Not liking the Nexus 5X because of lag

[dcastillo]

Same here. I may actually goes as far as buying a cheaper phone to use till they do... Then switch back :-(

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[dcastillo]

Has anyone noticed a link between the camera using hdr mode and the lag, specifically shots taken at night, like a concert? Two nights in a row my camera stopped working while taking shots of a concert, but it seemed to work fine when i turned off hdr mode... Not sure if it was a coincidence or not...

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[aysiu]

Warning: anecdata ahead.

Backstory
So I've been using the Nexus 5x since I got it (I think in October, if I'm remembering correctly), and it's been laggy since day one. Not unusably laggy, just annoyingly so. The lag I was experiencing was two-fold:

1. Lag in switching or launching apps. If I tried to switch an app, there'd be about a second delay, I'd see the thumbnail / cards appear, another second delay, and then the actual thumbnail / card would be selectable.

2. Lag in the camera app. Just general lag. Lag launching up. Launching up and freezing. Lag between tapping the picture-taking button and the picture actually taking.

Performance within apps was fine, though. Once an app was launched up, it would perform quite smoothly within the app (and, yes, third-party apps of all kinds, not just Google apps). I did notice that sometimes apps would redraw themselves (i.e., not remember their previous state). For example, if I was on a webpage in Firefox, Chrome, or Opera, switched to another app and then immediately switched back to the browser, instead of the page I was looking at being there, it would reload, as if out of memory. I know 2 GB is sufficient, though, because that's what my old Moto X 2013 had, and there was no redrawing or lag there.

Failed Fixes
I'd read some suggestions about wiping the cache partition. I tried it a few times. Every time, the performance would seem to be a bit better for a few hours and then get back to normal lagginess.

I'd also tried removing some apps that I knew ran services (Nova, Tasker) to see if that might be interfering. Same lag.

Final Fix
I was very hesitant to do a factory reset, because it's a pain. My device isn't rooted, and so restoring everything back the way I like it takes time to manually customize. Just to be absolutely safe, when I signed into my Google account, I opted to not restore previously backed up settings. Now, my Nexus 5x flies! No lag. No lag switching apps. No redrawing of the browser page. I haven't done extensive testing with the camera app, and we'll see how long this lasts, but I'm optimistic.

Obviously, your mileage may very, but if you're one of those people complaining about lag and you've been holding off on a factory reset, strongly consider doing so and do not restore your previously backed up settings.

 

[eaccentsac]

Warning: anecdata ahead.

Backstory
So I've been using the Nexus 5x since I got it (I think in October, if I'm remembering correctly), and it's been laggy since day one. Not unusably laggy, just annoyingly so. The lag I was experiencing was two-fold:

1. Lag in switching or launching apps. If I tried to switch an app, there'd be about a second delay, I'd see the thumbnail / cards appear, another second delay, and then the actual thumbnail / card would be selectable.

2. Lag in the camera app. Just general lag. Lag launching up. Launching up and freezing. Lag between tapping the picture-taking button and the picture actually taking.

Performance within apps was fine, though. Once an app was launched up, it would perform quite smoothly within the app (and, yes, third-party apps of all kinds, not just Google apps). I did notice that sometimes apps would redraw themselves (i.e., not remember their previous state). For example, if I was on a webpage in Firefox, Chrome, or Opera, switched to another app and then immediately switched back to the browser, instead of the page I was looking at being there, it would reload, as if out of memory. I know 2 GB is sufficient, though, because that's what my old Moto X 2013 had, and there was no redrawing or lag there.

Failed Fixes
I'd read some suggestions about wiping the cache partition. I tried it a few times. Every time, the performance would seem to be a bit better for a few hours and then get back to normal lagginess.

I'd also tried removing some apps that I knew ran services (Nova, Tasker) to see if that might be interfering. Same lag.

Final Fix
I was very hesitant to do a factory reset, because it's a pain. My device isn't rooted, and so restoring everything back the way I like it takes time to manually customize. Just to be absolutely safe, when I signed into my Google account, I opted to not restore previously backed up settings. Now, my Nexus 5x flies! No lag. No lag switching apps. No redrawing of the browser page. I haven't done extensive testing with the camera app, and we'll see how long this lasts, but I'm optimistic.

Obviously, your mileage may very, but if you're one of those people complaining about lag and you've been holding off on a factory reset, strongly consider doing so and do not restore your previously backed up settings.

Awesome.

I often do an FDR when I first get a phone and I never use auto backup--I always manually set up my phones (takes me about 2 hours). I can't say for sure if this is why I don't have issues with my phones, but I don't. [shrug] As said above, YMMV.

 

[RK928]

I'm surprised people aren't restarting every day? I turn my phone off at night and restart it in the morning, I've done that with every phone I've ever owned. You mean you keep the phone running all night long? Not sure why you would do this?

 

[cdubb1]

I'm surprised people aren't restarting every day? I turn my phone off at night and restart it in the morning, I've done that with every phone I've ever owned. You mean you keep the phone running all night long? Not sure why you would do this?

I've always done the exact same. I've always believed it's good for computers to be off and resting for an amount of time every day. I think a lot of people are just in the opposite habit where they NEVER turn their stuff off. I feel like you start it fresh every day and it runs fresh.

