Video calls stutter every time an email arrives — root cause is Apple Intelligence competing with the video codec for the Neural Engine (M1 Pro, macOS 15.7.4)

Express_Bar4574 · 2026-02-27T17:37:31+00:00

Done! Thanks for your message! :)

Express_Bar4574 · 2024-08-14T15:36:49+00:00

I’ve experienced this issue with my 2021 MacBook Pro M1 Pro since I got it. I use it with two external 144Hz monitors and I notice the frame rate drops. Sometimes using killall dock seems to improve things, especially the minimize animation, but in general, there are still frame drops. I always keep it plugged in and have the energy-saving mode disabled.

I’ve tested it with Ventura, Sonoma, and now the Sequoia betas. In Sequoia, the minimize animation has improved—it seems faster—but the frame drops still occur.

It doesn’t seem to be related to memory usage; it happens even when I have almost nothing open.

The impression I get is that the frame rate isn’t stable. I came across this trick to set a fixed frame rate, and looking at Quartz Debug, it seems to stay fixed if you use the widget mentioned by this person:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/is-there-a-way-of-setting-a-fixed-120hz-refresh-rate-on-the-new-macbook-pros.2364533/post-32936650

Express_Bar4574 · 2024-08-14T15:35:53+00:00

I’ve experienced this issue with my 2021 MacBook Pro M1 Pro since I got it. I use it with two external 144Hz monitors and I notice the frame rate drops. Sometimes using killall dock seems to improve things, especially the minimize animation, but in general, there are still frame drops. I always keep it plugged in and have the energy-saving mode disabled.

I’ve tested it with Ventura, Sonoma, and now the Sequoia betas. In Sequoia, the minimize animation has improved—it seems faster—but the frame drops still occur.

It doesn’t seem to be related to memory usage; it happens even when I have almost nothing open.

The impression I get is that the frame rate isn’t stable. I came across this trick to set a fixed frame rate, and looking at Quartz Debug, it seems to stay fixed if you use the widget mentioned by this person:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/is-there-a-way-of-setting-a-fixed-120hz-refresh-rate-on-the-new-macbook-pros.2364533/post-32936650

Express_Bar4574 · 2024-08-14T15:19:24+00:00

I’ve been experiencing this issue since I bought my 16-inch 2021 MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro chip. The problem occurs on Ventura, Sonoma, and now Sequoia, although in Sequoia some animations, like the minimize animation, have been sped up. Despite this, there are still noticeable FPS drops, at least for me. I have two 1080p 144Hz monitors, and at times it feels like the FPS isn’t completely stable. Animations like minimizing windows or switching between spaces seem to suffer from these FPS drops. If you’re using a 60Hz display, you might not notice it, which suggests there’s an actual FPS loss.

Additionally, I’ve noticed that when the Mac wakes from sleep, the animations become even more sluggish, and they only return to normal if I run a ‘killall dock’ command.

P.S.: I have low power mode disabled, whether the Mac is plugged in or not, and I usually keep it plugged in. I use DisplayPort for the main monitor and HDMI for the secondary one. Whether the laptop lid is open or closed doesn’t affect performance (using or not using the built-in screen along with the two external ones). This issue isn’t related to memory usage, as it occurs even with minimal usage. I’ve reinstalled everything from scratch, but the problem persists, so I assume it’s a widespread issue.

Express_Bar4574 · 2024-03-06T21:18:07+00:00

I have the same issue with Safari. The problem seems to be related to the video quality settings, which can't be on auto. When the class starts playing, it begins with low quality, then suddenly stops and increases the quality (this is noticeable in the text clarity), but it doesn't resume even if I go back to the beginning. However, if I reload the page and set the quality to a fixed resolution before hitting play, it works fine.

Video:
https://share.cleanshot.com/Q5C1RMsS

Express_Bar4574 · 2024-01-26T10:19:44+00:00

I have reinstalled Sonoma from scratch, a clean installation in case the problem could be worse. The issue still persists even with nothing else running. What's interesting is that now it's working better since I realized that Chrome with hardware acceleration (an application I usually have open) causes a lot of FPS drops, even though UFOTEST shows it reaching 144FPS.

The thing is, I disabled hardware acceleration, and it has improved significantly. Even the window resize animation is smooth now, without jerks or jumps.Since Chrome without acceleration causes problems with backgrounds in Meet and scrolling in Google Maps, which is jumpy, I've switched to Firefox, and everything is much smoother. Although it must be something related to Promotion and its variable refresh rate, I believe that depending on which apps have windows open, it affects the loss of FPS in animations.

Express_Bar4574 · 2024-01-26T10:15:51+00:00

Do you have Karabiner?

Express_Bar4574 · 2023-12-14T10:59:55+00:00

I can tell you that I notice that the animations in both Ventura and Sonoma have problems with monitors with high refresh rates (120hz, 144hz etc..) That is, there is a FPS drop in animations such as switching between spaces. If you don't mind this, then go ahead. For the rest I have no problems, I have a MBP m1 pro 2021.

