Which are the fastest browsers for Windows in 2024? How can I get the fastest & secure browsing experience on Windows PC? If you are also asking such questions, then look no further! Here’s a list of 12 more secure and fastest web browsers for Windows that you can consider. Read more!
Whenever we want to run a quick search, we use a web browser to take what we need from the “abyss of knowledge” known as the internet. Web browsers are quite a handy tool when it comes to the daily life of a dynamic digital era. But, what if we say that there are far better alternatives available that can outflank your current browser? The web browsers we’ll be talking about are some of the fastest browsers for windows 10. But, how do we know if these browsers are potent enough to satiate the needs of a modern moody user? Well, for that part we’ve evaluated each browser on some must-have standards and characteristics.
How to Decide Which is the Fastest Browser for Windows 10?
The following constraints help in determining whether a browser is fast or not:
Speed- Speed; It’s a must-have ingredient for a web browser for Windows 10. Cause, hey! Who doesn’t get annoyed and irritated when the web pages aren’t loaded in a blink? Right.
Privacy- In today’s digital world where any sort of information can be accessed with a few taps. The danger of your information getting leaked always lurks around while you watch those cat videos. BTW cats are cute, Aren’t they?
Extensions- Who doesn’t wanna get those super-useful extensions at their disposal while browsing the net? So, the best fast browser for Windows 10 comprises all the cool and handy extensions.
User-Experience- Technology has been developing in every instance just to make human lives easier and more convenient. Similarly, a web browser should be simple and less complex yet robust and secure. Is this too much to ask for?
To determine the accountability of the above factors in the browsers, we took the help of the following benchmark tools.
Speedometer 2.0- Speedometer 2.0 is one of the most reliable benchmark websites ever created. This website allows you to ascertain the responsiveness of the browser to any website quite easily. With the help of over 480 different JavaScript standards, the benchmark can easily determine the reliability of the tool.
JetStream 2- Jus like Speedometer, the JetStream 2 also allows you to ascertain the speed of the browser by cross-checking the tool again different benchmarks.
MotionMark- MotionMark is different from Speedometer and JetStream as it ascertains the browser’s ability to load graphics instead of speed.
All you need to do is compare the Runs per Minute as generated from the tests run on these tools to ascertain which one is the best.
So, these were some metrics that we used to evaluate these browsers for windows. So, enough beating around the bush, Here we present the Fastest Browsers For Windows 10, 11.
Best & Fastest Web Browsers for Windows 10,11 in 2024
Speed, weight, general performance, navigation, extension support, lightness, privacy, and security are some of the significant features we look for when choosing the right web browser. Based on these features, we have prepared a list of the 12 fastest browsers for Windows that you should check out. Without further ado, let’s get started!
1. Google Chrome
Platform Supported: Windows: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11/ Apple Mac / Linux /Android
The finest and most commonly used cross-platform and fastest browser for PC 2024, Google Chrome has a varied user base. Although the browser consumes comparatively higher system resources it is easy to use. With regular updates, Google keeps on adding exceptional features to Chrome, like the Best Google Chrome Themes.
This fastest browser for windows 10 can be customized easily depending on the user’s needs. Also, it has a mechanism that is highly reliable and maximizes the speed of the browser. This is also one of the fastest mobile browsers for android. You can also get the best out of the browser using Effective Tips and Tricks for a Better Google Chrome Experience.
Notable Features
- Huge Library of extensions
- Cross Platform
- Available for free
- The user interface is completely customizable
- Advanced features for power users
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Also Read: Google Chrome vs Mozilla Firefox: Which Web Browser is Better
2. Opera
Platform Supported: Windows / macOS / iOS / Linux / Android
Opera is one of the most commonly used and trusted browsers around the world. The interface of the browser is quite straightforward which makes it one of the fastest browsers. The browser is available in two versions viz. Opera and Opera Mini. Both versions are very effective but the latter one is faster than the former.
If you are a beginner then Opera can be the best alternative for you. The tool is quite amazing and also provides advanced features like ad blocking, integrated VPN, and whatnot. You will find some of the most amazing features of this tool below:
Notable Features:
- Free to download and use
- Cross-platform base
- Allows interface personalization
- Contains a smart dashboard with multiple options
- Consumes less data
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3. Brave Browser
Platform Supported: Windows / macOS / iOS / Linux / Android
If you’re the type of person who gets paranoid regarding their privacy and safety on the net Brave Browser is the fastest browser in 2024. To all the internet users out there, if you’re concerned about who’s tracking you and want your browsing history and activity to stay hidden even from your ISP(Internet Service Provider), Brave Browser is especially for you. The browser is also the best and fastest browser for mac.
With all the basic features of a web browser and the best and fastest browser for Windows 11, it also has a strict anti-ad policy which ensures that your browsing session doesn’t get interrupted by annoying ads; result, faster browsing by a lot. So, Say Hello to the lightning-fast browsing experience and Bye to slow-loading pages. Know more about the features of this one of the Most Secure Web Browsers For Private Browsing and the fastest browser for windows 10 below.
Notable Features:
- Aggressive anti-ad policy
- Earn through watching ads
- Consumes less data than many browsers for Windows
- Privacy is guaranteed while using Brave Browser
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4. UR Browser
Platform Supported: Windows 11, 10, 8, 8.1, 7 / macOS
For users who truly want to experience privacy, faster web browsing, and security, we present you UR browser. UR browser is one of the fastest web browsers available on the net as it blocks trackers, ads, and cookies which otherwise slows down a website. Various alerts are also present to notify you if there’s a danger lurking around your identity or credentials. UR browser protects holds a powerful suite of tools to render optimum security to all its users.
Notable Features:
- A gamut of privacy-protection tools
- Light yet robust and fast at the same time
- Various privacy modes to choose from
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Also Read: Best Lightweight Browser for Windows
5. Vivaldi
Platform Supported: Windows / Linux
Vivaldi might sound like a new name in the fastest browser for PC market, but it has started to gain the limelight quite swiftly. Vivaldi was built under the Chromium project. It uniquely combines some of the best features of browsing giants like Google and Opera. Vivaldi also possesses marvelous multi-tab management. The trait which aids Vivaldi to stand in this list; Vivaldi is super-customizable. Users can tweak even the smallest thing to obtain a more personalized experience. The tool can also work effectively as the Best People Search Engine and the below features justify the same.
Notable Features:
- Lightest and fastest browser for pc
- Has built-in notes features to scribe your ideas. thoughts, and all.
- Custom shortcuts and keyboard shortcuts are at your disposal.
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6. WaterFox
Platform Supported: Windows / Mac / Linux
WaterFox is a privacy-oriented and secure browser. It is an open-source fastest browser for PC that blocks trackers and other similar threats to prevent them from gobbling up your data and personal information. WaterFox is based on Firefox and also uses the same engine. But, it tapers the privacy risks the users had with Firefox. WaterFox collects a negligible amount of data from its users only to keep the browser up-to-date and secure.
Notable Features:
- No telemetry
- Privacy Protection
- Protection from trackers
- Improved browsing experience
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7. Tor Browser
Platform Supported: Windows / Mac OS / Linux
Tor browser renders your privacy needs over the top. Hence, is one of the top 12 fastest browsers for windows 10, 11 in 2024. Privacy is the motto of the Tor browser. Surfing the net without any worries about privacy and being completely anonymous is what Tor helps you with. Tor browser helps you to stay hidden in the realm of the internet and keep tracking, surveillance, and censorship at bay. While using the Tor browser privacy is not a thing to worry about. Various tools of this fastest browser for PC cloak your IP address and cover your digital footprints.
