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Safari vs Chrome in 2024: Performance, Speed and Features Compared

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Safari and Chrome are two of the biggest players in the browser world. While Safari comes ready-to-go on Apple devices, that doesn’t mean it’s the best option — especially as Chrome is often touted as the best browser out there. See who wins in our Safari vs Chrome comparison.

Last Updated: 01 Feb'24 2024-02-01T09:54:22+00:00

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It’s that time of year again where we put two of the most famous browsers in our virtual boxing ring for the battle of Safari vs Chrome. All Mac users will be familiar with Safari; it’s the default browser for Mac devices and iPhones.

However, just because Safari comes pre-installed by default, that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the best. With applications available for the Google Chrome browser on both Apple desktops and iOS, you might be wondering if you should make the switch.

Key Takeaways:

While Safari and Chrome are both decent browsers, Chrome’s vast library of extensions and customization capabilities means it’s a slightly better choice
In the battle of performance, Chrome also comes up tops, offering better speed and graphics execution
The only round where Chrome lags a little is privacy and browsing data collection, which is why we advise using this browser in conjunction with a VPN

To help you decide, we’ve done a bit of research for you, comparing Safari and Google Chrome across Mac and iOS to see which one is better. If you’re not a Mac user, then this article won’t be one for you, so we suggest you check out our Microsoft Edge vs Chrome review for Windows devices instead.

Cloudwards completed a fresh comparison of Safari vs Chrome. Since our last review, Chrome and Safari have remained relatively unchanged, making for a neck-and-neck race.

Safari vs Chrome: Rounds & Criteria

Our showdown between Safari and Google Chrome will take the form of five rounds, each focused on a different strength: features, ease of use, performance, security and privacy.

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At the end of each round, one browser will come up tops and earn a point. Whichever of the two browsers scores three points overall will be the final winner. Is Chrome better than Safari? Let’s find out.

1. Features

First up in our Google Chrome vs Safari showdown, we’ll explore each of the browser’s features. It’s fair to say that Safari and Google both cover the basics of a good browsing experience pretty well but, in this day and age, most of us want more than basic functionality. Native tools, customization and extensions were all things we considered in this round.

Customization

Safari is pretty minimalist in design and functionality. While you can customize the look and feel of the browser on Mac, your options are limited. For example, you can change the background of the Safari home screen, but not the overarching color and theme of the desktop.

By contrast, Google Chrome gives you a lot more options. You can choose from over 24 color themes, or even customize your background with an image of your choice. It’s a similar story over on the mobile applications for both.

Safari’s home screen feels minimalist and static, while the Google Chrome mobile device app offers higher levels of customization. You can, for example, set your homepage to show you the latest trending news from Google News.

Google Extensions vs the Apple Ecosystem

Google Chrome also leads when it comes to extensions. Like Firefox, the Chrome extensions library is huge, varied and offers lots of applications for free. Read our Chrome vs Firefox review here .

Safari’s library of extensions, in comparison, feels relatively limited. While you can access big names like Honey and 1Password, you’ll also find that a lot of applications aren’t compatible with Safari.

This is especially true for VPNs. Right now, none of the top VPN providers offer a browser extension for the latest version of Safari, but they do for Google Chrome. In essence, Chrome offers much more expandability and customization than Safari.

Syncing

Both web browsers offer solid syncing features. We like how Safari works in conjunction with a range of Apple features to offer a seamless browsing experience across all Apple products.

Combined with iCloud sync and Apple’s iCloud keychain software, you can move from your iPhone to your iPad to your Mac laptop without your browsing experience being interrupted, and your browsing history will also save automatically. Here’s the lowdown on how to get started with iCloud .

Safari also integrates into Mac’s other applications by default. So, if you use Mac apps like Apple Mail, Apple Calendar and iMessage, you’ll experience excellent continuity. We also like how, with compatible websites, you can use Apple Pay to pay for online shopping.

Google Chrome, though, also performs well on the continuity front. If you have a Google account, you can also sync your browsing experience across your other devices. While Google Chrome doesn’t enable Apple Pay, it has its own option — Google Pay — which you can enable for a faster payment experience.

So, Google Chrome and Safari are pretty much neck and neck when it comes to features but, with its greater levels of customization and vast library of web extensions, Google Chrome takes the lead in this round.

2. Ease of Use

Both Safari and Google Chrome are straightforward to use on desktop and mobile devices, so in this round, we analyzed which user interface felt more pleasant to use. Across iPhone and Mac, Chrome takes a slight lead here.

Safari’s user interface is minimalist and easy to get your head around. The search bar is at the top of the screen on both desktop and mobile. The home screen is then decorated with widgets showing frequently visited websites, favorite websites and suggested reading based on your browsing experience.

The experience is satisfactory and we also like how, if you open multiple tabs, you can click the four-square icon in the top right-hand corner of the browser to zoom out of all your open web pages, so it’s easy to find what you need.

Chrome is also really easy to use. The homepage — unless you change it — features the famous Google search bar, along with frequently visited websites below it. There’s also widgets in the top right-hand corner of the page, which give you quick access to Google applications like Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos, Google Translate and YouTube.

In terms of finding bookmarks, Google Chrome’s bookmarks are more seamlessly integrated into the browser, showing as small widgets below the search bar at the top of the page. To show bookmarks in Safari, you have to either manually click the bookmark tab in the control panel or enable the bookmark pane, which is quite big and invasive.

Overall, while both are easy to use, the Google Chrome browser feels a bit more dynamic and user-friendly than Apple’s browser.

3. Performance

We’ve come to what is arguably the most important round: the Safari vs Chrome speed test. We performed a benchmark test using Speedometer 2.0, JetStream 2 and MotionMark to compare Safari vs Chrome performance.

We used a MacBook Pro with 16GB of RAM and an Intel Core i5 CPU running at 2 GHz to run these tests.

Benchmark Test Results

When it comes to speed, Chrome is the clear winner, reading 122.5 compared to 113.8 on Safari. While both are respectable scores, Chrome is undoubtedly the faster option.

On JetStream, the tables turned. Safari’s reading was 125.705, putting it in the lead as Chrome’s score was 118.675. JetStream tests a browser’s ability to deal with complex JavaScript workloads. This indicates that Safari will perform better when executing complex applications — but only marginally.

The last test we performed was MotionMark, which analyzes how the browser handles complex graphics. Chrome really shone in this test, coming in at 403.6 to Safari’s 356.31. This means that Chrome’s user experience and responsiveness outperforms Safari.

One thing worth noting is that Safari is a more lightweight browser than Chrome. While it might not be as quick, Safari is more economical for iOS and Mac performance than Chrome in terms of battery life, especially with multiple tabs open.

Despite this, with Chrome winning on two out of three of these mini rounds in the Safari vs Chrome benchmark test, it’s fair to say that Chrome is the overall winner when it comes to performance.

4. Security

Both Safari and Chrome use Google’s Safe Browsing database to keep users safe from phishing and malware. They also both offer password management functionality.

If you use Google’s password manager or Safari’s iCloud keychain, you’ll also benefit from dark web monitoring, a feature that uses data analytics to alert you to the exposure of your passwords and email addresses in data leaks and breaches.

Despite these similarities, Chrome slightly takes the lead in terms of security features. We like that Google sends out frequent browser updates for Chrome, ensuring regular patching from potential vulnerabilities. Safari’s updates, by contrast, are much more infrequent.

Over the last few years, Google has gotten in trouble with data privacy regulators numerous times for its use of cookies and improper collection of personal data. Apple, by contrast, has managed to stay out of the headlines for these reasons.

We’ve taken an in-depth look at the best browsers for your privacy , which you can take a look at here.

While Google appears to have learned from its mistakes and is taking steps to bolster user privacy, Apple takes the lead in this round. We like that Safari features a dedicated “privacy report” feature, which shows how the browser is protecting you from online profiling and cross-site tracking through its intelligent tracking prevention software.

