Latest browser versions. Detailed test of six browsers. Main disadvantages of Mozilla Firefox

Date: 06/05/2019

Google Chrome (Russian: Google Chrome) is a proprietary browser from Google, characterized by the highest performance and reliability combined with a simple and convenient user interface.

Date: 06/04/2019

Mozilla Firefox (Quantum) is a popular browser for Windows operating systems. Starting with version 57, the browser received a new user interface and Quantum engine.

Date: 06/04/2019

Tor Browser is a comprehensive free program that is a system of proxy servers to ensure anonymity on the Internet. The Tor browser is a modified version of the popular Mozilla Firefox web browser, and therefore TorBrowser has much in common with the latter, both in terms of interface and functionality (Firefox add-ons are supported), but at the same time has a higher level of anonymity and security

Date: 06/04/2019

Yandex.Browser is a fast browser from Yandex for Windows. The web browser is based on the free Chromium browser, an open-source project developed by Google. The Yandex browser was based on the WebKit browser engine (it was first implemented in the Safari browser, the first beta version of which, Safari 0.8 for Mac OS, was announced in 2003 by Steve

Date: 05/30/2019

Maxthon (Russian: Maxton) is a functional and convenient browser for Windows that allows you to switch between the Microsoft Trident and WebKit browser engines, and already out of the box has a lot of capabilities and tools for comfortable and productive work on the Internet, while this web browser ensures the highest security and confidentiality of user data.

The most popular browser in the world is dying. Microsoft has sent Internet Explorer into early retirement with the new Windows 10 operating system. This web viewer is still included as standard software, but is used only in extreme cases, such as displaying ActiveX-enabled pages or supporting services designed specifically for specific businesses.

The new standard browser for Windows 10 is called Microsoft Edge. It is based on a minimalist design inspired by Google Chrome, and operates through the new Edge HTML engine. However, users were cautious about the appearance of the new web viewer.

A month after the release of Windows 10, the system was installed on approximately 75 million devices worldwide. If you look at the statistics, it turns out that no more than half of the owners of computers with Windows 10 OS access the Internet through Edge. We found out what IE's successor is capable of and compared this new browser to Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera and Vivaldi.

Modern technology decides everything

Our test clearly showed that nothing can be achieved with the old methods. The outdated Internet Explorer browser ranks last. It is slow, poorly equipped and difficult to drive. Having earned an overall rating of “satisfactory,” he got off lightly.

Other browsers are better, and this is primarily due to the use of modern technology. Unlike Internet Explorer, the remaining participants are either completely rebuilt (Chrome, Edge), or are currently undergoing a modernization phase (Firefox), or are based on Chromium, like Chrome (Opera, Vivaldi).

When tested, these three products based on similar principles (Chrome, Opera and the not yet quite ready Vivaldi) seriously pull away from the competition. They all use the same HTML rendering engine (Blink), as well as the same JavaScript framework (V8).

But, as test results show, even with identical engines there is always a range of possibilities. In terms of speed, Firefox and Microsoft Edge clearly lag behind. The first is not much ahead of the second only due to more convenient controls and equipment. At the same time, Edge is more modern in technical terms. Mozilla should not delay its modernization, otherwise the little fox will also be left behind.

Good afternoon.

A browser is one of the most important programs on a computer (laptop, phone, etc.) connected to the Internet. Perhaps that is why their number is in the hundreds - and making a choice is not always easy! Especially if the computer is not completely new, or the problem is some specific (which cannot be solved in the first web surfer you come across), or the selected program is slow and you want a faster program.

In this New Year's article, I want to focus on some of the best and fastest reviewers who have won the trust of thousands of users around the World! The article is not the ultimate truth, the information is current at the beginning of 2016.

A selection of the best browsers of 2016

The table below shows the most popular Internet surfers on the Runet. Each of them is capable of solving most of the problems of an “average” user. In general, when looking for a browser, I recommend that you try each of them (if you are not already familiar with one).

Alternative: interesting and promising web surfers

Maxthon

Maxthon cloud browser is developed on the basis of two engines: Webkit and Trident. Thanks to this, the developers managed to ensure that the web surfer quickly opens pages developed in a variety of programs.

