Internet users today have a number of options when it comes to browsers. Considering most home PCs run on Microsoft Windows, the default browser that comes with it is Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Most websites are compatible with IE, however, IE has its fair share of glitches. Moreover, there are plenty of other browsers out there with a better interface suited to particular needs of the internet user. For instance, someone who uses the browser to check mail or view a few websites may not experience any problems with one browser, whereas someone who streams videos online or plays online games may find the same browser quite inadequate.
Additionally, browsers are no longer associated only with computers. The market is now full of Wi-Fi enabled handheld devices like mobile phones and the iPad (see our latest blog post on designing for the iPad here) , leading to an entirely new world of mobile browsers. Whether it is on our desktop, laptop or iPhone, our choice of browsers always depend on their performance. Internet users are always eager to find out which of their favourite browsers will come out on the top if pitted head to head.
Jacob Gube from Six Revisions tested the various browsers based on a number of criteria. He took the latest versions of the top 5 web browsers in the market today, namely Mozilla’s Firefox 3.5.30729, Google Inc.’s Chrome 3.0.195.27, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 8, Opera 10 and Apple’s Safari 4.0.3. Then he compared them based on the following criteria:
1. Speed – How fast the browser loads on start up, how fast the user can navigate from page to page and how long it takes to upload pages with images and videos, etc.
2. Compatibility – Which browser is most compatible with various web technologies out there, i.e. can the user run flash and JavaScript applications on their browser, does it run on all platforms like Windows and Unix and do all websites retain their navigation and interactive features when used in the particular browser.
3. Security – Even though most people run anti-virus software on their computers, browser security is a big issue. Does the browser block unwanted pop-ups, malware, have a data encryption feature, phishing guard, cookie management and block flagged websites from being accidentally opened by the user?
4. Customization – How does the browser perform in areas like having integrated search engine, tabbed browsing facility, thumbnail previews, live bookmarking, smart browsing, smart toolbars, add-ins (social networking tools, etc) and plug-ins (video player, etc)?
5. Memory User – This one major criterion frequently influences an internet user’s choice of browser. How much of the system resources does the browser use when running under average and high loads? Browsers that take up 100% CPU slow the machine down to a crawl.
6. Overall performance – How does the web browser perform for an average user, using factors like user friendliness, rich features, compatibility with popular sites like blogs and social networking sites, enhanced viewing experience for sites like YouTube, Farmville, etc?
The objective was to see how well these web browsers performed across the board. While some browsers excelled in certain areas, what Gube was looking for was a browser that performed well in most of his tests. The results were quite interesting.
In overall performance, Google Chrome ranked first with Mozilla Firefox and Safari tied for second place. Opera came in third position and Internet Explorer came last.
These results may vary slightly depending on the test parameters and the criteria used in other comparisons. Your choice might differ depending on your usage and the technical specifications of your machine. It is better to test each browser and see which works for you.
How does your website look and perform on each of these browsers? Contact us if you need more info, we are experts on website accessibility!
Written by:
Tamara Brooks {Profile}: Online Marketing Wizard @ October 17 Media
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Tags: Browsers, internet security, Web Performance, Web Site Accessibility
