Web Browser Grand Prix 2: The Top 5 Tested And Ranked

[graciano]

WTF 40 tabs test! That is not usual... Why not testing 2 tabs ? 5, and 10 ?
My Opera with 15 tabs is using around 500 MB, Firefox on the other hand uses 290 MB with JUST TWO TABS !

And what about the insane Chrome feature that auto download things you click without a single Dialog asking your confirmation hu? Very nice feature to newbies get virus...

 

[NoCaDrummer]

I tried Opera a year ago. I found Opera's interface a bit annoying, especially when I was searching for something within a web page. So I uninstalled it and went back to Firefox. Browser speed (I'm on a mediocre DSL at home) was not as much an issue as interface.

 

[graciano]

[citation][nom]kd0frg[/nom]Does anyone know if opera or chrome has something just like fox cast (for weather updates and alerts, current temps.. etc) and also , i cant live without my tv-fox .. if there is an equivlent of those 2 plugins for either opera or chrome ill switch right away[/citation]

Yes it does: http://widgets.opera.com/category/weather/

 

[mgillespie]

LOL Disqualifying Opera because it's too good.. Talk about a loaded test...

Opera javascript precompiler is smart enough to know that the code in Firefox's benchamrk script is doing nothing, so it simply cancels it out.

Why is that a disqualification? It's clearly the ONLY smart browsers, all the others were too dumb to spot it.

You might also want to use Sputnik Javascript Compliance tests (written by Google):

http://sputnik.googlelabs.com/compare

These tests have sadly lost all credability because the tester either does not know what he is talking about, or went into it expecting his favorite browser to come out on top and was dismayed that it didn't.

Have a read here:
http://my.opera.com/haavard/blog/2010/07/13/toms-hardware

 

[qwertymac93]

opera is apparently pleased with the outcome, this article is on their main start page!

http://my.opera.com/portalnews/blog/2010/07/13/web-browser-grand-prix-2-winner-announced

 

[Guest]

Opera uses more memory when you have it, use less when you don't have it, it adapts to your system:
http://my.opera.com/haavard/blog/2010/07/13/toms-hardware

 

[ahslan]

Hooray Opera!!!!

 

[lashton]

IE is the fastest on my system!

 

[Flamango]

As a user of Google Chrome, and as a user of a ten year old computer with a 450MHz Pentium III processor and only 256 MB of RAM (8GB of hard drive space), I have to say that many of the other options would not make browsing on this computer optional, let alone enjoyable.

There's something to be said about efficiency and stability. (I can't stream video regardless of the browser however)

My brand new rig is sitting in the closet until I can afford a stupid little bottle of cleaner to take the fingerprint I idiotically put on my i5-750 off! (It just was SO SHINY I had to touch it :/)

Pay check on Friday woot!

 

[adamovera]

[citation][nom]mgillespie[/nom]LOL Disqualifying Opera because it's too good.. Talk about a loaded test...Opera javascript precompiler is smart enough to know that the code in Firefox's benchamrk script is doing nothing, so it simply cancels it out.Why is that a disqualification? It's clearly the ONLY smart browsers, all the others were too dumb to spot it.You might also want to use Sputnik Javascript Compliance tests (written by Google):http://sputnik.googlelabs.com/compareThese tests have sadly lost all credability because the tester either does not know what he is talking about, or went into it expecting his favorite browser to come out on top and was dismayed that it didn't.Have a read here:http://my.opera.com/haavard/blog/2 [...] s-hardware[/citation]
You probably didn't catch my follow-up comment, but I've gotta make some calls about the Dromaeo Test. An earlier build of Chrome also gave an absolutely insane result, but a minor upgrade brought it's scores back in line. Right now this tests spot in WBGP3 is on the fence. Carakan is still very new, I want to give Dromaeo a chance to look into it before deciding on what to do with this test in the future. Maybe a call to Opera AND Google will help shed light on the situation. I've removed tests before (NonTroppo), so if need be...
Good call on Sputnik though.

 

[lradunovic77]

This test is pointless actually quite stupid cause it doesn't say anything. How about my computer with Raid 0 SSD and 50mb/s Cable Line, i think it doesn't quite effin matter what browses i am running cause no one can tell difference.