Main advantages (in my opinion):

• high speed of operation: in fact, the browser works quite quickly, and, in some cases, much faster than Chrome;
• low consumption of PC resources (relatively);
• reading mode and night browsing mode (allows you to conveniently view Internet pages, especially those with an abundance of advertising, awkward fonts, or dark backgrounds);
• removing advertisements from the page in 1-2 clicks;
• notepad for notes (quick notes, which, by the way, are also synchronized in the cloud, along with bookmarks and settings, so you can quickly access them from any PC connected to the Internet);
• a large number of extensions;
• the ability to take screenshots;
• good level of security.

CocCoc

A Vietnamese browser that is rapidly gaining popularity. It is distributed free of charge, is quite fast, does not consume many PC resources, allows you to bypass site blocking, and download files in multiple streams.

Advantages:

• full support for the newfangled HTML 5;
• search bar in the address bar;
• downloading files into multiple threads (after closing and opening, downloading files will resume from where it stopped);
• support for all add-ons developed for Chrome;
• incognito mode - allows you to anonymously visit websites;
• its own engine for processing Java script codes (increases page processing speed).

In general, a very interesting observer who deserves close attention. I recommend testing and using it.

SlimBrowser

A relatively new browser that is rapidly gaining popularity. I noted it in my review a year ago. Its distinctive feature is its high operating speed and relatively low system requirements (even when opening a dozen tabs, the program does not consume many resources and loads pages quite quickly).

Another distinctive feature is its versatility. If you need to install plugins in other Internet surfers so that additional options appear, then SlimBrowser has a lot already built in! For example: blocking ads, auto-filling forms, downloading videos from YouTube, translating text and web pages, blocking pop-up windows, etc.

In general, a very, very good browser.

Amigo

The review presents browsers from Google and Yandex, where would we be without Mail.ru? This browser is built on the Chromium engine, which means it is quite fast and flexible. Supported OS Windows Xp, 7, 8, 10.

Main advantages:

• music player: a very cool thing for music lovers. This player allows you to very quickly find music on social networks, allows you to search for music by words, etc.;
• news feed: you see everything new that is connected with your friends (an interesting option);
• chat with your friends from all social networks - now in one place!

Overall, a very good browser with support for all basic options. I would recommend it to those users who spend a lot of time on social networks and like to listen to music...

Rambler Browser

Quite a convenient web surfer for those who like to use the Rambler search engine, read the news, and keep abreast of the latest affairs in the World. The program has several built-in widgets: weather, letters in the mail, bookmarks, etc.

In addition, the browser will show interesting news and expert opinions (as the developers say, the news will become “personal” over time - that is, it will track what you are interested in and will show you more news on a specific topic).

If we take it as a whole, it is not possible to single out any rare features - everything is the same as everyone else. A very average reviewer (or a little higher), but calling him bad is hard to come by...

QupZilla

Quite an interesting browser, especially for owners of not the most powerful PCs. Doesn't consume as much RAM as say Firefox or Chrome.

Among the main advantages:

• There is a portable version that does not require installation;
• support for all modern versions of Windows (including Windows 10);
• built-in ad blocking option (although a plus can sometimes be a minus - often such things block not only ads, but also elements of the site you are visiting);
• support for a huge number of platforms (see program download page).

Palemoon

This is not a standalone browser, but just a modified version of Firefox. But there is one small “BUT”: a number of internal changes have been made to it in order to increase the speed of operation (extended support for modern processors, new security patches).

By the way, most add-ons and plugins for Firefox will work in Pale Moon. The source code is open and freely distributed.

K-Meleon

A very fast and very lightweight browser that was developed on the Gecko engine. Distributed with open source code. By the way, the web surfer was specially designed to work in the Windows environment.

Among the main advantages:

• super-light and minimalistic;
• fast operating speed even on weak computers;
• the ability to disable the loading of pictures, Java scripts, advertising, etc. in one click (very important for weak PCs, or with limited Internet).

Programs for anonymously visiting websites

Thor Browser

This browser is built on the Firefox engine. By the way, recently it has begun to rapidly gain popularity, thanks to its ability to open blocked sites.

Its main focus is anonymity. It allows you to visit various resources and remain in the shadows. The speed of operation leaves much to be desired (but that’s not what it’s needed for)

Globus Browser

A new web surfer based on the Chromium engine, making it quite fast and flexible. The main advantage is anonymity: VPN and TOR protocols are used for encryption. The developers claim that the program allows you to remain anonymous in any situation and on any site (the statement on the one hand is very controversial...).

By the way, what is convenient is the choice of the redirect country (i.e., intermediary) - just press one button in the browser (and you will view the site as if you were a user from Brazil or Chile (for example))!