Notable Features:
- Multiple layers of Encryption
- Defends users against surveillance and digital fingerprinting
- Blocks trackers and other privacy-threats
- Access the Dark web, deep web, and even blocked sites using the Tor browse
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Also Read: Best Fastest Web Browser for Mac
8. Slim Browser
Platform Supported: Windows
Next, you can give SlimBrowser a try. However, it isn’t the most feature-rich browser on this rundown, but if in case, you are searching for a lightweight and fast browser for Windows 11. Then, it may be the potential one.
With this web browser, users can build individual accounts or groups for particular sites and even can open all of them at once. The browser will also let you enjoy interruption or distraction-free browsing by turning on its ad blogger. Plus, you’ll love to access its amazing spell check feature. Talking about the downside, then you may find its interface cluttered.
Additional Features of SlimBrowser:
- One-click Facebook integration.
- Webpage & text translation.
- Quick and effective Download Manager.
- Compatible with most mainstream extensions of Firefox.
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9. Maxthon
Platform Supported: Windows / macOS / Linux / Android / iOS
If you are wondering what is the fastest browser in 2024 then Maxathon is the answer. This browser is developed by the Chinese conglomerate Xiaomi and is used by many Windows users around the world. The tool offers some of the best and most advanced features for any browser. The tool has some advanced features integrated into tool to Clear Browser Cache and do a lot more with ease.
Additionally, using this one of the top 12 fastest browsers for windows in 2024, you can retain your privacy as it’s built on blockchain technology.
Additional Features of Maxthon:
- One-click Facebook integration.
- Webpage & text translation.
- Quick and effective Download Manager.
- Compatible with most mainstream extensions of Firefox.
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10. Chromium
Platform Supported: Windows / macOS / Linux / Android / iOS
The last name on this list of the top 12 fastest browsers for windows 10, 11 in 2024 is Chromium. The browser is quite lightweight and allows you to run huge websites on your device with ease. Apart from this, you can download and use Chromium on Windows, OS X, Linux, or Android devices as required.
Additional Features of Chromium:
- Open-source but lightweight browser.
- More stable than multiple other browsers.
- Developers can also build browsers using Chromium.
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11. Mozilla Firefox
Platform Supported: Windows / macOS / Linux / ChromeOS / Android / iOS
Still looking for the fastest browser in 2024 then Mozilla Firefox is the next one that you can try. After Google Chrome, Firefox is one of the most commonly used browsers of all time. The browser is quite feasible and allows you to surf content very quickly and easily.
Let’s have a look at some of the features of this tool that make it one of the fastest browsers for Windows in 2024.
Additional Features of Mozilla Firefox:
- Blocks trackers smartly
- Multilingual UI
- History sharing
- Primary pa
12. Epic Browser
Platform Supported: Windows / macOS / Android / iOS
Epic Browser is the next pick for you in this list of the best free and fastest browsers for Windows. This is an amazing and lightning-fast browser of all time. The browser is very private and keeps your data safe without leaks.
Additional Features of Epic Browser:
- Multilingual UI
- Allows sharing of bookmarks
- Free integrated VPN
- Customizable interface
- Supports Chrome extensions
Also Read: Speed up Your Web Browser & Internet Speed
Secure & Fastest Browsers for Windows 11/10/8/7: Final Words
So, the above were some of the best browsers that you can use on your Windows PC. If you ask us, “which web browser is better for Windows?” Then, based on security, speed, performance, benchmark outcomes, and privacy tests, we suggest you choose Opera. And, if you are using Windows 11, then Opera is all you need to enjoy the fastest browsing experience. Apart from Opera, Google Chrome is also an ideal choice for Windows PC.
With all that, now you have the names of the most secure and fastest web browsers for windows 10, 11, and you can choose the one that suits you the best. We hope the article helps you make a better decision. Do you have any doubts or questions? Please feel free to reach out to us through the comments box below. In addition to this, you can also share your suggestions or further tips regarding the same. We look forward to your feedback.
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There are so many web browsers you can try and use that their sheer number might feel overwhelming. So, if you’re trying to find the best web browser in 2023, we thought it would be a good idea to check out the most popular ones for you. There are a lot of aspects to consider when deciding on a web browser, including but not limited to speed, features, security, and privacy. Let’s take a look at the most popular web browsers and see what each of them has to offer and, most importantly, which ones are the fastest:
The best browsers of 2023: What do they offer?
According to statcounter.com, the most popular web browsers for desktop computers in the last twelve months are Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox, and Opera. These five browsers have a total market share of 97.11%, leaving only 2.89% for all the other niche browsers.
Desktop Browser Market Share Worldwide in 2023
As you can see in the chart above, Google Chrome is the undisputed leader, holding a huge 66.45% market share, which is six times more than the next competitor, Microsoft Edge.
After hearing what some of our readers had to say, I decided to benchmark and test not only the main browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera) but also a few other niche browsers that an increasing number of people are starting to use: Opera GX, Vivaldi, Brave. As this is an analysis for Windows, made on a Windows PC, I couldn’t and didn’t include Safari, the default web browser for Mac computers.
Before getting to the benchmarking part and seeing which of the browsers are faster, let’s first take a look at all of them and what they have to offer besides raw speed and performance:
Google Chrome
Chrome, which is based on the free and open-source Chromium web browser, is the uncontested market leader of all desktop web browsers, with a global market share of more than 65% in the last 12 months. Google’s Chrome browser is well-known for its speed, minimalist design, and outstanding integration with other Google services.
Furthermore, this web browser offers a huge collection of extensions and personalization options that allow you to change the way it works and looks in order to improve your browsing experience. However, many people complain about Chrome’s unreasonable memory utilization, as well as its privacy-invading built-in features.
Google Chrome
TIP: Chromium, the browser on which Chrome is based, uses the Blink browser engine. Blink was built as part of the Chromium project, and large companies such as Google, Meta, Microsoft, Opera Software, Adobe, Intel, IBM, and Samsung are contributing to its development. The rendering engine is the one responsible for drawing and animating web pages, creating everything that you see on a website.
Microsoft Edge
Edge, which is Microsoft’s replacement for the old Internet Explorer, started by using a completely new rendering engine when it first launched but ultimately just moved on to using the same Chromium base as Google’s Chrome. This allows it to offer improved speed and compatibility with extensions designed originally for Chrome. In addition, because it’s made by Microsoft, Edge is also the best browser if you want the best level of integration with the company’s services and features, including but not limited to Windows 11 and Windows 10 operating systems, as well as Microsoft 365. The browser also stands out with its detailed privacy settings and additional features, such as vertical tabs, a sidebar, and built-in support for Bing Chat (based on Chat GPT). Although its market share has seen a significant boost lately, it still has a long way to go to seriously compete with Chrome on this front.
Microsoft Edge
Mozilla Firefox
Firefox, unfortunately, lost a lot of its momentum during the last couple of years, even if it’s one of the oldest and most iconic web browsers in history. Although its developers and user base are quite dedicated and loyal, it struggles to gain new users and only managed a market share of about seven percent during the last 12 months. Firefox is known for using its own rendering engine (Gecko) that draws the text and images from the websites you visit. It also aims to deliver excellent user control and privacy while offering plenty of personalization features. Among others, it’s worth mentioning that Firefox offers support for themes and tab groups, it has picture-in-picture mode, and even a VPN service.
However, besides losing popularity, Firefox is also lagging behind Chrome and Edge when it comes to the speed and performance offered while browsing the web. But more on that later in this review.
