Google maps

[Stephen NP]

I have a problem with Google Maps both at Windows and Linux Mint 20.3. Google Maps works very slow. Dragging is very slow. I've just checked http://www.mapquest.com and it works extremely fast. What is the problem with Google Maps? In Chromium browser, which I use at my laptop, with hardware acceleration disabled website scrolling gets very fast, while Google Maps gets even a lot slower. Tried Brave browser with hardware acceleration disabled - Google Maps works fast. How to solve the problem with Chrome/Chromium?

[djph]

In Chromium browser, which I use at my laptop, with hardware acceleration disabled website scrolling gets very fast, while Google Maps gets even a lot slower.

How to solve the problem with Chrome/Chromium?

If you need to turn OFF hardware acceleration to get decent performance across the web, it sounds like your hardware is at fault.

Could be cheap / simple to fix (e.g. it's overheating because it's dirty)
Could be in the $50 - $100 range to fix (e.g. you're short of RAM)
Could be in the several hundred dollar range on up (e.g. your laptop is finally too old for "a good experience", and needs a replacement)

[Stephen NP]

Could be cheap / simple to fix (e.g. it's overheating because it's dirty)

The CPU and RAM are almost newly bought with fresh thermal compound applied. The laptop is properly cleaned inside.

Could be in the $50 - $100 range to fix (e.g. you're short of RAM)

I have 8 Gb RAM.

Could be in the several hundred dollar range on up (e.g. your laptop is finally too old for "a good experience", and needs a replacement)

It's a 2011 Dell laptop with Intel HD Graphics. Is it too outdated for decent Google Maps experience?

[djph]

A decade old machine with "only(tm)" 8 GiB of RAM certainly could fit the bill for "not enough RAM" and/or "too old", depending on specifics of what else is running (and/or how many FF tabs are open, etc).

If the BIOS allows it, check how much RAM is getting sidelined for the GPU. As I recall, an XPS machine from that era (dead, so I can't check now) would allow options of 256, 512, or 1024 MiB. Granted this DOES come out of system RAM; so if you assign 1 GiB to the graphics chip, you only have 7G available for general computing.

Likewise, if you're running cinnamon, that's going to put more pressure on the GPU (and vRAM) than say MATE or XFCE; so switching to one of those DE's might free up enough to make things feel smoother.

As for whether or not 8G of RAM is enough for your needs, check whether any swap is getting used. Depending on uptime, what you run, etc; you should either see none, or a nominal amount (e.g. a couple hundred MiB). On my main PC (16G RAM), I usually see 2-300 MiB after it's been up for a few weeks; usually spiking just after I did something "heavy" that spikes the RAM usage (such as trying to slice a big model for 3d printing).

[Hoser Rob]

If you're having this problem on the same machine with both Mint and Windows 10 or 11, and it's a decade old, the problem may be video driver support in both OSes.

There aren't any system details there though, copy/paste the text output on inxi -Fxxxrz run in the terminal.

[Stephen NP]

