Performance Tuning

Modern AcreetionOS is quick by default. These are the honest wins, ordered by effort-to-payoff.

1. Measure before touching

systemd-analyze                # boot time breakdown
systemd-analyze blame | head   # slowest units
free -h                        # RAM & swap reality
iostat -x 2                    # disk pressure (sysstat pkg)

2. zram (the single best generic tweak)

Compressed-RAM swap beats disk swap enormously:

sudo pacman -S zram-generator
printf '[zram0]\nzram-size = min(ram, 8192)\ncompression-algorithm = zstd\n' | \
  sudo tee /etc/systemd/zram-generator.conf
sudo systemctl start [email protected]
swapon --show

3. Trim startup services

systemctl --user list-units --state=running
systemctl list-units --type=service --state=running
systemctl disable --now <unit>    # only ones YOU know you don't need

4. Cinnamon specifics

  • Settings → General: disable unused effects; keep "Sync refresh" on.

  • System Settings → Startup Applications: fewer autostarts, faster login.

  • On hybrid graphics, make sure apps default to iGPU (battery + thermals): NVIDIA PRIME notes.

5. I/O scheduler (SSDs)

Usually fine automatically. Check:

cat /sys/block/nvme0n1/queue/scheduler    # 'none' is expected for NVMe

6. Audio latency (pro-audio)

pw-metadata -n settings 0 clock.force-quantum 128   # lower = less latency

7. Gaming latency extras

  • gamemoderun %command% (Steam launch option) — Feral GameMode from repos.

  • Full stack guide: Gaming.

Anti-tips (skip these)

  • Random sysctl voodoo from forums — measure, don’t cargo-cult (see Sysctl Guide).

  • Disabling journaling/compositing globally for "speed".

  • Any tweak promising 10× — skepticism is a performance tool too.