Chrome also offers a “privacy checkup” function, but it’s far less granular than Safari. Also, by default, your privacy isn’t prioritized. Google automatically enables personalized ads, as opposed to blocking them. Incognito mode, as always, doesn’t do much do actually protect your privacy.

This makes sense, as advertising is such a huge part of Google’s business model, but it means that you should probably use a VPN in conjunction with Chrome. For this reason, Safari wins this round.

The Verdict

Ultimately, Safari and Chrome are both solid browser choices. For iPhone, iPad and Mac users looking for simplicity and deep integration across the Apple ecosystem, Safari is a good choice — and comes ready to go.

However, it’s also well worth downloading Chrome and setting up a Google account if you haven’t already. Chrome is a leading browser for a reason. It’s fast, easy to use and comes with unparalleled customization options.

Because of this, Chrome is our ultimate winner, but we do recommend you use it in conjunction with a VPN to ensure your online privacy.

What are your thoughts on the battle between Chrome vs Safari? Do you agree that Chrome is the better browser overall, and why or why not? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading!

Both Safari and Chrome are good browser choices for Apple users. However, Chrome takes the lead over Safari in terms of performance, ease of use and customization, making it a better all-round browser choice.

Safari and Chrome are both secure, and Safari actually uses Google’s Safe Browsing database. They are pretty much neck and neck when it comes to privacy and security, but if you’re concerned about your online privacy, we’d advise using a VPN.

Probably not. If you’re using Chrome, then Safari won’t offer you anything that you haven’t got already.

Great comparison, and I agree chrome wins in most everything. Review is missing a critical comparison, power consumption.

You mean on mobile?

I have win but I haven’t received any thing

I am pretty sure he means you didn’t include power consumption for desktop and mobile.

I use Safari because of the battery life and performance being pretty good. It does lack a robust extension store and isn’t cross platform outside of Apple’s OS ecosystem. Chrome has a significant market share on Mac OS because its cross platform and updates better if security is a priority for you. Safari lags in updates due to being tied to OS updates. WebKit is open sourced but mostly developed by Apple and is a fork of Chromium/Blink which Google and most other browsers use. Firefox is an option as well, but its always been slow and battery hungry as well.

Blink is actually a fork of WebKit, not the other way around.

fyi chrome uses safari’s rendering engine on iOS (as they’re not allowed to do otherwise) so speed is the same on iOS.

Firefox is much better nowadays in terms of performance and battery consumption (on MacBooks).

I Think Chrome is the browser with more day to day security and updates, for years I was a fan of Google Apps, but the fact that all of its apps are so resources’ hungry is annoying, I recently upgraded to 12GB RAM on my MacBook and the more RAM I add to my system the more RAM it uses, it’s incredibly annoying, when Safari handles everything faster with its simpler yet powerful and tidy design, using about 1/4 or less of the RAM used by Chrome, using the same websites, and the same amount of tabs open at the same time. Once I finish transferring my files from Google Drive I’ll switch everything to iCloud, it’s the way to go on a MacOS System.

Antonio, Please explain your like of Icloud. It’s the biggest annoyance.

It’s syncs seamlessly across all your devices – you can access them anywhere you can connect to the internet. It’s smart and even anticipates your needs, based on your file/folder usage behaviour.

If you’re finding it a massive annoyance then I imagine you’re *expecting* it to behave like Dropbox or Google Drive when that’s not what it was ever designed for.

Most people who find it frustrating do so because they don’t understand its purpose – I admit I fell in this camp for several years myself!

Took me years to realise that if you’re a Mac user, it’s pointless paying for eg 2TB of iCloud storage, if you don’t have 2TB of storage locally on your Mac. It’s not a storage extender like an external HD. It essentially replicates what’s on your Mac.

Not an ad, and am no way connected to him, but the ‘MacMost’ YT channel is an excellent free resource for both newcomers to Mac and experienced hands. Gary, the chap who runs it, has been around forever and watching his tutorial videos is like being taught by a friendly uncle. He has a rich, searchable back catalogue (with several on understanding iCloud!)

Regarding Chrome, I still love it – chiefly because of the vast library of extensions. I have 105 installed, but I’ve become far stricter about not keeping them all switched on all the time. I generally have about 12-15 on constantly; the rest I toggle on and off just when I need them. Seems the best of both worlds to me.

Chrome on iOS is more performant by safari. That is because, if you can choose safari, you have iOS. On iOS, chrome is always faster because it uses the same browser engine, webkit, with its own code to make it faster.

If you are on an Android phone with Google sync all across Google & Android products, Chrome is the winner!

The security on safari seems a little more liable other wise both are best but customisation wise chrome is a bit good

Liable to whom, and for what exactly? Or do you mean reliable? I’m unsure… Liable means legally responsible – do you mean Safari is run in a more legally compliant way? Please can you elaborate? Thanks

I reverted to Safari after I found that I couldn’t get a reader mode with Chrome for my iPhone and iPad.

Can’t use chrome extensions on iPad. It’s dumb.

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Safari vs Chrome: Which browser should you use on your Mac?

Published on May 31, 2022

Apple’s Mac computers and its Safari browser have gone hand in hand for years now. It’s a solid app, perfectly tuned for macOS, but what if you want something different? If you have an Android phone, you might be drawn to the dark side of Chrome instead. Let’s stack Safari vs Chrome in the ultimate browser battle and see which is better for your needs.

See also: These Chrome Flags will improve your web-browsing experience

We’ll walk through most of the key features of each browser. After all, you may spend hours working in a browser every day, so you want to pick the best one. Ready to crown a winner? Let’s get started.

Is appearance everything?

We’re not here to argue which browser looks better, but careful design can go a long way. In many ways, this battle comes down to Apple vs Google. You might immediately lean one way or the other based purely on appearances.

Take tab organization, for example. In Safari, you’ll find a grid layout that makes it easy to find any tab in seconds on a desktop. However, Safari turns its tabs into a deck of cards on mobile, requiring you to swipe through an endless list. You can only see the top of each tab, which can be confusing if you have multiple tabs open from one site.

Over on Chrome, you’ll become good friends with the tab bar in a hurry. You can keep adding tabs as much as you want, and they’ll shrink to accommodate new windows. It’s not a bad setup until you can’t read your tabs. Eventually, they’ll be a website logo and an exit button, and you’ll have to cycle through each one.

Chrome can’t seem to make up its mind when it comes to mobile tabs. It’s gone through a few grid layouts, and you can now open new tabs inside tab groups. The idea is to bundle related tabs together, but it’s mostly an easy way to get lost.

How do the Safari and Chrome features stack up?

As you might expect, Chrome is the way to go if you’re part of Google’s ecosystem. If you have a Chromecast or some Google Nest devices, getting the most out of them will be far easier. You can right-click just about anywhere in Chrome and look for the Cast option any time you want to put your content on TV, too.

Chrome even comes with Google Translate built right in, so you can translate foreign web pages in seconds. There are thousands of other extensions you can explore as well, and Chrome even has a task manager on board in case you have to halt hefty processes.

See also: The best privacy web browsers for Android

Safari, however, is the king of continuity. If you have an iPad, iPhone , or a Mac, you can easily pass windows and tabs between them. It’s an easy way to take an article with you if you didn’t have time to read it all. Furthermore, you can use your other Apple security measures to verify purchases. Once you check out on Safari, you’ll be prompted for Touch ID or Face ID to protect your purchase.

Unfortunately, it took Apple until Safari 14 to finally introduce extensions. You can now add Grammarly and select password managers to your browser, which brings Safari more in line with features that Chrome has had for a while.

Also, Safari is still unavailable outside of the Apple realm. It’s really only your best bet if you’re all-in on iOS and macOS. If you have a Windows PC or an Android phone, you’ll have to look at Firefox or Chrome for access across all of your devices. It’s not exactly easy to battle Safari vs Chrome when you can only download one of the browsers on half of your devices.

What security and privacy measures are there?

Feeling safe online is an important part of any browser, and it’s a key part of Safari vs Chrome. Both browsers make use of Google’s Safe Browsing database to guard against phishing schemes and other malware. It’s a great way to know that someone is looking out for you while you go about your day, even if you end up sending a lot of data straight to Google.