The developers have also introduced into the browser an encryption function in Wi-Fi networks (which are very popular lately), a Firewall that protects scanning of your IP address. In general, this browser is a good replacement for Tor (or an addition to it)…

Despite the variety of browsers that have appeared in recent years, the main “whales” of the sphere remain Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Microsoft Internet Explorer and New Edge, as well as Safari. If we consider which browser is better when rating browsers for Windows, Safari does not count, since the Windows version of the Apple program is no longer available.

Let's see what the best browser of 2016 is according to statistics, consider the advantages and disadvantages of each product, and also test the latest versions of the above-mentioned five.

Top browsers 2016

According to the StatCounter resource, the question of which browser is better for Windows has a clear answer: in terms of popularity among users, Google Chrome leads by a huge margin, receiving 52%. This is followed by Internet Explorer with a share of 16.5% (surely this figure also hides a “bonus” from Edge), Mozilla Firefox over 15.6% and 1.8% by Opera.

However, market shares do not reflect the full picture: what matters more is which browser is better and faster in practice. In terms of ease of use, additional options, loading time and navigation, the TopTenReviews portal puts the “fire fox” in first place, followed by Chrome, Opera and Internet Explorer.

But let's move on to practice.

Google Chrome

Although Google Chrome is not the fastest browser for Windows when you have a lot of tabs open, you can't argue with Chrome's ease of use:

The program itself loads quickly, plus closing the tabs quickly frees up the RAM;

If an unplanned shutdown occurs, the browser will restore all open tabs;

A problem with one of the open pages will not affect the operation of the entire browser, since a separate process is launched for each;

Search queries are entered directly into the address bar;

Auto-fill is available so you don’t waste time entering the same information into forms;

If you use a Google account in a browser, all basic data, that is, history, bookmarks, open tabs, autofill, passwords, can be used on any other device on which this account is also open;

It’s easy to synchronize your desktop and mobile device: web pages from your computer to your mobile are sent with one click, and Google Now prompts from your smartphone are also displayed in the browser;

To use a lot of Google services and applications, you don’t need to constantly enter your login and password: you are logged into your account and can easily open your mail, cloud, YouTube, etc.;

The Google Chrome interface is as simple as possible, but at the same time can be customized for a specific user;

A huge number of applications and alternatives to conventional programs are available for the browser.

Test

Some people complain about the lack of visual bookmarks, an inconvenient download manager or something else, but this is a matter of taste. A more serious charge is Chrome freezing.

Testing the latest version of the browser on Windows 7 with several active extensions and ten open tabs showed that Chrome processes used 0.83 GB of memory. At the same time, this is not the largest figure among our four.

In addition, in the Browsermark benchmark, which evaluates computer and browser performance, Chrome showed the highest of the four results - 4019 points.

Total

Google Chrome is the answer to the question of which browser is better for Windows in terms of performance. A browser for those who have sufficient RAM, who actively use a Google account and are ready to simultaneously use a small number of open tabs.

Tip: if you like Chrome, but the “brake” bothers you, look in the menu Additional tools → Task Manager → Statistics for system administrators. It explains in detail what RAM is used for, including tabs and plugins - decide what can be disabled to reduce the load.

Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla Firefox is positioned by its developers as the fastest browser and has several advantages:

Excellent speed of working with many bookmarks, speed of searching and switching between bookmarks, as well as speed of loading files;

A smart address bar that will add your address;

Comfortable work with bookmarks, their creation and movement: when you press Cntrl+B, a panel with all available bookmarks appears on the left;

High level of security, including private browsing, a “forget” surfing history button, a secure connection, anti-phishing, etc.;

Synchronization between Firefox on different devices;

A huge number of themes, add-ons and extensions with which you can customize the browser to suit you.

Test

Despite all the advantages of Firefox, the overall performance of the browser is criticized, which is inferior to its counterparts, as well as the prospect of freezing on weak computers.

The browser test in Browsermark showed only 1914 points. However, the indicator of used RAM in approximately the same conditions as Chrome (Windows 7, several active extensions and ten open tabs) was the least - about 0.4 GB.

Total

Which browser is the fastest for working with many bookmarks? Like Mozilla Firefox. Theory meets practice: a fast, reliable and flexible browser.

