Computer browsers. Browsers for Windows
When choosing a program to work on the World Wide Web, many are mainly interested in what is the fastest browser for Windows 7 today.
Although there are simply a huge number of other criteria for choosing a browser.
Today you can find and download many “homemade” browsers, that is, those that were developed by novice programmers, and not by teams of professionals.
So, their main drawback is the speed of work.
There is no talk about data security and safety.
In any case, today we will look at all the main characteristics that will help you choose a program for accessing the Internet, and the main one will be the speed of operation.
As for how this very speed will be tested, a very simple method will be chosen, which consists of launching a browser or performing other operations with a stopwatch on it.
In particular, the speed will be tested on such operations as launching the browser itself, opening a website, logging into a Google email account, launching a video and installation speed.
The tests will not be conducted on a new computer.
This choice is due to the fact that one wants to achieve maximum objectivity of the research.
Yes, usually “clean” machines are used in such tests, but we all don’t have the opportunity to reinstall the operating system every month.
This would make it possible to turn a used computer into a completely “clean” machine.
In general, the conditions will not be as close to reality as possible; they will be quite real. Go!
Opera
This browser was released in 1994. Until 2013, I worked on my own engine, then I switched to Webkit+V8, which is familiar to many developers, which, by the way, is also used a little in Google Chrome.
According to research by some sites, it is the fifth most popular browser in the world. Users like the mobile version, which is called Opera Mini.
The main advantage of this program is its excellent ability to save traffic. This allows many users to pay less for the Internet.
You can download this browser absolutely free of charge on the official website www.opera.com/ru.
This site has one large “Download Now” button, which allows you to start downloading.
For our tests, we will use the latest version downloaded from the official website.
Speed tests yielded the following results:
- Browser launch time – 3 s;
- Website opening time – 2 s;
- Video start time – 2 s;
- Installation time – 1.3 minutes (from launching the installer program to closing it).
By the way, the design of the installation window for this program is very beautiful, but at the same time minimalistic.
The installation process itself takes very little time.
The user only needs to press one button and nothing else - he does not select a path, does not read a bunch of license conditions, does not watch presentations, and so on.
On the one hand, this is, of course, good, because a simple user does not need all this.
But some will say that this is bad, because “who knows what they write in the license.”
But since we evaluate the speed of work, Opera performs excellently in this regard.
Other advantages and disadvantages of Opera
In addition to speed when choosing a program for Internet access, it will also be useful to know about the following advantages of Opera:
- Traffic savings. A signature feature of this browser.
- The presence of a Turbo mode, which allows you to work even faster on slow computers and still save traffic.
- Its own express panel with bookmarks. In other browsers, this function must be installed additionally. Yes, there are bookmark bars, but they are not as functional.
- Hot control keys. In fact, this browser can be operated without a mouse.
- Ease of use. Opera is not loaded with plugins for privacy and other similar functions, so it can work many times faster.
The disadvantages of Opera include the following:
- On old machines it may not work at all. On the other hand, nothing from the modern standard user set already works for them. And who uses such old computers now?
- Incorrect operation of some scripts. In defense of Opera, we can also say that not all scripts that exist today work on other browsers.
Complaints about instability - it restarts, throws out, and so on. It also doesn’t happen very often - if you’re unlucky, you’ll have to restart.
Google Chrome
This browser was released in 2008 - relatively recently.
Its direct ancestor is the Safari browser, which was then also tried to be adapted for Windows, but these attempts were unsuccessful - it turned out to be too slow, and was often restarted.
Safari was originally designed for Mac computers. Google Chrome runs on its own engine called Chrominium.
Last year, this browser was first in many polls in RuNet.
You can download Google Chrome on the official website - www.google.ru/chrome/browser/desktop/index.html (a very non-standard link that could be shortened).
There is also a single button that you need to press.
By the way, here on the download site you can read the license agreement, as well as set Google Chrome as the default browser and check the box to send work reports to Google.
By the way, many people refuse the latter.
To do this, you just need to uncheck the box highlighted in green in Figure 4.
Testing the speed of this browser gave the following results:
- Browser launch time – 4 s;
- Website opening time – 5 s;
- Authorization time for a Google email account is 1 s;
- Video start time – 1 s;
- Installation time – 1.5 minutes.
When installing here, by the way, some additional content is downloaded, which makes the whole process a little longer.
