The Intel NUC isn't supporting YouTube videos when using Firefox.
The Intel NUC isn't supporting YouTube videos when using Firefox.
Welcome back. Here’s a refined take on your situation. You’re using a NUC5i3MYHE with 8 GB RAM, capable of handling 1080p and even 1440p content locally. However, streaming YouTube videos with Firefox causes over 90% dropped frames. The issue appears to be related to file storage and playback settings. Your external SSD works fine, but the connection method matters—using an Ethernet cable helps maintain stable speeds. Running Linux Mint Cinnamon seems compatible, though performance can vary based on system configuration. For more details, refer to the Intel specs page you shared. If the problem persists, consider checking file formats, compression settings in VLC, or updating your media player.
Sounds like you're not getting hardware acceleration in Firefox, not sure how to resolve that on Linux but that's a starting point for research.
Yes, you can verify if hardware acceleration is active in Firefox by checking the browser's settings or using command-line options. Look for the "Performance" or "Acceleration" section in the preferences, or try running `about:config` to see values like `privacy.acceleration.enabled`.
I turned on hardware acceleration now. (Maybe it wasn’t enabled by default.) Unfortunately, about 60% of frames are still dropping at 1080p. 720p helps a little but still loses frames on both sides.
Chromium might work well, but I was aiming for Linux this time. Luckily, I discovered a workaround. My Xbox supports USB devices and can play back content from them. It handles 4K smoothly, and the dedicated YouTube app runs perfectly. The built-in Edge browser also benefits from hardware acceleration. So my Xbox One S now serves as my media hub, since I don’t play games there anymore.