Fastest Browser....Chrome, Firefox or Opera?

[Birdman]

Can someone please tell me which browser runs the fastest? I don't use any add-ons or plug-ins/extensions.....just a browser purely for surfing the net.

Are there any concerns with Google Chrome and privacy issues....or is it SAFE to use that browser.

Thanks.

[dw426]

Originally Posted by Birdman

Can someone please tell me which browser runs the fastest? I don't use any add-ons or plug-ins/extensions.....just a browser purely for surfing the net.

Are there any concerns with Google Chrome and privacy issues....or is it SAFE to use that browser.

Thanks.

Ok, I'll TRY to answer, but first I must rant, so bear with me Why is everyone so stuck up on browser speed? You've got people testing browsers and making judgements based on nanoseconds, I swear, where in the world do you need to go so quickly that 3 seconds to open the browser is going to kill you? After the browser opens, it's basically down to connection and websites as to how fast you're going to go.

Addons are going to slow you down, yes. Something like Adblock is going to check the webpage for ads and start blocking them. But really, who cares? That webpage you're trying to get to will be there 3 minutes from now, so I assure you 3 seconds will not be torturous.

Ok, sorry about that, on to your question. The REAL test of a browser, IMHO, is rendering. In that test, again IMHO, Opera takes the trophy. Now, saying that, I mean when compared to IE and Firefox. I do not use Chrome. All 3 browsers are "fast", IMHO, but Opera seems to be like a lightening bolt when it comes to places with lots of pics and such. I don't include pages with lots of banner ads and such, because they have slower loading times usually (especially flashing ones), and can slow down the browser no matter how fast it is usually.

My thoughts on Firefox: It has a habit of slowing down (on opening and browsing) over time. It also IMHO still has a memory leak issue which I doubt will ever be settled. if you install lots of addons to this browser, you risk it choking and, once you do start browsing, you'll see significant slowdowns of browsing and loading of pages.

My thoughts on IE: It would be very fast if the phishing filter didn't have a bad habit of freezing up. No addons means nothing to slow it down, and it opens fast.

On Chrome: Well, it's a Google browser, so as far as privacy, well, Google and privacy are not two words I would use in the same sentence. As far as security, I'm sorry to the people who disagree, but I don't think it's been thoroughly tested enough to find out just how secure it truly is. So take that for what it's worth.

[Kerodo]

Originally Posted by Birdman

Can someone please tell me which browser runs the fastest? I don't use any add-ons or plug-ins/extensions.....just a browser purely for surfing the net.

Are there any concerns with Google Chrome and privacy issues....or is it SAFE to use that browser.

Thanks.

Chrome and Opera are fastest.... Just try 'em all and see which one you like best. There is no such thing as privacy.......

After using all, I find Opera to be the quicker overall but not by much. Chrome and Safari are quicker on some javascript optimized sites but not overall, also after running them for a longer duration surfing with multiple sites open, Chrome and Safari slows down whereas Opera continues with its original speed.

[EASTER]

I would add my choice in K-Melon but off those 3 i get a toss up between FF & Opera.

[Sully]

I will also chime in with using K-meleon for just a browser. As an ex Opera user, I like it better. Opera is still a very good browser, very quick. Just includes too many features for me. If you just want a browser and that's all, give KM a try.

Sul.

[raakii]

http://operawatch.com/news/2007/09/o...r-picture.html

[arran]

by using fire fox speed tweaks I find that FF3 is just as fast as Opera and k melon and chrome.

google the old fire fox 2 speed tweaks they still work on FF3.

I use FF because of add ons like no script and cs lite

[zapjb]

Opera is the fastest. And the slower the internet connection the more the speed differential between Opera & the others is noticeable.

Originally Posted by zapjb

Opera is the fastest. And the slower the internet connection the more the speed differential between Opera & the others is noticeable.

Excellent point, thats how I was introduced to Opera, when I went back to India after living in the US, there was only dial up through truly noisy lines, even the US Robotics modem with its best error connection would not be able to prevent the time outs I would get on IE and Netscape. Opera came to the rescue, I used it for a day and it was instant love affair. I could turn off images on the fly, it would perform excellent on slow noisy lines and I paid for Opera with a big smile, it was either that or give up surfing.

[Sully]

Originally Posted by zapjb

Opera is the fastest. And the slower the internet connection the more the speed differential between Opera & the others is noticeable.

I would have agreed with that about 2 years ago. Now, depending on the size of the machine, it is my opinion that Kmeleon is faster. I am not talking particuarily about page rendering, but overall program responsiveness. While I can't argue Opera is fast, KM is a smaller app and it's newest version vs. Operas newest version is much better on slower computers.

But back in the dialup day, Opera was heads and shoulders above all others.

Sul.

it is my opinion that Kmeleon is faster

is it as safe as opera?thanks

[FastGame]

On dialup FF is faster, it loads the text first and you have something to read while waiting on the other things

Opera ? naw..........

[TonyW]

Originally Posted by dw426

My thoughts on Firefox: It has a habit of slowing down (on opening and browsing) over time. It also IMHO still has a memory leak issue which I doubt will ever be settled. if you install lots of addons to this browser, you risk it choking and, once you do start browsing, you'll see significant slowdowns of browsing and loading of pages.

My solution to this or indeed any browser I'd have open is to minimise it to the systray. I use TrayIt and Firefox is always minimised to the systray when not in use, and I call it up at a moment's notice without the need to actually open the program at every browsing session.

I believe Opera does this automatically, but don't quote me on that. At least, I seem to remember seeing the big red 'O' in the systray when I tested it ages ago and that was before I was using TrayIt.

For me the fastest browser is Opera and the new Opera 10 is even faster. Opera loads multiple pages at once without affecting the scrolling behavior on the current focused tab. No other browser does this better.

