Simple ICS lag fixes

[Nikorasu]

I have tried this on both my Razr ICS and my gf's Galaxy Note ICS and it works.
On both phones, they are pretty fast until you start to install stuff.
After applying these, the phone is much smoother even with around 200 user apps.

1) Use Autokiller memory optimisation, root needed.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rs.autokiller&hl=en

This is a common method which android veterans already know, which is to change android's internal autokill values. This is not the same as task killers!

On both phones, I use "aggressive" preset.
For other tweaks like V8 supercharger, it's recommended values are closed to autokiller's "Extreme".


I added more tweaks to the post.

2) Turn on Force GPU rendering under developers mode. Most games and apps seem to work fine with it on.

3) Turn on background process limit to 4: I thought this is interesting (from JerseyFF) so I tried it out, seem good for daily use.
(update: after a while setting for this will revert to standard, there's no way to fix this yet)

4) Use Nova launcher. (root required for Motorola widgets)
The default launcher is smooth but it likes to reload every now and then (even with default autokill values). Tried Apex launcher but it's not as smooth as default launcher. Nova launcher is close to the default launcher which allow more tweaks and and yet it is buttery smooth. Do not update to beta though. I tried it and it's a lagfest.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.launcher&hl=en

VM heap size app no longer works after ICS update. If anyone knows how to fix that, please share.
Feel free to add any more tweaks or tips to make RAZR ICS better.

 

[JerseyFF]

Is this at all somehow related to the Background Process Limit that is able to be set under Developer Options with ICS now?

It has a Standard Limit setting, No background processes, and At most 1 (through 4) processes for options.

Does anyone know what the value for Standard is?

 

[Nikorasu]

In background process limit, it limits a number of background apps running, while the autokill values limit the number of bg apps running based on the amount of memory left, and killing off lower priority processes first.

The default values for background process limit is therefore "varies".

Sent from my XT910 using xda app-developers app

 

[Nikorasu]

Updated first post with more tweaks.

 

[bahathir]

This is my favorite launcher. Smooth... I am using it since I got the RAZR.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nemustech.launcher

 

[greyanaroth]

I have tried this on both my Razr ICS and my gf's Galaxy Note ICS and it works.
On both phones, they are pretty fast until you start to install stuff.
After applying these, the phone is much smoother even with around 200 user apps.

1) Use Autokiller memory optimisation, root needed.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rs.autokiller&hl=en

This is a common method which android veterans already know, which is to change android's internal autokill values. This is not the same as task killers!

On both phones, I use "aggressive" preset.
For other tweaks like V8 supercharger, it's recommended values are closed to autokiller's "Extreme".


I added more tweaks to the post.

2) Turn on Force GPU rendering under developers mode. Most games and apps seem to work fine with it on.

3) Turn on background process limit to 4: I thought this is interesting (from JerseyFF) so I tried it out, seem good for daily use.

4) Use Nova launcher. (root required for Motorola widgets)
The default launcher is smooth but it likes to reload every now and then (even with default autokill values). Tried Apex launcher but it's not as smooth as default launcher. Nova launcher is close to the default launcher which allow more tweaks and and yet it is buttery smooth. Do not update to beta though. I tried it and it's a lagfest.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teslacoilsw.launcher&hl=en

VM heap size app no longer works after ICS update. If anyone knows how to fix that, please share.
Feel free to add any more tweaks or tips to make RAZR ICS better.

Wow the auto killer is quite the find! Sped up my phone allot. Still running quite hot though

Thanks!

 

[Elsydeon]

Thanks for the info, I'll confirm that upon bootup after applying the Aggressive setting, I tried scrolling around the Motoblur homescreen and thought it was smoother. But then the Superuser allowance for Autokiller kicked in right in the middle of me scrolling around and I noticed quite a difference in scrolling speed, it just suddenly got faster and smoother and the framerate looked as if it had increased by about 5 FPS. I also did tweaks #2 and 3 as well, but I think Autokiller makes the biggest difference. A good find for sure!

 

[Nikorasu]

Wow the auto killer is quite the find! Sped up my phone allot. Still running quite hot though

Thanks!

Use setcpu and create profiles to set cpu speed lower when screen off and when battery is overheating. There's a free, older ver on xda.

Also you can use juicedefender to make your 3g connection turn off when screen is off. This should also help keep your phone temp down when you're not using it. Note that it will turn itself on every few min to receive whatsapp, mms and emails etc. (not for whatsapp hoes)

 

[e-drian]

Hi, thanks for your tips. I don't know what lag experience you experiment but I hope this works for my RAZR lags. What is happen to my RAZR is that when I enter to apps drawer, non of the icosns appear and instead the "loading circle" takes place until the apps appears. Also when I exit any app and go to home, none of the icons of widget appears, they take half second to reapper.

 

[tudork]

Hi, thanks for your tips. I don't know what lag experience you experiment but I hope this works for my RAZR lags. What is happen to my RAZR is that when I enter to apps drawer, non of the icosns appear and instead the "loading circle" takes place until the apps appears. Also when I exit any app and go to home, none of the icons of widget appears, they take half second to reapper.

Same here!

Sent from my XT910 using xda app-developers app

 

[prstorero]

Hi, thanks for your tips. I don't know what lag experience you experiment but I hope this works for my RAZR lags. What is happen to my RAZR is that when I enter to apps drawer, non of the icosns appear and instead the "loading circle" takes place until the apps appears. Also when I exit any app and go to home, none of the icons of widget appears, they take half second to reapper.

That's called redraw. Try using apex and there is an option for keeping the launcher in memory so it loads faster

Full-Throttle Team
moderator at bdhroms.freeforums.org

 

[aaatoel]

4) Use Nova launcher. (root required for Motorola widgets)
The default launcher is smooth but it likes to reload every now and then (even with default autokill values). Tried Apex launcher but it's not as smooth as default launcher. Nova launcher is close to the default launcher which allow more tweaks and and yet it is buttery smooth. Do not update to beta though. I tried it and it's a lagfest.

How can you use Motorola widgets in Nova? I can't find this function.

 

[prstorero]

How can you use Motorola widgets in Nova? I can't find this function.

Moto widgets only work on moto launcher

Full-Throttle Team
moderator at bdhroms.freeforums.org

 

[Nikorasu]

How can you use Motorola widgets in Nova? I can't find this function.

When I first installed Nova launcher, it asks for root access when going into widgets.

Try going to Nova settings ->Drawer-> Check Widgets in drawer (requires root permissions for system app)

Moto widgets like fav. contacts doesn't work well because I can't "pull down"... but it's there, including Motocast widget.

You may want to manually grant Nova launcher root access.

 

[Nikorasu]

Hi, thanks for your tips. I don't know what lag experience you experiment but I hope this works for my RAZR lags. What is happen to my RAZR is that when I enter to apps drawer, non of the icosns appear and instead the "loading circle" takes place until the apps appears. Also when I exit any app and go to home, none of the icons of widget appears, they take half second to reapper.

Same here!

Sent from my XT910 using xda app-developers app

This is why I'm using Nova launcher instead. There's a free version, do try it. It may still take a while to load the app drawer icons after playing a game, but the 'redraw' for Nova's desktop pages are pretty fast. I also liked how it switched to a tablet version when I'm using Webtop mode.

Do try Apex as well. I didn't like it as it felt laggy when I'm scrolling my desktop pages few months back. It may have improved now and many users are complimenting it. As for myself, I have already bought Nova Prime and I'm sticking to it.