Server Version#: 1.18.0.1846
Player Version#: 1.3.1.916-1cb2c34d
Hi All,
So I have been using the new Plex for Windows player, mainly for the Downloads feature, that I like to use while travelling and watching my content that way. I used to use the Windows store app, but that had limitations with the formats and transcoding a load of x265 on the server to x264 for use with the windows app store was usually quite annoying and time consuming. I was happy to find out that this version could just download the file as-is and play it.
Now I have noticed that it seems to be quite laggy, at least on my Lenovo Yoga 900. Just starting it up makes it trigger the fans on the laptop and it continues with a around 5% CPU for most of the first 10 minutes of starting it up. Now if I try to run any of the files I downloaded it practically eats my battery, to the point where the previous app was able to survive a good 4-5h on a single charge, I can barely get through 90 min with this version. While it plays it seems to use a lot of GPU cycles, and in my particular case makes the laptop run pretty hot very quickly.
I do understand that there will be differences in decoding x265 and x264 if I compare the two apps directly, but I’ve never had issues when using something like VLC in terms of utilising lots of resources.
I also noted that it seems very laggy, what I mean by that is that it looks like I’m running a software at <10FPS, clicking on items sometimes takes quite a long time. I.e. clicking on the item menu (…) and clicking download can take up to 10-20s for the menu to show up, and in some of these cases it even comes up with an error that says something on the lines of “there was an error downloading this item” which when clicked again can remedy the situation. However I find it quite hard to use most of the time because of the lag. The playback however is usually fine - even if it seems to be using a lot of CPU cycles!
I’ve already chimed in on a couple other posts about laggy performance, but since the Plex folks are being awfully quiet about it, I’m going to add it here as well.
The new Plex app (versions 1.1 through 1.3) is very laggy with high GPU usage (typically 100%). The Plex app is typically using about 25% of the GPU and Desktop Window Manager is using ~75% when Plex is open. Playing the exact same file from the server, through Window’s built in video player, results in smooth performance with about 10% GPU.
Yes I have noticed very similar things, not to mention that there are a few other bugs that I would like to be addressed, but I thought I’d start with the main one!
The other bugs:
Syncing of watched status doesn’t always happen the way it is meant to, i.e. if I watch something from the Downloads it gets synced to the server, but if I finish watching it from the server downloads doesn’t realise and doesn’t download the next episode.
I wish I could set the number of files to download in Downloads
When playing anything, plex will jump out of full screen mode when pressing a button or the screen - highly annoying when you just want to pause it briefly, and getting it back to full screen can be difficult as sometimes the full screen button disappears before you can click it and then you do the whole thing again
Sometimes Downloads shows an error, but without any more info… I had to restart a few times to get everything back to working order
The old Plex app from Microsoft Store (which isn’t even available anymore) - cpu 10%, gpu 3%. The new Plex app (1.4.1), same video - cpu 53%, gpu 23%.
Besides on less powerfull PCs or tablets, like those with Intel Atom CPUs and standard Intel graphics, it’s completely useless!
I am also experiencing same. High GPU, medium CPU, choppy playback, playing 1080p original (no transcoding), and playing same file in default Windows Media Player is very low CPU/GPU, very smooth playback. Is there a solution for this? Also plays smoothly in the web client (which is running on same machine).
