Statcounter.com estimates that more than 65 percent of internet users use Chrome. But I don’t think you need me to tell you that; chances are you’re reading this on a Chrome derivative right now. Why is Chrome the dominant browser in the world? Chrome isn’t even the default browser on most desktops, which means you have to go out of your way to use it.
In 2007, you probably used Internet Explorer 7
You probably used Internet Explorer 7 in 2007 Image: Wikimedia
Chrome does not even have to be good, it just has to be slightly better than the alternative, and Internet Explorer used to be the only alternative. In its heyday, Google Chrome was faster, prettier, and more customizable than other browsers, but there is an alternative browser out there that has virtually all of the functionality you’ve come to expect from Chrome, without taking up a lot of resources on your system.
Microsoft Edge is actually a good browser.
Having dozens of tabs running at the same time means I rely on Chrome, yet even my powerful machine with 64GB RAM has locked up when I attempted to close multiple tabs. I had to make a switch though, as deeply ingrained in my Chrome life as I was. All my settings, bookmarks, themes and extensions had to join me and be compatible on the new browser. Sadly Firefox didn’t make the cut- it lacks a plethora of extensions compared to Google’s store.
Microsoft Edge is a Chromium-based browser, so just about anything that works with Chrome can also be used on Edge. I began the process of importing all of my extensions, bookmarks, and other data, which is mostly handled by syncing your existing Google account. Despite a few hiccups, nothing imploded, and I switched to Microsoft Edge on all of my devices within a week.
Based on my preconceptions about the Microsoft browser, I expected things to move at a snail’s pace compared to Chrome; however, the performance tradeoff is negligible for a browser that uses less RAM than Chrome. In spite of the fact that Edge’s performance is uncontrollable on your specific machine, this lends some credence to Microsoft’s claims that Edge is the best browser on Windows.
There are extensions, and just recently Chrome caught up to Edge’s tab sleeping feature, which Edge added to try to demand less of your system in 2021, but Edge also has a dedicated tab in its settings menu for fine-tuning behaviors that might adversely affect your system.
Edge’s performance tab lets you adjust how inactive tabs and memory usage are handled
You can adjust how Edge handles inactive tabs and memory usage in the performance tab Image: Alice Newcome-Beill
One of the best features of Edge, available by default, is the vertical tabs bar. It’s essentially what it sounds like but gives a much neater and more organised look when I’ve got numerous tabs open at the same time. The sidebar is also very useful, similar to Chrome’s offering; however it is slightly more versatile. You can pin URLs here as well as applications such as a separate search engine so you don’t have to open another tab. Handy tools are also pre-installed like a calculator, translator and unit converter – making it even more convenient.
When you don’t need them, the left and right vertical bars automatically collapse
Vertical bars on the left and right automatically collapse when not needed Image: Alice Newcome-Beill
It is understandable that many people are reluctant to change from Chrome, especially when Microsoft is trying to convince them to use Edge as their default browser. If you’re looking for a solid Chrome alternative that doesn’t require you to re-learn how the internet works — I’d definitely recommend giving Edge a try until Arc is more widely available.