Mozilla Firefox
Opera
Opera is one of the most customizable web browsers today, and its features easily set it apart from all the others, although it’s based on the same Chromium browser and the same engine (Blink). On top of its built-in ad blocker and VPN service, Opera also comes with a sidebar where you can quickly access your favorite apps and services like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and Twitter. While Edge has a sidebar, too, the one in Opera is better when it comes to features, customization options, and how much it enhances your productivity.
Opera
Brave
Brave is a niche web browser based on the Chromium project with a small market share, but special in its own way. You could say that its main purpose is to offer privacy, first and foremost. That’s something you immediately notice when using this web browser, as it disables, by default, advertisements, and trackers. That, on its own, makes the whole web surfing experience feel faster. To compensate creators, Brave allows users to opt-in to watch privacy-protecting adverts in exchange for Basic Attention Tokens (BAT), a type of cryptocurrency that users can offer to their favorite websites and/or authors as a tip. These tokens can be stored in a wallet built into the Brave browser that can also hold other crypto tokens.
Brave
Opera GX
Opera GX is another web browser based on the open-source Chromium project, but created specifically for gamers. It comes with all the bells and whistles of the standard Opera browser but adds gamer-oriented features such as CPU and RAM limiters, Twitch connectivity, simple access to gaming news, and a whole range of mods and themes to customize the way it looks and sounds. As far as I know, no other browsers provide similar tools and customization possibilities.
Opera GX
Vivaldi
Yet another browser based on the free and open-source Chromium project, Vivaldi is what you might call the ultimate customization browser. As far as I can tell, this is the browser with the most tools, settings, and options available for personalization, which makes it unique among other browsers. Considering how many options you get for changing everything from colors to fonts, tabs, panels, menus, shortcuts, mouse gestures, and keyboard commands, it’s very likely that there aren’t two users out there with identical-looking Vivaldi browsers.
Vivaldi
TIP: Before seeing what’s the fastest browser out there, find out which browsers are best for your laptop’s battery life.
What’s the fastest browser of 2023?
Answering what is the best and the fastest web browser without further investigation is tough, as each browser has its strengths and weaknesses. For instance, some may be faster at loading web pages, some can be faster at running scripts, and some are faster at rendering graphics. So, the best way to determine which browser is the fastest is to benchmark them all. Furthermore, instead of running just one, I decided to run all three benchmarks offered by browserbench.org:
- JetStream 2: A benchmark suite for JavaScript and WebAssembly that advertises itself as being focused on the most advanced web applications. It rewards browsers that start up quickly, execute code quickly, and run smoothly.
- MotionMark: A graphics benchmark that measures a browser’s capability to animate complex scenes at a target frame rate.
- Speedometer: A browser benchmark that measures the responsiveness of web applications. It uses demo web applications to simulate user actions, such as adding to-do items.
Before showing you the results the web browsers obtained in these benchmarks, I have to point out that I ran all the tests on the same computer, using the following hardware and software components:
- Motherboard: ASUS Prime X670E-Pro WiFi
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
- CPU cooler: Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML360R RGB
- Memory: Kingston Fury Beast RGB DDR5-6000 32GB
- Graphics Card: AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT
- Storage: Kingston KC3000 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD (2TB)
- Monitor: ASUS ROG Strix XG32UQ
- Power Supply Unit: ASUS ROG Thor 850W Platinum
- Operating System: Windows 11 Pro version 22H2
Now let’s get to the results:
JetStream 2
The first benchmark I ran was JetStream 2. Results in this benchmark suite tell you how fast browsers are at running scripts and performing advanced tasks. A higher score means that your browser is going to be faster and perform better at loading and rendering complex web pages with many elements on them.
In my tests with Jet Stream 2, there were three winners: Chrome, Opera, and Opera GX. Their results were almost identical, with a tiny difference of just one point between them, which can be safely considered within the margin of error. The second place was also shared by three browsers: Microsoft Edge, Vivaldi, and Brave. Again, their results were identical or very close.
Mozilla Firefox is the web browser that lost this competition, managing a poor result compared to the others. If you set Firefox’s results and Chrome’s or Opera’s side by side, you’ll see that the latter browsers offer a performance increase of about 65%, which is huge!
Web browsers results in the JetStream 2 benchmark
MotionMark
The MotionMark benchmark tests browser graphics performance by drawing multiple rendering elements. These elements could be SVG nodes, HTML elements with CSS styles, or series of canvas operations. The effects of the tests aim to reflect techniques commonly used on the web, stressing the graphics system rather than JavaScript. A higher score in this benchmark means the web browser is better at rendering visuals on webpages than browsers with lower scores.
The uncontested winner in MotionMark was Google Chrome, far ahead of all the other browsers. The surprise here was that Brave easily took second place, ahead of other browsers with a larger market share like Microsoft Edge or Opera. Edge was third by a small margin, while Opera GX, Opera, and Vivaldi managed similar results and took fourth place on the ladder. Unfortunately, or even shamefully, I’d say, Mozilla Firefox was the slowest browser in this test too. Its score is roughly half that of Chrome, which is quite telling.
Web browsers results in the MotionMark 1.2 benchmark
Speedometer
The third benchmark, Speedometer, is designed to test a browser’s responsiveness in web apps by timing simulated user interactions. Among the user tasks it simulates, there are actions for adding, completing, and removing to-do items. In doing so, the benchmark calculates a score that shows you how fast a browser is on websites such as Facebook or Twitter, which by their nature involve a lot of user interaction.
In Speedometer, Chrome won again. Next came Opera, Opera GX, Vivaldi, and Microsoft Edge, all with pretty similar results and not far behind Chrome. The losers were Brave and, as you might have expected after seeing the previous charts, Mozilla Firefox.
Web browsers results in the Speedometer 2.1 benchmark
After testing Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Opera GX, Vivaldi, and Brave, the benchmarking results paint a clearer picture than I expected. The uncontested winner in terms of web browsing speed is Google Chrome. It’s the fastest browser at running scripts, web applications, and even graphics. No other browsers can match it when looking at the overall performance.
However, Edge, Opera, Opera GX, Vivaldi, and Brave are fast too, and if you like the features or tools of one of them, using any of these browsers will offer plenty of performance and speed.
On a last and sad note, Firefox looks like the worst choice you could make right now. Others like me share the same sentiment. Leaving all its personalization features, tools, and options aside, the performance and web browsing speed you get from it are very poor compared to what the other browsers can offer. Hopefully, Mozilla will wake up and shake things up before it is too late.
How do web browsers compare in terms of RAM utilization?
Another good indicator of performance is memory consumption. After all, sometimes it may not matter if a web browser is fast at rendering web pages if it hogs your computer by requiring too much RAM to do it. In order to get an idea of what happens with the RAM when using the tested browsers, I devised a simple test:
I took the browsers compared earlier and opened five tabs in each of them, loading the same websites: Digital Citizen, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and Wikipedia. Then, I used Windows 11’s Task Manager to see how many MB of RAM each browser was using. These are the results:
Web browsers RAM utilization in MB
As you can see, Chrome confirms once again that it’s the best web browser in this roundup, needing less memory than any of the other ones. Second in place is Edge, which was something I expected as Microsoft couldn’t have built it into its operating system without optimizing it. The third place is Brave, a pleasant surprise, followed by Firefox and Vivaldi, and continuing with Opera and Opera GX. It seems that with more customization options and features, RAM consumption increases.
Taking everything into account, including benchmarks results and RAM utilization, I can say that the winner of the browser battle in 2023 is Google Chrome!
What’s the best web browser for you?
Now you know more about what the most popular web browsers today have to offer in terms of performance. You’ve seen their results in benchmarks, and you can make a more informed choice on what your next web browser should be. Which of these browsers is your favorite? Why is that? Do you use a different browser than any of the ones I included in this article? Let me know if you have any questions in the comments section below.
