Plex Desktop and HTPC app UI Very Sluggish

Plex Players Desktop Players
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Server Version#: 1.41.1.9057
Player Version#: 1.104.241-2164c90a

Hi I noticed the plex client is extremely sluggish on my new Intel n100 mini pc. When looking in task manager plex is running at nearly 100 GPU usage and around 50% CPU usage when doing even the most simplest of tasks. Below is a screenshot of the resource usage when just moving my mouse thought the menu on the side (not even selecting anything):

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I have tested this in the Plex desktop and HTPC app for both windows and Linux and they both behave the same. While the n100 might not be the most powerful CPU out there it is capable of running various 3d games out there so I don’t see how it is possible that a simple UI can consume this much resources. Additionally if I play the same media files I do in plex in another app like VLC CPU usage hovers at less than 10% and the GPU is only around 25%.

I have even tried updating my GFX drivers to the latest and it has not solved anything.

This is only on the apps. The web interface behaves normally and has normal resource usage

Update:
Even on my laptop’s GTX1050 plex tops out at 30% GPU usage just moving the mouse as above.

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This suggestion could be completely unrelated but might be worth doing anyway for the avoidance of doubt:

If you haven’t already, go into the BIOS and set the iGPU/Quicksync from auto to “on”.

I think you can find it by going to Chipset > System Agent > Graphics configuration > iGPU/quicksync (or something like that).

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Reports of the app being sluggish go even back to mid 2022.

After build 1.20.2.3110 (Plex HTPC), something broke “smooth” scrolling. No matter how performant your hardware is. Back then it was said that there would be no fix due to a shift to a newer framework version (Qt5 to Qt6). However on Windows QT6 with the code of Plex HTPC does not work.

On Linux, the scrolling behavior is much better. It uses QT6. (at least in my testing)
Curious if there will be a “fix” for Windows or if the teased changes (in the plex fireside) to plex desktop apps next year make a difference.

How is the GPU usage under Linux with the N100?

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Unfortunately my BIOS does not have any settings for Quicksync but it is definitely on and working.

With regards to Linux performance it was much the same or perhaps slightly better with the same maxing out of the GPU usage.

The joke is that I have Radxa x4 (another n100 pc) running my plex server and while transcoding its CPU barely reaches 10% with GPU usage around 17% so the n100 is quite capable. There is definitely something strange happing with Plex’s UI rendering.

Been using the webUI in the meantime since it works flawlessly.

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Bump!

I found this post while I was looking for solution to the same symptoms on my computer with HTPC on Win10 and Linux. a 1080p/VC1 stream has the CPU up at 76% and GPU 10%, while a 4K/HDR HEVC chokes the CPU 100%, GPU 50%, and continuous stuttering. UI was barely usable jumpy and sluggish. On Linux, after installing desktop, neither was working!

LG smart TVs and AppleTV Plex apps play the same files from the same PMS smooth without problems.

The computer is old i3-7100 w/GTX1050 but it can do better than this. Using Plex for Windows it does use the GPU and plays everything smooth, 4KHDR +90Mbps stream CPU10% and GPU30%. UI performance was still awful though.

Looking at recent posts here in desktop players it seems like there’s a major issue with recent versions and it’s a waiting game now.

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