However, the biggest difference between the browsers comes in update frequency. Updates are an important way to stay ahead of cybercriminals, and Google Chrome has the easy advantage. Safari updates are often tied to macOS changes, but Chrome can push changes whenever it needs to. In fact, you’ll probably get some form of a patch just about every two weeks.

Both browsers block popups by default , but Chrome goes a step further to point out when you venture to an unsafe site. It displays a Not secure warning as well as a small popup window. Safari, on the other hand, indicates safety with a small green lock icon.

While we’re happy to give Google points for security, privacy is another matter entirely. The Mountain View-based company isn’t shy about wanting all of the data it can get its hands on, though it usually explains things away by trying to improve your experience. Common features like website recommendations and predictive search have to come from somewhere, don’t they?

Apple also collects all sorts of information on Safari, including names, locations, and IP addresses. It can share this information as needed, even if it claims not to share encrypted devices with authorities.

See also: How to clear your browser or system cache on a Mac

Is one browser easier to use?

Ease of use in Safari vs Chrome is a fairly subjective point, and it probably depends on your other devices. You’re probably used to Safari if you’re coming from an iPhone, while Android users are probably more comfortable in Chrome. You’ll have to consider which tab setup is easier for your own use, but it’s not hard to adjust between the two.

One of the biggest drawbacks to Safari is that you can’t tinker with settings in the app. You’ll have to head over to Apple’s dedicated settings app if you want to change something. Chrome’s settings — like most browsers — are right in the app, which makes life easy if you want to change on the fly.

Safari vs Chrome: Which browser wins?

We’ve hinted at it here and there, but the winner of Safari vs Chrome comes down to your needs. If you live completely inside Apple’s ecosystem, you’ll be better off with Safari. The Handoff feature is tough to top, and it’s nice to have some extra security around your purchases. However, you’ll probably want to fire up Chrome if you have other Android or Windows devices in your house. It’s the only way you can still share tabs and login information between devices.

Although we’ve gone pretty deep into Safari vs Chrome, they’re not your only options. If you haven’t been swayed one way or the other, then it might be time to switch things up. There are tons of other browsers to consider, and we’ll touch on a few favorites.

See also: The best Android browsers for surfing whatever website you want

Are there any good alternatives?

Brave Browser

One of the newer browsers, Brave Browser , launched in 2016 with plenty of features. It packs a built-in ad blocker and features HTTPS just about everywhere you look. Brave offers per-site settings adjustments, and you can even track what you’re blocking. Perhaps best of all is the fact that Brave Browser is free.

See also: Should you switch to Brave Web Browser?

Opera is another good browser alternative, and its messaging feature helps to clean up your overall experience. You won’t have to jump between apps, just open a small message window and keep chats going while you go about your day. Opera also has a built-in ad blocker to keep things smooth and an included VPN if you’re hoping to enjoy geo-restricted content.

If you’re worried about privacy, DuckDuckGo is a good option. Like Brave, it relies heavily on HTTPS and offers a private search mode. It even goes so far as to give each website you visit a privacy rating from A through F. You can’t sync all of your passwords, but the close button wipes your browsing data which is a nice bonus.

Safari vs. Chrome: Which browser is better for iPhone and Mac?

Choosing the right web browser for our devices is essential for productivity and efficiency. Safari and Chrome are two popular choices on Apple devices, each with strengths and weaknesses. In this blog, I will compare Safari vs. Chrome to help you decide which browser is better for your iPhone and Mac. Let’s dive into the differences!

Safari vs. Chrome – User Interface

Safari is designed to blend seamlessly with Apple’s ecosystem. Its sleek and intuitive user interface ensures a clutter-free browsing experience. Besides, it offers group tabs management for organizing your browsing. So you can easily focus on the content.

Chrome’s UI is user-friendly, with a familiar interface across devices. It lets you personalize your browsing experience with various themes, extensions, and add-ons. Nonetheless, this added flexibility might come at the cost of a more cluttered than Safari.

Therefore, both Safari and Chrome have strong UI aspects. But the winner depends on your preference for minimalism (Safari) or customization options (Chrome).

Safari vs. Chrome – Ease of use

Safari is the default browser on Apple devices. So, it offers seamless integration and synchronization with other Apple services. The intuitive gestures make it easy to navigate and use the browser effortlessly. With Smart Search, you get more relevant results without going through multiple websites. Additionally, you can quickly autofill your passwords and verification codes, saving time and effort.

With its widespread popularity, Chrome ensures a consistent experience across different platforms. The synchronization with Google accounts, bookmarks, and history is convenient for users already within the Google ecosystem.

If you own both Apple, Android, and Windows systems, Chrome will be your go-to browser. However, I only have Apple devices, so I prefer Safari to take up the work where I left it. Also, Safari allows me to create profiles to keep my personal and professional browsing separate.

Safari vs. Chrome – Performance and speed

As Apple optimizes Safari for its devices, it often outperforms Chrome regarding speed and battery efficiency. Safari’s performance is particularly notable on iPhones and Mac devices. I have experienced smoother browsing and longer battery life using Safari.

Chrome has made significant improvements in performance over time. However, it can still be resource-intensive, especially on older devices. While it performs well on Mac, it might not be as efficient on iPhones as Safari.

Safari vs. Chrome – Security

Apple strongly emphasizes user privacy and security. So Safari has built-in Intelligent Tracking Prevention and strong sandboxing. It also warns against unsafe websites, ensuring a secure browsing environment. Moreover, you may hide your IP address for data protection. With iOS 17, Safari automatically removes tracking parameters from URLs .

Google’s Chrome also focuses on security, with features like Safe Browsing and automatic updates. Besides, you may save your passwords securely and access them on any device using Chrome Password Manager . However, its ties to Google’s services raise data collection and privacy concerns.

Safari vs. Chrome – Privacy

As mentioned earlier, Safari prioritizes user privacy by blocking cross-site tracking and preventing advertisers from collecting user data. It also includes a “ Privacy Report ” feature to get insights into trackers blocked on visited websites. Besides, you can lock your incognito tabs for more privacy.

You can use Hide My Email to create unique, random email addresses that will forward messages to your inbox without revealing your actual email address. Also, you may create or delete as many addresses as needed to enjoy greater control over who can contact you.

While Chrome offers some privacy controls, it cannot match Safari’s level of privacy protection. As part of Google’s business model, Chrome collects user data to improve its services, raising concerns for privacy-conscious users.

Safari vs. Chrome – Customization

Safari’s customization options are relatively limited compared to Chrome. You can only customize the Safari start page and a few website settings. While you can install some Safari extensions , the selection is not as extensive as in Chrome’s Web Store.

Chrome’s extensive Web Store offers a vast collection of extensions, themes, and add-ons that allow users to tailor their browsing experience to their preferences.

Additional features

Safari offers Reading List, Listen to Page, PiP mode , and Handoff features to enhance the browsing experience. Also, it has a built-in PDF conversion tool to convert any webpage into a PDF. This is pretty convenient to save web pages. Besides, you can quickly share your password with family members without explicitly sharing them.

Chrome’s additional features include Google Assistant integration, cross-device synchronization with non-Apple devices, and easy access to Google Workspace. Another standout feature is the feature to do a reverse Google search on any image instantly.

Which browser is better for iPhone and Mac?

Choosing the better browser between Safari and Chrome for your iPhone and Mac depends on your priorities and preferences. Safari is ideal if you value seamless integration within the Apple ecosystem, strong privacy protection, and optimized performance. However, Safari is only limited to Apple devices.

On the other hand, you may prefer Chrome if customization options, a wide range of extensions, and additional features are more important to you. Therefore, if you want to use Chrome on your Apple devices, you may change it on your iPhone and Mac .

Ultimately, whatever you choose, both browsers will provide a satisfying browsing experience on your Apple devices. Which browser is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!