Originally Posted by TonyW

My solution to this or indeed any browser I'd have open is to minimise it to the systray. I use TrayIt and Firefox is always minimised to the systray when not in use, and I call it up at a moment's notice without the need to actually open the program at every browsing session.

I believe Opera does this automatically, but don't quote me on that. At least, I seem to remember seeing the big red 'O' in the systray when I tested it ages ago and that was before I was using TrayIt.

The systray in Opera is to launch other stuff like mail, bookmarks, contact etc. It only stays active as long as you have Opera on, minimizing Opera sends it to the task bar.

Originally Posted by rolarocka

For me the fastest browser is Opera and the new Opera 10 is even faster. Opera loads multiple pages at once without affecting the scrolling behavior on the current focused tab. No other browser does this better.

Yes and even after hours of heavy surfing, there is little or no slowdowns.

[Sully]

Originally Posted by thathagat

is it as safe as opera?thanks

It is as safe as your system I suppose. You can get a plugin of sorts that is basically using AdBlock, NoScript etc, just like FF. I have not read of any major issues with security in KM.

It is what a browser used to be, just a browser. Many here find great use of featrues of Opera such as mail client or newsfeeds etc. If I had use for them, I would use Opera. But I just want a browser. And since I am such a geek, I also like being able to create plugins or macros and totally tweak it.

As far as comments about minimizing FF or having things residing in the tray for faster use, I don't think any of them will beat KM if you use it's loader. This feature sort of preloads many compenents of KM, as signified in the tray. With this feature on, it is uber fast to pop up, although it is not technically fully loaded until you start it. The only downside of this, is if you close KM, it does not actually close, but only partially. If you make changes that require a browser restart, you actually have to close the loader process as well. But once you have it set up the way you like I don't think any browser starts faster in this method. But that is just me.

I think personally, if you are looking for a fast browser, you cannot go wrong with Opera. It has more features that you can shake a stick at and is generally fast loading and pretty good resource wise. I would not say the same about FF right now. v2 was better IMO than v3, overall.

I have had KM installed on my machine for about as long as Opera, which is unfortunately too long lol. I am not sure about now, but I know it used to be that a very small percentage of pages Opera would not display at all or just display messed up. I would always use KM to open those pages and it always perfomed properly. Now I use it virtually all the time, and love it.

Sul.

[zfactor]

have to tend to agree about ff3. but i will say i use chrome mostly right now for its speed. and there are ways of preventing any info from being sent back and keeping it on lockdown. unfortunate that we have to do this. but for those that know how its a great browser. otherwise i use opera. ff3 went away from my machine a few months back.

[twl845]

Originally Posted by TonyW

My solution to this or indeed any browser I'd have open is to minimise it to the systray. I use TrayIt and Firefox is always minimised to the systray when not in use, and I call it up at a moment's notice without the need to actually open the program at every browsing session.

I believe Opera does this automatically, but don't quote me on that. At least, I seem to remember seeing the big red 'O' in the systray when I tested it ages ago and that was before I was using TrayIt.

I never considered that. Thanks. I guess TrayIt doesn't minimize the browser at bootup right? This gives me an idea. Is there a way to load FF on bootup in the sys tray? This way it would be already loaded like IE, and when I'm ready to access FF it would come up in 3 seconds, not the 17 seconds on a cold boot now.
PS is trayit a FF extension, or a seperate app?

[the Tester]

Opera is faster than Firefox for me. Not by much.
It does load a lot faster than FF, by a lot. That's the bigger factor for me.

[AKAJohnDoe]

Originally Posted by Birdman

Can someone please tell me which browser runs the fastest?

An irrelevant criteria in the real world.

[TonyW]

Originally Posted by twl845

I guess TrayIt doesn't minimize the browser at bootup right? This gives me an idea. Is there a way to load FF on bootup in the sys tray?

PS is trayit a FF extension, or a seperate app?

Ordinarily TrayIt doesn't minimise the browser at bootup, but I've a feeling if you set the browser to start up after bootup, it can be made to minimise to the systray. I've never thought of that nor had it set like that.

I've had a look at the TrayIt profile settings for Firefox and there's an option to minimise window on creation:



I didn't have that checked, but just ran a test. I ticked it, applied the change, closed down Firefox, restarted it and it collapsed into the systray once it loaded.

I haven't tried it from a cold bootup after placing Firefox into the Startup folder. It could work on the basis of the previous experiment, but not sure until tried.

TrayIt isn't a Firefox extension; it can be used to minimise any program, not just the browser.

[twl845]

Originally Posted by TonyW

Ordinarily TrayIt doesn't minimise the browser at bootup, but I've a feeling if you set the browser to start up after bootup, it can be made to minimise to the systray. I've never thought of that nor had it set like that.

I've had a look at the TrayIt profile settings for Firefox and there's an option to minimise window on creation:

Attachment 207114

I didn't have that checked, but just ran a test. I ticked it, applied the change, closed down Firefox, restarted it and it collapsed into the systray once it loaded.

I haven't tried it from a cold bootup after placing Firefox into the Startup folder. It could work on the basis of the previous experiment, but not sure until tried.

TrayIt isn't a Firefox extension; it can be used to minimise any program, not just the browser.

Thanks for the info. I'll experiment. Once FF has been loaded after a cold start, it loads fast on subsequent load ups during the same session. If I can get passed the initial 17 second load up, it will be sweet. I did all the suggestions like start in safe mode and try to isolated the cause of the slow start up, and had some success. Opera starts in 13 seconds on a cold bootup and 3 seconds after that.

[zfactor]

wow 17 seconds... ff3 starts in like 6 for me after a cold start and i thought that was slow. chrome starts in like half that...im also running at 4.4ghz though so im sure that doesnt hurt