Code: Select all

System:
  Kernel: 5.13.0-44-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A 
  Desktop: Cinnamon 5.2.7 wm: muffin 5.2.1 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 
  Distro: Linux Mint 20.3 Una base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: Dell product: Latitude E5410 v: 0001 serial: <filter> 
  Chassis: type: 9 serial: <filter> 
  Mobo: Dell model: 03VXMC v: A00 serial: <filter> UEFI: Dell v: A16 
  date: 12/06/2013 
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT0 charge: 36.6 Wh condition: 39.7/57.7 Wh (69%) volts: 12.6/11.1 
  model: Samsung SDI DELL RM66112 type: Li-ion serial: <filter> 
  status: Charging 
CPU:
  Topology: Dual Core model: Intel Core i7 M 640 bits: 64 type: MT MCP 
  arch: Nehalem rev: 5 L2 cache: 4096 KiB 
  flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 22344 
  Speed: 1463 MHz min/max: 1199/2800 MHz boost: enabled Core speeds (MHz): 
  1: 1438 2: 1450 3: 1424 4: 1421 
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Core Processor Integrated Graphics vendor: Dell 
  driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:0046 
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.13 driver: modesetting 
  unloaded: fbdev,vesa resolution: 1280x800~60Hz 
  OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics (ILK) 
  v: 2.1 Mesa 22.2.0-devel (git-4896e13 2022-05-25 focal-oibaf-ppa) 
  direct render: Yes 
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel 5 Series/3400 Series High Definition Audio vendor: Dell 
  driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1b.0 chip ID: 8086:3b56 
  Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.13.0-44-generic 
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Wireless 7260 driver: iwlwifi v: kernel port: 8000 
  bus ID: 02:00.0 chip ID: 8086:08b1 
  IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter> 
  Device-2: Broadcom and subsidiaries NetXtreme BCM5761e Gigabit Ethernet 
  PCIe 
  vendor: Dell driver: tg3 v: kernel port: 8000 bus ID: 0b:00.0 
  chip ID: 14e4:1680 
  IF: enp11s0 state: down mac: <filter> 
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 1.03 TiB used: 581.75 GiB (55.4%) 
  ID-1: /dev/sda model: TAMMUZ SSD size: 119.24 GiB speed: 3.0 Gb/s 
  serial: <filter> rev: 0008 scheme: GPT 
  ID-2: /dev/sdb vendor: Western Digital model: WD10JPVX-22JC3T0 
  size: 931.51 GiB speed: 3.0 Gb/s rotation: 5400 rpm serial: <filter> 
  rev: 1A01 scheme: MBR 
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 25.57 GiB used: 15.52 GiB (60.7%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1 
  ID-2: /home size: 90.89 GiB used: 4.81 GiB (5.3%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda3 
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 55.0 C mobo: N/A sodimm: 41.0 C 
  Fan Speeds (RPM): cpu: 0 
Repos:
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
  1: deb https://cschramm.eu/blueman/debian/ python3.8 main
  2: deb-src https://cschramm.eu/blueman/debian/ python3.8 main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/alexlarsson-flatpak-focal.list 
  1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/alexlarsson/flatpak/ubuntu focal main
  2: deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/alexlarsson/flatpak/ubuntu focal main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-release.list 
  1: deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg arch=amd64] https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/ stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/deadsnakes-ppa-focal.list 
  1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/deadsnakes/ppa/ubuntu focal main
  2: deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/deadsnakes/ppa/ubuntu focal main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/gezakovacs-ppa-focal.list 
  1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/gezakovacs/ppa/ubuntu focal main
  2: deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/gezakovacs/ppa/ubuntu focal main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list 
  1: deb [arch=amd64] https://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/jonaski-strawberry-focal.list 
  1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/jonaski/strawberry/ubuntu focal main
  2: deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/jonaski/strawberry/ubuntu focal main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nilarimogard-webupd8-focal.list 
  1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/nilarimogard/webupd8/ubuntu focal main
  2: deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/nilarimogard/webupd8/ubuntu focal main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list 
  1: deb https://ftp.kaist.ac.kr/linuxmint una main upstream import backport
  2: deb http://ftp.daum.net/ubuntu focal main restricted universe multiverse
  3: deb http://ftp.daum.net/ubuntu focal-updates main restricted universe multiverse
  4: deb http://ftp.daum.net/ubuntu focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
  5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-security main restricted universe multiverse
  6: deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ focal partner
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-source-repositories.list 
  1: deb-src https://ftp.kaist.ac.kr/linuxmint una main upstream import backport
  2: deb-src http://ftp.daum.net/ubuntu focal main restricted universe multiverse
  3: deb-src http://ftp.daum.net/ubuntu focal-updates main restricted universe multiverse
  4: deb-src http://ftp.daum.net/ubuntu focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
  5: deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-security main restricted universe multiverse
  6: deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ focal partner
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/oibaf-graphics-drivers-focal.list 
  1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/oibaf/graphics-drivers/ubuntu focal main
  2: deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/oibaf/graphics-drivers/ubuntu focal main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/steam.list 
  1: deb [arch=amd64,i386] https://repo.steampowered.com/steam/ stable steam
  2: deb-src [arch=amd64,i386] https://repo.steampowered.com/steam/ stable steam
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ubuntuhandbook1-apps-focal.list 
  1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntuhandbook1/apps/ubuntu focal main
  2: deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/ubuntuhandbook1/apps/ubuntu focal main
Info:
  Processes: 267 Uptime: 1h 31m Memory: 7.57 GiB used: 1.36 GiB (18.0%) 
  Init: systemd v: 245 runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 9.4.0 alt: 9 Shell: bash 
  v: 5.0.17 running in: gnome-terminal inxi: 3.0.38 

[djph]

Cinnamon there would be my first pass at a source of the problem.