Explore more…

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Ava is a die-hard Apple aficionado and seasoned writer with a knack for breaking down complex tech concepts into easily digestible content. Having honed her writing and editing skills over 3 years at renowned media houses like TechBurner, Ava crafts informative and engaging articles including troubleshooting guides, product reviews, editorials at iGeeksBlog. When not typing, you can find her exploring the latest Apple releases or pondering the future of tech innovation.

🗣️ Our site is supported by our readers like you. When you purchase through our links, we earn a small commission. Read Disclaimer .

Why Is Safari Using Google

Software & Applications
Browsers & Extensions

Introduction

Safari, the sleek and innovative web browser developed by Apple, has garnered a loyal following due to its seamless integration with Apple devices and its commitment to user privacy and security. One of the key features that sets Safari apart is its default search engine, which plays a pivotal role in shaping the browsing experience for millions of users worldwide.

In the digital age, search engines have become the gateway to the vast expanse of information available on the internet. They serve as the compass that guides users through the virtual landscape, helping them find answers to their questions, discover new content, and connect with the world. For Safari users, the default search engine is the first port of call when embarking on a quest for knowledge, entertainment, or practical solutions.

Understanding the default search engine in Safari is crucial, as it influences the search results, suggestions, and overall browsing experience. Moreover, it sheds light on the strategic partnerships and technological integrations that shape the competitive landscape of the web browser industry.

In this article, we delve into the intricacies of Safari's default search engine, with a specific focus on the prominent role played by Google. We explore the reasons behind Google's prominence as Safari's default search engine, examine the alternatives available to users, and shed light on the implications of this choice for the browsing experience. By gaining insights into the inner workings of Safari's default search engine, users can make informed decisions about their browsing preferences and understand the dynamics of the digital ecosystem that shapes their online interactions.

Safari's Default Search Engine

Safari, the flagship web browser developed by Apple, comes equipped with a default search engine that serves as the primary tool for conducting online searches. This default search engine plays a pivotal role in shaping the browsing experience for millions of users who rely on Safari to navigate the digital realm. The default search engine is the compass that guides users through the vast expanse of the internet, helping them discover information, access services, and connect with the world.

The default search engine in Safari is the starting point for users' online explorations, influencing the search results, suggestions, and overall browsing experience. It serves as the gateway to a wealth of knowledge, entertainment, and practical solutions, making it a crucial component of the browsing journey. Understanding the default search engine in Safari is essential for users, as it empowers them to make informed decisions about their online interactions and preferences.

Safari's default search engine is deeply integrated into the browser's interface, allowing users to initiate searches directly from the address bar or dedicated search field. This seamless integration enhances the user experience, enabling swift and convenient access to information. Moreover, the default search engine influences the autocomplete suggestions and search predictions that assist users in formulating their queries and discovering relevant content.

The default search engine in Safari also plays a significant role in shaping the search results displayed to users. It utilizes sophisticated algorithms to index and rank web pages, presenting users with a curated selection of links, images, and other content based on their search queries. This process is instrumental in helping users find the most relevant and useful information, thereby enriching their browsing experience.

Furthermore, the default search engine in Safari reflects the strategic partnerships and technological integrations that underpin the browser's functionality. It embodies the collaborative efforts between Apple and leading search engine providers, shaping the competitive landscape of the web browser industry. By understanding the intricacies of Safari's default search engine, users can gain insights into the dynamics of the digital ecosystem that influences their online interactions.

In essence, Safari's default search engine serves as the cornerstone of the browsing experience, guiding users through the vast digital landscape and connecting them with the information they seek. Its seamless integration, influence on search results, and strategic significance underscore its importance in shaping the browsing journey for Safari users.

Google as Safari's Default Search Engine

Google, the tech giant renowned for its prowess in organizing the world's information, holds a prominent position as Safari's default search engine. This strategic partnership between Apple and Google has significant implications for Safari users and the broader digital landscape.

The choice of Google as Safari's default search engine reflects a multitude of factors that contribute to its widespread adoption and user preference. Google's unparalleled expertise in search technology, vast index of web content, and advanced algorithms for delivering relevant search results align seamlessly with Safari's commitment to providing users with a comprehensive and efficient browsing experience.

Google's dominance in the search engine realm is underpinned by its relentless pursuit of innovation and its ability to adapt to evolving user needs and technological advancements. This aligns with Safari's ethos of prioritizing user satisfaction and staying at the forefront of technological progress. By integrating Google as the default search engine, Safari leverages Google's cutting-edge capabilities to empower users with swift access to a wealth of information, services, and multimedia content.

Furthermore, Google's emphasis on user privacy and security resonates with Safari's core principles, as both entities prioritize safeguarding user data and ensuring a secure browsing environment. This alignment of values reinforces the synergy between Google and Safari, fostering a cohesive browsing experience that prioritizes user trust and protection.

The seamless integration of Google as Safari's default search engine underscores the collaborative efforts between Apple and Google to enhance the browsing journey for users. This partnership not only streamlines the search experience within Safari but also reflects a shared commitment to delivering excellence in the digital realm.

While Google's prominence as Safari's default search engine is undeniable, it is essential to recognize that users have the freedom to choose alternative search engines that align with their preferences. Safari offers users the flexibility to select their preferred search engine, allowing them to tailor their browsing experience according to their individual needs and inclinations.

In essence, Google's position as Safari's default search engine epitomizes a harmonious fusion of technological prowess, user-centric principles, and collaborative innovation. This partnership underscores the commitment of both Apple and Google to elevate the browsing experience, empowering users to explore the digital landscape with confidence and efficiency.

Alternatives to Google in Safari

While Google stands as the default search engine in Safari, users have the freedom to explore alternative search engines that cater to their specific preferences and priorities. Safari offers a diverse array of alternative search engine options, empowering users to customize their browsing experience according to their individual inclinations. These alternatives encompass a spectrum of features, including privacy-focused search engines, specialized content repositories, and innovative search technologies, providing users with a rich tapestry of choices to enhance their browsing journey.

DuckDuckGo : Renowned for its steadfast commitment to user privacy, DuckDuckGo has emerged as a compelling alternative to Google in Safari. With a focus on shielding user data from tracking and personalized targeting, DuckDuckGo offers a privacy-centric search experience that resonates with users seeking enhanced confidentiality and data protection. Its robust search capabilities and transparent approach to user privacy make it an appealing choice for Safari users who prioritize online anonymity and security.

Bing : Microsoft's search engine, Bing, presents itself as a formidable alternative to Google in Safari, offering a diverse range of search functionalities and multimedia content. With a visually engaging interface and seamless integration with Safari, Bing provides users with an alternative perspective on search results and access to a vast index of web content. Its integration with Microsoft's ecosystem further enhances its appeal to users who seek a cohesive browsing experience across different platforms.

Yahoo : Yahoo Search, with its longstanding presence in the digital landscape, remains a viable alternative to Google in Safari. Leveraging its comprehensive search index and multimedia offerings, Yahoo Search caters to users who appreciate a familiar and feature-rich search experience. Its integration with Safari enables users to access Yahoo's diverse content repository and explore a range of topics, from news and entertainment to finance and lifestyle, within the browser environment.

Ecosia : For users inclined towards environmental sustainability and social impact, Ecosia emerges as a compelling alternative search engine in Safari. Ecosia distinguishes itself by utilizing its search ad revenue to fund tree planting initiatives worldwide, aligning with the values of users who prioritize environmental conservation and ethical business practices. Its integration with Safari allows users to contribute to reforestation efforts while conducting searches, adding a meaningful dimension to their browsing activities.

Startpage : Positioned as a privacy-focused search engine, Startpage offers Safari users an alternative search experience that emphasizes anonymity and data protection. With its robust privacy features and unbiased search results, Startpage appeals to users who seek a search engine that respects their privacy rights and delivers comprehensive search results without tracking or profiling.

In essence, Safari presents users with a diverse array of alternative search engines, each catering to distinct preferences and priorities. By embracing these alternatives, users can tailor their browsing experience to align with their values, privacy concerns, and content preferences, thereby enriching their exploration of the digital landscape within the Safari browser environment.

