Flash Player underperforming but computer has 80% free CPU?

Hi,

Im puzzled by a Flash file underperforming, while there is still enough free CPU available, which the player just doesn't take up.

I've tested a file with 2000 alpha changing objects on a Mac Pro 2 x Core2duo 2.66 5gb ram, and the FPS only came to about 18 - the same as on a Macbook with less half the CPU power.

On the macbook, the CPU is completely taken by Flash player, but on the Mac Pro, Flash Player takes up only 20% of CPU power (as far as I can see mixed over 4 processors) while there is still 80% CPU idle.

Also running Windows XP on the same Mac gave the same results.

When I opened the same test file twice, the FPS was on both the same as when only having one open.

I don't understand why this can be, as I imagined (was hoping) that a quicker Mac would solve performance by giving Flash Player more CPU - which it just doesnt 'take'.

Does anyone know why this is, and even more, know how to solve it?

Many thanks!

#508566

Well, a quad core processor isn't 4x faster as such.

Basicly, each process can only be processed by one core, meaning it's only getting one cores worth of power.

When something can use more than one core, that's called multithreading, and while the performance benefits are huge, it's really diffficult to program, and doesn't work on linear code.

#508692

i think I read about this problem with flashplayer on Mac somewhere, try searching Google

#508856

Hang on, this is an actual problem?

ouch.

Still, what I said is good general knowledge <_<;;;

#508870

Phosio, thanks for your thoughts.

Schmrom, what do you mean, google for what exactly? Since last week I'm having an ongoing google on this.

#508935

Phosio

Perhaps it's doing it so it doesn't slow down the rest of your mac?

#508936

I think it has something to do with your video card? I was taught that Flash Player is dependent also on video cards..

correct me if I am wrong.

#509213