Tony DiMarzio | Pixel XL Oreo Nova vs Pixel Launcher perf @AMD718 | Uploaded October 2017 | Updated October 2024, 1 hour ago.
This video demonstrates a performance issue I am experiencing with the Pixel Launcher running on the OG Pixel XL 128. When in the Pixel Launcher, folder animations are slow and janky, the drawer animation is janky, and even just moving an icon around the desktop is slow and janky. I recorded a video of the behavior with GPU profiling enabled in the developer options. Recorded the video via adb shell and the command “screenrecord /path/to/file”. In this video you see me start with Nova launcher and demonstrate the smooth animation and lack of frame drops while dragging an icon. I then switch to the Pixel launcher and do the same, where you will see significant frame drops, and finally switch back to Nova launcher so you can see the performance has been restored.
I first started experiencing this issue with the OTA update to Oreo. Since then, I have flashed the device with the full OTA. No change. Flashed the device with the full disk image via fastboot. No change. Factory reset. No change. Had Google replace the device under warranty. No change. Reset the data on the Google Pixel Launcher. At first it was fine, but after adding my icons and setting my desktops back the way I like, the performance issue had returned. At this point, there was nothing left for me to try. So, I switched to Nova Launcher which I hadn't used in years, and configured it to look as close to the Pixel launcher as possible. The performance within the Nova Launcher is perfect. Identical to the performance of the Pixel Launcher when I was running Nougat. Most recently, I updated to the Pixel Launcher APK from the Pixel 2 / Pixel 2 XL and was optimistic that this bug would have been resolved. No dice. I do not mind the Nova Launcher, but I do mind that I am forced to use it because the Pixel launcher performs so poorly.
Here's a link to the XDA thread where I've been posting my history with the issue. - forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/help/oreo-pixel-launcher-folder-animation-t3664863
This video demonstrates a performance issue I am experiencing with the Pixel Launcher running on the OG Pixel XL 128. When in the Pixel Launcher, folder animations are slow and janky, the drawer animation is janky, and even just moving an icon around the desktop is slow and janky. I recorded a video of the behavior with GPU profiling enabled in the developer options. Recorded the video via adb shell and the command “screenrecord /path/to/file”. In this video you see me start with Nova launcher and demonstrate the smooth animation and lack of frame drops while dragging an icon. I then switch to the Pixel launcher and do the same, where you will see significant frame drops, and finally switch back to Nova launcher so you can see the performance has been restored.
I first started experiencing this issue with the OTA update to Oreo. Since then, I have flashed the device with the full OTA. No change. Flashed the device with the full disk image via fastboot. No change. Factory reset. No change. Had Google replace the device under warranty. No change. Reset the data on the Google Pixel Launcher. At first it was fine, but after adding my icons and setting my desktops back the way I like, the performance issue had returned. At this point, there was nothing left for me to try. So, I switched to Nova Launcher which I hadn't used in years, and configured it to look as close to the Pixel launcher as possible. The performance within the Nova Launcher is perfect. Identical to the performance of the Pixel Launcher when I was running Nougat. Most recently, I updated to the Pixel Launcher APK from the Pixel 2 / Pixel 2 XL and was optimistic that this bug would have been resolved. No dice. I do not mind the Nova Launcher, but I do mind that I am forced to use it because the Pixel launcher performs so poorly.
Here's a link to the XDA thread where I've been posting my history with the issue. - forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-xl/help/oreo-pixel-launcher-folder-animation-t3664863