In conclusion, the default search engine in Safari serves as the cornerstone of the browsing experience, guiding users through the vast digital landscape and connecting them with the information they seek. The strategic partnership between Apple and Google has positioned Google as the default search engine in Safari, reflecting a harmonious fusion of technological prowess, user-centric principles, and collaborative innovation.

Google's prominence as Safari's default search engine underscores its unparalleled expertise in search technology, vast index of web content, and advanced algorithms for delivering relevant search results. This strategic alignment with Safari's commitment to providing users with a comprehensive and efficient browsing experience highlights the seamless integration of cutting-edge capabilities to empower users with swift access to a wealth of information, services, and multimedia content.

While Google stands as the default search engine in Safari, users have the freedom to explore alternative search engines that cater to their specific preferences and priorities. Safari offers a diverse array of alternative search engine options, empowering users to customize their browsing experience according to their individual inclinations. Whether it's the privacy-centric approach of DuckDuckGo, the visually engaging interface of Bing, the comprehensive search index of Yahoo, the environmental impact focus of Ecosia, or the privacy-focused features of Startpage, Safari users have a rich tapestry of choices to enhance their browsing journey.

The availability of these alternative search engines underscores Safari's commitment to providing users with flexibility and choice, allowing them to tailor their browsing experience according to their individual needs and inclinations. This emphasis on user empowerment and diversity aligns with Safari's ethos of prioritizing user satisfaction and underscores its dedication to offering a browsing environment that resonates with a wide spectrum of user preferences.

In essence, Safari's default search engine, with Google at the forefront and a diverse array of alternative options, reflects the browser's commitment to delivering a browsing experience that is not only efficient and comprehensive but also tailored to the diverse needs and priorities of its users. By understanding the intricacies of Safari's default search engine and the array of alternatives available, users can make informed decisions about their browsing preferences and engage with the digital landscape in a manner that aligns with their values and inclinations.

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Safari vs. Chrome for Mac: Which Is Right For You?

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The browser war never ends. No matter how many times we compare all the major browsers to determine a winner, the answer is always the same: learn what each browser offers and use the one that best suits your own needs. The most famous browsers currently used on macOS are Chrome and Safari—but which one's actually better?

Should you be using Chrome or Safari? It's not a clear-cut answer. Here are a few considerations that will make your decision easier to make, but ultimately, it's about using the one that feels most comfortable to you.

3 Reasons to Use Chrome on macOS

Chrome has been the leading internet browser in the world for quite a few years now. It has a user base of over 2.65 billion people and a market share of over 63 percent.

A lot of people love Chrome. Can they all be wrong? Maybe, but not likely. Even though there might be several annoying issues with Chrome , at the end of the day, it's a browser that's user-friendly and available on multiple different platforms.

1. User-Friendly and Modern Interface

Many people have become accustomed to the Chrome interface, which has largely remained consistent over the years. On the other hand, the recent macOS Monterey update introduced an updated design for Safari, which took many users some time to get the hang of.

A brand-new, updated design may be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it. The plus point is that it usually works better and looks nicer but, for some, this may be a bad thing, as you have to learn the interface again. However, in the case of Google Chrome, we doubt there is anything that needs to be drastically improved.

Chrome also has several small quality-of-life features that make all the difference. For example, tab management is easier and more intuitive, you can reopen more than one previously closed tab, and more. You can also switch between different work and home profiles, and all browser elements (bookmarks, design, etc.) will be updated accordingly.

2. Better and More Extensions

It's pretty much a fact by this point: Chrome has the best extensions. Nobody can really argue this, and even fans of other browsers grudgingly admit that Chrome wins here.

Extensions always come to Chrome first, other browsers second. Safari features most essential extensions—we even have a guide to customizing Safari's features to make it as comfortable to use in whatever circumstances—but it can never come close to the level of customization that Chrome offers through its numerous extensions.

In short, Chrome is more complex than Safari and has greater potential for expandability, yet still manages to be more intuitive and straightforward.

3. Cross Compatibility

Chrome is currently available for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android. Many users can use this to their advantage, choosing to use the same browser and sync their profile across different operating systems when using a Windows PC at work and a MacBook for personal use.

The added benefit of having mobile integration is that you can have the same browser bookmarks on your Android or iOS device.

Related: Chrome Extensions to Manage Tab Overload and Speed Up Tab Navigation

On the other hand, Safari is limited to Apple devices only, and can only run on iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watch. This can limit some users for cross-compatibility, forcing them to use other browsers, such as Chrome or Opera on their Windows PC or Android devices.

3 Reasons to Use Safari on macOS

Despite all of the above, there are many good reasons to avoid Chrome on macOS , especially if you're on a MacBook variant and battery usage is important. We'll address some of these issues below.

But perhaps the biggest indictment against Chrome is that it doesn't feel very "Mac-like" in its design.

1. Native Apple Ecosystem

Every macOS user understands that one of the biggest perks of the operating system is its coherent design and unified aesthetic. There is a "Mac" way to do things, and it feels best when the macOS version of an app adheres to that way.

Recent Apple updates have bought a unified look to the iOS, iPadOS, and macOS platforms, with a sleek and minimalistic design. Chrome doesn't care about any of that. It is its own app and you'll have to get used to its non-Mac quirks. Of course, this criticism could be laid against other apps too, but we're directly comparing against Chrome here, and it's a point to consider.

Safari is also better for those deeply entrenched in the Apple and iCloud ecosystem. With iCloud, you can keep all of your details synchronized across your macOS and iOS devices: passwords, bookmarks, open tabs, history, and so on.

2. Unique Built-In Features

A lot of people view Safari as a primitive browser, but it really isn't. It comes with a number of cool features built right into the browser—no extensions necessary.

For example, the Push Notifications feature allows websites to send alerts and notifications to the Notification Center, which is really useful for oft-visited sites with a lot of user activity. Similarly, the recently introduced compact layout organizes browser tabs in a better way, saving up more space.

Related: The Best Way to Use Tab Groups vs. Bookmarks in Safari

Other interesting features include AirPlay (which lets you stream video directly from macOS to Apple TV), Reader view (which lets you read articles in peace by clearing away distractions like ads), and Responsive Design Mode (which lets you see what a website would look like on other devices and screen sizes).

Not everyone will make use of all these features, but it's something to keep in mind anyway.

3. Lighter Resource Usage

Perhaps the best feature of Safari over Chrome on a Mac is the fact that it uses less CPU and RAM to accomplish the same tasks. Less resource usage translates to less power drain, which translates to longer battery life.

Studies have shown that Safari can provide up to an additional hour of battery life compared to Chrome, which is significant when you're traveling with your laptop, doing work on an airplane, or even if your power goes out at home. Chrome also uses much more RAM than Safari, which can limit your available memory if you're doing some memory-intensive work.

Less resource usage also means less heat being generated by the CPU, which also means slower fans, less fan noise, longer-lasting fans, and more bearable temperatures if you use the laptop on your actual lap.

Safari vs. Chrome: What's Your Choice?

As we mentioned at the start of this article, there's no clear-cut winner between these browsers. Both Chrome and Safari have their pros and cons, and it's ultimately up to you to decide which one to use. Safari should be better suited for those who are tied into the Apple ecosystem and prefer to have a browser with a minimalistic design and fewer performance issues.

However, you may prefer to use Chrome if you want the same browser across multiple platforms, and you want to customize the browser to your liking. The added functionality of millions of extensions means Chrome is more aimed at power users, whereas there are not that many extensions available in Safari.

Get the Best of Both Worlds

With all that being said, there's no reason you can't use both browsers on your Mac. You can choose to use Safari for personal ta, and choose to use Chrome for work-related projects, where you also may need the additional benefit of extensions. It all comes down to how you use your browser and what you feel more comfortable with.

Safari Browser

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Compared: Safari vs. Chrome vs. Firefox vs. Edge on macOS in 2022

Safari vs. Chrome vs. Firefox vs. Edge on macOS, compared.

The truth is, the perfect browser doesn't exist. Each of the four most popular macOS browsers has its own set of strengths and weaknesses, just based on the engine that's used for web rendering, and what the developers of the big-four have prioritized.