Otherwise, Google Chrome performs really well, but still a little worse than Opera.
And this despite the fact that many authors of similar articles call this browser the fastest.
As you can see, tests in real conditions gave a different result.
Advantages and disadvantages of Google Chrome
It will also be very useful for users who choose a program to access the Internet to know about the following advantages of Google Chrome:
- Safety. Great attention is paid to this here. Google Chrome has a huge number of additional programs and scripts that protect against various types of attacks and viruses. In addition, this browser has its own database with these same viruses and malicious sites.
- “Incognito” mode, which allows you to be unnoticed on various sites. This means that the site will not leave cookies or any other information about the stay of the user working in Incognito mode.
- Work stability. It is very rare to hear about Google Chrome that it reloads or cannot handle a large number of sites.
- Your own “Task Manager”, which makes it possible to see how many resources a particular site consumes, as well as a plugin.
- Normal work with extensions. It is also very rare to hear complaints about this.
- Voice control search.
The disadvantages include the following:
- Lack of support for NPAPI plugins starting from version 42.0. A lot of modern plugins work on this platform. And users are faced with difficulties in installing them or even with the inability to complete this task.
Otherwise, Google Chrome performs just fine.
As you can see, its operating speed is not too much inferior to Opera, therefore, taking into account all the other advantages, it is not surprising that this particular browser is called the best today.
Mozilla Firefox
In 2014, this browser took a strong first place in all foreign surveys. But then the two programs described above took the leading positions from Mozilla Firefox.
Still, the contribution that the “sly fox,” as many users call him, made to the development of browsers as a whole deserves respect.
The fact is that Mozilla Firefox became the first browser in the world that had its own extension base. It was for him that the first extensions and plugins began to be written.
It is not surprising that as of 2017, Mozilla Firefox has the largest extension base.
In addition, it was in this browser that the privacy mode first appeared.
Today this idea is actively used by Google specialists, including in the development of the aforementioned Google Chrome.
The first version of this program was released in 2004 on the Gecko engine. To this day, nothing has changed in terms of the engine.
But this does not prevent the program from constantly improving and gaining new positions in the market.
Although, of course, since 2014, Mozilla Firefox has lost a lot in popularity.
It is also most convenient to download this browser on the official page - www.mozilla.org/ru/firefox/new/.
According to good tradition, the site has one large “Download for free” button.
There are no longer any license agreements on the site. And in general, the download occurs automatically and this process is not delayed by anything.
In the installer window you can use additional settings. The settings window is shown in Figure 6.
As you can see, you can specify where program shortcuts should be installed, the installation path, and whether this browser should be made the main one.
Advice: When installing, be sure to use the advanced settings window, because otherwise, program shortcuts will appear on the taskbar, on the desktop and in the Start menu, which is often not needed by users! In addition, installation information will be sent to Mozilla specialists, and the browser itself will become the default browser.
To open this very window of additional settings at startup, you should click the “Settings” button highlighted in Figure No. 7.
The installation itself also begins with downloading additional files. This, of course, makes the process longer.
Mozilla Firefox runtime tests yielded the following results:
- Browser launch time – 5 s;
- Website opening time – 3 s;
- Authorization time for a Google email account is 1 s;
- Video start time – 2 s;
- Installation time – 1.35 minutes.
Advantages and disadvantages of Mozilla Firefox
The benefits of Mozilla Firefox are as follows:
- Reliability in operation. There are plugins that can “kill” absolutely all browsers except Mozilla Firefox.
- Security and privacy at the highest level. This is the only browser of its kind that can block the collection of information about a particular user by sites, including Google. This makes it possible not to see annoying advertising that is generated based on the requests of this user.
- Version updates occur in the background.
- In addition, this also includes the widest base of plugins and extensions mentioned above.
The disadvantages of Mozilla Firefox are:
- Immunity of some modern scripts.
- Frequent complaints about slow operation, especially under high loads.
From all this we can conclude that Mozilla Firefox clearly cannot be considered the fastest browser for Windows 7.
Yandex browser
This is the youngest modern browser of those used by several million people. Users first heard about this browser in 2012.
Now, in 2017, Yandex is actively promoting its product using contextual advertising. Here, of course, everything is aimed at working directly with Yandex services.
So, by default, this browser already has mail, a translator, disk, money and everything else that the most popular Russian search engine offers.