The Windows operating system always has a browser installed, Microsoft Edge (previously Internet Explorer). Although the all-new Edge is quite revamped with many features, most people look for additional web browsers for Windows PC just after booting up their computer for the first time. It’s because the default browser doesn’t always give the best performance and productivity. Besides, if you use multiple devices with different operating systems, you need to install a cross-platform web browser on Windows.
These days, most browsers come with more or less similar features if built on the same engine. For example, Google Chrome, Brave, Opera, many other browsers are based on the open-source Chromium engine. Hence, their behaviors are similar in most cases. There are some other proprietary engines from different vendors.
Most of them are open-source. No matter what engine your browser uses, the privacy and performance it delivers while browsing on the internet is the most important thing.
Best Browsers for Windows PC
The fun fact about the browsers is that they are completely free to use. And the number of options is quite a lot. So, it’s always confusing which browser to go for. If you used a particular browser in your previous platform, then you will obviously install that one.
Because my personal recommendation is to stick to a particular browser for a long time to get the maximum out of it, but if you are new and just bought your first computer, then you can follow this list containing the best web browsers for Windows PC curated by our experts.
1. Google Chrome
This is the most popular browser out there by the number of users. As the name suggests, the browser is developed by tech giant Google. However, they have made it open for everyone, and it supports many platforms. Google Chrome is developed on the base of the Chromium engine.
On the other hand, Chromium is also backed by Google. And, hence it shares features and aesthetics with the parent. Still, there are some Google services integration features built-in with this for a better user experience. Google Chrome also provides an offline experience for Google Suite that is useful for many users.
Key Features of Google Chrome
- The HTML rendering engine is the fastest out there.
- It syncs with Google cloud services and the mobile app.
- You can extend the functionalities by using extensions from Chrome Web Store.
- This browser supports themes for getting a unique look in the UI.
- Chrome Developer Tools is a great feature for web designers and developers.
Pros: The biggest advantage of this browser is the compatibility with modern and heavy websites. Besides, you will get maximum stability and reliability on any device with this browser.
Cons: This bad boy is known for eating up RAM. So, if you are using a low-performance machine with less RAM, it’s better to avoid it.
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2. Mozilla Firefox
Firefox is a veteran web browser for Windows machines. It is being developed and maintained by the non-profit Mozilla Foundation. The browser is open-source, and many community contributions are helping to make this better browser day by day.
Although it is a pretty old browser with many features, other browsers surpassed the popularity over time. But in 2017, the developers brought the biggest update named Firefox Quantum, which made it compete again with the big names in the browser industry.
Key Features of Mozilla Firefox
- Being maintained by a non-profit organization, you can trust this browser with your private browsing data.
- It can block third-party tracking from advertising and social media by default.
- Firefox has a large library of themes and addons for extra features.
- There is plenty of smart searching features power by advanced machine learning and AI.
- The browser footprint is minimal, and you won’t see any lags or stutters even in low powered machines.
Pros: Community-supported software has some unique advantages. Therefore, this browser will provide you regular security updates and features that are claimed by real users. Privacy and security are another great strength of Firefox.
Cons: The addons library is not that rich like Google Chrome. Maybe you will geet basic and popular add-ons, but if you use Google services a lot, it will not give you the best experience.
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3. Microsoft Edge
One of the biggest shame for Microsoft was their legacy Edge browser. It barely brought any improvements over the classic Internet Explorer. Hence, nobody lost the opportunity to mock this miserable browser. However, things have changed to a great extent. The all-new Edge is a powerful browser with the Chromium engine at the core.
Besides, the Microsoft-level optimization for Windows OS made this a pleasure to use. It supports almost all the vanilla features of Google Chrome with some great legacy Edge features.
Key Features of Microsoft Edge
- It is compatible with almost all the extensions from the Chrome Web Store.
- You can select from three different configurations to prevent unwanted tracking.
- It has a built-in reader for reading PDFs and other ebooks with many customizations.
- Microsoft focused on some enterprise-level security features for use in sensitive organizations.
- Although it comes preinstalled on Windows, this browser supports all the major PC and mobile operating systems.
Pros: Perfect integration with the Windows OS itself is the biggest advantage of this browser. So, it will be a great productivity tool that uses a lot of Microsoft services.
Cons: The rendering of heavy websites is not perfectly optimized yet. Since they have changed the rendering engine, it will take some time for it to become perfect.
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4. Opera
Opera bought a revolution in mobile browsing earlier and gained much popularity. Their desktop browser is not that popular, but it is packed with a lot of powerful features. Just like Chrome and Microsoft Edge, this web browser for Windows is also built upon the Chromium engine. The thing I most like about Opera is its modern touch-friendly user interface.
On top of that, there are some Opera exclusive features built-in that require additional plugins with other browsers. It didn’t even compromise the speed and performance for the sake of aesthetics, which is appreciable, indeed.
Key Features of Opera
- You can access your social media and instant messengers right from the sidebar without extra plugins.
- This is a complete productivity package with a newsreader, unit converter, audio player, and a bunch of other handy modules.
- Opera provides a free VPN service built-in with the browser that is an extra step for protecting your privacy.
- The native Opera addons store is quite large, with optional support for Chrome extensions.
- The setup wizard is beginner-friendly, and it makes switching from other browsers quite easy.
Pros: If you care about aesthetics, then this browser is a must pick. Besides, the data-saving feature is a great deal for the users relying on metered connections.
Cons: You will find frequent lags if you keep a few tabs open at the same time. Besides, it is not yet compatible with a large number of popular addons.
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5. Brave
Brave is a new player in the browser game. Their unique marketing strategy led to huge popularity. But that doesn’t mean it is not a good performer. The most interesting fact about Brave is that it blocks all the ads and trackers by default. Therefore, the rendering is super-fast and fluid. As a full-time blogger, I know the pain of ad-blockers.
But they have come with a great alternative. Brave is partnered with many publishers for showing private ads, and thus the users will get rewards through blockchain-based currency. Brave is also based on Chromium, which is a plus point in terms of addon support.
Key Features of Brave
- Users can support their favorite creators by using the BATs they have earned by viewing ads.
- This browser blocks malicious scripts, annoying advertisements, and disturbing social trackers by default.
- It is integrated with the DuckDuckGo search engine for privacy-oriented persons.
- Webpages are rendered at least three times faster than other competitors.
- Although it doesn’t have a native addons store, all the Chrome extensions are supported on this browser.
Pros: Brave doesn’t compromise your security and privacy. Besides, it has brought a new business model for supporting creators without showing ads, which are revolutionary indeed.
Cons: It doesn’t have any kind of fancy features like applying third-party themes and UI customizations.
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6. Chromium
This is the mother of many popular browsers like Google Chrome, Brave, Opera, etc. This open-source project is maintained by Google. In fact, Chromium is the Google Chrome with the vanilla look and trimmed features. Then why use Chromium? Well, this is for the most advanced users who care a lot about privacy and love to take control of every aspect.
Since it is loaded with the basic features, this browser runs faster than everything else. On top of that, if you are a developer, you can create your very own browser for Windows systems based on Chromium.
Key Features of Chromium
- This browser updates daily, and you will get new features earlier in Chromium.
- There is a great opportunity for the developers to contribute and make this even better.
- You can sync your settings and info using the personal Google account.
- Chromium is not bloated with unnecessary features and proprietary trackers.
- It supports unsigned extensions that are not published on Chrom Web Store.
Pros: Freedom is the only thing that led Chromium ahead of other browsers. Besides, the developers and enthusiasts love this for being so flexible.