While the best browser for the individual varies on use case, and which websites behave the best on any given browser, there are a series of benchmarking tools that can measure performance on synthetic tasks.

Browser benchmarks

We tested each browser on three different testing platforms: JetStream 2, Speedometer, and MotionMark.

JetStream 2 is a JavaScript-benchmark that scores browsers based on how quickly they can start and execute code, which translates to faster JavaScript performance. Since JavaScript is used on most web browsers, it's a good test of snappiness for code-intensive sites.

MotionMark is a graphical browser testing suite that measures the ability to render complex web pages. Think a page that has complicated graphics and animations. A higher score results in smoother transitions and animations.

Speedometer 2.0 determines the responsiveness of a browser when running web applications. Among the three, it's the truest option for testing real-world performance across many popular websites and online services. A good example is adding tasks to a to-do list in a web app.

Chrome came out on top in JetStream 2 testing, while Safari took second place.

Safari was the fastest in MotionMark benchmark testing.

Speedometer testing showed off interesting results, with Firefox and Edge coming in first and second, and Safari in last place.

Different testing platforms result in different scores, so your own mileage may vary. Safari was the best for graphical performance, for example, but its responsiveness lagged behind others. Choose what specific metrics are most important to you.

For Mac users, Safari is an institution. It's the default browser on Apple platforms and is generally lightweight and efficient. As you'd expect for an Apple product, Safari also emphasizing privacy while you browser online.

From the very first boot on a new Mac, Safari is instantly available and configured for easy, private browsing. That makes it the best choice for the most non-technical among us, since you won't need to download and install anything. Safari "just works" out of the box.

It also features the tighest integration across Apple's other devices and systems. You can use Continuity to easy hand-off your browsing between your Mac and any iPhone or iPad you have around. If you need to buy something with Apple Pay , you can authenticate purchases with Face ID or Touch ID.

Safari also features some strong privacy protections, including mechanisms aimed at mitigating cross-site tracking and ad targeting. It features a built-in password manager that allows you to save and store passwords — with easy autofill options — across your Apple devices.

As an Apple-made product, Safari is the most convenient option on this list for Mac users — particularly those who own multiple Apple devices. It's also a good choice for the privacy conscious, though it isn't the fastest and it doesn't yet have a strong extension marketplace.

Default Mac browser with effortless setup
Strong privacy protections
Integration with other Apple products
Not the fastest or most responsive browser in some testing
Lackluster support for add-ons and extensions

Google Chrome

Google Chrome is a massively popular browser, and a particular favorite of those who routinely use extensions to customize their web experience. It's the most-used web browser in the world, and it's faster and more RAM-efficient than it used to be. Chrome is even currently speedier than Safari on macOS.

The browser also has one of the world's most extensive list of add-ons, plug-ins, and extensions. From plugins focused on online privacy or to video content downloaders, there are around 190,000 extensions in total to choose from. You can also choose from a number of different themes and customization options.

Intelligent Google-made features include automatic site translations and deep integration with the company's online tools and services — so it's great for those who rely on Gmail, Google Docs, or another Google service. Syncing between Google apps on different devices is also top-notch.

However, Google is a data company that relies on collecting information about its users. While the company has taken steps to bolster its privacy reputation, it's still a company that makes money on harvesting data. Those who are particularly privacy-conscious will probably want to look elsewhere.

It's hard to go wrong with the world's most popular web browser, particularly with its seamless workflow features and customization options. However, if you are even slightly concerned about online privacy, you may want to go with another option.

Simple to learn, fastest option in some cases
Syncs your Google account across other devices
Extensive list of extensions and add-ons
It's Google — so not that private
Is a RAM and CPU hog

Mozilla Firefox is one of the only popular and mainstream browsers to have started life as an open source project. It's still a free and open source browser with a hefty focus on privacy and security, which could make it a good fit for those who want a Google Chrome alternative.

Because of its open source nature, users are free to explore Firefox's code — and they do. The browser doesn't have any hidden secrets or data-harvesters. It also features some excellent built-in privacy and security protections, including Enhanced Tracking Protection and an extensive list of customizable permissions.

Firefox was also the first browser to actually offer third-party extensions and add-ons. Although it might not have as many extensions as Google Chrome, you'll still find a hefty list of options ranging from privacy add-ons to customizable themes for your browser.

Although Firefox has some cross-platform integration between its app and built-in Pocket support, it isn't as seamless as Chrome or Safari. If speed if your primary concern, it's also important to note that Firefox isn't the fastest browser by most metrics.

Users who want an open source browser or are committed to Mozilla's mission of keeping the internet open and free will find a browser after their own hearts here. For the average user, however, another browser on this list might be a better fit.

Completely free and open source
Extremely customizable with extensions, themes, etc.
The best option for hardcore privacy
Not the fastest or most RAM efficient
Synchronicity isn't as robust

Microsoft Edge is the spiritual successor to Internet Explorer that was first released in 2015. Originally HTML-based, Microsoft overhauled the browser to be based on Chromium, which is the same underlying software used to make Google Chrome.

As such, Microsoft Edge is now much more competitive than it used to be. It's far from a Google Chrome clone, but you should expect a similar level of performance from it. Some users believe that Microsoft Edge even feels snappier than Chrome on a Mac.

Because it's Chromium-based, Microsoft Edge also has a list of extensions similar to Chrome. It also sports a number of unique features, such as a "Collections" ability that lets you save information like text or webpages to a built-in notebook. There's also a vertical tab bar, a built-in read aloud feature, and an easy native screenshot tool.

It's a solid option for anyone that doesn't like Safari and wants an alternative to Google Chrome because of privacy reasons. If you use a Microsoft account like some use a Google account, then Edge might also be a solid option.

Snappy, lower RAM and CPU usage
Unique features like Read Aloud and Collections
Good performance in most metrics
Can be slower than Chrome in terms of pure performance
Syncing isn't as strong as Safari or Chrome

The perfect browser doesn't exist, but you can pick and choose what you need

There's no clear answer for what the "best" browser on macOS is. However, some browsers are better suited to specific tasks than others.

When it comes to smooth JavaScript execution, Chrome is in the top spot with Safari a close second. Safari, according to the MotionMark testing, handles complex web pages better than any other browser.

Firefox, interestingly enough, may be the fastest when it comes to general everyday web apps.

Of course, there's also the issues of extension support, privacy, and synchronization across other devices. Many of the browsers are evenly matched on these metrics, but some excel in specific areas like privacy or cross-platform integration.

But, unlike on iOS, you aren't effectively stuck with one browser core technology. These four browsers, and several more, are available on macOS, and can be run in parallel.

While we don't recommend running all four unless you're a web developer or unit case tester, two or three different browsers can be run at-will, if any given browser doesn't handle your work case well.

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Google just gave you one big reason to ditch Safari and use Chrome on macOS

Google Chrome now outperforms Safari on M1 Macs

If you're using Google Chrome on an Mac mini M1 or MacBook Pro M1 , then you're officially using the fastest browser around... according to Google. (Make sure it's fully patched , though.)

This achievement was declared in a Chromium Blog post written by Senior Director of Chrome Engineering Max Christoff. Running version M99 of Google Chrome on Macs fitted with Apple M1 chips resulted in the highest-ever results using the Apple-developed Speedometer 2.0 browser benchmark of 300 points.

This Chrome result even beat out Safari, macOS' native browser app, by a 7% overall margin and a 15% margin when it came to graphics performance. Cumulatively, the macOS Chrome app has increased its speed by 43% compared to how it performed when it launched on M1 Macs in October 2020.

Now bear in mind that Google achieved this record-breaking score by performing these tests on a fully specced 14-inch MacBook Pro , using an M1 Max chip and the range-topping 64GB RAM package. That's as powerful a MacBook as you're going to get right now, so trying these tests out on a more typical Mac like the Mac mini or MacBook Air may well produce lower scores. However, you should still do better with Chrome than on Safari, assuming the performance differences still scale with less powerful M1 chips and lower quantities of RAM.

