Why is my CPU usage so high when opening multiple web pages on Microsoft Edge?

[kiki_danc]

I opened about 30 Microsoft Edge web pages.. the CPU usage can reach 75%. Why is there so much CPU usage for opened web pages? My processor is Intel Corei5 3.2 Ghz and 16 Gigs of DDR3 RAM.

 

[jedishrfu]

The graphics on each page, the graphical layout. These take some cpu processing work.

If you think about it each page takes 2.5% of cpu usage which is pretty small in general so it would make sense that 30 pages opened simultaneously.

 

[russ_watters]

The graphics on each page, the graphical layout. These take some cpu processing work.

If you think about it each page takes 2.5% of cpu usage which is pretty small in general so it would make sense that 30 pages opened simultaneously.

To put a bit of a finer point on it, it depends on the website. Some websites present static images and involve no background processing (PF, for example, unless something is embedded in a post). Others have active graphics and even continuous or periodic downloading of new information.

I currently have 10 pages open (in Chrome) and watched my CPU usage for about 10 seconds. It maxed out at 0.8% and as often as not didn't register anything. It's just the nature of what I have open. So @kiki_danc I suspect you have some bad/intensive pages open. What you report seems like a lot.

...just for fun, I opened another window, for CNN. It now reports 1.3-2.1%. Then I turned off my ad-blocker and re-loaded: 3.4-4.6%. So 30 pages with active graphics/ads is enough to get to 75% processor usage. I'm on an i7.

 

[FactChecker]

Then I turned off my ad-blocker and re-loaded: 3.4-4.6%.

The ads were my first thought. They will be running on most internet pages and 30 pages would have a lot of ads with videos.

 

[phinds]

The adds were my first thought. They will be running on most internet pages and 30 pages would have a lot of adds with videos.

There would also probably be a lot of ads.

 

[FactChecker]

There would also probably be a lot of ads.

Dang spelling Nazis! ;>)

 

[phinds]

Dang spelling Nazis! ;>)

 

[fluidistic]

As far as I know, Firefox does not load all opened tabs when one starts the browser. It only loads the tabs that were explicitly clicked on, in this very session. So, 30 or 100 tabs shouldn't make much of a difference, I'd guess. Are you sure Microsoft Edge loads the 30 pages even though you do not click on the corresponding tabs?

 

[FactChecker]

I have a program that starts multiple tabs in my default, Chrome. I ran it with 30 tabs and it hit 100% CPU usage initially. As the tabs loaded, it slowly went down to low numbers after several minutes (under 5%) with periodic spikes every 10-15 seconds up to about 30%.

 

[kiki_danc]

I tried only one web page. Why does Task Manager reports (8)? what does 8 mean? The web page seems to hang.. and heavy usage seems to occur when it hangs..

 

[kiki_danc]

I tried only one web page. Why does Task Manager reports (8)? what does 8 mean? The web page seems to hang.. and heavy usage seems to occur when it hangs..

View attachment 230576

I tried a second computer.. same result... one page alone can use 60 to 70% of the CPU. You can duplicate it too. go to
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com navigate around the site.. click some links and go back to main page, etc.
Use Microsoft Edge browser that is the default browser in Windows 10.

 

[FactChecker]

You can expand the display of child processes which Edge has forked off by clicking on the '>' to the left of the entry in the Task Manager. It gives some names that might tell you what their purpose is.

 

[kiki_danc]

after avoiding the site or opening it in plain internet explorer (which doesn't have high CPU usage).. no more problems even loading more than 50 pages in Microsoft Edge... in case not many are familiar with Edge.. check this out... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Edge

Most of you don't even run Windows 10 but maybe Windows 8 or earlier versions?

about the heavy CPU usage of that particular website with Edge.. any theory why?

 

[Rive]

about the heavy CPU usage of that particular website with Edge.. any theory why?

Site devs usually builds a site to support a few version of some few common browser (with the most common addons and environment). It is actually not too hard to occassionally met some inconveniences. Especially when you push it (30 pages opened in one go feels a bit excessive for me).

 

[FactChecker]

Site devs usually builds a site to support a few version of some few common browser (with the most common addons and environment). It is actually not too hard to occassionally met some inconveniences. Especially when you push it (30 pages opened in one go feels a bit excessive for me).

I agree. You should expect a heavy CPU usage from 30 pages (at least for several minutes while they load). I tested a couple of browsers and saw similar behavior on all of them. @russ_watters comment about using ad-blockers is a good suggestion if you want better performance. (although I haven't tested it to see if it helped much)

PS. Actually, in the test I ran, Edge and Explorer did significantly better than Chrome and Firefox.

 

[Rive]

using ad-blockers is a good suggestion if you want better performance.

Depends on many things. Some AD-blocker/browser combinations tends to cause heavy CPU loads on some websites, especially if too many filters are active.
Also, some AD-blockers/filter lists are 'supported' by specific websites.
Needs testing.
I mean, if it worth testing...

 

[kiki_danc]

AVG reported I have tracking malware (maybe one reason for the slowdown even if only one web page opened.. maybe someone's using my CPU power for processing their task...)... What is the best antivirus or antimalware have you guys encounter (preferably free) that can remove all tracking malware (that can track everything I do in the computer and send the information elsewhere)?

 

[FactChecker]

AVG reported I have tracking malware (maybe one reason for the slowdown even if only one web page opened.. maybe someone's using my CPU power for processing their task...)... What is the best antivirus or antimalware have you guys encounter (preferably free) that can remove all tracking malware (that can track everything I do in the computer and send the information elsewhere)?

If AVG identified the malware, did it remove it? You should repeat the scan and see if AVG thinks your computer is now clean. (I use Norton. I like it but it is certainly not free.)

 

[HowlerMonkey]

It depends totally on the website in question.

Some websites can hog 1.4 gigs of memory and near 100% processor with a single page depending on scripting and other stupid stuff.

Some websites use your processor cycles to mine bitcoins or other distributed computing much like the old SETI program.

Some websites have scripts designed to drag down even the strongest processor in an effort to influence someone to upgrade to newer software. It detects older browsers and bogs them down. Result...you upgrade or avoid the site.