Cons: It doesn’t support proprietary media codecs and drivers out of the box. Even the builds aren’t stable and not suitable for use in organizations.
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7. Vivaldi
Vivaldi is yet another popular browser for privacy-oriented features. The main aspect of this browser is its flat user interface based on material design. Also, the layout and positioning of the elements are unique and intuitive.
At first, I was a bit skeptical about its performance and overall features. But after using it for a while, it removed my misconceptions. This browser is really capable of using as a daily driver. On top of that, it is based on Chromium, and all the chrome extensions can be installed without any hassle.
Key Features of Vivaldi
- You can stack multiple similar tabs for quicker switching. It has even built-in features for hibernating tabs to keep the RAM free.
- The UI layout is a bit uncommon, but it is designed for better user experience and productivity.
- This browser can sync with Razer Chroma and Philips Hue products for adding a whole new dimension of customizations.
- You can sync all your bookmarks and data within multiple devices through end-to-end encryption.
- Web capture, calculator, notes, picture-in-picture tools can be accessed right from the browser.
Pros: This browser took a unique approach for delivering a fast browsing experience along with modern handy features. So, it can be a great browser for browsing streaming sites and social media.
Cons: Some people might face problems while using this browser for the first time because of the unique layout.
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8. Tor Project
This is called the browser of hackers because of military-grade security. So, if you are serious about your privacy and don’t need any fancy features, then this one can be your pick. The power of this browser is the onion routing. This is a technique for encrypted anonymous communications among computers.
Tor Project is maintained by open-source contributors from all over the world. It is built upon the Gecko rendering engine developed by Mozilla. So, the features and functionalities are somewhat similar to the Firefox browser with additional protection.
Key Features of the Tor Project
- It supports installing add-ons that are compatible with Mozilla Firefox.
- You can bypass even if the Tor browser is blocked by your ISP.
- It sends traffic through at least three different servers, and hence it is more secure than a typical proxy or VPN.
- Tor browser for Windows machines runs well even with a weak CPU and less RAM.
- It blocks third-party browser modules that are threats to your online privacy.
Pros: Online activists can be benefitted from this browser by keeping themselves anonymous. On top of that, government officials can rely on this browser for protecting sensitive information.
Cons: Tor browser is slower than typical browsers because the traffic has to travel a longer route.
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9. Torch
The Torch is a media-oriented browser for your Windows PC. It has built-in features for downloading torrent files as well as some other handy features. Still, the browser is pretty light, and the installation footprint is tiny.
It features a free music player for streaming audio, a video player, and even a media extractor tool to save media from any website. Although people can use this for promoting piracy, which is concerning, it will be useful for many users who use browsers mainly for media consumption.
Key Features of Torch
- It runs smoothly even on computers having just 128 MB of RAM.
- The default download manager is great for accelerating the download speed.
- You don’t need any kind of extensions to extract audio and video files from a particular website.
- Built upon the Chromium bae, it delivers fast and reliable performance.
- You can tweak the torrent downloader by setting up custom speed limits.
Pros: Playing audio-video and a hassle-free downloader are the most important aspects of this browser.
Cons: Torrents are mostly related to pirated content, and the media grabber might threaten the content creators in many ways.
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10. UC Browser
This is yet another free browser for Windows machines straight out of China. After hearing this, some of you might get scared thinking about your privacy. But from my personal experience, I can say this is quite a reliable browser. UC Browser is currently owned by the Chinese tech giant Alibaba group.
Their aggressive marketing and advertisements are indeed annoying. But this browser provides great features with a faster browsing experience, which impressed me a lot. On top of that, it is loaded with powerful built-in tools that will reduce the use of additional plugins and software.
Key Features of UC Browser
- The download manager is the fastest out there, supporting concurrent connections.
- You can download videos from social media sites without additional plugins.
- The user interface has a modern vibe with additional theme support.
- Files are organized beautifully inside the download manager, including torrents.
- Compatible with popular web apps built for the Google Chrome browser.
Pros: The built-in data saver and handy features made this a popular browser among the young generation.
Cons: The developers monetize this browser with aggressive ads, which are very annoying sometimes.
Download
Our Recommendation
Choosing and recommending a browser for Windows PC is not that easy. It all depends on what kind of features you are expecting on a browser. If you really want a smooth browsing experience with a large extension library, I would suggest you stick with Google Chrome. Otherwise, Microsoft Edge is a great default solution. If you are very serious about your online identity, then the Tor browser is what you should choose.
Final Thoughts
Browsers are the gateway to connect with the rest of the world. So, choosing the wrong browser can expose your valuable information. Besides, you won’t get a fluid browsing experience. However, I can guarantee you that you can choose anything from the above list of the best browsers for Windows PC without any hesitation. You are always welcome to comment below about your favorite browser, telling us why you love it. Happy browsing!
All modern browsers are fast. Now are there some browsers that are faster than others? Yes. But the difference in speed is so minimal that it isn’t noticeable in regular web browsing activities. Now there are companies that constantly improve their browsers to be faster and they deserve some credit. And for power users, every bit of speed matters.
However, no matter how fast your browser is, you are still limited by your internet speed. So maybe keep your expectations in check. That said, we’ve tested a bunch of different browsers and found some surprising results.
Overview of the Fastest Browsers
We have tested a few dozen web browsers and 10 of them made it to the final list. During our tests we realised many browsers perform differently on Windows and macOS, so our tests covered both of the platforms.
Browser | Best For | Speedometer 3.0 | ||
Windows | macOS | |||
Chrome | Speed & Reliability | 22.5 | 29.2 | |
Safari | Privacy for Apple Users | N/A | 39.1 | |
Brave | Privacy & Ad Blocking | 20.2 | 28.7 | |
Orion | Extension Support | N/A | 37.3 | |
Firefox | Privacy & Customisability | 18.1 | 33.9 | |
Arc | Unique Features | 20.8 | 22.5 | |
Zen Browser | Customisability | 17.2 | 32.5 | |
Edge | Efficiency | 17.6 | 25.9 | |
Opera | Features | 19.7 | 29.4 | |
Vivaldi | Customisability | 19.5 | 28.0 |
Testing Parameters
We used Speedometer 3.0 to test browser performance. It’s a benchmark that simulates real world user interactions to measure web app responsiveness.
- We tested 10 browsers on macOS and Windows to make sure the comparison is fair.
- Each browser was tested 3 times on each OS and the best score out of 3 was recorded to minimize anomalies and get a better performance snapshot.
Since Speedometer 3.0 runs a mix of JavaScript frameworks and vanilla JavaScript tasks the results will show script execution efficiency, event handling and rendering performance. So the scores will indicate how fast and smooth a browser can handle complex web applications, not just raw page load speed.
Test Results Compared and Summarised
You can check the score on the table above to see how each of the browsers performed. However, the chart below reveals a few trends.
The browser that got the lowest score on macOS (Arc), shares that same score with the browser that got the highest score on Windows (Chrome). What does that mean? Web browsers perform significantly better on macOS than they do on Windows.
Safari is the fastest among all the web browsers compared. However, it is macOS exclusive. Chrome is the fastest web browser on Windows.
Firefox and its forks (Zen Browser) perform way better on macOS than they do on Windows. They’re the fastest browsers on macOS after Safari and Orion. On Windows, they’re slower than Chrome and other Chromium based browsers.
Edge, while specifically optimised for Windows, is one of the slowest on the platform. However, it performs decently on macOS.