Christoff had some good news to share for the Android version of Chrome too. He said that the browser was now 15% faster at loading pages, although he didn't give detail on the timeframe that this improvement was achieved over.

Chrome's well known for dominating your device's performance, although recent updates have gone some way to fixing that. Now at least it seems that you get speed to match that drain on your device's resources, although it's probably not worth swapping to Chrome from a browser you're already happy with.

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Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.

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Which Browser Engine Powers Your Web Browsing—And Why Does It Matter?

As you might have heard, Microsoft is rebuilding Edge from the ground up, this time using the Chromium code that also underpins Google Chrome. Essentially it’s a switch to a different browser rendering engine—but what exactly is such an engine? And how does it affect your browsing experience? We’ll guide you through the details here.

What are browser engines?

Now you know the names of the three major browser engines, so what exactly are they? Their job is to take the HTML, CSS and other code of a webpage—the text you can see in the page source or open in a text editor, setting out layouts, page content, and styling—and convert it into what you actually see on screen.

In some ways the engine is like a translator, turning the raw code that you can’t understand into a beautifully laid out page of text and graphics that you can. The browser engine makes choices about how to interpret what a web developer has typed—how particular lines of code affect what’s on screen.

In fact, you can consider the browser engine to be the most important part of the browser, much like a car engine is the most important part of your car. Everything else—menus, extensions, smart searching, autofill—is pretty redundant if you can’t actually see the sites you’re visiting properly.

So far so good... so why do we need different ones? Well, different programmers have different ideas about how best to do the job of a browser engine—displaying colors, optimizing code, refreshing pages, and so on. Case in point: Google launched Blink as a separate engine back in 2013 to improve on what it saw as failings in WebKit’s handling of multiple processes.

Say you want to introduce a new and improved way for web developers to show videos embedded inside text on a webpage. For that to happen, you need support from a browser engine—if you don’t get it, and a lot of other engineers agree with you, you might consider creating your own browser engine, which is basically how we’ve got where we are today (although the chances of a new engine ever getting off the ground in the future are slim, as Microsoft has proved).

Browser engines are the main reason that webpages sometimes look, load, and work differently in different browsers—it’s more likely the variations between Gecko, WebKit, and Blink than the variations between Firefox, Safari, and Chrome that are behind these differences. As the web evolves though, the variations are becoming less about the surface visuals (which are pretty much the same across the board) and more about the underlying technologies.

How do browser engines differ?

Firefox is developing a faster version of its Gecko engine.

Every part of a page’s rendering and the way user interactions are handled is carried out by the browser engine, and while each of the engines do a lot of processing in the same way, there are some differences too. Take the way the security of web apps is handled—this is something that each browser engine can approach differently.

As the web, and the sites and apps on it, have become more complex, browser engines have had to handle more code—webpages are no longer static, as they were when browsers were first invented. How this dynamic code gets processed and optimized is another way of telling engines apart, and has an impact on how quickly a page appears (it’s here that the JavaScript engine plays a big role).

Firefox engineers are currently working on an upgrade to Gecko called Quantum , which focuses on a lot of these new considerations for the modern web: How web apps get refreshed, how the browser handles memory and CPU core time, and how it responds to system crashes, for example.

Google tests new web technologies on its Chrome Experiments site.

Should an engine support older web standards and potentially lose milliseconds checking them (this is why Microsoft built Edge 1.0 in the first place)? Should it render text first and then load in images? How should multiple processes in multiple tabs be handled? It’s more these high-level questions, and less the intricacies of web fonts and embedded audio (for example), that differentiate the main browser engines today.

As well as existing web standards, browser engines also need to support new standards as the internet gets ever-more complex. This is another area where Blink arguably has an advantage—with Google building so many cutting-edge web apps, it’s in a better position to push for the standards they use.

There are other issues too, which really only matter to developers: How quickly code can be added and approved, the procedures for fixing bugs, how closely the browser engine is tied to the actual browser... end users won’t notice these (unless they’re counting the frequency of update patches), but they’re also important to mention.

Which browser engine is best?

Everything considered, should you stick with your current browser engine or should you switch to another? Well, as we’ve said, on a surface level there’s not a huge difference between them at the moment—Chrome (Blink), Firefox (Gecko), and Safari (WebKit) all render most websites in very similar ways at very similar speeds.

That’s because they all now largely accept the same basic web standards (something which wasn’t always the case—rest in peace Internet Explorer). There’s no headline feature we can point out that would necessarily make you suddenly leave WebKit and switch to Gecko, or vice versa.

On one level, Blink is the best browser engine out there (Microsoft switched to it, after all). It’s speedy at rendering pages and apps, updates are pushed out rapidly, it’s relatively robust, and bugs tend to be patched quickly. From Microsoft’s perspective, it’s also the easiest to build a new browser on top of and it works best when embedded in desktop apps. At the same time, it continues to hog memory in some situations and has grown more bloated over the years.

Chrome has its benefits—including speedy updates.

With its Quantum upgrade for Gecko, Firefox continues to impress and is making serious speed improvements. Apple’s WebKit, meanwhile, has its detractors , but Safari is still getting better on macOS and iOS (mostly due to features built on top of the browser engine, but still). What differences there are in these browser engines tend not to have a huge impact on end users, so you can carry on using the browser you prefer.

Where Blink’s dominance might have a negative effect on all of us is the way that browser technologies are used in the future and which fall by the wayside—at the moment, Google engineers are calling the shots for the way the web works for the majority of people (not entirely, but enough for it to be a concern ). In other words, the danger is you’ll see a lot more “works best with Chrome” messages.

With Microsoft engineers now contributing to Chromium too—after the Edge switch—that should be mitigated somewhat, and there is an argument that it’s in Google’s best interests to preserve the open web and ensure its ongoing development is a collaborative effort. Just be aware that your choice of getting on the web isn’t just about the browser—it’s also about the engine running underneath.

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Browser battles: IE vs. Firefox vs. Chrome vs. Opera vs. Safari

We run-down the latest versions of all the main browsers in a head-to-head comparison to sort out where each browser scores well or offers something unique that makes them a must-use proposition. Should you make a switch?

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Internet Explorer

A good browser does what you want, when you want it to. At a basic level, any browser you choose will do the basics — page display, secure websites for matters such as online commerce and banking — to a standardised level. So what marks out one browser from another?

We've taken a look at the latest and greatest from Microsoft, Apple, Opera, Google and Mozilla to sort out where each browser scores well or offers something unique that makes them a must-use proposition. Most users tend to use one browser and stick to it as a familiar kind of playground, but are they missing out on the best the web can offer as a result?

We're well past the point where you have to pay for a browser, and with the exception of Internet Explorer, everything we're looking at works across multiple computing platforms. These aren't benchmarks or reviews per se; we're just using the currently most up-to-date browsers to point out where it might be worth switching browsers.

The biggest players get to go first. So up first, we've got Internet Explorer 9.

Internet Explorer 9 Beta

Where to get it: http://ie.microsoft.com/testdrive /

There was a time when Internet Explorer was the internet for most folks, with market share that was fast approaching 100 per cent. That time has passed, but IE still holds a commanding market share, and its status as default Windows browser makes it the standard choice for a lot of web users.

Still in beta at the time of writing, most of Internet Explorer 9 's big new features are under the hood and promise speed jumps over previous versions of Internet Explorer. To put it kindly, previous versions could often tend to be rather keen on using up as much memory as possible, but our sampling of IE9 suggests it's been slimmed down extensively. Likewise, the user interface finally drops the toolbar-heavy approach for a slimmed down interface that draws obvious comparisons with Google's Chrome. There's no shame in utilising a good idea, however, and that's what the slick Internet Explorer 9 interface does, right down to integrated search in the URL bar. Bing is not surprisingly the default, but you can easily add other search engines.