By the way, the engine in Yandex Browser is the same Chromium. Many users say that this program has its own quick launch panel, which is called “Scoreboard”.
This is considered a feature of Yandex.Browser, but for the average person it is practically the same bookmarks bar that is in Opera.
True, there it is much more functional.
You can host 20 different sites on Tablo.
An interesting feature of this browser is its work with mouse gestures.
This means that there is a certain set of gestures that are formed by certain cursor movements and perform certain functions.
There are also a huge number of extensions and plugins, most of which are taken from the already beloved Google Chrome.
This is due to the fact that these two browsers run on the same Chromium engine.
You can download Yandex Browser on the official website - browser.yandex.ru.
Although, if you visit the website yandex.ru several times, you will definitely see an advertisement for this browser and can follow the link to download it.
This site also has a nice big “Download” button.
The results of testing the speed of this browser gave the following results:
- Browser launch time – 11 s;
- The website opening time is 4 seconds (the first launch, by the way, gave the result in 24 seconds);
- Authorization time for a Google email account is 4 s;
- Video start time – 2 s;
- Installation time – 2.10 min.
During installation, it is also possible to make Yandex.Browser the default browser and make it possible to send data to Yandex specialists.
To do this, you need to check the boxes highlighted in green in Figure 9.
Most users prefer to uncheck these boxes, which is not at all surprising.
As you can see, in terms of speed, Yandex Browser is clearly inferior to Mozilla Firefox.
Advantages and disadvantages of Yandex.Browser
The advantages of Yandex.Browser are as follows:
- Developers pay great attention to security. So the program automatically checks a particular site for suspicion. It has its own criteria for suspicion (Web of Trust), as well as programs installed by default to block phishing attacks and advertising.
- Its own system for viewing documents in formats such as .pdf, .doc and others.
- Your own translator.
- "Turbo" mode, like in Opera.
The disadvantages include the following:
- Imposing Yandex services, which many users do not like. Although, on the other hand, this is exactly what this browser was created for.
Many people don't like the interface. - Difficulty setting up. Many functions that are available in Opera or Mozilla are simply not available here in Yandex Browser.
In general, from all this we can draw a conclusion, which is that Yandex.Browser is far from the fastest and most optimized browser.
Maxthon
Now let's move on to some somewhat exotic browsers that are not as popular as Yandex.Browser, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Google Chrome.
One of the rather promising browsers in this direction is Maxthon.
Its main feature is the combination of two engines at once - Webkit and Trident. Some parts of the first are used in Yandex Browser, Opera and Google Chrome.
And the second was used to create the very first browser in history, Internet Explorer. Thanks to this combination, in fact, it was possible to achieve very high speed.
At least, this is what the developers of this program say.
In principle, people write on forums that in some cases it works even faster than the vaunted Google Chrome.
But to check this, there is only one way, which we will use now.
The Maxthon speed test readings look like this:
- Browser launch time – 0.7 s;
- Website opening time – 1 s;
- Authorization time for a Google email account is 0.6 s;
- Video start time – 0.8 s;
- Installation time – 1.17 minutes.
As you can see, Maxthon really shows phenomenal results! But speed is not the only advantage of this browser.
Advantages and disadvantages of Maxthon
The advantages of the Maxthon browser are:
- Working with cloud storage - all personal settings, records and authorization data are saved not on the hard drive, but in the cloud. This prevents the user from losing it all.
- The browser requires few resources to operate.
- It is possible to remove ads without additional plugins.
- A huge number of extensions.
- It has its own security system, which, judging by the reviews, works quite well.
- Notepad for notes.
- Night browsing mode, which optimizes those pages that have a dark background, too many ads, or other nuances that make reading information inconvenient.
In general, we can say that Maxthon is a very, very multifunctional thing.
On the side there is a toolbar on which the same notepad, a download manager, a tool for working with RSS, as well as several Yandex services are located.
Its only disadvantage is that it also promotes these same Yandex services. But Yandex Browser is still very far from Maxthon!
So every user should definitely try using Maxthon in their work.
No. 11. Maxthon browser appearance
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The Chrome browser has long been the leader among its peers by a wide margin. It would seem that such trump cards as crazy speed and user-friendly interface left no chance for analogues.