Google Chrome – The Fastest Browser on Windows
Chrome has been fast and reliable since day one and while not the fastest on every platform, it dominates on Windows. According to our tests, it scored 22.5 on Speedometer 3.0, the fastest on Windows. On macOS the score is higher with 29.2 but it gets placed somewhere in the middle as Safari and Firefox easily beats it.
Fast and Smooth
If you’re looking for a browser that loads pages fast, handles JavaScript heavy sites smoothly and never stutters, Chrome is the one. It’s optimised for Google services so if you live inside Google Drive, Gmail, YouTube, Google Docs, you’ll notice how well everything runs.
Added Benefits
But speed isn’t Chrome’s only superpower. The Chrome Web Store has the largest extension library so if you need an ad blocker, password manager or very specific productivity tool you’ll find it on Chrome first. It also syncs across all your devices instantly so that your bookmarks, passwords and open tabs stay with you on all devices. It works on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
The Not-So-Good Parts
Now let’s talk about the elephant in the room. RAM usage. Chrome has a reputation for being a resource hog but Google has improved memory management over time with features like Memory Saver and Tab Discarding. So unless you’re running 50+ tabs while rendering 3D models in Blender, you probably won’t feel the impact.
Who is Chrome for?
Anyone who wants a fast, reliable browser with great compatibility and syncing features. If you’re deep into Google’s ecosystem there’s no better choice. It may not be the lightest browser but if speed and convenience are your priority, Chrome is still the king, at least on Windows.
Safari – The Fastest Browser on Mac
Safari isn’t just the fastest browser on macOS, it is the fastest browser. With a Speedometer 3.0 score of 39.1, it beats every other browser we tested. But it’s only available to Apple devices.
Optimised for Mac
Safari is built for macOS. From scrolling animations to page rendering everything feels super smooth. It loads web pages faster than any other browser, uses less CPU and drains less battery than Chrome, Brave or Firefox. If you’re on a MacBook this is noticeable, as Safari gives you more browsing time per charge.
Privacy That’s Actually Built-In
Unlike Chrome which thrives on data collection, Safari puts privacy first. It comes with Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) which stops third-party trackers from following you across the web. The Privacy Report gives you a breakdown of what’s been blocked, and iCloud Private Relay (if you’re a iCloud+ subscriber) adds another layer of anonymity to your browsing.
The Downsides
Biggest issue with Safari? It’s only on Mac and iOS. Unlike Chrome or Firefox you can’t install it on Windows or Linux so if you’re switching between platforms your browsing experience won’t be as seamless. And while Safari does support extensions, its library is much smaller than Chrome’s. Apple’s App Store policies mean you’ll find fewer add-ons and some of your favourite Chrome extensions might not be available.
Who is Safari For?
If you’re a Mac user Safari is a no-brainer. It’s the fastest, most efficient and most private browser you can use on Mac. Unless you absolutely need a specific feature that’s missing, there’s little reason to switch. Safari is built for Mac and no other browser runs better on it.
Brave – Chrome’s Speed, Without the Ads
Brave’s performance is very close to Chrome’s, and that’s no surprise. It’s built on the same Chromium engine. Our tests show 20.2 on Windows and 28.7 on macOS. It doesn’t beat Chrome, but it’s on par.
Fast, By Design
Brave is fast by intention. Unlike Chrome, which loads ads, trackers and extra scripts in the background, Brave blocks them all. This means web pages load cleaner and faster, with reduced JavaScript execution times and data usage. You’ll notice sites loading faster right out of the box before you even tweak any settings or install extensions. And since less junk is running in the background, your system uses fewer resources and stays smooth.
Speed with Privacy Built-In
Brave comes with Shields, its built-in ad and tracker blocker, which stops data-hungry scripts from slowing down page loads. It also forces HTTPS connections, which reduces latency when switching between secure and non-secure sites. The difference is most noticeable on ad-heavy sites where Chrome loads banners, autoplaying videos and tracking pixels, Brave skips all of it.
Who is Brave For?
Brave is for users who want Chrome’s speed but without Google’s tracking. It runs just as fast, if not faster thanks to built-in ad blocking and script control. If you want the most private browser which still feels familiar, Brave is the best alternative to Chrome. You get all the speed, minus the surveillance.
Orion – Safari’s Speed, Chrome’s Extensions
Orion is a WebKit browser, just like Safari, so it inherits Safari’sspeed and efficiency on macOS. Our tests show that Orion scores 37.3 on Speedometer 3.0, making it one of the fastest browsers on macOS, just behind Safari. But what sets Orion apart is it can run both Chrome and Firefox extensions while being Safari like in performance.
Fast, Light, Efficient
Since Orion is built on WebKit, it gets the same optimisations that make Safari the fastest browser on macOS. Pages load fast, scrolling is smooth, and system resource usage is low, so better battery life if you’re on a MacBook. Unlike Chromium based browsers which tend to eat more CPU and memory, Orion is lightweight and fast. It also blocks ads and trackers by default, so faster page load times without extra extensions.
Chrome and Firefox Extensions on a WebKit Browser?
One of the best features of Orion is it supports both Chrome and Firefox extensions. This is something even Safari can’t do. So if you like WebKit’s speed but don’t want to give up Chrome’s extension library, Orion is the best of both worlds.
Who is Orion For?
Orion is perfect for Mac users who want Safari’s speed but with more customisation and extension support. It’s light, fast and privacy focused without the usual trade offs that come with switching browsers.
Firefox – Surprisingly Fast on macOS
We thought Firefox would perform well, but we didn’t think it would be faster than Chrome on macOS. With a Speedometer 3.0 score of 33.9, Firefox beat Chrome’s 29.2, making it one of the fastest browsers on macOS, right behind Safari (and Orion).
Fast, Especially on macOS
Firefox has always been all about privacy and open-source. But on macOS it’s well optimised. While Chromium-based browsers struggle with Apple’s optimisations, Firefox runs great on macOS, with smooth scrolling, fast page loading and great multitasking. It also uses less RAM than Chrome, thanks to better memory management, so it’s a good choice for those who keep a lot of tabs open.
Privacy Measures
Unlike Chrome, which prioritises speed at the cost of data collection, Firefox offers privacy-first browsing without the performance hit. Features like Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP), Multi-Account Containers and strict anti-fingerprinting give users more control over their data. It doesn’t have built-in ad blocking like Brave, but it supports uBlock Origin and other great extensions.
Who is Firefox For?
If you’re a Mac user, Firefox is faster than Chrome and still has better privacy and customisation. It’s the middle ground between speed and security, so it’s a good choice for those who want strong performance without being locked into Google’s ecosystem. On Windows, it may not be the fastest, but it’s a good option for those who want to be independent from Chromium-based browsers.
Arc – Consistent, But Fails to Stand Out
Arc has changed the way we think about web browsers, but when it comes to raw speed, it didn’t quite deliver. With a Speedometer 3.0 score of 20.8 on Windows and 22.5 on macOS, it’s consistent across platforms which is the most surprising thing about it.
Can’t Really Match Chrome’s Performance
We expected Arc to perform like Chrome on both platforms given it’s Chromium-based. Instead, while it keeps up with the others, it doesn’t quite reach the top. It’s not slow by any means, but for a browser that’s all about rethinking the experience, we thought it would be faster.
The Good Bits
The good news? Arc is fast enough. If you’re an Arc user, you’re not here just for the numbers. Arc is all about workflow efficiency, smart tab management and beautiful design. It also manages memory well and never stutters when switching between multiple “Spaces” (its take on tab grouping or workspace). Plus it’s one of the only browsers that actually helps you declutter your tabs, which indirectly helps performance over time.
Who is Arc For?
Arc isn’t for people chasing the benchmark scores. If you’re looking for a reimagined browsing experience with great multitasking features and design, Arc is for you. It might not be the fastest, but it’s fast enough, and that’s all it needs to be.
