I've noticed a frustrating pattern where the longer my ChatGPT threads get, the slower everything becomes. It lags while I'm typing, freezes when I scroll, and occasionally, it even crashes the tab entirely. From what I've gathered, it seems like the browser struggles with the large number of messages, there's a build-up of JavaScript overhead like animations and syntax highlighting, and ChatGPT doesn't use any virtualization to unload older messages like other apps do. I'm curious to find out how others manage these issues!
5 Answers
I experience this lag issue too, especially on my older computer. My late 2015 iMac struggles, while newer machines like my M3 laptop handle it much better. Sometimes, I have to restart Chrome just to get a response again.
When the lag kicks in, I usually ask ChatGPT for a summary of our conversation and then just start a new chat. It feels like it gives the system a breather and helps keep context, even though sometimes it misses earlier parts. I've also been experimenting with saving 'prompt sessions' with tags that let me switch between topics without losing track, and it surprisingly works well when things start slowing down a bit.
I've had mixed results with summaries too. They seem to only capture the latest discussions and not much from earlier on.
That tag system you mentioned sounds neat! I'll have to try that out myself.
Switching to the iOS app often helps me too. It seems like there’s a limitation on the desktop side that leads to these slowdowns, although I don't know why exactly. I just notice it runs smoother on mobile.
I haven’t tried the app yet! I usually stick to browsers, but maybe I should give it a shot.
I haven't faced this problem too much, but I do try to keep my discussions organized through tags. It helps keep threads light, and I can ask ChatGPT to review the project context without overwhelming it.
I find starting a new chat and copying over essential points from the previous one works well for me. It clears out the clutter, and I'm able to keep the thread manageable.
Totally agree! It helps when the conversation gets too long.
Yeah, it’s definitely a resource issue. Shortening my conversations helps.