I don't know for sure if it's the ads or not, but since I followed some advice here and downloaded extensions specific to each browser (for Edge, for Chrome, for Mozilla), I have not experienced the slow-down lag (so far, crossing my fingers). I am learning from others who have tried to help by posting links and names not to do that, but basically you want to block the ads, with block being the verb and ad being the object. Therefore, you'll Google in the singular as "ObjectVerber for [insert browser here]". There are privacy things you want to read thoroughly and decide if that's for you. I know this is elementary to some, but I can be too when it comes to technology. hth!