Zen Browser – The Best Firefox Fork
Zen is a Firefox-based browser, and its Speedometer 3.0 scores reflect that. With a 17.2 on Windows and 32.5 on macOS, Zen is just behind Firefox’s 18.1 on Windows and 33.9 on macOS. So if Firefox works on your system, Zen will too.
Mirrors Firefox’s Performance
Like Brave mirrors Chrome, Zen mirrors Firefox’s strengths and weaknesses. It’s way faster on macOS than on Windows, thanks to WebKit’s influence on Apple’s ecosystem, just like Firefox.
There’s More To It
Zen isn’t just a reskinned Firefox, it has unique features like vertical tabs, split view and modular UI which can make you more productive without sacrificing speed. It’s lightweight and has more flexibility than vanilla Firefox. Moreover, it also blocks ads and trackers by default, like Brave, which can speed up page loading on ad heavy sites. With less junk running in the background, web apps and media heavy sites feel snappier.
Who is Zen Browser For?
If you like Firefox’s speed and open-source ethos but want more customisation and built-in privacy features, Zen is the way to go. It’s fast, lightweight and well optimised, especially on macOS.
Microsoft Edge – Not the Fastest, But Surprisingly Good
Edge isn’t the fastest, but one of the best when it comes to memory management and battery life. In our tests, Edge scored 17.6 on Windows and 25.9 on macOS, so it’s one of the slowest on Windows but surprisingly good on macOS. It’s funny that Microsoft’s own browser runs better on Apple’s platform, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad choice for Windows users.
Optimised for Efficiency, Not Just Speed
Edge may not be the fastest, but it’s great at system efficiency. Features like Sleeping Tabs and Efficiency Mode reduce RAM and CPU usage, making it perfect for users who have dozens of tabs open. It also extends battery life on laptops, something Chrome struggles with on Windows.
Good for Windows Users, But Surprisingly Good on macOS Too
If you’re using Microsoft services like OneDrive, Teams or Office 365, Edge integrates seamlessly, so it’s convenient. It has built in tracking protection and password manager so you don’t need extensions. It’s not as fast as Chrome, but it’s a solid, all round browser that works across all platforms.
Who is Edge For?
Edge is for Windows users who want a browser that’s efficient, stable and integrated with Microsoft’s ecosystem. It may not be the fastest, but if you prioritise battery life and memory management over speed, it’s a good choice whether you’re on Windows or, oddly, macOS.
Opera – Feature-Rich Without Compromising on Speed
Opera has always been the browser for people who want more built-in features, and despite all the extras it’s still pretty fast. In our tests it scored 19.7 on Windows and 29.4 on macOS, behind Chrome and Brave but ahead of Edge on both.
Speed Meets Convenience
Opera is built on Chromium so it benefits from fast page loading and smooth performance. But it doesn’t just stop at speed, it optimises the entire browsing experience. Features like built-in ad blocking and tracker prevention reduce page load times and the Turbo mode can speed up browsing on slow connections by compressing web data.
A Browser With Everything Included
Opera’s sidebar is a game-changer for people who like to have everything within reach. Instead of switching tabs you get quick access to messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram and Facebook Messenger as well as built-in tools like free VPN, media player and AI tools. It’s one of the few browsers that feels designed for multitasking, not just browsing.
Who is Opera For?
Opera is for people who want speed but also built-in features that reduce the need for extra extensions, especially helpful in gaming. It may not be the fastest browser but it’s fast enough and with more convenience than most. If you like to have extra tools at your fingertips without sacrificing too much performance then Opera is a good choice.
Vivaldi – The Browser for Power Users
Vivaldi’s main focus is on customisation, control and multitasking. It’s fast – 19.5 on Windows and 28.0 on macOS in our tests. It surely doesn’t beat Chrome or Safari, but it holds its own with more features than almost any other browser.
Fast, But That’s Not Its Biggest Strength
Vivaldi is built on Chromium so it’s got fast page loads and smooth scrolling like Chrome and Brave. But where it really shines is workflow efficiency. If you’re the kind of person who juggles dozens of tabs and custom keyboard shortcuts, Vivaldi’s features can actually make you feel faster even if the benchmark scores don’t put it at the top.
More Control, Less Clutter
Vivaldi’s tab management system is one of the best out there. With tab stacking, tiling and workspaces you can group and organise tabs in a way that makes sense. The sidebar is highly customisable so you can pin messaging apps, RSS feeds and even your own custom web panels.
Who is Vivaldi For?
If you want pure speed Chrome and Brave are better choices. But if you value organisation, multitasking and deep customisation Vivaldi is unbeatable.
Wrapping Up
Speed is important but it’s not the deciding factor when switching to a new browser. Our tests show some clear differences in numbers, but the real world impact depends on how you use your browser, what features you use, and how well it fits into your workflow. Some browsers focus on raw speed while others prioritise efficiency, privacy or customisation. A browser that loads pages milliseconds faster may not be the best choice if it drains your battery, eats up system memory or lacks the features you need. And as we’ve seen, platform optimisation matters too. What’s fast on Windows isn’t always fast on macOS and vice versa.
Quick Findings
- Microsoft Edge is a fast, reliable Chromium browser built into Windows 11.
- Opera is feature-rich and can support several processes with minor lags.
- Google Chrome offers a huge extension library and great integration with Google services.
How Did We Test Each Browser on Windows 11
To find the best and fastest browsers for Windows 11, we installed multiple browsers and tested each on popular benchmarking tools. These tools include:
- JetStream: This tool measures the browser’s ability to start up, execute code, run smoothly, handle complex mathematical calculations, render complex 2D and 3D graphics, and the ability to handle large amounts of data through running JavaScript and WebAssembly.
- MotionMark: MotionMark measures how well a browser handles modern animations and visual effects on web pages. In the test, the browsers must render complex animations and visual effects in real-time and show how many frames per second (FPS) they can handle.
- Speedometer: Speedometer is another popular browser benchmark tool that tests the responsiveness of web applications on browsers. It makes the browser run demo web applications to simulate user interactions.
- 4K playback test: We ran this test to measure how fast the browser loads 4K videos and how many tabs it keeps in memory without reloading. We used a low-end business notebook to conduct the test, which helps common users gauge how well these browsers perform.
We tested all the options in the list and ranked them accordingly. We have also included the scores each browser got after each test.
1. Microsoft Edge – Fast Chromium-Based Browser
Microsoft Edge is a successor to Internet Explorer and the first browser you encounter on your Windows 11 PC upon boot. Built over Chromium, Edge keeps an edge over its competitors by being one of the fastest browsers for Windows 11 while boasting useful features.
Edge performed excellently in testing. It’s lighter and faster due to the minimal RAM usage. When we streamed 4K videos, it could only manage three tabs until it became jittery. On lower resolutions, that wasn’t the case. These are the test results we got.
Tests | Scores (Higher is better) |
JetStream | 170.756 |
MotionMark | 641.88 |
Speedometer | 180 |
Some useful features on Edge include reader mode, group tabs, cast inline videos to Chromecast, several customization options, password manager, web capture, solving on-screen math problems, choosing different privacy profiles, and a good page translation feature. If that’s not enough, you get more features by installing extensions, thanks to its support for extensions from Chrome Web Store and Microsoft add-ons.
While the start page is beautiful with handpicked wallpapers, we find it cluttered because of various contents. However, there is an option to turn it off or customize it according to the user’s choice, but people who are fans of minimal home pages might not be fans of Edge. Edge also has a customizable sidebar, allowing you to access some Microsoft apps and tools easily.
