Microsoft has just released it’s newest browser, Microsoft Edge, with the hope of converting a flock of Google Chrome devotees who currently comprise 75% of total browser users. But is it up to the task? Let’s have a look.
Speed
Chrome is still slightly faster than Edge, though both have very quick load times for most pages. So in terms of speed, Chrome remains the fastest browser on the market.
Bandwidth
Microsoft Edge surprisingly uses more RAM than Chrome, which is already known to use a lot. The reasoning for this is that it is said to make browsing safer and reduce the chance of the browser crashing. If you then install any extensions, the browser’s storage increases even further. The clear winner here is therefore the much less RAM intensive Chrome.
Features
Chrome presently offers more extensions than Edge, which is unsurprising considering how much older it is. However, Edge has introduced some new features that Chrome does not possess, such as reading mode and Cortana integration. This means that Edge has the potential to overtake Chrome feature-wise, once it has been available for as long as Chrome currently has.
User Interface
Microsoft trumps Google when it comes to the user interface. Both Chrome and Edge use very clean styles and uncluttered designs for their user interfaces which, combined with their fast loading times, make for a good user experience. Microsoft’s winning minimalist appearance is a massive improvement for Edge over the now archaic Internet Explorer, placing the most important features in more convenient areas. It’s combination of solid UI and incorporation of Cortana and reading mode make it as user friendly as it’s possible to be.
Compatibility
Chrome is much more widely compatible with operating systems than it’s competitor, working with almost all of them including Android, Windows and iOS. In comparison, Edge only supports Windows 10, making it much less flexible than it’s counterpart. So, Chrome obviously emerges triumphant at this aspect.
Security
Chrome and Edge are both very secure browsers. Both have their own versions of safe browsing – Chrome has ‘sandboxing’ and Edge has ‘protected mode’ To protect against malware and other viruses, they use features like auto-updates and SmartScreen to detect and protect your device from being infected. Being new has actually worked in Edge’s favour as far as security goes, as it’s updated security measures do make it a safer browser.
Web Standards
Both Google and Microsoft are members of the World Wide Web Consortium, which means that both Chrome and Edge will likely be up to date with the latest standards. However, Chrome is much older and therefore, will have had time to perfect it’s compatibility with the web standards.
Although this comparison gives the impression that Chrome is superior to Edge, both can be suitable options. Chrome’s age (launched 2008) has allowed it time to develop and comfortably reach it’s current status. As with all IT technology, a little time to polish up and improve can be very beneficial. With a few more years under it’s belt, Edge may well prove equal in all respects, and become strong competition to Google’s successful product.