After some research and experimentation, I tweaked one setting that made Chrome run considerably faster. Your mileage may vary, of course, but this is worth a try:
Step 1: Click the Menu button (top-right corner of the browser, below the Close button), then click Settings.
Scroll down and click "Show advanced settings," then scroll down further until you find the System section.
Clear the check box next to "Use hardware acceleration when available."
Shut down Chrome and restart it.
I can't say for certain this will solve your Chrome performance issues, but it made a noticeable difference on my system.