But the increasingly hot breath of competitors in the form of Mozilla and Opera, as well as the conquest of their share of the audience with new products such as , and Yandex.Browser, required new accents from developers.
version: 2.3.1440.48 from February 21, 2019A new browser from the developers of Opera, created on the basis of Chromium with the Blink engine. It features expanded functionality and increased ease of navigation.
The web browser interface is very reminiscent of Opera 12 - it also has a sidebar, a trash can with closed tabs, and an image display mode. At the same time, the authors implemented a number of interesting innovations. Among them are tab grouping, an integrated email client, and notes on open web pages.
version: 28.4.0 from February 20, 2019Pale Moon is the best alternative to Mozilla Firefox. The browser is based on the same software core, but has a lightweight interface and increased performance by 25%.
It provides excellent page opening speed and increased stability by eliminating some tools. According to the developers from Moonchild Productions, a browser should be a browser, and it is not necessary to take on the functions of other applications.
version: 19.1.2 from February 18, 2019Ya.Browser is a web browser from the Yandex company, created on the basis of the Chromium engine. It combines the best features of the popular browsers Chrome and Opera, and also provides unique features to its users.
The Yandex browser is similarly capable of activating the traffic-saving Turbo mode and still loading pages quickly when the Internet connection speed slows down, as in . Enjoy a minimalist interface, amazing speed and a built-in translator, and add extensions from the Google Chrome store.
version: 65.0.1 from February 14, 2019Mazila Firefox is one of the most popular cross-platform browsers in the world, it provides fast, secure Internet surfing, is flexible in settings and has a huge selection of plug-ins and extensions.
The multimillion-strong fan club of the Mozilla Firefox web browser is driving the market, creating conditions for healthy competition with the Google browser. The reasons why users tend to download Mozilla Firefox are obvious - the emphasis on enhanced protection against malicious sites, high speed of working with dozens of open tabs and the introduction of innovative technologies, such as sockets, web consoles or new generation graphics.
Tor Browser for anonymous web surfing. It is a Firefox web browser with an integrated Torbutton extension, a script blocker and an add-on for logging into sites via the HTTPS protocol.
The program allows you to visit sites prohibited by the administrator or the state, as well as correspond in web chats, place orders and download files, hiding your IP address and other identification elements.
version: 58.0.3135.53 from February 01, 2019The Opera browser from the descendants of the Vikings is reliable, fast and convenient, and the use of a unique Turbo mode allows you to quickly load pages even with a critically low Internet connection speed.
Opera for computer is a powerful web browser from Norwegian developers who have focused on the reliability and convenience of web surfing.
version: 56.2.6 from December 19, 2018Waterfox is a browser based on Mozilla Firefox, created specifically for 64-bit systems. Provides secure and amazingly fast web surfing.
Initially, Waterfox developers successfully took advantage of the fact that there was no official version of Mozilla Firefox for 64-bit architecture, and compiled the program core using Intel C++ Compiler. Despite the fact that programmers from the Fire Fox office subsequently released a version for a 64-bit OS, Waterfox continued to demonstrate higher speeds than those observed in its promoted relative.
Today, perhaps, not a single person can imagine life without the Internet, without the ability to communicate, the ability to download what you need, video chat for free, watch videos for free and much more. The life of modern man is divided into two parts. The first is real, the second is virtual. The Internet has become one of the main sources of information. Without it, it is quite difficult to imagine the life of a modern person, so the efforts of programmers and physicists are aimed at constantly modernizing the Internet space and creating high-quality free Internet resources.
Without what will Internet access be impossible? For example, you installed a router at home or connected a dedicated network of an Internet provider, but all this can be called a waste of money if a browser is not installed on your computer.
A browser is a special program that provides access to Internet pages. Today there are a whole lot of browsers from different manufacturers, most of which you can download for free from us. There are so many browsers that choosing the best browser from all of them is incredibly difficult, and sometimes almost impossible. Each of the web browsers that can be found with us has advantages and disadvantages, so what to be happy about when you decide to download this or that browser for free, and what to put up with, everyone chooses independently. Of course, first of all, manufacturing companies release new browser programs for the Windows operating system, since its users are the absolute majority.
Since you are reading this article, it means that you want to download a new browser for free to your computer. In order to find the best browser for yourself and download it for free, you need to decide which functions for Internet surfing are your priority. For example, if speed is most important to you, then the best thing for you would be to download the fastest browser for free. If your first priority is not speed, but, say, the convenience of the interface, the best thing for you would be to download a free browser, which contains a huge number of widgets, an express panel and fairly flexible interface settings.