If you log in with your Microsoft account, you can sync your data across devices and easily integrate with Microsoft apps, similar to the sync feature with Google apps and services. Regardless, give Edge a try. Moreover, you can also access Edge on Mac, iPhone, and Android.
Pros
- Based on Chromium
- Support for a huge range of extensions
- Loaded with features
- Multiple privacy options
Cons
- The home page is cluttered
Price: Free
Download Edge
2. Opera – Feature-Rich Browser for Windows 11
Another Chromium-based browser, Opera, offers a wide range of add-ons and features such as an integrated VPN with the option to switch between three servers, block ads or customize it for specific websites, a privacy option for each web page, and a Crypto wallet.
Like Edge, Opera has a sidebar where you can add necessary tools, resources, and services such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp Web. You can also add the websites of their choice to this sidebar.
In our testing, we were not only impressed by the speeds but also happy to discover some small features integrated into the browser that improve user experience. For example, when playing 4K videos on YouTube, you can improve their quality with Lucid Mode or enable pop-ups.
As for the test, 4K videos ran with fewer lags than Edge after opening three tabs with video simultaneously. Here’s how it fared in our tests:
Tests | Scores (Bigger is better) |
JetStream | 139.568 |
MotionMark | 479.77 |
Speedometer | 126 |
Other interesting tools are built into the browser, such as the ability to capture screen, media player, and many more. The features don’t end there. Opera has even integrated Chatbots such as ChatSonic and ChatGPT with AI prompts to ensure you stay fast and productive.
Speaking of productivity, there is also an option called Workspace, where you can organize tabs accordingly. You can seamlessly sign in with an ID sync across devices and share links. Apart from Windows, Opera is also available for macOS, Android, and iOS.
However, the browser has so many features, so you can get confused when navigating around. We also found it tricky to open private windows, apart from the option to open them from search results.
Pros
- Wide range of features
- Based on Chromium
- Built-in Integration with AI tools
- Free VPN with multi-location support
Cons
- Many features can be confusing
- Bit tricky to open the Private window
Price: Free; VPN Pro: $3.99/month onwards
Download Opera
Download Opera GX
3. Brave – Best Browser for Privacy
With the increase in privacy breaches by many of the trusted browsers, Brave came to fight against them with a strong emphasis on privacy and security. Built on Chromium, Brave ensures that ads, cookies, phishing, and malware are blocked by default. You can even see the number of trackers. It also has support for tab groups and is integrated with Web3.
Brave performed well enough in our tests. However, in our video playback test, it began stuttering from the second tab and eventually froze with the third one. Things improved when we lowered the playback resolution, but it wasn’t as good as the previous two options. Here are the results from our tests:
Scores (Bigger is better) |
|
JetStream | 100.954 |
MotionMark | 425.80 |
Speedometer | 114 |
Brave also offers advanced options to enable HTTPS Everywhere and prevent browser fingerprinting. It also rewards its users with its Basic Attention Token (BAT) cryptocurrency. You can also earn BAT by enabling Brave ads.
You can withdraw BAT to convert it to regular currency or use these tokens to reward your favorite creators. Since Brave is based on Chromium, you will get all the benefits of Chrome, such as Extension support.
While Brave tries to mimic the sidebar, similar to the competition, it is not executed well since there are only a few valuable tools such as Bookmark, Reading list, and Wallet. Thankfully, you can add websites and services to the sidebar.
While Brave is available for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, it cannot sync across devices through an account.
Pros
- Privacy-focused browser
- Supports all Chrome extensions
- Users get rewarded with BAT
- Ability to know the number of trackers
Cons
- Sidebar could have more useful features
Price: Free; Firewall + VPN: $9.99/month
Download Brave
4. Google Chrome – Massive Extension Support
As one can guess, Google Chrome is based on the open-source Chromium platform, which is easy to use and super compatible. This has helped Chrome gain fans worldwide. However, competition has begun to catch up. Regardless, Chrome is still the choice of many, thanks to its vast extension library, cross-platform support, autofill features, tab groups, password manager, and more.
Chrome also has a pretty good name when it comes to responsiveness. While it might not be the fastest browser, it is still fast and considered one of the best. Our video playback test also performed poorly, as Chrome froze upon playing a 4K video in just two tabs.
It also took more time than other options to load these videos, which we weren’t expecting. However, not all things are bad. Chrome is still one of the smoothest browsers after Edge, and it can render animations on websites without any hiccups, thanks to the integration of the V8 Javascript engine.
Scores (Bigger is better) |
|
JetStream | 95.463 |
MotionMark | 604.23 |
Speedometer | 106 |
Chrome has recently been criticized for its high RAM consumption. While Google has introduced features such as Memory and Energy Saver to Chrome, only time will tell how effective they are.
Regardless of the strong competition, Chrome is still the choice for many when it comes to the best browsers for Windows, thanks to its fantastic sync feature and the ability to easily integrate with Google apps and services.
Pros
- Huge library of extensions
- Integration with Google apps and services
- Syncs across multiple devices
- Good responsiveness
Cons
- High RAM consumption
- Struggles at load
Price: Free
Download Chrome
5. Vivaldi – Lightweight Browser for Windows
Vivaldi is a new player on the field but knows everything about the game, as former Opera developers developed it. Vivaldi emphasizes customization, and you can customize almost every nook and corner of the browser, including navigation, user interface, toolbar, page fonts, and color schemes.
Besides offering many customization features, Vivaldi has kept the browser fast. However, it’s not as good as its competitors. This was seen in our benchmark and video tests, as the browser struggled to play videos simultaneously on two tabs.
Scores (Bigger is better) |
|
JetStream | 88.992 |
MotionMark | 456.95 |
Speedometer | 99.3 |
Vivaldi also has a feature known as Workspace, which is similar to Opera but has been implemented better. A feature called periodic reload can make tabs load automatically after a particular time. There is also an option to hibernate tabs to get more resources, and there is the ability to stack tabs of the same type of content.
There is also a side panel with the necessary features and tools, such as bookmarks and tools. If that’s not enough, you can also add websites of their choice. You can also see the number of trackers when they visit a website. Since it is based on Chromium, it benefits from all the Chrome extensions.
You can also log in to enable the sync feature, which allows you to access the data from the Vivaldi app for macOS, iOS, and Android.
Pros
- Based on Chromium
- Wide range of customization features
- Stack tab groups
- Workspaces from productivity
Cons
- Might confuse users with excess features
Price: Free
Download Vivaldi
6. Firefox – Browser With Frequent Updates
Firefox has proven to be one of the best and fastest browsers for Windows over the years and has been in the market since the top G’s. The browser is appreciated for its regular updates, which bring bug fixes and enhance speed and security.
In our tests, Mozilla Firefox was the slowest option. The same was true for 4K video playback, as the browser struggled once it started streaming 4K video on the second tab. Here are the scores.
Scores (Bigger is better) |
|
JetStream | 71.961 |
MotionMark | 445.48 |
Speedometer | 86.5 |
While Firefox is not based on Chromium, it still has a library for extensions; the Windows version also provides Windows Hello authentication for enhanced security on compatible websites. The feature lists are comparatively low, but you get features such as a great screenshot tool, a password manager, and the ability to customize the themes.
Firefox also supports a sync feature when you log in with your account. This will be handy since Firefox is available on macOS, iOS, Android, and Windows.
Also read: How to import or export Firefox bookmarks
Pros
- Wide range of extensions
- Constant updates
- Cross-platform sync
- Feature-packed screenshot tool
Cons
- Not much interesting features
- Can’t handle the load
Price: Free
Download FireFox
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