 

[mgillespie]

@Flamango

Opera would be a far better option, it scales from small mobiles, to old desktops to the latest and greatest, it does not matter, it uses what you got to the best of it's ability (which is why the memory tests here are somewhat flawed, as long as a app hands it back when needed, anything else is just wasted)

 

[Flamango]

[citation][nom]adamovera[/nom]RE: Local Pages - I'll have to look into the web server, can't promise it'll be here for next time though.RE: Dromaeo JavaScript - Only Opera or Mozilla can fix the Dromaeo bug, I'll make some calls and see what's up. We might have to scrap that test or disqualify Opera again if one of them doesn't change something in time for WBGP3.RE: Memory - I suppose I can rip out one of the 2gig sticks to see what happens, or add a 1st-gen netbook to the mix. What you have to understand about Roundup/Shootout articles is the logistical nightmare that they can be. All of these are free software downloads and ANY of them can update at ANY moment. We use a single test system to get the results concurrently for the current versions of them all in time to publish together. I'll just have to see what kind of crunch I'm under next time, but I'll try to add some variation for that test if time permits.[/citation]

What would be really great is if you ran some of these benchmarks while doing some basic multitasking. Maybe a virus scan, an mp3 playing in VLC, an instance of a less demanding game, B:BC2 perhaps, while loading 4 tabs. This way we could really track the memory efficiency of each browser, and how they delegate it.

 

[adamovera]

[citation][nom]NoCaDrummer[/nom]I tried Opera a year ago. I found Opera's interface a bit annoying, especially when I was searching for something within a web page. So I uninstalled it and went back to Firefox. Browser speed (I'm on a mediocre DSL at home) was not as much an issue as interface.[/citation]
This was my same problem with Opera throughout the years - a clunky, odd interface. I gotta tell you though, Opera 10.50 (a few months old) brought a modern, logical interface; and 10.60 is in the same vein. Please, if the old (pre-10.10) interface was your main issue, give it another go, it's now very much like Chrome and Firefox 4. Honestly, it would make for a fantastic instant-on web-OS to go against ChromeOS, if they wanted to go that route.

 

[adamovera]

@Flamango - I'll take this under advisement, but there are some issues at present that I can't go into right now involving running other apps - when the next browser article comes out, you'll understand. I also want to look at the issue of security further before adding any anti-virus apps. VLC is a good suggestion, though.

 

[CoryInJapan]

Im just to used to Firefox..Plus they got tons of awesome add ons and all sorts of cool features that only firefox has.

Its not always about pure performance...but I know FF 4.0 will par up a lot better once its out.

 

[geschmidtt]

Apple will be soon providing OTA software upgrade that will fix the testing suite that Tom uses in its browser comparison. In the meantime users of Safari should hold the browser with the thumb and index finger on the upper left hand corner and extend their little pinky accordingly.

 

[slayerz636]

its really all about prefrence. as a professional biulder ive been using IE since i was about 7. being 17 now im just used to it... sped dont matter with a 12 core opteron, 30TB of HDDS in RAID and 24GB of ram any way

 

[Guest]

It is spelled Norwegian not Norgwegian

 

[mgillespie]

[citation][nom]CoryInJapan[/nom]Im just to used to Firefox..Plus they got tons of awesome add ons and all sorts of cool features that only firefox has.[/citation]

Opera has all the cool ones built right in. NoScript, Adblock+. GreaseMonkey, BookmarkSync all built right on, non waiting for compatible plugin versions like Firefix users have to do (anyone tried the Firefix 4 beta will know the pain of this).

 

[calc-yolatuh]

Something perhaps for a side comment in the next Grand Prix: What happens when you minimize the browser window? Or when you load some other program which requires a large amount of memory? This has traditionally been Opera's strong point, holding closed pages in case you reopen them, yet releasing the memory if pressed to do so.

 

[Guest]

if its only adblock that makes firefox better then chrome then its not much..cause chrome has it also

 

[nbk_redspy]

I love chrome but FlashBlock does not work as well as the FireFox version does. Soon as the plug-in developer fixes that, I'll be all over chrome

 

[stve]

Very odd that Chrome wins the Page loading test from hardrive with Opera last yet in the real world 40 tabs mem test
" Chrome had trouble opening all 40 tabs correctly. A handful of the last few tabs did not load at all. And about half of those that loaded needed refreshing for missing or broken elements"
http://my.opera.com/haavard/blog/2010/07/13/toms-hardware

 

[stve]

The real world startup with 8 tabs Opera 6 seconds Chrome is second taking 14 seconds .
Maybe you need to rethink the Page loading test you use