On our website you can find a special section that contains all existing browsers for Windows, each of which you can get completely free. Among them you will find and be able to download for free the most popular ones, such as Opera, Apple Safari, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, as well as lesser-known browsers such as Chromium, Pale Moon, Maxthon, Byffox and many others, which you can also download from us for free. All of these Internet browsers have their pros and cons, so the choice is always up to each of you what you want to download and what to use.
You don't have to worry that you may not be downloading the latest product. Our site only lists new browsers, so don't waste time searching for newer versions. All browsers that can be downloaded from us are provided only with the latest versions.
Absolutely every browser contains a detailed description, in which its main features and shortcomings are explained in a language that everyone can understand. After reading this description and looking at the screenshots, you can easily decide whether it’s worth downloading this browser or whether it’s better to look for another one. All that remains for you then is to download and install the selected browser on your desktop computer or laptop.
It is definitely worth noting that you can download each browser without registering on the site, which significantly saves your time. Moreover, downloading an Internet browser from our website is not only fast, but also absolutely free. We do not require money from you, just as the manufacturers themselves do not require it. Free browsers are free to use and download, so be careful and don't fall for scammers.
This page presents more than two dozen browsers that are freely available. Absolutely every Internet user will be able to download a free browser of their choice, download it free of charge to their computer, install it and surf the World Wide Web!
A browser is software required on every computer. You can select and download a browser for Windows 7, 8, 10 for free on our website.
We have collected the most popular latest Russian browser versions of 2018.
Why is it needed? Firstly, it is designed to work on the Internet (and this is necessary everywhere these days). With its help, web pages and all kinds of web documents open. Secondly, the browser also comes to the rescue in controlling the machine, making it possible to easily view computer files and their directories. Regarding the management of web applications - also to the browser.
Today there are truly a great variety of browsers for Windows. You can download the best browsers for Windows from our website. And they differ not only in the shortcut that you see on the desktop (although it’s a shame to complain here, the developers tried to make each individual and different from the others). All sorts of additional functions, built-in extensions that give the user new opportunities and make his life on the Internet easier. One gets the feeling that developers from different companies are simply competing with each other. And, perhaps, somewhere this is true. The competition among browsers is serious, so you have to wonder how to stand out so that users choose your product. You can download several browsers and try them out, leaving the one that is most convenient for you.
However, if you strip away all the extra bells and whistles, the browsers look very similar. Even though different engines were used to create them. This is due to the international standards that all developers follow. They do this not out of despair (no one twists their arms or forces them to work ONLY this way). However, uniform requirements make it possible to guarantee that all information will be displayed correctly in the browser, and the user will not want to stick the mixer in his eyes when he sees the open page.
Browsers are distributed free of charge, do not take up much space, and do not conflict with each other (unless everyone definitely wants to be the “Default Browser”). So it is not uncommon for several such programs to be installed on one computer at once, following the principle “everyone is good at something.” This option is also convenient when several users work on one machine at once - each has their own browser, and there are no problems with saving tabs, bookmarks and passwords.
So you can start downloading from our website right now as many browsers as you need, and those that you like. If it suddenly turns out that you were mistaken, and the “nice label” does not hide the browser of your dreams, you can always replace it with another one.
05/01/2019 17:33
Each person has unique tastes, preferences, and requirements. If one thing gets tested by a hundred people, each will give a different result. Some opinions will be similar, others will differ and this is natural. In the software field everything is exactly the same. A browser is a program that a person uses to surf the Internet. We run it every day, so it’s important to choose a convenient browser that will meet all the requirements.
Using the browser, you can search for any information, listen to music, watch movies, and play your favorite games. Any rating will be controversial, but let's try to rank the best browsers. In this article you will look at the criteria for choosing a good browser for Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10. We will study in detail the advantages and disadvantages of each of them. Based on our rating, you will be able to choose a good browser for yourself.
Google Chrome 1st place
This is the most popular browser that exists today. The program can be called the best and fastest on the Windows operating system. Its opening took place in 2008. Chrome was based on the popular Safari browser at that time, made on the WebKit engine. Formally, it was crossed with the V8 javascript engine. Subsequently, this hybrid was renamed Chromium. Such famous companies as Google, Opera Software, as well as Yandex and several other large developers participated in further development. Google was the first to create its own version of the browser on Chromium. A year later, it was installed on 3.6% of computers worldwide. He began to quickly gain popularity, today he is the undisputed leader and occupies 42.21%. It is worth noting that the majority are smartphones that come with a pre-installed browser.
