example, their phone ran smoother. Obviously ram boosters and cache cleaners etc will slow the phone down, battery apps also slow the phone down in my experience.

 

[Rev2010]

On some thread, I suggested removing some things, one being lookout (disable actually) and when they disabled Lookout for example, their phone ran smoother.

I already disabled that after the update. I also don't run any booster apps or alternative launchers. I did however notice an improvement in screen to finger movement tracking after the last update, and while many say there were no updates that it was just a bloatware update some others have noticed a speed increase in some areas, so I dunno. But I've tried finding lag whenever someone mentioned it, like the aforementioned web browser scrolling lag, but I can't find any. I do use Dolphin browser though, not the stock. Anyhow, I work with iPhones and Blackberry's at my IT job all day and really don't see any lag on my S5 nor did I on my S3. The iPhone has an ever so slightly quicker tracking response than the Galaxy's but it's so tiny of a difference. I'd also read about lag when unlocking the phone by via both the power and home buttons. Well I've tested that too and there is about a half second delay between hitting the button and the screen coming on which I think is absolutely absurd to complain about unless you're Data from Star Trek. I mean really?? Though some say 1-2 seconds delay I bet they're overexaggerating and haven't really timed it. As a musician as well I'm VERY familiar with latencies as I deal with them all the time between soundcards/CPU power and software synths, as well as delay effects and such. But there's definitely not a 1-2 second delay when hitting the buttons on my phone.


Rev.

 

[Jon Jackson]

I already disabled that after the update. I also don't run any booster apps or alternative launchers. I did however notice an improvement in screen to finger movement tracking after the last update, and while many say there were no updates that it was just a bloatware update some others have noticed a speed increase in some areas, so I dunno. But I've tried finding lag whenever someone mentioned it, like the aforementioned web browser scrolling lag, but I can't find any. I do use Dolphin browser though, not the stock. Anyhow, I work with iPhones and Blackberry's at my IT job all day and really don't see any lag on my S5 nor did I on my S3. The iPhone has an ever so slightly quicker tracking response than the Galaxy's but it's so tiny of a difference. I'd also read about lag when unlocking the phone by via both the power and home buttons. Well I've tested that too and there is about a half second delay between hitting the button and the screen coming on which I think is absolutely absurd to complain about unless you're Data from Star Trek. I mean really?? Though some say 1-2 seconds delay I bet they're overexaggerating and haven't really timed it. As a musician as well I'm VERY familiar with latencies as I deal with them all the time between soundcards/CPU power and software synths, as well as delay effects and such. But there's definitely not a 1-2 second delay when hitting the buttons on my phone.


Rev.

I agree. And if I had a 1-2 second delay on this phone, I would take it back to the store.

 

[PainFX]

I was curious about Nova, Touchwiz seems to be doing its job, but I have heard so many people using Nova.

What made you decide to not use Nova anymore? And how would you go back to Touchwiz? Just be deleting Nova?

I found that TW, is smoother and has better graphics. When I tried Nova, it seemed dull and transition is not like TW. You can try Nova urself, it's free. I still prefer TW. Even though it will lag here and there. But it's a software issue, not phone issue. Just waiting for future updates.

 

[prlundberg]

Can you possibly post a Youtube vid of your phone's lag or someone else's video showing lag you're also experiencing so that others such as myself or Jon Jackson can test under the same app/circumstance and see if we get the same lag?

Not trying to come off as a jerk because I do appreciate the offer, but I don't see why I should waste time on that when there are many videos online already that show it and offer tips on reducing it.

Mine did it right out of the box from Verizon. The two display models also did it. I followed the basic suggestions but nothing helped much. And why should I have to do that in the first place? M8, MotoX, G2, none of those seem to have this problem even with lesser specs. I'll reiterate that it is still a very fast phone. And the lag isn't that bad. But it's annoying, and it makes my S5 feel less fluid and responsive than my wife's Icon.

But it's a software issue, not phone issue. Just waiting for future updates.

Yeah, I think that's what annoys people, this phone has such good specs TouchWiz must be really poorly coded to lag. I'm not expecting updates to fix it. We can hope though.

 

[Rev2010]

Not trying to come off as a jerk because I do appreciate the offer, but I don't see why I should waste time on that when there are many videos online already that show it and offer tips on reducing it.

Not trying to come off as a jerk but if you're going to post online complaining about it then maybe you can do a better job at giving us a task that we can test with to try and replicate your lag before you just outright claim the S5 in and of itself has lag. Maybe it's your Verizon version? I don't know, I was trying to help a bit by asking for something I can use to try and verify 100% the same experience or not on my phone. Plus, we could possibly help eliminate your lag depending on the possibility I'm not experiencing it due to the small tweaks I made on my phone.

But if doing a few small tweaks that could possibly rectify the issue in under 15 minutes or so is more trouble than returning your phone to the store, setting up a brand new phone, tweaking out all your preferences, and relearning any differences in the UI... well then I don't know what else to say.


Rev.

 

[PainFX]

Yeah, I think that's what annoys people, this phone has such good specs TouchWiz must be really poorly coded to lag. I'm not expecting updates to fix it. We can hope though.

Definitely a software issue. It's up to the engineer if they want to fix bug or not. As a consumer, we can only wait.

 

[prlundberg]

Not trying to come off as a jerk but if you're going to post online complaining about it then maybe you can do a better job at giving us a task that we can test with to try and replicate your lag before you just outright claim the S5 in and of itself has lag.

I have given several specific examples in this thread and the RAM one. I don't want to sound like a broken record repeating the same things over and over again. But my main gripe is simply responsiveness. The phone often, but not always, feels a step behind in how it reacts to touches. This is especially true in the lock screen. For example swiping the answer button or camera button doesn't always respond well. The camera can be very slow at times to start up, focus, and take picture, but that's not consistant. When I take the phone away from my face it takes a second for the screen to turn on. But for some reason it goes out immediately when I put it back to my face. Task switching is another slow spot, and swiping between several months or days in the calendar is very slow. I could go on, there's just a lot of little things here and there, any one of which is no big deal. But they all combine to make the overall experience suffer. It's not enough that I'm going to tell people to avoid the phone based on that alone. And maybe it is just the Verizon version, which I have noted several times. But it is something to be aware of...people need to try it for themselves to see if it bothers them or not.

 

[rustum]

Which browser you guys are using (fast, no ads, no lag).
Thanks