Why does steam use SO MUCH CPU - Page 9

Koraktor · 03-06-2012, 08:32 AM

I can confirm the improvement mentioned by daf, it's down to ~7%. Thanks Valve.

oatmealsquires · 03-06-2012, 11:00 PM

I can also confirm the improvement. It idles in the background close to 7 percent CPU now, sometimes jumping up to 11 or 12.

stinkyfax · 03-07-2012, 04:10 AM

I am about to drop steam because I don't want macbook air to last 3 times less time due to steam eating 25% of cpu while rest of the system 3%

theyarecoming4u · 03-07-2012, 05:02 AM

Unfortunately this sounds very similar to the situation with the mobile client. When I leave it running - as it does by default - it zaps through my battery and will often kill it by the end of the day. At least that was the case when it first came out; I haven't been in a hurry to try it again.

PsykX · 03-08-2012, 08:09 AM

I just posted in the suggestions thread to Valve :
http://forums.steampowered.com/forum...7#post29657647

If you guys can add up your voice to my comment, it would be awesome.

theweirdgeek · 03-08-2012, 09:16 AM

Steam always stays below 5% CPU on my computer... Although on my old single core PC it was 70% sometimes...

{NiA}Ninja · 03-08-2012, 09:53 PM

I dont have this problem, i guess lucky me. And im running a laptop with win 7 i3. i guess its hit or miss

AppleCrypt · 03-11-2012, 12:52 PM

Using the latest beta and my cpu usage now ticks over at 1/2% when the Steam app is open. Used to be around 8% before I applied the beta. So i'm happy! :-)
Thanks to the Valve ppl !!

Steve

saturnotaku · 03-12-2012, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by {NiA}Ninja

I dont have this problem, i guess lucky me. And im running a laptop with win 7 i3. i guess its hit or miss

In case you didn't notice, this is the Steam for Mac forum.

Anyway, the latest Steam beta has dramatically reduced my CPU usage. The release version was at 30-39%, now it's down to 7-9%.

skydragon · 03-13-2012, 01:01 AM

Now it stays below 3% on my Mac Pro 2010 (Lion 10.7.3)

Nicely done, Valve. Huge improvement!

Although I would've expected Steam would need no more than 1% like Adium does when idle.

AppleCrypt · 03-13-2012, 01:20 AM

Agreed. It still needs work but this now is miles better! My iMac can handle that 1% usage just fine

CarlZalph · 03-13-2012, 11:59 AM

When it's idling it's a LOT better.

Next up is the reduction of CPU when moving the mouse over the window!

The follow tests were done when Steam was active. (In focus, front window.)

5-6% idle
35-45% moving mouse rapidly over friends list
8-11% moving mouse rapidly over a blank area in Library (No buttons/gui features)
65-75% moving mouse rapidly over games in Library (The left-hand list)
58-63% moving mouse rapidly on and then off of "PLAY" button (When TF2 was selected)
8-11% rapidly typing keys when Library was in focus

From the various tests, I can see that every time the cpu spikes up, it's when it's doing that glow effect around the button/text.
Very expensive!

jeanlain · 03-13-2012, 01:05 PM

That's because Steam is incredibly stupid. It redraws the whole window when it doesn't need to.
When Steam came out, simply dragging the window wasn't smooth, because somehow, Steam bypassed Quartz Extreme. They fixed that at some point.

AppleCrypt · 03-13-2012, 01:47 PM

I find using the mouse gesture or scroll wheel to move up & down in the steam window to be annoying. Jumps far too much & nothing like the system default... It's the only app on my iMac that works wonky lol
But it's a cool app overall & I get nothing like the CPU usage above... If its idling on my iMac at 1% then that's cool - after all it'll always be idling when ur playing a game. iyswim

SyntaxError · 03-13-2012, 03:52 PM

Its more likely attributed to unnecessary redrawing that the effect being particularly expensive.

03-13-2012, 01:05 PM	#133
jeanlain Join Date: Mar 2010 Reputation: 242 Posts: 935	That's because Steam is incredibly stupid. It redraws the whole window when it doesn't need to. When Steam came out, simply dragging the window wasn't smooth, because somehow, Steam bypassed Quartz Extreme. They fixed that at some point. Last edited by jeanlain: 03-13-2012 at 01:11 PM.