Advantages:
- High speed. Chrome is significantly superior to its competitors in terms of browser speed, as well as processing of displayed resources. In addition, there is a convenient function for preloading pages, this further increases the speed of work.
- Safety. The company has implemented reliable technologies that ensure the safety of using the browser. They continue to actively develop. The browser has a database of phishing and malicious resources, which is updated regularly. The browser works according to a unique scheme in such a way that not a single process is used, but several at once, but with lower privileges. Downloading files with .bat, .exe or .dll resolution requires additional confirmation, which reduces the chances of downloading a virus.
- There is an "Incognito" mode. This is a very convenient feature when you need to view a large number of sites, but not leave traces of their visit on your computer.
- Thoughtful interface. It is quite simple and contains everything you need, without unnecessary elements. Chrome is the first browser to offer quick access. On the panel you can see the most visited resources. Another feature is the joint use of the address bar and the search engine. Later this feature was implemented in other browsers.
- Stable work. Recently, there have been no such cases when Google Chrome experienced glitches or was very slow. This can only happen if there are viruses in the system. In many ways, security and stability are improved by using multiple processes that are separated from each other. If one of them stops working, the others continue to function.
- There is a task manager in the "Additional tools" menu. Almost no one knows about this feature. Thanks to this convenient tool, you can track how many resources an entire tab or a separate plugin takes up. You can find and fix the source of the problem if the application starts to slow down.
- Large selection of extensions, many of which can be downloaded for free. There are also many plugins and themes available. The browser can be customized depending on personal preferences, which is very convenient.
- It is possible to automatically translate pages. Google Translator is used for this.
- The program is updated automatically without disturbing the user.
- Search queries can be specified by voice, for this purpose the service “ OK Google».
- Starting with version 42.0, support for NPAPI plugins was stopped, including the fairly popular Flash Player.
- For the application to run smoothly, you need at least 2 GB of RAM.
- Most of the extensions and plugins are made in a foreign language.
- A significant load on the hardware contributes to the short battery life of laptops and smartphones.
I don’t like the fact that all user data is stored on American servers (most likely now the data is stored on Russian servers). Mail, personal contacts and search information are stored there. True, we should not exclude the possibility that other browsers do the same. You need to take precautions whenever possible, then you will have nothing to fear. If you do not want to disclose your own data, but still continue to use Chrome, then use SlimJet or SRWare Iron, we will talk about them below.
Yandex.Browser 2nd place
The browser has the shortest history; it was opened in 2012. It is extremely popular in Russia. The browser supports integration with Yandex services, which are very convenient to use. The default search engine is Yandex. The interface turned out to be quite original, even though it was created on the Chromium engine. The quick launch panel immediately catches your eye. It is made in a tiled style.
The user can place up to 20 tiles. The browser uses a “Smart String”, which not only transmits the entered phrase to the search engine, but also automatically selects the required site if the name matches. Unfortunately, so far this function only works with large resources. Mouse manipulation is supported, with which you can control the viewing of web pages with simple movements.
Advantages:
Flaws:
- Not everyone will like the original interface.
- Linking to various Yandex services. Without them, the program is deprived of many features.
- Rarely, but still problems arise with transferring settings and history.
Mozilla Firefox 3rd place
Now Mozila is the most popular foreign browser, and in Russia it ranks third. Over the past few years, it has begun to lose ground, but only slightly. The first version of the program appeared in 2004, since then there have been many changes. The application engine is Gecko - it is freely available and continues to be improved by developers. Formally, this is the first browser that had a huge base of extensions even before the advent of Chrome. He was among the first to implement the maximum confidentiality regime that Google invented.
Advantages:
- A simple and very convenient interface with no unnecessary details.
- A convenient settings system that allows you to radically change your browser, customizing it to your liking.
- A large number of various plugins. They can be chosen to suit every taste, because at the moment there are more than 100,000 of them.
- Cross-platform. The browser can be downloaded for any operating system that is used on modern technology.
- Reliability. I have found myself in situations where the user caught a banner that blocked all browsers, but Firefox continued to function.
