Server Version#: 1.41.8.9834
Player Version#: 1.109.0.329-ea562b95
Hey guys,
I came across a very strange behavior of Plex and I wanted to share, maybe some one has a solution.
My Plex server is a new BEELINK EQ14, Intel N150, 16GB, 2x 1GB ethernet/ wired to my router, Windows 11 that I optimized myself, no crap, no junk, no BS. IT ONLY RUNS PLEX SERVER.
It sits at 5% CPU at idle with Plex Server running. So very smooth, no hiccups whatsoever even if I’m running 6 simultaneous streams (PCs, phones, Macs, iPads, Android tablets), it barely goes to 35% 40% CPU.
Today I wanted to watch movies and shows on that machine, but I encoutered heavy stuttering no matter the video, 1080p @2Mbps to 4k @40Mbps.
After digging I found that when I start PLEX CLIENT I have 2 instances of C++ application framework that starts and they’re tied to 2 instances of a process called QtWebEngineProcess.exe which is the culprit in making this machine stutter.
If I’m not mistaken, QtWebEngineProcess.exe is tied to Plex interface and this is how Plex Client renders it’s HTML behind the scenes and it cannot be removed.
I tried killing the processes but they come back, I tried lowering the CPU affinity and the CPU priority but it doesn’t seem to have any effect. I tried uninstalling C++ redistibuable but Plex doesn’t even start, so I installed Plex client 2 or 3 times to test.
Here are some numbers knowing that “C++ application framework” starts with Plex and is tied to QtWebEngineProcess.exe:
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Machine is 5% CPU idle with Plex server running as service.
-
Launch Plex client, no login:
Plex.exe 35% CPU
C++ application framework x2 instances, One is 0% CPU, the other one up to 12% -
Login/home no touching or scrolling:
Plex up to 7%
C++ up to 12% and the other one 0 -
Playing a file (whether it’s low 1080p or high 4k, same behavior):
Plex up to 45%
C++ up to 55% the other one goes to 5%
Most of the times the CPU sits at 95-100%
Heavy stuttering and sometimes maybe 20fps top. -
Windows 11 Media Player plays the same files smoothly, not a single stutter, and is between 5 and 13%.
To be clear, I tested those same movies and tv shows in Windows Media Player and VLC and it’s very smooth, I could even run multiple VLC instances and had no problems.
Now here’s the fun part, this server is an exact duplicate on my other wokstation that is Windows 10, 32GB RAM, GeForce 2080 8GB, and I couldn’t replicate that stuttering behavior whether I use that workstation as a media player streaming from the BEELINK or as a standalone server + player playing from itself. I know the machine is way more powerful but those process stay very low, Plex.exe 5% CPU/20 GPU and C++ Application framework is at 5% even on a 4K 40Mbps file. I have like 15 QtWebEngineProcess.exe instances and it’ smooth as butter.
In Plex server and player settings I always disable everything that can impact performances in the background like volume normalizations or credits analysis and all that jazz.
Do you guys have any idea what’s going on? Any lead on how I could solve this or maybe a lead to what’s happening to that QtWebEngineProcess?
