In the previous decade, all major browsers used their in-house web rendering engine for loading web pages as quickly as possible. Microsoft Edge relied on EdgeHTML for their brand new project Spartan, and discontinued it in favor of Chromium in December 2018. Opera also decided to replace its in-house Presto engine with the Chromium-based Blink layout engine. That leaves only Firefox with their Gecko layout engine. And basically, the war is over in the browser space, and Chromium (Blink) has won it by a mile. We have already talked about Chrome and Safari alternatives for their respective operating systems. And in this post, we will mention the top five Chromium-based browsers for Windows. The Vivaldi and new Opera Reborn browser are heating up to the competition already. Recently, Microsoft joined the club with its new Chromium-based Edge browser.
What Is Chromium and Why Should You Care
The websites too are following the trend of developing their pages to deliver top-notch rendering performance and found that it is way better on Chromium-based browser than the others. So what is Chromium? Why are organizations using it over the others? First, it’s an open source project and offers better web standards compatibility and faster integration of new features thanks to the Chromium source. Google and others can download, build on the source code, compile, and make it work as their needs. What about security then? Chromium has all of the same security strengths as the more stable Chrome browser. Since Chromium is updated far more frequently, it receives security patches before making its way on any browser.
1. Google Chrome
Recently, Chrome underwent a major design refresh, and the improvements are visible in all the elements. Chrome Web Store spoils with a vast collection of extensions and Chrome works even offline with select Google apps. The biggest advantage of Google Chrome is its excellent integration of Google services. Using Chrome on Android or iOS, all the browsing and web app data will sync automatically between devices. Chrome also provides robust auto-fill options and password manager functionality out of the box. Google Chrome supports the dark mode. My only problem with the browser is its extensive use of RAM, which sometimes makes multitasking unbearable and often renders a system with less memory a bit unusable. Download Google Chrome for Windows
2. Microsoft Edge (Chromium)
Microsoft recently ditched their own EdgeHTML in favor of Chromium. The company has made a developer preview available for consumers to try out before the official launch. So far, my first impressions are solid. Microsoft has changed quite a few things to give it native Windows look and feel that had been on the original Edge browser. So, what’s different compared to Google Chrome? The software giant has simply replaced all the Google elements with their own. The company is using its own translate, password manager, search engine, and account settings. Adopting Chromium means, you also get to utilize all the Chrome extensions into Edge. Read our guide to install Chrome extensions in Microsoft Edge. It also works well with all the Google apps, which was an issue on the original Edge. The company has promised to roll out continuous updates with improved scrolling, Cortana integration, and more. My only gripe is the inability to change the default search engine from the settings menu. The Edge forces you to use Bing, which is just fine. Download Microsoft Edge
3. Opera
Opera’s latest iteration labelled Reborn browser is finally available for everyone. And it arrives with a host of improvements that Opera promised. The company has heavily cut-down major distractions and made it simple for the users. Opera simply edges out others in terms of functionality. You can pin WhatsApp, Messenger, or Telegram to the left sidebar. On top of that, the company has added native ad blocking, VPN, and Cryptocurrency wallet in the browser. Opera also offers a news section which competes with the one in Chrome and Microsoft Edge. The killer function of the browser is ‘My Flow’ section. You can easily transfer web links and notes from mobile to PC and vice versa. Google and Microsoft also offer a similar solution, but none of them have been as seamless as Opera. Download Opera for PC
4. Vivaldi Browser
Vivaldi is a newcomer in the browser space. And oh boy, what an impression it is making in this area. This is the most feature-rich browser among the rivals. The browser strikes a perfect balance between simplicity and function. While using this browser, I rarely missed any of extension from the Chrome store. The list of features include the ability to give nicknames to search engines, native screenshot function, reader mode, notes app, session tabs, customized sidebar tabs, mouse gesture, tile tabs and much more. Vivaldi is also adding new features at a rapid pace. The only problem is the lack of mobile version. You won’t be able to sync history, bookmarks to your smartphone. Download Vivaldi for Windows
5. Brave Browser
Brave is more suitable for privacy-focused consumers. The browser aims to deliver the best possible private browsing with all the relevant data. By default, the browser shows the number of ads blocked, estimated time saved, and trackers blocked on the homepage. Thankfully, the app does not include any news integration, which is refreshing and eliminates any possibility of distraction. From the settings page, you can join the Brave reward program, which lets you see some acceptable ads in the browsing. Brave also offers applications for mobile platforms, so that you can always sync the data on smartphones. Download Brave for Windows
Let the Experiment Begin
Every Chrome-based browser offers something over the others. Google Chrome is most suitable for those living in Google’s ecosystem. However, if you are feeling adventurous, then Edge is preferable for Windows fans. Opera strikes a perfect balance between mobile and PC with a plethora of functionalities. Vivaldi is great but lacks a mobile platform. And finally, Brave browser is for folks with privacy in mind. Next up: Vivaldi browser is full nifty tips and tricks. Read the post below to find more about Vivaldi browser in depth.
