EmailBest Reviewed
Web Browsers
- Best browser overall Firefox 3 *Est. $0
- Enhanced Firefox browser Flock 2 (beta) *Est. $0
- Fast browsing and search Google Chrome (beta) *Est. $0
- Best for older computers Opera 9.5 *Est. $0
- Best IE revision Internet Explorer 8 *Est. $0
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Fast browsing and search
- Fast and simple
- Stable
- Private browsing option
- Enables offline use of Internet apps
- No ad blocking
- Minimal options
- Skimpy bookmarking
- Uses a lot of system resources
The Google Chrome browser takes a minimalist approach, stripping down to basic browsing with an ultra-simple, intuitive interface. Reviewers find it very fast, with superb search features, private browsing and the best crash protection available. It also makes it possible to use Google desktop applications offline, and users can search the text of pages in the browser's history. The main drawbacks are fairly primitive bookmarking plus the lack of customization. For those who want RSS feeds and many other options within the browser, reviews recommend Firefox 3 (free), saying it's just as fast but much more customizable.
We found the best review of Google Chrome at TechRadar.com, where it's tested both on a new computer and an older one, and is compared with the latest beta versions of Firefox and Internet Explorer. The Wall Street Journal's Walter Mossberg compares Chrome with Internet Explorer 8 and Firefox 3 in a succinct review that clarifies each browser's pros and cons. The ratings and reviews at PC World magazine, Gadgets-Reviews.com, CNet.com and Softpedia.com add useful details. PC Magazine compares Chrome with Flock 2 and Opera 9.5 as well as with Firefox and Internet Explorer, but it seems prejudiced against Chrome mainly because it's new.
Our Sources
This review tests three beta versions of new web browsers - Firefox 3.1, Google Chrome and Internet Explorer 8 - on both a high-powered new computer and an older machine. Firefox has a slight edge over Chrome, but editors note that Chrome is more stable.
Review: Tested: Google Chrome vs. IE8 vs. Firefox 3.1, Editors of TechRadar.com, Sept. 4, 2008
Testing Google Chrome on a laptop running Windows XP, Mossberg finds that Chrome has trouble with some video sites and is slower than Firefox. Overall, though, he judges it "a smart, innovative browser that, in many common scenarios, will make using the Web faster, easier and less frustrating."
Review: Google Redefines Web Browser, Walter S. Mossberg, Sept. 2, 2008
Chrome earns a lower rating than Firefox 3.1 here - 88 vs. 93 - and a separate comparison of Chrome with Internet Explorer 8 notes that both browsers use so much CPU and memory that they're not designed for computers that are more than about 18 months old. Chrome does earn praise for its speed, simplicity and reliability.
Review: Browser Battle: Firefox 3.1 vs. Chrome vs. IE8, JR Raphael, Sept. 9, 2008
Chrome wins objective tests of speed and memory usage here, compared with Opera, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Google Chrome seems almost incredibly fast, and though it uses more memory initially, it wins on that score too when browsers are compared over 10 minutes of intensive use.
Review: Browser Battle: Google Chrome vs. Opera, Firefox and IE Tests, Editors of Gadgets-Reviews.com, Sept. 3, 2008
5. CNET
This review gives Chrome a rating of three ("good") on a five-point scale, but it praises Chrome's security features and the way it handles downloads to prevent crashes. The review also notes that Chrome tidies up after itself, so that when a page is closed there's no lingering memory usage.
Review: Google Chrome (beta), Robert Vamosi, Sept. 2, 2008
Google Chrome earns only a "good" rating for user interface, features, ease of use, and value - losing points for being resource-hungry and a lack of customization. However, the reviewer likes Chrome's fresh look plus the way it allows use of Google web applications offline.
Review: Google Chrome Inside Out, Ionut Ilascu, Sept. 3, 2008
This detailed review gives Chrome a lower rating than Firefox 3, Flock 2 and Opera 9.5 - partly because the author doesn't see the need for yet another browser. Chrome is very fast and provides good crash protection and privacy, but it gets mixed marks for rendering sites accurately.
Review: Google Chrome, Michael Muchmore, Sept. 8, 2008