Opera Next

The Opera Next browser also has its own features:

Nice interface;

Convenient work with the express panel and tabs;

From the Express Panel you can search in several search engines;

The number of open tabs does not particularly affect the speed of the browser;

A separate process is launched for each tab; like Chrome, there is a Task Manager in which you can view the “items” of memory consumption;

Turbo mode, which allows you to increase the speed of loading pages and files at low connection speeds;

Again, all sorts of add-ons and themes that allow you to customize the browser for yourself;

Mouse gestures are supported, with which you can refresh the page, return to the page, go to a new window, etc.

Test

Like other browsers, Opera is not without its criticisms: not all processes run quickly, and Turbo mode can sometimes have the opposite effect, slowing down pages. Some people are not happy with working with bookmarks in the browser.

In practice, testing under the same conditions showed that Opera Next consumes RAM not much less than Chrome - 0.74 GB, and in terms of performance the benchmark test showed the second result - 3700 points.

Total

It's hard to say which browser is better when comparing Opera with other positions: perhaps it's a solid middling in the 2016 browser rankings.

Internet Explorer

Yes, and Internet Explorer has something to praise for:

Firstly, it came straight out of the box with previous versions of Windows;

Minimum settings;

Smooth opening of pages, watching videos and online games due to hardware acceleration;

High level of security with anti-malware filters and security protection features.

Test

User complaints about Internet Explorer focus on the browser's slow operation.

The Browsermark test showed the lowest level of performance - 1798 points. At the same time, as much as 1.32 GB of RAM was allocated for a dozen bookmarks without any add-ons.

Total

Internet Explorer remains popular due to the fact that many people still use previous versions of Windows, which have it by default. Explorer can probably be recommended to those who are interested in which browser is better to have in reserve as an add-on (don’t delete it in your plan - let it be just in case :)).

Microsoft Edge

To replace the outdated and heavy Explorer, they did not expect a miracle - a modern, practical and productive browser. But the miracle almost happened: the Microsoft Edge browser that appeared in Windows 10 turned out to be one of the most interesting products among similar software.

Microsoft Edge has a very unusual search: in addition to autocomplete, while you are typing a query, you will be offered a description of what you are looking for with a picture, search query options, site options and options from your magazine (in different combinations, depending on what you are looking for). And all this in the context of a search.

In addition to the simple menu, there is a convenient hub that contains Favorites, Reading List, Journal, and Downloads tabs.

Favorites are also special here: you can put pages of notes in it. When you are on the desired page, click on the button with a pencil, which is located directly under the “minimize window” icon, and you can highlight it with color, add signatures and crop the content. You can then save the page to OneNote, Favorites, or Reading List. The right option for the job.

When working with InPrivate tabs, after closing the browser, no traces are saved on the computer: cookies, temporary files, history.

Any page open in Microsoft Edge can be pinned as a tile in the Windows Start menu.

Reading mode allows you to read articles on websites without unnecessary elements: it removes not only banners, but also all other paraphernalia, including design. It’s easier to concentrate, more comfortable to view text and illustrations, and more convenient to take web notes. True, it doesn’t work on all resources (it works on the Aporta Blog - you can check it :).

Test

The miracle has almost happened, because a gigabyte of RAM is allocated for ten open tabs in the new browser. But in practice, Edge freezes slightly, tabs open quite quickly, and searches are performed quickly.

Total

If you have Windows 10 and enough RAM, don't neglect Microsoft Edge. At least try it. This is not Explorer - you can actually work in it!

conclusions

According to the benchmark results, Google Chrome and Opera turned out to be the most productive for Windows 7. Having opened the task manager, it turned out that Mozilla Firefox consumes the least amount of RAM, Google Chrome and Opera are average, and IE is just a gluttonous insolent. In terms of speed and smoothness of operation, Mozilla Firefox stands out qualitatively, followed by Google Chrome and Opera, with IE in third place. In general, the statistics were confirmed: first place is shared by Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome, second by Opera and third by IE.

Edge has already been tested on the new Windows and turned out to be perhaps the most interesting of the browsers: without additional add-ons, it offers many important options. The Microsoft product still consumes a lot of RAM, but it works faster than its predecessor (and with the speed of work on the new Win 10, it must be said that all the browsers listed in the article have problems). For dozens of users, Microsoft Edge is definitely one of the top three browsers, along with Fox and Chrome.

Your results may vary significantly depending on hardware and software components. To determine which browser is best to use, try different browsers, look at the amount of memory used, evaluate which browser your computer is using