Mint xfce v cinnamon, why does latter cripple cpu

[Alboy1975]

Hi

I'm a noobies to linux and i have bought this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lenovo-T...STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649as (got mine for £170) as a linux machine.

have tried the following distros:

• xubuntu (xfce) - runs fine, but not very shiny
• mint xfce - runs great, but old fashioned layout
• mint cinnanon - youtube uses 100% on cpu, to point where i cannot move windows

Please will you guys give me advice on why mint xfce puts around 30% load on cpu when using youtube etc, and cinnamon maxs out cpu when doing similar tasks.

I have tried different browsers (firefox and chromeum), with and without addons.

I really want to use mint cinnamon and your help is very much appreciated.

 

[Condobloke]

Are you using this as a dual boot machine....Linux with windows?

 

[Alboy1975]

no just linux

 

[wizardfromoz]

For the benefit of The Viewers, the OP had a Thread here, https://www.linux.org/threads/compl...-secondhand-laptop-what-i-need-to-know.19272/ in which he outlined his (very good) plans and had Windows at that stage.

G'day @Alboy1975 . This has got me really curious with those high usages, and do I take it the percentages are from "top" or other means?

I have to be elsewhere for a while, but Brian (@Condobloke ) may keep you company.

Stan (@atanere ) is on a "sabbatical" of sorts, and he is our chief Lenovo guru but no doubt we have others within our ranks.

Cheers

Wizard

 

[Alboy1975]

Thanks wizard for the recommendation to other users, much appreciated. The percentages are take from 'system monitor'. I also had i-nex (cpu-z alternative) on xunbutu, but cannot seem to install on mint

 

[Condobloke]

try installing htop

sudo apt install htop

 

[Deleted member 58530]

Hello AIboy1975,

Well plain and simple Linux Mint 19 Cinnamon uses Gnome 3 desktop / user interface and Gnome 3 is a big resource hog.

If your computer hardware doesn't have the graphics adapter to run Gnome 3 then it can and will load the processor and be sluggish.

Xfce is a desktop manager and although old fashion and not shiny is very functional and configurable which is what is important.

If Linux Mint Xfce and Xubuntu is working without problems I would stay with either one of them.

Nothing wrong with plain and simple desktop / user interface as tried and proven is a good thing unless you got to have all the bells and whistles.

Life is good.

 

[Alboy1975]

I have an update. I played a youtube video and all cores were at 100%. I paused it while having dinner and started it thereafter, at this point maximum usage was 40%. Now, i think i can guess what you will say: 'the pause time allowed for bufferiing'. This, i don't think is the case, grey buffer line was fully loaded on first play and i have 350mbit download. I am a little confused.
#

 

[Deleted member 58530]

It may or may not have to do with internet speed or buffering.

Are you using "Hardware Acceleration" in you browser and if you are turn that off and see if that make a difference.

What are your system specs.

Open command terminal and copy and paste this command and then copy and paste the output in a post.

inxi -Fxz

 

[Alboy1975]

Swapped over to lubuntu. Seems to have high rating on distrowatch for laptops. Running a lot smoother. Have another problem though, it will not let me add repositories. I will create another thread for this: https://www.linux.org/threads/lubuntu-unable-to-add-repositaries.20458/