- Maximum level of security and privacy of personal data.
- Convenient bookmarks bar.
- The program may refuse to allow various websites to track information about you. You can set up private browsing. In addition, there is a Master Passwords feature that further protects your entries on certain resources.
- Updates occur in the background without the need for user intervention.
- Compared to Chrome, the interface is a little slower and takes longer to respond to user manipulations.
- Performance is average;
- Lack of script support on some resources, as a result of which the content may not function properly.
- The application requires a large amount of RAM to run.
Opera 4th place
This is the oldest browser, which was opened back in 1994. I started using it about 15 years ago, and I still use it as needed. Until 2013, Opera had its own engine, but now Webkit+V8 is used. The exact same technology is used in Google Chrome. In 2010, the company opened a mobile version of the program. Now it is the fourth most popular browser in Russia, and in the world it ranks sixth.
Advantages:
- Excellent speed of operation and page display. The browser's features include a turbo mode, which significantly increases page loading speed through the use of cloud technologies. At the same time, traffic is saved significantly, which is very important when using the mobile version.
- There is a convenient express panel with saved bookmarks. This is a modified Speed Dial tool that we saw in previous versions of the browser.
- Opera Link technology, which is needed to synchronize different devices.
- Lots of hotkeys for easy control.
- Opera Unite Internet browser.
- To work effectively, you need a large amount of RAM. If you open several tabs at the same time, Opera will start to slow down. Even the reliable Chrome engine does not improve the situation.
- On many sites, scripts and various forms are observed to work incorrectly. There are a large number of complaints when working with WML.
- Stability cannot be called the browser's strong point. The company was never able to get rid of periodic crashes and freezes.
4. Own bookmarking system, nicknamed “Piggy Bank”. This is quite an interesting solution, but it is poorly implemented.
K-Meleon 5th place
This application began to be developed back in 2000. In fact, it is a relative of Mozilla Firefox; they use the same engine. You may ask why he was included in the rating if they are practically the same? The fact is that they have strong differences. For example, today K-Meleon is the lightest browser for the Windows system. Such results were achieved thanks to the features of its development. Initially, the program was only supposed to demonstrate the capabilities of the new engine. As a result, the company was able to achieve economical consumption of PC resources.
Advantages:
- Small requirements for PC resources, including a low amount of RAM.
- Using the native Windows interface, which significantly saves time and resources spent on the interface.
- High speed.
- Good personalization options, and you don't need to use third-party extensions for this. Everything is arranged using macros. It will be difficult for a beginner to master, but you can figure it out in your free time.
- There is a large selection of assemblies. You can choose an extension with the desired set of functions.
- You can create multiple profiles for different users.
- Quite a clumsy interface. If you compare it with the Top 5 leaders, then this browser has a too simple design.
- Rarely, there are problems with displaying the Cyrillic alphabet, but the situation has been corrected in recent updates.
Internet Explorer
This is a free browser that comes with integrated Windows software. Microsoft has been developing it since 1995 to this day. Therefore, the browser was one of the most popular in Russia, but then Chrome appeared. Now he has lost a lot of his position and ranks 5th in popularity. The reason can be considered the completion of its development. Along with Windows 10, the company's development, Spartan, was released.Throughout the history of the browser, it was never considered the best; everyone knew about a large number of vulnerabilities that were exploited by various viruses. For a very long time it was the weak point of every computer running the Windows operating system. The situation changed for the better with the release of Internet Explorer 10, which is included with Windows 8. All the holes in it were corrected and, subject to certain rules, the browser was considered safe.
Version 11 appeared along with the Windows 8.1 update, it is the latest in the line. In terms of speed, it can be compared with its competitors, but is still slightly inferior to them. Now there is a privacy mode, a preliminary rating, and caching is also supported, which allows you to increase the speed of the browser. Despite successful innovations, the browser is only losing its position. In my work, I use Internet Explorer only to log into the web interface of my home router and other network equipment. There is a simple explanation for this: this is the browser developers use, so the markup is designed for it. It is better to use another browser to view Internet resources.
Now there are many browsers that we did not mention in our review. We've presented our picks for the best browsers, but everyone may have a different opinion. The review represents only those reviewers that I have encountered. They are completely free to download and use without any restrictions. The current version can be found on the official website. If you can suggest decent browsers that should be in the Top 5, then indicate your options in the comments.
