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Question

Slow operation while performing basic edits

Forum|Forum|2 years ago
February 12, 2024
5 replies
1748 views

Hi there

I have been struggling with the same issue for a long time which is that on my laptop Lightroom runs SO SLOW! And every time I use it, even for basic edits like cropping or adjusting white balance, I get a spinning wheel and have to wait several seconds for each adjustment to be applied. Plus the fans on my computer go crazy and the Activity Monitor says LR is using many hundreds of percent of my CPU.

I have persisted for a long time as I didn’t know what else to do, but I recently bought a Canon R5 which has much larger file sizes than my old Canon 5D IV and now it’s making editing anything almost impossible.

I really don’t think I should need to buy a new computer, but perhaps I have no choice! However, my system seems to be well above the minimum requirements.

I am running:

LR Classic 13.1 release (but this is has been a problem with previous versions too)

MacBook Pro 13-inch, 2020.

Processor 2.3 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core I

Graphics Intel Iris Plus Graphics 1536 MB

Memory 32 GB 3733 MHz LPDDR4X

macOS Ventura 13.6.1

Is there a way to solve this or is my only option to buy an even more powerful computer?

Thanks

macOS

This topic has been closed for replies.

johnrellis

Legend

"And every time I use it, even for basic edits like cropping or adjusting white balance, I get a spinning wheel and have to wait several seconds for each adjustment to be applied."

Even with the low-end graphics processor on your Macbook, LR shouldn't do that when doing basic edits. Before considering a new computer, I recommend testing dj_paige's suggestion that your computer could be overheating due to clogged vents or fans. Many people have reported symptoms similar to yours that were caused by such overheating.

Intel no longer makes it's free utility available, but there are other Intel Mac temperature utilities, e.g.

https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/59725/temp-monitor

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bellaf95161709Author

Known Participant

Ok thank you, I will try that first. Though TBF, the fan thing has been happening ever since I got the computer brand new a few years ago, and it only starts up as soon as I fire up LR, not at any other time, so I don't think it's that. It's just even worse now with the R5 RAW files.

Conrad_C

Community Expert

One way to try and take a closer look at what’s going on there:

If the fans mostly come on in the Develop module, it might be more likely to be related to the GPU (graphics hardware) not being powerful enough to handle the R5 files and so the CPU must, which will run hotter.

If the fans mostly come on outside of the Develop module, particularly in Grid view, it is more likely to be related to having to now build previews at the higher number of megapixels of the R5 images, which becomes a lot of work for the four cores in the Intel Core i5 in a 13" MacBook Pro. (For comparison, the low end M1 has 8 CPU cores, and the current Pro models can have many more.) It might be possible to make previews less processor-intensive by choosing Lightroom Classic > Catalog Settings, click the File Handling tab, and experiment with reducing the Standard Preview Size and the Preview Quality. Of course, you want to keep them at a size and quality setting that you find useful.

You might also try choosing Lightroom Classic > Preferences, and trying these other suggestions:

In the General tab, disable Replace Embedded Previews with Standard Previews at Idle Time.
In the Performance tab, disable Generate Previews in Parallel.

Also, when importing, in the File Handling tab, Build Previews option consider selecting Embedded & Sidecar.

Those actions might place less of a load on the computer by not requiring it to generate previews all the time (because that can generate a lot of heat), but the consequence will be that it might take a little longer to view each image in Loupe view, and longer for the unbuilt previews to appear in the grid.

Conrad_C

Community Expert

I have a similar 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2018, and it does the same thing. This is exactly the reason Apple gave up on Intel and chose to spend a pile of money to develop their own more efficient Apple Silicon computer processors. And unfortunately, the 2020 is the last version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro to use Intel processors, so it is the last one to run hot and loud under this type of editing.

I used the word “unfortunately” because 2020 is the year Apple rolled out the first M1 Mac laptop, a big jump up and far superior to any Intel Mac laptop in almost every way. Yes, having to buy a new Mac is an expensive solution, but literally any Apple Silicon laptop right back to the original M1 MacBook Air from 2020 is going to be a much better photo editing experience than any 13-inch Intel MacBook Pro. Especially with the higher megapixel images from newer cameras.

For example, if you were to get a 14" MacBook Pro, either the new M3 or (now old and discounted, so very good value) M2, either option would provide stunningly higher performance than a 2020 13" Intel MacBook Air, and, without overheating. Also, the graphics hardware in any M1 or newer is much more capable than the Intel integrated graphics on the Intel 13" MacBook Pro, by a wide margin. For example, the GPU in my 2021 14" M1 Pro MacBook Pro runs Lightroom Classic AI Denoise several times faster than my 13" Intel MacBook Pro.

If you are on a budget, and you mostly work on images one or two at a time, even a current 13" or 15" MacBook Air would be a major step up in performance, and there is no fan to hear. (The MacBook Pro can handle a higher workload because it has fans, but you usually won’t hear them.)

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bellaf95161709Author

Known Participant

Thank you so much for this very clear and helpful reply! So basically there's no workaround, and having just dropped 8K on new camera gear, I'm now going to need to fork out another £2K on a new laptop? 😞

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Lumigraphics

Legend

Adobe products make heavy use of the GPU. The 13" Intel machines simply don't have much GPU power.

A US$600 Mac mini would run circles around that MacBook Pro.

dj_paige

Legend

https://storables.com/articles/why-is-my-macbook-fan-running/

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Lumigraphics

Legend

The problem is the integrated graphics. I use a 16 inch 2020 MBP at work with the 4GB discrete Radeon Pro 5300M (which is a mid-range card but WAY better than the Iris Plus) and it runs great, no slowdowns working with RAW files.

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bellaf95161709Author

Known Participant

Thank you for answering. So you're saying I DO need a new computer? Even with 32 gig of memory?

dj_paige

Legend

Plus the fans on my computer go crazy and the Activity Monitor says LR is using many hundreds of percent of my CPU.

This is due to heat build-up in the Macbook. When this happens, often the Mac OS will throttle back the CPU so it produces less heat, and this could be the cause of the slow operation of LrC.

You want to vaccuum out all the air vents on the case, and also make sure none of the vents are obstructed by a wall or furniture. If possible, open the case and vaccuum it out as well. Consider using a laptop cooling device like this.

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