I'd personally get rid of the development-branch graphics driver (and other assorted PPAs), but that's just personal preference; and may or may not change things.

[mikeflan]

Kernel: 5.13.0-44-generic

Why are you using the 5.13 kernel? Did you ever try the 5.4 kernel?

[Stephen NP]

I've just downgraded kernel to 5.4. Google Maps now works much faster. But it's again only with HW acceleraton disabled. When HW acceleration is enabled, everything is again laggy.

[djph]

I've just downgraded kernel to 5.4. Google Maps now works much faster. But it's again only with HW acceleraton disabled. When HW acceleration is enabled, everything is again laggy.

Because your machine is ... well, old.

[Stephen NP]

It's fine for me. I have everything I need working, that's enough. I only want to know: is it better to keep 5.4 kernel active or I'd better switch to 5.13 or newer? Recently I've tried to install 5.18, but one of the packages was installed with an error message about some missing dependency that can't be installed. What is the best kernel for my system currently?

[djph]

Your hardware is at its limits. A newer kernel isn't going to change that.

[Hoser Rob]

.... Tried Brave browser with hardware acceleration disabled - Google Maps works fast. How to solve the problem with Chrome/Chromium?

Interesting, you have 8 Gb RAM, the machine is about a decade old but it has Intel graphics, which are well supported in Linux. And Brave is a chromium based browser. Maybe it has to do with your chrome/chromium settings or plugins?

[Stephen NP]

Replying to you all.
I've just discovered that in Windows with HW acceleration enabled Chrome works as a charm. In Linux there's a problem with Google Maps. I guess this is because of Intel driver support. In Windows they are installed by default. In Linux I have something like Mesa drivers. Looks like they don't work well with my GPU.

[RollyShed]

I've just done a checks -

Laptop, 2015, ASUS TP200, CPU N3050, 2GB of RAM, Cinnamon 20.2, kernel 5.4.0 and 30GB of storage, WiFi connection.

Desktop, Cinnamon 20.3, kernel 5.4.0, 24GB RAM, CPU i7-4470, wired connection.

Yes, the laptop maybe fractionally slower, maybe not, very hard to tell if there is a difference from the desktop with heaps of RAM and wired internet and the WiFi laptop with little RAM. The past week I've done a lot of Google Earth work for someone publishing a book about tramping / hiking and he needs maps.

NOTE - that laptop is happily running with 2GB of RAM. It always has run happily with 2GB of RAM with Cinnamon.

Another laptop -
The 2009, Acer eMachines, CPU Atom N450, 32 bit MATE, 2GB of RAM won't load it because -
"Does not support WebGL graphics so can't load Google Earth"
That's its excuse anyway. However after leaving it and making a cup of coffee (that time of day) it actually did load but exceedingly slowly. VERY slow when trying to do anything and I'm still stuck in the west Pacific, NE of Australia and it will be lunchtime before I'm down as far as Sydney, not that I want to go there.

It appears CPU speed, not RAM is the limit.

[djph]

It appears CPU speed, not RAM is the limit.

There are a number of factors that play in...

Odd that it'd load anything after the WebGL error -- unless somewhere along the way, it redirected you to a non WebGL site.

[Hoser Rob]

Replying to you all.
I've just discovered that in Windows with HW acceleration enabled Chrome works as a charm. In Linux there's a problem with Google Maps. I guess this is because of Intel driver support. In Windows they are installed by default. In Linux I have something like Mesa drivers. Looks like they don't work well with my GPU.

It doesn't have anything to do with the drivers per se as far as I can see. That card is only OpenGL 2.1 capable, which may have somehting to do with it, but no driver couold fix that.

The real issue is that Google gave up trying to support HW accel in their Linux products.