Lag, lag, and more lag...

[turdbogls]

I really dont see any difference in "smoothness" between using a custom ROM or stock ROM personally (unless coming from say, motoblur to stock android)

on anything before 2.3 i would say the OS was "laggy" scrolling was not smooth at all.

however, after using ICS, the overall smoothness of the OS has jumped 10 fold. while i think it is still behind iOS, it is MUCH better, and it really doesn't bother me at all.

 

[sniffs]

The issue is with the main UI thread on both devices. On IOS it's given realtime priority. This is why when you're scrolling on an iOS device, everything else stops, updating graphics, icons don't load, text doesn't get clear until you lift your fingers.

In Android, it's not given realtime priority, so as you scroll, things update, causing brief hiccups as graphics are cached to ram/memory/sd card. I read an interesting article from a Google dev that left to Microsoft and he explained this is the exact reason for the "laggy" appearance.

He basically said that the main UI thread on Android would have to be completely re-written for it to be iOS smooth which he believes isn't something Google is going to do.

 

[dmmarck]

I really dont see any difference in "smoothness" between using a custom ROM or stock ROM personally (unless coming from say, motoblur to stock android)

on anything before 2.3 i would say the OS was "laggy" scrolling was not smooth at all.

however, after using ICS, the overall smoothness of the OS has jumped 10 fold. while i think it is still behind iOS, it is MUCH better, and it really doesn't bother me at all.

Having had the unfortunate pleasure of running through 4 different devices over the past month (don't ask), I've had the unfortunate pleasure of rooting, unlocking, then unrooting and relocking each device (except the latest, knock on wood).

My observations:

Stock 4.0.2 is quick, but slower than some roms, notably Crossbreed and CM9. Now, both of those roms have their downsides; when using different launchers, the more options enabled usually equates to different downsides, like more lag when switching homescreens or pulling out the app tray with gestures.

That being said, there's an absolutely notable difference when flashing from 4.0.2 to a complete 4.0.4 "rom" like Crossbreed/Patient Zero. Not only are the radios "quicker," but it's optimized so precisely that even minor things like opening settings occurs quicker and with little hesitation. Perhaps it's a placebo effect, but the fact that I've undoubtedly unlocked and relocked (etc., etc.) more devices in the past month than I'd ever care to again shows the same results over a decent sample size over a variety of "different" GN devices.

I would say that CM9 is a bit slower, but only in certain parts. The only rom that I felt was comparable to the stock rom in terms of speed (meaning, it wasn't faster) would be BAMF.

The issue is with the main UI thread on both devices. On IOS it's given realtime priority. This is why when you're scrolling on an iOS device, everything else stops, updating graphics, icons don't load, text doesn't get clear until you lift your fingers.

In Android, it's not given realtime priority, so as you scroll, things update, causing brief hiccups as graphics are cached to ram/memory/sd card. I read an interesting article from a Google dev that left to Microsoft and he explained this is the exact reason for the "laggy" appearance.

He basically said that the main UI thread on Android would have to be completely re-written for it to be iOS smooth which he believes isn't something Google is going to do.

Precisely.

 

[elvisgp]

that Google employe was actually proven wrong. It was confirmed by various iOS and android developers that android does not have to be completely rewritten to be as smooth as iOS.
http://www.phonearena.com/news/Android-can-never-be-as-smooth-as-iOS-myth-busted_id26252
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[trigun123478]

Look as far as Ios and android, it's not the point that ios never lags because it does sometimes. The point is it's moving at a faster frame rate than android is. For example on your ipad or Iphone if you have one, go to the picture gallery click an album then pinch to zoom. Now do the same on the galaxy nexus or the quad core asus prime, you will see that it is not as smooth as ios. The frames are actually slower. Same with scrolling, just higher fps. So something is messed up with the way android renders, for some reason they can't get it to render at higher fps even with more power than ios. I feel android does need to be rebuilt from the ground up. I mean If a quad core tablet can't even beat a duel core ipad something is wrong.

 

[anon(469638)]

I agree. Android may need a rebuild.

 

[pauldroidr2d2]

I agree. Android may need a rebuild.

That is actually a scary thought. Look out how difficult it is just to get "simple" updates. A complete overall of Android would be horrible.

 

[elvisgp]

I agree. Android may need a rebuild.

It doesn't need a rebuild! Every os lags! Just look at hoe much smoother ICS is than previous android OS's.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[axne1]

Come on lag????? We are on par,.. or maybe ahead of phone technology!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[_Aurel_]

Look as far as Ios and android, it's not the point that ios never lags because it does sometimes. The point is it's moving at a faster frame rate than android is. For example on your ipad or Iphone if you have one, go to the picture gallery click an album then pinch to zoom. Now do the same on the galaxy nexus or the quad core asus prime, you will see that it is not as smooth as ios. The frames are actually slower. Same with scrolling, just higher fps. So something is messed up with the way android renders, for some reason they can't get it to render at higher fps even with more power than ios. I feel android does need to be rebuilt from the ground up. I mean If a quad core tablet can't even beat a duel core ipad something is wrong.