 

[libra89]

I'm surprised people aren't restarting every day? I turn my phone off at night and restart it in the morning, I've done that with every phone I've ever owned. You mean you keep the phone running all night long? Not sure why you would do this?

I don't turn off my phone unless I have to. In those cases, it's because of issues that might come up. Before recently, my phone was on for almost a week. I only turned it off and back on because it wasn't allowing me to send texts.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[anon(777192)]

I usually restart my phone, computer once a week.

 

[Grabber5.0]

Phones are designed to be on all the time. Doesn't hurt them to be powered down sometimes, but it's deal not required. It does seem to benefit the 5X to be rebooted occasionally though.

 

[aysiu]

I'm surprised people aren't restarting every day? I turn my phone off at night and restart it in the morning, I've done that with every phone I've ever owned. You mean you keep the phone running all night long? Not sure why you would do this?

I'm surprised you'd restart it every day. Seems like an extra unnecessary step. Yes, I keep it running all night long. Annoying to have to wait for it to power on and then be prompted for my real password (instead of just fingerprint prompt) every day.

It wasn't rebooting that helped with the lag. I actually had to do a full factory reset.

 

[eaccentsac]

I'm surprised people aren't restarting every day? I turn my phone off at night and restart it in the morning, I've done that with every phone I've ever owned. You mean you keep the phone running all night long? Not sure why you would do this?

I gave up a landline many years ago, and with several elderly relatives, I keep my phone on all night for emergency calls.

I do, however, power down for 3+ min every night. I have done this for the last handful of years, and I have no issues with lag.

 

[eaccentsac]

I'm surprised you'd restart it every day. Seems like an extra unnecessary step. Yes, I keep it running all night long. Annoying to have to wait for it to power on and then be prompted for my real password (instead of just fingerprint prompt) every day.

It wasn't rebooting that helped with the lag. I actually had to do a full factory reset.

Being old enough to remember when we didn't have answering machines or voicemail or mobile phones or the ability to reach people immediately, it doesn't bother me in the least to wait 30 seconds for a reboot and to take an extra 2 seconds to input a 4 digit code.

 

[cdubb1]

Being old enough to remember when we didn't have answering machines or voicemail or mobile phones or the ability to reach people immediately, it doesn't bother me in the least to wait 30 seconds for a reboot and to take an extra 2 seconds to input a 4 digit code.

This. If people would reboot daily they wouldn't have issues. I've gone over this plenty with my wife. Wife: "Why's it doing this, why's it doing that"? Me: "Have u restarted your phone today honey?" Problem solved.

 

[eaccentsac]

This. If people would reboot daily they wouldn't have issues. I've gone over this plenty with my wife. Wife: "Why's it doing this, why's it doing that"? Me: "Have u restarted your phone today honey?" Problem solved.

+1

"When was the last time you rebooted?" is the first thing I ask anyone (regardless of device or operating system). At least half the time it fixes whatever the issue is....

So why not reboot to prevent issues???

 

[anon(777192)]

I must admit I've asked the same question.

 

[cdubb1]

+1

"When was the last time you rebooted?" is the first thing I ask anyone (regardless of device or operating system). At least half the time it fixes whatever the issue is....

So why not reboot to prevent issues???

Correct. It does prevent issues. They may be issues you shouldn't have, but until Google fixes it, take the 30 seconds to restart the thing.

 

[aysiu]

Whatever. If you want to reboot every day, I'm not going to stop you. That system clearly works for you.

I was alive in the 70s, but I live now. Could I survive without a smartphone? Sure. Do I want to? No. Do I want to live without the conveniences of modern technology? No.

There is absolutely no reason to reboot your phone every day. Again, if you want to do that, you have a right to do that. But it makes no sense to be all judgey about people not rebooting their phones every day.

Rebooting never fixed my lag issues. I had to do a full factory reset. Once I did that, it's all good... with no nightly reboots. Do what works for you. Let others do what works for them.

 

[Ry]

Please keep it civil.

Posted via the Android Central App on the Moto X Pure Edition

 

[dcastillo]

I agree rebooting fixes most issues, but it didn't fix my lag. During a concert one night i rebooted 3 times cause the camera kept locking up.. So in my case, that doesn't fix the issue...

On a side note, so far after turning off hdr, i haven't had any camera issues.. Though i haven't been to a night concert either get...

Others have mentioned lag in other apps, for me 90% off mine lag was with the camera

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[eaccentsac]

Whatever. If you want to reboot every day, I'm not going to stop you. That system clearly works for you.

I was alive in the 70s, but I live now. Could I survive without a smartphone? Sure. Do I want to? No. Do I want to live without the conveniences of modern technology? No.

There is absolutely no reason to reboot your phone every day. Again, if you want to do that, you have a right to do that. But it makes no sense to be all judgey about people not rebooting their phones every day.

Rebooting never fixed my lag issues. I had to do a full factory reset. Once I did that, it's all good... with no nightly reboots. Do what works for you. Let others do what works for them.

I apologize. I did not mean to be nor sound judgemental. Mea culpa.

The great beauty in Android is customization in how our devices work, look, and operate. I am glad that an FDR resolved your issue so that you can fully enjoy this device.