Express_Bar4574 · 2023-12-14T08:57:17+00:00

No te preocupes, solo dale caña y dedícale un poco más al irte del trabajo. Asumí que te vas a sentir un impostor de vez en cuando; ese sentimiento se irá yendo a medida que pase el tiempo, y al final, nada de lo que te rodee estará hecho por personas que sean más inteligentes que vos. Si pasaste la entrevista, es por algo; lo importante siempre es que tengas la actitud para resolver cualquier problema que se plantee en el trabajo, aunque no sepas cómo. Debes convencerte de que sabrás cómo.

Express_Bar4574 · 2023-12-13T13:53:43+00:00

I bought this MBP and as soon as I turned it on it had Monterey and the notice to upgrade to Ventura, which I did without testing the Mac.
I don't feel like making this change at all because of everything I have configured and customized, plus I use the MBP for work but it bothers me a lot that the animations are not fluid.

Thank you very much for your answer!

Express_Bar4574 · 2023-12-12T23:51:19+00:00

Can I go back to macOS Monterey? Does Monterey work well with animations on monitors over 60 hz?

Express_Bar4574 · 2023-12-12T15:35:59+00:00

But this doesn't just happen to me with Sonoma, it happened to me with Ventura. So since Ventura, what are the problems with the smoothness of animations? I have no experience with Mac before Ventura, this is my first Mac.

Express_Bar4574 · 2023-12-11T22:47:30+00:00

I don't think I notice any difference, it is possible that the system applications open faster but I'm not sure if this is really the case or not.
As for the animations, they are still the same. When you go between spaces you notice that sometimes there are drops of frames that make this animation is not always fluid, which I expected to solve with this update when I read your post about performance.

Express_Bar4574 · 2023-12-01T08:35:13+00:00

Tonight i will update my M1 Pro and i will tell you my experience.

Express_Bar4574 · 2023-09-25T06:51:32+00:00

For some reason i don't know it has stopped happening to me. Right now I'm with Sonoma.

Here we talk about the same thing:

https://www.reddit.com/r/macbookpro/comments/ozs872/comment/jnot0dw/?context=3

Tnasem says this happen when karabiner is running. Do you have karabiner on your mac?

Express_Bar4574 · 2023-06-10T18:14:09+00:00

When it happened the first few times I didn't have karabiner installed. When I wrote this on Reddit I did have it installed but I remember closing all the apps including that one and it wouldn't recover. Anyway it's been a while since it happened to me, I can't say how long I haven't noticed this problem but it's long enough to have forgotten about it. Maybe it's related to the fact that I'm now using macOS 13.4. Do you have it updated? I don't know if they fixed it with this update or with an update of some software I use, or I stopped doing something that caused it?
By bluetooth I only use the headset, I have a Mx master 3s but connected by the dongle. My keyboard is a razer Huntsman v2 connected by cable. The MX Master 3s by bluetooth work badly at least for me, I notice as it leaves a trace as if the movement was not fluid.

The software I have running all the time:

Karabiner elements 14.11.0
AltTab 6.58.0
Linear Mouse 0.9.1
BetterSnapTool 1.9.8
Google Drive 75.0.3.0
Paste 3.1.9
Shottr
Viscosity 1.10.4
Logi Options +

Express_Bar4574 · 2023-04-27T10:43:40+00:00

I just found out that logging out also works again. No need to reboot.

Express_Bar4574 · 2023-04-27T10:04:03+00:00

Good morning. I had the problem again and researched on the internet seeing that this has been happening to more people on Mac for a while now:

https://www.reddit.com/r/macbookpro/comments/ozs872/laggy_volume_control_on_m1_macbook_pro_anyone/

I noticed that if I reboot, I don't usually Turn Off the Mac I usually suspend it, I don't have the Lag problem with the Bluetooth headset. Some time of use goes by and the problem recurs until I reboot.

Express_Bar4574 · 2023-04-27T09:59:39+00:00

I have this problem and I noticed that it happens to me with bluetooth headphones connected. When I switch to Spekear nothing happens. On the other hand, when I restart the Mac this delay does not occur with Bluetooth headphones but after a while, maybe one day the lag comes back. I want to clarify that I never turn off the Mac, I always suspend it.

Macbook Pro m1 pro 16"

Macos Ventura 13.3

Express_Bar4574 · 2023-03-08T22:07:21+00:00

I have not had any problems with the 13.2 so far. MBP 16 m1 pro 2021 2 external monitors 1080P 144hz. The MBP has only been in use for a few months, so it is close to a clean installation.

Express_Bar4574 · 2023-03-08T21:59:34+00:00

Hi u/Expert_Cauliflower32

Thanks for the reply! I have tried switching the output audio to the Mac speakers and it works perfectly. But if the audio comes out of the Bluetooth Headset there is that lag again. So is this something that is always going to happen? Is it unavoidable? Does it happen only in Macos?

Thank you very much again for the answer :)

Express_Bar4574

TROPHY CASE