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In Neil Colvin’s reported test on a Crestron MC4-R, System.Text.Json 10.0.12 parsed a small synthetic response faster and with fewer managed allocations than Newtonsoft.Json 13.0.5-beta1. For that specific warmed deserialization workload, the reported averages were 0.108 ms and 1,024 bytes per parse for System.Text.Json, compared with 0.147 ms and 3,816 bytes for Newtonsoft.Json. The result is useful evidence from the target processor, not a universal ranking: it covers one payload shape, one firmware setup and a prerelease Newtonsoft.Json build.
What the MC4-R test measured
Colvin’s September 22, 2026 report describes testing on the processor rather than extrapolating from desktop or server benchmarks. The stated configuration was Crestron MC4-R hardware version 2, firmware 2.8000.00057, Crestron Home 4.011.0322, Mono 6.12.0.107 and CLR version 4.0.30319.42000. Serializer assemblies were merged into the test package as private copies. Colvin’s full test report gives the setup and results.
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Payload and procedure
The test used one synthetic 409-byte response modeled on a WeatherLink API response. Both libraries deserialized it into the same nullable DTOs, which carried attributes for both serializers. System.Text.Json was configured with AllowReadingFromString; Newtonsoft.Json used its defaults.
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After 200 warm-up parses per serializer, Colvin ran four alternating rounds of 3,000 synchronous deserializations, performing a garbage collection before each round. He used Stopwatch for timing and GC.GetAllocatedBytesForCurrentThread for allocation measurements. The harness ran remotely on the processor through his test adapter.
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Reported results
| Measure | System.Text.Json 10.0.12 | Newtonsoft.Json 13.0.5-beta1 | Reported difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average time per parse | 0.108 ms | 0.147 ms | System.Text.Json was 26.5% faster |
| Managed bytes allocated per parse | 1,024 B | 3,816 B | System.Text.Json allocated 73.2% fewer bytes |
These are the author’s reported averages for the described test, not independently replicated results. The absolute timing gap is small for a single parse; Colvin notes that reduced allocations may matter more when the processor is shared with other drivers.
How far the result applies
The measurement answers a narrow question: how these versions handled warmed deserialization of this particular payload on the stated MC4-R configuration. It does not measure cold-start behavior, serialization, peak memory use, or total CPU load in a complete driver. Payload size and shape, converters, DTOs, runtime details and surrounding driver work can all change the outcome.
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The Newtonsoft.Json version is also an important qualification. Colvin tested 13.0.5-beta1, a prerelease he says had been unlisted on NuGet. He identifies 13.0.4 as the latest stable release at the time of his report, but did not rerun the test against it. This is therefore not a stable-versus-stable comparison.
Compatibility and deployment on Mono/net472
Microsoft says the System.Text.Json NuGet package supports .NET Framework 4.6.2 and later, so net472 is within the stated target-framework range. That framework-level support does not by itself guarantee operation with every Mono version, Crestron firmware, dependency graph or build arrangement. The reported MC4-R run is direct evidence only for the specific environment and packaging Colvin describes.
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On his stated firmware, Colvin observed standard Newtonsoft.Json 13.0.2 and Newtonsoft.Json.Compact 4.0.8.0 in /simpl/app00/, while System.Text.Json was not resident there. He says System.Text.Json therefore had to be shipped in the package and warns that dependencies should be merged to avoid DLL conflicts. These are firmware-specific observations; the benchmark did not test the Compact assembly.
Behavior to check before migrating
Performance is only useful if the replacement parses the application’s real inputs the way the driver expects. Microsoft’s migration guide explains that System.Text.Json does not aim for full Newtonsoft.Json feature parity and differs in defaults.
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| Behavior | Newtonsoft.Json default | System.Text.Json default | Migration implication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property-name matching | Case-insensitive | Case-sensitive | Check payload and DTO casing; configure options if appropriate. |
| Comments and trailing commas | Ignored by default | Rejected by default | Enable supported options if the input legitimately contains them. |
| Single-quoted strings and quoted numbers | Accepted in more cases | Stricter by default | Validate actual payloads and configure options or converters where available. |
Some differences can be addressed with options or converters; others may require substantial changes or have no practical equivalent. Before switching, inventory the project’s DTO attributes, custom converters, input variations and any Newtonsoft-specific features it relies on, then test representative payloads on the target device.
Quick Recap
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Choosing for an MC4-R driver
- Consider System.Text.Json if your real payloads and DTOs work with it, the deployment dependencies are manageable, and lower allocations are valuable in your driver’s environment. The measured result is a reason to test, not a guarantee of a whole-driver improvement.
- Keep Newtonsoft.Json if your driver depends on its behavior or features and the migration cost outweighs the benefit demonstrated by a single warmed parse workload.
- Benchmark your own path if performance is decision-critical: include your production payloads, parsing and serialization operations, startup behavior and representative driver load, using the actual firmware and package configuration.
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