Strange performance issues (high CPU) connected to WindowServer process
Apr 20 2020 | 8:21 am
Dear All
In the last few weeks I have experienced a lot of high CPU load even while building relatively simple MSP patches. I am running Max 8.1.3 on a mid-2015 MacBook running OS 10.13.5, and what strikes me as odd is that on my colleagues MacBook (mid-2013, similar specs) my patches run without breaking a sweat, while on my machine, the fan is turned on and wheezing heavily every time I start DSP. And every time without fail, when I go look in the Activity Monitor, the WindowServer process is right up there, using the same or more CPU than Max itself.
I understand that this process is responsible for updating and drawing to the screen, and if I hide the offending MSP patches in the dock, the CPU load caused by WindowServer dwindles from around 40% to 3%. I also know, that since this is a Mac OS process, the problem might not be caused at all by Max.
Has someone else had this happen to them? And if so, is there any fix, either in Max or at the OS level (updating, factory reset, etc)?
Many thanks in advance!