I’m using Windows 7, and Chrome as my browser.
When I have a film on Netflix, a sports game that I’m streaming or a stupid Facebook game, and I look at something else, the others take ages to reload.
Is that normal?
I would appreciate suggestions.
Yep. Try using another browser for the Netflix, for me one video site in Chrome soon hogs all my memory. Facebook and Forumosa also seem to be process slowing memory-hogs in Chrome. Closing unnecessary tabs seems to help, especially the aforementioned ones, even closing them and restarting them if needed at the moment.
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Stating the obvious, use a system that is still supported by its manufacturer (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-7-support-ended-on-january-14-2020-b75d4580-2cc7-895a-2c9c-1466d9a53962)
Otherwise another browser like firefox might use less resources…
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First know how much ram your pc has.
Second open the task manager and monitor your ram usage.
Open your applications and watch if you exceed the ram installed on your pc. If yes, upgrade your ram.
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Ping: 3
Download: 22
Upload: 6
I don’t know what that means, though.
Yeah I monitor how much memory tabs are using with the system monitor and close offending tabs.
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It’s the speed of your internet connection. That can be a factor in performance.
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That’s good enough for 5 pc watching movies.
Probably RAM. Lots of laptops these days don’t ever include enough RAM. Most include only 4G and it’s not enough at all. Only when you get to the higher end laptops they might include 8G. Worst thing is, lots of smaller notebooks these days can’t be upgraded, everything soldered in. But if you can add RAM get it up to 16G. 8G is marginal.
The old school reply, run msconfig and disable as many processes that automatically start up at boot.
You can keep going down this path for a while in different ways the audio guys are really into getting things just geared to audio to the point they disable auto detect on a CD tray, also clean your browser cache.
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Uhm I guess that @jimipresley might appreciate a bit less tech-y suggestions. Not everyone on here is a nerd ^^
So @jimipresley, do I understand that when you switch from one Chrome tab (window) to another one, then it takes very long to switch back? If so, what exactly do you see while waiting?
To check the RAM that people mentioned, as a first step try this and tell us how many GB this shows:
netflix has a dedicated app in the windows store as well. maybe wanna give that a whirl.
good luck to you.
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I didn’t know that. Does it make a difference?
i know that the only way you can get true 5.1 is through the app as chrome or other browsers don’t output at 5.1.
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A big thank you to all who offered advice and suggestions. It was kind and generous. 
I think I may just need to get a new computer.
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If computer is a PC: Reboot computer. Problem fixed? No? Reformat harddrive. Problem fixed? No? Replace components, add more RAM, etc.
If computer is a Mac: Take computer to Apple store. Problem fixed? No? Buy new Mac.
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nobody asked but i will share my recent (as in today) experience . Through the years I have always bought the low range of any computer because :
A. don’t like to blow money that i can blow on other things
B. computers obsolete themselves pretty quickly.
I slaved on and on with my ASUS notebook which was the cheapest one around then at about 250 dollars (last three notebooks covering a span of 20 years have all been the cheapest and at about 250 dollars). And it got slower and slower because soon as windows needs a substantial update to a new windows the hardware cant handle it really . So i switched it to ubuntu about a year or so and it has been barely adequate and finally i have decided that it is not adequate. Just realized i have had this one since 2012.
So I thought the desktops have been getting smaller and smaller and cheaper. And since i don’t use the notebook as a notebook, instead using it as a desktop cuz i got keyboard and mouse and monitor hooked up to it. I have the working mouse and keyboard and monitor still so i decided to buy the cheapest of these mini puters out there.
Got a GEEKOM 11 with the cheapest celeron cpu. The price goes up depends on the cpu and ram offered. The better ones being around 350 plus dollars which is a lot different then the 129 plus tax and shipping i paid because it was half off. As they offer new models they drop the prices of the remaining stock like half.
so i got it. and it is quite fab. Because i really don’t game i just use it for light internet browsing, and a few other simple computer tasks.
Now i am not actually recommending you get the very cheapest like me, probably should go a few steps higher, but i like having the most basic
as that is my nature.
Anyhow, i bought an usb to vga adapter to use my now old monitor (VGA) and it didnt work, so i returned it and ordered two different brand hdmi to vga. And they dont work either. Dang. Guess the software is incompatible (this Geekom is win 11). so i had to buy a new monitor. Got a nice one (cheapest i found) Lenovo 24 inch for 129 plus tax and best buy. And it works great. It was time to retire the VGA. HDMI is the way to go now.
So basically for 129 for the computer and 129 for the monitor plus tax and all so just a bit under 300 dollars tax in, I have a new puter. Went to best buy and saw an HP, computer ,think it was 21 inch monitor with puter built in and keyboard and mouse all for 349 plus tax. And if I knew i would need a new monitor i would have gotten that one instead cuz it looks the part. But anyways i still save 100 buckeronees. So thats that. I will blow that on the next dinner but hey its the thought that counts and the continuing challenge to buy always the bestest for the leastest (miser style).
Geekom 11 , recommended for 129 bucks (but not if you need better specs).
Lenovo 24 inch monitor for 129 recommended, works good. big enough screen. Will keep the old notebook only when i want to burn a music cd (something i last did probably 8 years ago and not sure when I am going to need to burn another music CD).
long story short, there comes a time to retire the old hardware and go new.
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My current machine cost me 39 USD used, including tax and shipping.
My perpetual body odour is also representative of someone who pays 39 USD for a computer.
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