Lua garbage collection vs. manual object pooling for low-traffic workloads

In LÖ2D, maintaining a consistent frame rate on resource-constrained hardware requires managing how the underlying Lua garbage collector (GC) handles memory. While the framework is inherently lightweight, the non-deterministic nature of the GC can cause unpredictable micro-stutters if collection cycles trigger during intensive frames.

To mitigate this, developers often choose between tuning the default GC settings via collect.setcollect() or implementing a manual object pooling system to reuse tables and objects. Manual pooling reduces the frequency of collections but increases complexity regarding object lifecycle management and potential memory leaks if references are not properly cleared.

What is the measurable frame-time variance difference between forcing collectgarbage('collect') during idle frames versus allowing the automatic GC to trigger? At what memory threshold does object pooling outweigh the overhead of manual management in a simple LÖ2D application?