Should You Use a Task Killer?

[matttye]

I must be lucky in that every app I use hasn't behaved badly, so I've never felt the need to end/close anything.

Not sure what apps people are installing that constantly crash, hog CPU, or sap battery, but none of the ones I've installed do

Even if it did I would just restart the phone rather than use a task killer.

Edit: by the way, whilst I do agree that "don't use the app" is a somewhat elitist attitude, there are so many apps on the Market that there's almost always a (better working) alternative available.

 

[Tyseyh]

I use GoLaunchers built in one if an app crashes which is very rare.
Other then that I leave the phone to do what it was designed to do.

 

[Mattb81]

Just a few questions regarding RAM in general and on Android devices:

I was under the impression (maybe wrong), that (one of the reasons for) when a computer struggles to run and "lags" is because it has too many tasks going on for the RAM. Hence why you put more RAM into your computer. Is this correct?

Is this not the same principle for Android devices? I know it automatically kills tasks when it runs low, unlike PC's, but in those microseconds before it does it, it is ultimately low on RAM and this may be why the phone lags? (It may be a bad app, low CPU, etc etc instead, I know).

Hence a TK that allows the user to remove apps from the memory before it gets to that "critical" stage where Android does it itself, may actually be a benefit? Correct? (or not?!)

So if you have a lot of apps that make you near the max level of your RAM capacity then killing a few before it gets to break point may actually help.

I have been using a TK (used to be ATK, now ES Task Explorer) since I had my phone. I have just stopped, and notice on my usual usage I have about half my RAM used. Still generally have over 100MB spare, so I don't expect my phone to lag. But if it starts getting down below 30MB, it will be interesting to see if Android can keep up with the task killing so performance is not effected.

 

[SUroot]

Android automatically manages tasks so that if a threshold is reached, empty tasks are "killed", so it will never reach a "critical" stage. lag can be noticed before this, yes. But you can force close applications from the menu's in android anyway. Task killer has absolutely no benefit what so ever for the average user.

 

[Usta]

Here is another good article about RAM and task killers: RAM: What it is, how it's used, and why you shouldn't care | Android Central

 

[SUroot]

Here is another good article about RAM and task killers: RAM: What it is, how it's used, and why you shouldn't care | Android Central

Nice article. Plain speak.

"unused RAM is wasted RAM" I've said that a few times.

Tommy Textgod haha

 

[Mattb81]

Ok, been without a TK for a few weeks now. My RAM still rarely goes below 100mb so Android is doing a good job of closing "live" apps I'm not using and just storing the footprint.

No lagging, although I never had it before either.

Battery about the same. I use Battery Left Widget and it says when fully charged it has 23hrs50mins of charge. Once I start using it that drops quick, but I can usually get through a waking day without charging.

So I'm happy to not use a TK and advise others to do the same.