If you want a smooth experience, get a iPhone. Stop rooting your phone and wasting your time fiddling with it in order to make it as smooth as an iPhone. I run a Nexus on 4.02 and I'm perfectly fine with how it runs most of the time. There are some slight pauses here and there but overall it's nothing like any previous Android phone that I've had. If it bothers you that much you should switch.

As for me, I'll take the trade-off of a slightly more 'laggy' experience in order to be able to have background tasks like email download done while I'm doing other things instead of of constantly having to wait for things like new email to load even after I get the notification. All that constant waiting adds up to a much poorer experience.

 

[Droid800]

Come on lag????? We are on par,.. or maybe ahead of phone technology!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Not when it comes to the fit and finish of the OS. ICS was better, but it still isn't as good as iOS.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[Droid800]

It doesn't need a rebuild! Every os lags! Just look at hoe much smoother ICS is than previous android OS's.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Except android isn't competing against itself, its competing against iOS, and it IS laggier because of poor decisions made when android was built. The only way to fix it is a rewrite, and its something that should have happened with ICS.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[Droid800]

that Google employe was actually proven wrong. It was confirmed by various iOS and android developers that android does not have to be completely rewritten to be as smooth as iOS.
http://www.phonearena.com/news/Android-can-never-be-as-smooth-as-iOS-myth-busted_id26252
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

Erm. Except the info was confirmed by one of androids top developers at Google. Someone that actually knows the code and knows why its doing what it is.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[macmitten]

Yeah, wanna experience some major lag. Type something in a message and then try and landscape it and continue typing. It's god awful for me. Especially if you type really fast.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[axne1]

My Nexus is way faster than anybody's iphone! :sly: I really don't care to tell you the truth, because I'm in love with my Nexus. Probably the same love iphone users have for their phones

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[axne1]

Not using a custom ROM,and Kernels

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[jroc]

Except android isn't competing against itself, its competing against iOS, and it IS laggier because of poor decisions made when android was built. The only way to fix it is a rewrite, and its something that should have happened with ICS.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

I get what your saying....but every OS should be competing against itself. Thats one way to get better. From Android 2.0.1 to 2.1 to 2.1 to 2.3 to Honeycomb to ICS... I hope Google continues to compete against itself.

The lag difference from 2.0.1 to ICS shows they are learning.

I have to believe that folks on the latest versions of iOS have to be happier compared to when iOS first came out if they had the chance to compare. Even with the version before it incorporated all the different features from other mobile OS's.

That is actually a scary thought. Look out how difficult it is just to get "simple" updates. A complete overall of Android would be horrible.

I dont think it would be horrible, I think if it was to happen info about it should never get leaked out. But I get what your saying. For those of us that used stock 2.0.1, even 1.6... and ICS have to see ICS is Google continuing in the right direction. Each stock Android version has gotten better. That and the hardware keeps getting better.

It all depends on our own perception of lag. My kids mother never mentioned lag with my Droid X1 or RAZR. Or my Droid 1 after 2.1 and later was installed on it. She has an iPhone 4 now and still doesnt mention lag, good or bad in comparison. She has a Nexus S and did mention it with that tho...lol. I turned off animations on her Nexus S and her lag complaints magically went away... Thats something I do even on my desktop PC's.

What she does complain about is using her iPhone after a few years in Android land...killing another myth that it just works...and its real easy to use. What we are comfortable with will say whats easy or hard to use.

It all depends. I think most of us on here might see lag a lil different than the general public. Even still...its not enough for me to wanna switch platforms. If it was I would have a WP7. That thing is buttery smooth... the smoothest IMO, the iPhone and Android being next. I think since the Galaxy S2 and 2.3 Android has gotten alot closer to iOS as far as less lag.

 

[anon(469638)]

I believe that Android has gotten better. Trust me, my first Android device was the Motorola Devour. That thing lagged and skipped like a cassette tape.

To me though, this is only a minor complaint in what is becoming a huge problem with Android as a whole.

Quailty control.

I understand that its good to make cheap device so that everyone can enjoy what Google is offering. But cheap doesnt have to mean bad. Amd with Android that seems to be the case.

Most high end Android devices can lessen the lag with faster processors and newer GPUs amd such. But as reports have shown, a lot of Android devices getting purchased by the unknowing public are the cheap cruddy handsets. And these types of device leave a very bad taste in peoples mouth. Sometimes to the point of them not wanting another Android device. And thats not good for Google.