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2.6 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor (Turbo Boost up to 3.2 GHz) with 3 MB shared L3 cache. Released February 13, 2013.

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Problems with Slow Adobe Lightroom, possible hardware problem?

Hi there,

I am a photographer I use my MacBook Pro Retina 13" mainly for image editing for quite a few years. I use Adobe Lightroom and right now the CC/6 version.

I was searching for solutions, I am also in contact with Adobe. But unfortunately they couldn't solve the problem.

I am wondering if I got an issue with my Mac. Maybe I have a hardware problem?

In the Adobe Forum they think that maybe there is something with my SSD.

LR is running very slow - especially in the developer mode. Once I use more then 3 local adjustments I can forget about working! It takes like 10 -30 seconds just to move the brush for example.

The catalog is quite stable. I always get the 1:1 previews loaded - CPU is at almost 0% before I start working. Sometimes getting as high as 350% and all fans are running at max after 5 Min.

Here's my systems specs: MacBook Pro Retina 13" 3 GHz Intel Core i7 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

Intel HD Graphics 4000 1536 MB (unfortunately not supported by Adobe)

LR and El-Capitan are updated to the newest version.

This is what I have deactivated in LR:

  • Face detection
  • Address search
  • Automated writing of Metadata
  • Graphic Prozessor Acceleration
  • Open import window when card is detected

Any help highly appreciated. Most of the other software is working just fine. Final Cut Pro X - for example is running smooth and nicely. Photoshop CC as well, Pages, Safari etc ... No Problem! Its just Lightroom.

Greetings from Brazil

Answer this question I have this problem too

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Processing photos can be quite hard on a system. Often the amount of RAM and available storage will cause issues.

As much as I love the retina display the limitations in this series of MacBook Pro's makes them almost useless for any serious pro who does a lot of graphic intensive work.

We only use the older MacBook Pro's (15") as we can boost them much farther than what Apple sells. We use 16 GB of RAM and now use 2 TB SSD's as our base system. Our use is a bit different than yours, we do CAD and 3D rendering as well as photo editing.

There are some things you can do here is regain some of the performance back.

To start with you need to free up as much space on your SSD as you can. All of the SSD's Apple supplied (256 GB, 512 GB or 768 GB) are just too small to hold apps and your work. You should get an external SSD drive I would recommend getting a 1 or 2TB Thunderbolt based drive to hold your work. Leaving at least 1/3 of your internal drive as free space.

The reason we need so much free space on your internal drive here is so the system can leverage it for Virtual RAM and application paging which your Light Room App needs. If you had more RAM (16 GB) then the need for free space would be lessened to 1/4 of free space.

If you have one of the smaller drives you may need to look at upgrading the SSD. As it turns out OWC does offer a replacement drive for your system: MacBook Pro with Retina Display 13" & 15" Late 2013, 2014, and 2015. If you can swing it I would go with the 1 TB drive. Then you can hold more apps and your current set of images as you edit them. I would still move them over to the external as soon as I was done.

So far we have addressed the storage needs getting your current system more workable. The other direction here is looking at getting a better system for your tasks. I would look at getting one of the older MacBook Pro's, yes! I know we all what the better display! Don't panic here! Granted not quite as good as the retina screen but better than the standard one. What you want is this system: MacBook Pro 15 2.7 GHz Core i7 (Mid-2012) with the High-Resolution Glossy or the High-Resolution Antiglare 1680x1050 display. Sadly, Apple doesn't offer a 13" version with the better display. Surprising Apple still sells this model as a special order!

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