Generally bad performance with all apps

[earnest valley]

I am using Linux Mint 22.1 x86_64 with Cinnamon 6.4.6 and Muffin (X11).
Every two or three seconds the entire screen freezes momentarily except for the cursor. I believe this is because the apps themselves are struggling to run. I've installed the proprietary Nvidia drivers it recommends when you first boot a new install.
Output of inxi -G:

  Device-1: NVIDIA TU116 [GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER] driver: nvidia v: 575.64.03
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.11 with: Xwayland v: 23.2.6 driver: X:
    loaded: nvidia unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,nouveau,vesa
    gpu: nvidia,nvidia-nvswitch resolution: 1920x1080~72Hz
  API: EGL v: 1.5 drivers: nvidia,swrast
    platforms: gbm,x11,surfaceless,device
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6.0 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: nvidia mesa v: 575.64.03
    renderer: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER/PCIe/SSE2

I was previously using Fedora KDE and my performance was perfectly fine. I recently switched to Mint to give it a try.
I've checked that I'm not using Cinnamon on Software Rendering Mode, just the default profile.
I'm sure that this is not caused by my hardware because even easy to run games like Terraria and Factorio are struggling to run and frequently stutter. Even Discord is lagging while I type this. Any help is greatly appreciated. Ty!

[urban leaf]

I wrote yesterday with a similar problem (you can take a look), I couldn't solve it. The problem is not in the distribution, but in the cinnamon itself. I tested Fedora with KDE, cinnamon, xfce and mate. EXCELLENT performance was only on KDE and Xfce. On cinnamon and mate, gaming performance was terrible.

I have no idea how they could let this happen, cinnamon is a very popular shell, but it is not adapted to games at all.

You can try updating the kernel in the update manager, disabling the composer in the settings and enabling the performance power mode.

[earnest valley]

Oh I see. I thought maybe my problem was unrelated because even apps like Discord won't run without stuttering. Is there a way to switch off of Cinnamon without having to reinstall the entire OS?

[urban leaf]

It seems that you can install xfce as a second working environment, but it is still better to reinstall the entire distribution.

[earnest valley]

Ough okay ty for the advice I appreciate it

[urban leaf]

I'm also going to install Mint with xfce now

[earnest valley]

I've changed to xfce, how do i force steam games to use my dedicated gpu?

performance is better but it feels like it's still using my igpu

[urban leaf]

Are the drivers installed?

[earnest valley]

yes

[urban leaf]

Send the output of inxi -Gxxx

[earnest valley]

  Device-1: NVIDIA TU116 [GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER] driver: nvidia v: 575.64.03
    arch: Turing pcie: speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 16 ports: active: none
    off: HDMI-A-1 empty: DP-1,DVI-D-1 bus-ID: 0a:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:2187
    class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.11 with: Xwayland v: 23.2.6
    compositor: xfwm4 v: 4.18.0 driver: X: loaded: nvidia
    unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,nouveau,vesa gpu: nvidia,nvidia-nvswitch
    display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 92 s-size: 530x301mm (20.87x11.85")
    s-diag: 610mm (24")
  Monitor-1: HDMI-A-1 mapped: HDMI-0 note: disabled model: Samsung S24R35x
    serial: H4TN100322 res: 1920x1080 hz: 72 dpi: 94
    size: 521x293mm (20.51x11.54") diag: 604mm (23.8") modes: max: 1920x1080
    min: 640x480
  API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: nvidia nouveau drv: nvidia platforms: device: 0
    drv: nvidia device: 1 drv: nouveau device: 2 drv: swrast gbm: drv: nvidia
    surfaceless: drv: nvidia x11: drv: nvidia inactive: wayland
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6.0 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: nvidia mesa v: 575.64.03
    glx-v: 1.4 direct-render: yes renderer: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
    SUPER/PCIe/SSE2

[urban leaf]

It seems like your nvidia is being used

[urban leaf]

It shows up everywhere for me Intel UHD graphics 630. This is natural graphics for me.

[earnest valley]

then why is terraria running at ~40 fps? I usually got 60 when i was on fedora

is it possible to force apps to use dedicated graphics?

[urban leaf]

Have you disabled the composer in the settings? You need to turn on the toggle switch there

[earnest valley]

what's the composer?

I haven't, I think

[urban leaf]

In the system settings (in the section - general)

And enable performance mode in power settings

[earnest valley]

Is it composite?

[urban leaf]

Yes

[earnest valley]

I don't see "composer" here

Should I disable it? It says OpenGL requires this

[urban leaf]

Ah, you're not on cinnamon, are you?

[earnest valley]

nah i switched to xfce

[urban leaf]

There must be something like this somewhere.

[earnest valley]

Enable display compositing?

[urban leaf]

Turn it off, try to just change what was set by default and reboot the system

[earnest valley]

done, i'll reboot and get back to you, ty!

[urban leaf]

In theory it should help. I don't understand Xfce very well.

[earnest valley]

omg it's locked 72 fps!! tysm

[urban leaf]

Wow, that's cool. I decided to give cinnamon a second chance, maybe I can fix something~

[earnest valley]

hope it works out for you!

just one question, what does compositing actually do?

[urban leaf]

I doubt it, I have integrated graphics.

[urban leaf]

I only know that it often causes problems in games, frame delays, input lags