[Mobile] Obsidian's typing speed performance is slower and more inconsistent than other apps

Bug reports
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1

Steps to reproduce

  1. Type in Obsidian’s editor

Did you follow the troubleshooting guide? [Y/N]

Y

Expected result

Smooth, slick, and consistent typing.

Actual result

Typing is a couple milliseconds slow with some even bigger dips in performance, tacking on a couple more milliseconds for responsiveness.

Environment

SYSTEM INFO:
Operating system: android 16 (OnePlus CPH2551)
Webview version: 144.0.7559.132
Obsidian version: 1.11.7 (287)
API version: v1.11.7
Login status: not logged in
Language: en
Live preview: on
Base theme: adapt to system
Community theme: none
Snippets enabled: 0
Restricted mode: on

RECOMMENDATIONS:
none

Additional information

Here’s a video (it’s most noticeable at the end of the third line when typing Obsidian):
https://photos.app.goo.gl/MpHZZHZwpLMmyDKP9

Initially I posted something similar on Help[1], but realized in time that, while plugins and CSS can slow it down a little more, it’s slow from the get-go. My vault is around 11k files, if that matters.

Maybe most people won’t notice the lag, but, when I get into the typing flow, it does throw me into a bit of a tailspin. Typing on mobile Discord[2] feels more slick and responsive in comparison and I constantly feel like there’s just something off with Obsidian. It’s not as smooth. The difference was so minimal[3] that I was second guessing my own experience on this, but, now, I finally took the time to automate a test for it and record.

  1. Tracking down typing lag on mobile - Help - Obsidian Forum ↩︎

  2. Or any other app. ↩︎

  3. Sometimes it’s not so minimal. It feels like it fluctuates, which made it easy to have false positives when I was in the disabling plugins and CSS step of troubleshooting. ↩︎

1 Like
2

I don’t see anything from your screen recording

Does it happen in source mode?

3

Yes. Here’s a video in source mode. Also, more typing so you can see it more clearly, hopefully.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/2tHXSHdgq9UrMDQs5
Look carefully at around 0:43, on the “test” that’s third from last on the second line of "test"s. It kinda pops in, rather than each character coming individually.

Though, at this point, I’m also getting snagged by using input tap shell commands to test this; seems that even Discord got laggy while the typing test happened over time. However, in Obsidian, the lag seems to fluctuate. It doesn’t get slower and slower, it gets slower sometimes and faster others.

It’s a very strange and inconsistent bug, but makes the typing experience feel… Sticky? Like there’s just some odd resistance while typing at times. And it just feels odd mentally when it happens, especially while reflecting in a journal… It’s very hard to place. If you have an input method or softkeyboard that vibrates when a letter is inputted, you might be able to experience what I’m talking about; the haptic feedback and visual feedback feels incongruent.

4

I could see in the first video that the letters in Obsidian were coming in slower (even tho the taps on the keyboard looked like the same speed).

1 Like
5

this started since the mobile overhaul right? because personally I’ve noticed the performance affected too since then.

6

Open safari on mobile and go here.

It it slow there?

7

I think so. It didn’t feel so weird to type before.

Doesn’t seem like it, no[1]. I tried typing some stuff on my mind and it didn’t feel “sticky.” Also, I noticed that, in Obsidian, the lag is slightly more apparent on backspaces than entering a character. Not sure if that’s a perception thing or performance thing

  1. Though, I’m using Firefox Android. Not Safari. ↩︎

8

On my iPhone 15 there might be a fraction of an amount of slowness compared to the Code Mirror link in Vivaldi browser. It’s barely noticeable to me. Then again I’m an extremely slow typer on phones to begin with because of fine motor skills issues.

I wonder if it would be helpful if others tested this on their phones to see if it’s an issue for them?