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03-06-2012, 08:32 AM	#121
Koraktor Join Date: Jan 2003 Reputation: 10 Posts: 273	I can confirm the improvement mentioned by daf, it's down to ~7%. Thanks Valve.

03-06-2012, 11:00 PM	#122
oatmealsquires Join Date: May 2010 Reputation: 0 Posts: 22	I can also confirm the improvement. It idles in the background close to 7 percent CPU now, sometimes jumping up to 11 or 12.

03-07-2012, 04:10 AM	#123
stinkyfax Join Date: Sep 2010 Reputation: 0 Posts: 3	I am about to drop steam because I don't want macbook air to last 3 times less time due to steam eating 25% of cpu while rest of the system 3%

03-07-2012, 05:02 AM	#124
theyarecoming4u Join Date: Dec 2004 Reputation: 69 Posts: 1,933	Unfortunately this sounds very similar to the situation with the mobile client. When I leave it running - as it does by default - it zaps through my battery and will often kill it by the end of the day. At least that was the case when it first came out; I haven't been in a hurry to try it again.

03-08-2012, 08:09 AM	#125
PsykX Join Date: Jan 2011 Reputation: 0 Posts: 13	I just posted in the suggestions thread to Valve : http://forums.steampowered.com/forum...7#post29657647 If you guys can add up your voice to my comment, it would be awesome.

03-08-2012, 09:16 AM	#126
theweirdgeek Join Date: Jun 2010 Reputation: 0 Posts: 15	Steam always stays below 5% CPU on my computer... Although on my old single core PC it was 70% sometimes...

03-08-2012, 09:53 PM	#127
{NiA}Ninja Join Date: Jul 2011 Reputation: 3 Posts: 37	I dont have this problem, i guess lucky me. And im running a laptop with win 7 i3. i guess its hit or miss

03-11-2012, 12:52 PM	#128
AppleCrypt Join Date: Jan 2012 Reputation: 0 Posts: 43	Using the latest beta and my cpu usage now ticks over at 1/2% when the Steam app is open. Used to be around 8% before I applied the beta. So i'm happy! :-) Thanks to the Valve ppl !! Steve

03-13-2012, 01:01 AM	#130
skydragon Join Date: Nov 2010 Reputation: 6 Posts: 31	Now it stays below 3% on my Mac Pro 2010 (Lion 10.7.3) Nicely done, Valve. Huge improvement! Although I would've expected Steam would need no more than 1% like Adium does when idle.

03-13-2012, 01:20 AM	#131
AppleCrypt Join Date: Jan 2012 Reputation: 0 Posts: 43	Agreed. It still needs work but this now is miles better! My iMac can handle that 1% usage just fine

03-13-2012, 11:59 AM	#132
CarlZalph Join Date: Jan 2009 Reputation: 527 Posts: 2,570	When it's idling it's a LOT better. Next up is the reduction of CPU when moving the mouse over the window! The follow tests were done when Steam was active. (In focus, front window.) 5-6% idle 35-45% moving mouse rapidly over friends list 8-11% moving mouse rapidly over a blank area in Library (No buttons/gui features) 65-75% moving mouse rapidly over games in Library (The left-hand list) 58-63% moving mouse rapidly on and then off of "PLAY" button (When TF2 was selected) 8-11% rapidly typing keys when Library was in focus From the various tests, I can see that every time the cpu spikes up, it's when it's doing that glow effect around the button/text. Very expensive!

03-13-2012, 01:47 PM	#134
AppleCrypt Join Date: Jan 2012 Reputation: 0 Posts: 43	I find using the mouse gesture or scroll wheel to move up & down in the steam window to be annoying. Jumps far too much & nothing like the system default... It's the only app on my iMac that works wonky lol But it's a cool app overall & I get nothing like the CPU usage above... If its idling on my iMac at 1% then that's cool - after all it'll always be idling when ur playing a game. iyswim

03-13-2012, 03:52 PM	#135
SyntaxError Join Date: Feb 2011 Reputation: 44 Posts: 800	Its more likely attributed to unnecessary redrawing that the effect being particularly expensive.