Reported by:	Owned by:
Component:	GUI	Version:	VirtualBox 5.1.16
Keywords:	Cc:
Guest type:	Windows	Host type:	Mac OS X

Currently running Windows 10 Pro, with 32GB memory, 1TB SSD, Intel quad-core at 2.8GHz (not hyperthreading processes), so pretty good hardware. Using Docker for Windows with Hyper-V enabled. Equally slow on Windows and Linux Containers. Reset to default and failed to achieve any difference. Equally slow with cmd, powershell, and git bash terminals. I use virtualbox everywhere (i'm a big fan) so I have VB on windows10,Linux (manjaro), macOS Sierra and Yosemite. ONLY on macos Sierra (tested on multiple devices) the windows 10 and Linux guests UI/mouse lags bad! The only way to make thing better is to disable mouse integration, but than the pointer is no longer accurate and you loose this.

Change History

comment:2follow-up:↓ 3 Changed 4 years ago by iustinn

comment:4 Changed 4 years ago by michael

• Status changed from new to closed
• Resolution set to duplicate
• Summary changed from UI/mouse lag (windows&linux guests on macos sierra host) to UI/mouse lag (windows&linux guests on macos sierra host) -> duplicate of #16436

(mod edit: the solution to this long topic seems to be here: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=90446&start=75#p470879 from '63BottlesOfBeer': run the VirtualboxVM.app in low resolution)
Hi all, I have been using VirtualBox for one of my class project that requires Ubuntu. Recently I switched from a MacBook Pro late 2013 to a new MBP 2018, and I setup virtualbox with same settings on the new computer. However, what went perfectly fine on the old computer now becomes very sluggish on the new mac.
I do not use VM for anything graphical rendering related, the vm is slow in basic moving around windows and typing (in terminal, Eclipse, anywhere) By sluggish I mean slow response of mouse moving, keyboard typing, worst is identify one keyboard input or mouse click as many repeated ones.
Here is the information for running VM on both machines:
1. This is very slow on typing and all interactions
VM: Version 5.2.22 r126460 (Qt5.6.3), no Guest Additions in guest
Host: macOS Mojave on 10.14.1 (64) on MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018), 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7, 32 GB 2400 MHz DDR4, Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB (with Radeon Pro 560X 4096 MB)
Guest: Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS (64), Assigned 8192 MB Base Memory + 64 MB Video Memory, 2 core.
2. In comparison, This runs fine (older computer):
VM: Version 5.2.22 r126460 (Qt5.6.3), no Guest Additions in guest

Macbook Virtualbox Windows 10 Slow

Host: macOS Mojave on 10.14.1 (64) on MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013), 2.6GHz Intel Core i7, 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3, Intel Iris Pro 1536 MB (with NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 2048 MB)
Guest: Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS (64), Assigned 8192 MB Base Memory + 64 MB Video Memory, 2 core. (Same VM provided by my instructor)
I think the reason should point to how the newer model deal with rendering related to screen size.
3. I tried increasing or decreasing memory, VRAM, and processor, from default settings, the situation did not get better, but when I tried a exterior display (using DuetDisplay to extend to an iPad Air 2) the response of typing and moving mouse becomes fast.
4. Then I tried using it in window mode (small window, 1/4 size of screen), the performance got even better, almost the same as it is on my old mac)
I think it is an issue with VBox having to 'move too many pixels around' as mentioned in several posts I found, but essentially the two models have similar resolution and ppi (2880x1800, 220 ppi). Thus I think it should be a capability issue of VBox regarding to newer models of Macs.
I could use small screen but my sights are not very good and I would really prefer a full-screen display with larger text to make my eyes a bit more comfortable...

Virtualbox Windows 10 Slow On Mac

The logs are in the attachment, I numbered them according to the orders in my post.
Hopefully there could be some solutions some day! If it really is a bug, I hope devs could solve it some day as well!
Thank you very much to reading the post and looking for solutions! Wish you all a great day!