Can you improve performance on Android by replacing the launcher?

[desura]

I recently installed the blackberry launcher on my android device and it seems a little faster. Does the launcher extend to say, selecting text? Or is just for selecting which app to launch next?

 

[Crono]

The homescreen, app drawer, and maybe overview/recents screen may animate faster or more smoothly with a third party launcher, but I don't know if that would affect selecting text.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Once upon a time this was a pretty big way to increase the perceived performance of an android phone. With improvements to the default launcher and the kind of hardware manufacturers have been throwing at the problem I don't think it matters so much anymore.

 

[desura]

Once upon a time this was a pretty big way to increase the perceived performance of an android phone. With improvements to the default launcher and the kind of hardware manufacturers have been throwing at the problem I don't think it matters so much anymore.

I noticed a fairy large improvement. I'm also running a Dell tablet, the venue 7840.

Hearthstone is very improved, at least 30 percent improvement and it does not stutter anymore.

 

[JeffMD]

you can improve launcher performance. It won't make apps or games any faster.

 

[RockinZ28]

For sure if you're replacing the deuce that is touchwiz.

 

[Starjack]

Ha, i even try installing the best launchers on the market like Nova launcher on my last tablet and still my tablet runs the same way. I think there hardly any options in improving performance of android devices unless you decide to install a custom ROM or buy a better device. You could even clear RAM, widgets and other animations on the UI to make things go a bit faster, though i doubt that would improved the overall performance of that device.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

I noticed a fairy large improvement. I'm also running a Dell tablet, the venue 7840.

Hearthstone is very improved, at least 30 percent improvement and it does not stutter anymore.

Confirmation bias.

Launcher would have zero effect on that, except POSSIBLY cold boot time.

 

[gorcorps]

The only thing I can think of is that the launcher is kept in RAM, and a less resource heavy launcher would free up available ram. That's a stretch though, and I can't say you'd notice that in something like selecting text.

 

[sweenish]

The only thing I can think of is that the launcher is kept in RAM, and a less resource heavy launcher would free up available ram. That's a stretch though, and I can't say you'd notice that in something like selecting text.

This is the only thing that can affect other apps. If the built-in launcher never leaves RAM, it could affect performance elsewhere.

Launchers are just another app, they can and should be cleared from RAM when not needed. At the same time, launchers getting booted from RAM leads to re-draws when you do go back to them, and a bloated and/or inefficient launcher will make this a very annoying process.

I've had plenty of launchers back in the Froyo/Gingerbread days, and a lightweight launcher could make the rest of the phone appear to work better.

But I'm more with Slithery, the hardware should more than compensate for this, unless the device is old and/or super low end.