What is my new Aspire A515 frequently slowing to a crawl using Chrome browser?

PoodleSponge

Hi folks,

new here and would appreciate guidance on what to do with my new A515-57 (Win11 and 32MB RAM), which on paper looks like it should perform way better than the three year old Aspire it replaced (Win10 and 16MB RAM).

It's main use is emails and Office 365 under Chrome browser but unfortunately it locks up regularly in usage (Chrome window accepts no input and Windows 11 OS pops up that the process is not responding, giving the option to wait or close the program) which is immensely frustrating.

I've tweaked one or two of the well-known Chrome settings that can cause problems (e.g. disabled hardware acceleration) but no major improvement.

If anyone else has had a similar experience and found a fix, I'd be most grateful for a steer. It just doesn't feel right that its older Windows 10 predecessor works better than it on vastly inferior hardware.

Thanks in advance!

Puraw

Hi PoodleSponge

If you are using Windows 11, especially the 24H2 release, running Microsoft Edge is not just a preference—it is the logical choice. Here is why:

• Edge is built into Windows and tightly integrated with the operating system. This means faster performance, smoother updates, and fewer compatibility issues compared to third‑party browsers.
• The latest AI features in Windows 11, including Copilot and other system‑level innovations, are designed to work natively in Edge. Browsers like Chrome, Firefox, or Opera cannot fully support these functions and will always lag behind in integration.
• Edge is Chromium‑based, so it delivers the same website compatibility and extension support as Chrome. There is no advantage in insisting on Chrome, but there are clear disadvantages in terms of resource usage and missed Windows features.
• Chrome and other browsers often consume more memory and CPU on Windows, which can lead to slowdowns. Edge is optimized for Windows resource management, giving you better stability and efficiency.
• Microsoft continues to add exclusive features to Edge such as sleeping tabs, vertical tabs, built‑in security tools, and AI‑powered browsing assistance. These are not available in Chrome.

You can see Microsoft’s own comparison of Edge and Chrome at this link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/learning-center/edge-the-fast-smart-alternative-to-chrome

In short, Chrome offers nothing on Windows that Edge does not already provide, while Edge delivers deeper integration, better performance, and access to the newest Windows 11 innovations. Sticking with Chrome on Windows only means accepting unnecessary pitfalls.