Speed is always a very relative thing to test, but in our use of Internet Explorer 9 , we couldn't call it sluggish the way one could so easily do with previous versions. HTML5 is natively supported, the underlying JavaScript engine has been rewritten, and there's support for hardware-accelerated text rendering, depending on the power of your underlying system. All of these things add up to a browser that, for Internet Explorer, is refreshingly fast and lean.

In terms of tweaked features, the two standouts are pinned tabs and the very nifty way that IE manages your add-ons. Pinned sites can be dragged down to the Windows Taskbar where they act like an individual program application instance. You can launch the sites of your choice automatically, and if the site developer enables it, right-click to launch site jump-lists. One-click site launching is very cool, and one of the first things we did with IE9 was add CNET.com.au to our Windows Taskbar. We'll wait while you do the same.

As for Add-On management, the very first time you start up IE9, it'll search out your add-ons and tell you how much time they add to the program start time, with the option to disable them individually or all at once. So if you enable an add-on and IE9 starts dragging its feet, it's easy to find the culprit and lop its head off in just a couple of clicks with no confusion.

And finally — and it's taken long enough, Microsoft — Internet Explorer has a download manager. Quite why we had to wait so long for such a basic feature will no doubt go down as one of history's great mysteries.

If you're still using Windows XP, however, there'll be no Internet Explorer 9 for you. The minimum requirements call for Vista SP2 or better. If you're stuck on XP for a specific reason, we'd suggest switching camps to Chrome or Firefox rather than sticking with an older and potentially less secure IE version, especially as its market penetration make it a favourite of hackers.

In terms of browsers, the current "Fords vs. Holdens" analogy would have to be Internet Explorer vs. Firefox. Over to all things Mozilla we head...

Firefox 4 Beta

Where to get it: www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/beta/

From looking at the beta version of Firefox 4 , it's clear that browser minimalism and top-loading tabs are the new black in browser design. Like IE9, Chrome and Safari, the newest version of Firefox eschews complicated toolbars in favour of a clean layout that emphasises the pages you're surfing to. On Windows (Vista and 7 only), the minimalist design means that all of Firefox's menus spring out from the inventively named (and arguably Opera-borrowed) "Firefox button" that sits at the top left of the user interface. Standard menu layouts can also be invoked with a tap of the Alt key. Our only complaint with the Firefox button is that it sits in a vertical plane by itself, taking up what feels like a lot of screen real estate. It's still early beta days, so hopefully that'll change for final release. Tabs have shifted by default from the bottom to the top, although you can tweak this back if you're not in favour of it.

If you're the type of web surfer who always has hundreds of tabs open, you'll appreciate Firefox 4's Switch To Tab feature. If you're entering in the URL bar ... sorry, "Awesome Bar" by official Firefox parlance, the details of something that matches an existing open tab, it'll offer you the option to switch straight to that tab. Not so useful for single tabs, but if you've got dozens shrunk down to the point where they can't be found, it's potentially quite handy.

On the technical side, Firefox 4 supports yet another new video standard, WebM. It's open source and seems reasonably slick, but whether it'll unseat Flash and H.264 in any significant way isn't yet clear.

Firefox 4 is still very much in beta, and with that in mind, there's a permanently affixed Feedback button on the top left of the browser screen. We'll give them extra points for naming the feedback options "FireFox Made Me Happy Because" and "Firefox Made Me Sad Because..." if only because it's a cute way to engage browser testers.

Firefox 4 is still a beta, and it showed intermittently in our testing, with a few crashes along the way. Other than that, however, it's a swift browser that performs well. Existing Firefox users should upgrade to it once it's gone final, and those wanting cross-platform compatibility and a good browser could well be tempted to switch camps.

Between them, Firefox and Internet Explorer eat up at least 80 per cent of the world's browser share. Moving over to Google next...

Google Chrome 8.0.552.224 Beta

Where to get it: www.google.com/landing/chrome/beta/

Is Google's Chrome ever not in beta? You can always play it safe and download the stable version, but for those who like to live a little on the wild side, Google's Chrome page has a permanent link to the latest beta version of the company's search-centric application. This makes picking the beta-specific updates rather tricky to actually spot, as so many features end up being organically adopted by the browser along the way. We tested with version 8.0.552.224, but there could well be a more fresh public beta by the time you read this. It gave us the choice on loading of importing existing settings and, to our surprise, choosing our preferred search engine. If ever there was a setting we'd figure Google would lock down by default, it's search.

The big new feature (from a web surfer's perspective) in the Chrome 8.0.552 branch is Google's Chrome Web Store, a one-stop shop for various applications — everything from games to productivity applications is on offer, although at the time of writing, it's technically US only. This can be worked around with a credit card and a Google Checkout account, but developers keen on getting money out of Google should note that there's no way for Aussie developers to get paid — yet. Chrome Apps aren't really applications in the standard Windows sense; they're more like a mix of add-ons/extensions mixed with web pages, as nothing ends up as a distinct application on your desktop in the way you might expect.

As a browser, Chrome continues to be good at its core competency points. The stripped down look that every other browser is "borrowing" for its 2011 look was pioneered on Chrome, and it still arguably does it best, with a single bar for all searches and URL entry. PDF viewing is built in, and in version 8 it's sandboxed, so if you do end up with an errant PDF that would otherwise crash the whole browser session, everything else is protected.

The Chrome Web Store, in its current incarnation, probably isn't enough to get anyone to particularly switch camps if they're married to their current browser, but Chrome's swift page rendering, even in beta form, just might be.

From Google, we head into Operatic territory...

Where to get it: www.opera.com/browser/next/

Opera's main web page poses the question "What is faster than the fastest?", which, if nothing else, proves that the Norwegian firm doesn't really understand how comparative terms actually work. We do get what they're aiming at, though, which is to claim that Opera's browser is, perhaps, quicker than other browsers you might consider. The speed jokes continue with the latest beta, with the Spinal Tap-inspired tag line "This one goes to Eleven".

Opera has grimly kept hold of an idea that once permeated the browser space, namely that your browser could be multiple applications at once. It's the only browser in our round-up that comes with an integrated email client. It's neatly enough laid out, but the utility of this (especially in an age of web-based email clients that work across any browser) is debatable.

Opera's claim is that the browser code itself has been optimised to be 30 per cent smaller than Opera 10.60, making it a swifter install. It was fast to install in our tests, and while we weren't sitting with a stopwatch, we couldn't honestly say it was significantly faster than other browser installs. Once it's installed, it's there permanently anyway.

The big new feature for web surfers that Opera touts in Opera 11 is Tab Stacking. Clearly, we're all opening too many tabs at once, and Opera's solution to this crisis is to allow you to stack them into logical groups, which can then be previewed by hovering over a group, or fanned out across the tab bar. Creating groups is as simple as dragging one tab on top of another, although we did find it frustrating that you can't drag tabs sideways to group them. You've got to fully detach them from the tab bar and slot them back up onto another tab to create groups.

Mouse gestures have been made easier to access with a full visual GUI for quick page flipping, zooming, minimisation and duplication, depending on the gestures you wish to use. Mouse gestures are one of those features that you either love or loathe, but they're easily switched off if you don't like them.

Opera 11's browser bar also shrinks down longer URLs and more clearly displays the security information of a given site. Given the prevalence of phishing attacks, this is clearly a good thing.

And moving out of the beta space completely, we go on a Safari...

Apple Safari 5

Where to get it: www.apple.com/safari/download

Apple's notorious for not giving anything away until it's ready to say something, which makes reviewing Safari betas available to the general public rather difficult, although the company did reverse that position for a little while with Safari 4. As such, in the interests of testing something you can use too, we're stuck just looking at the regular stable release of Safari, which at the time of writing was version 5.03.

Safari doesn't boast a huge range of world-altering web browsing features, instead opting to run with that rather well-worn Apple credo of "it just works". And, indeed, Safari does just work, with a simple and slick interface that handles basic web tasks competently, if not in a manner that's all that exciting. The default "Top Sites" panel of commonly visited sites is a little more slick-looking than Google Chrome's very similar-looking "Most Visited" panel, but they both basically just do the same thing.

On a Mac, Safari takes the pride of place that Internet Explorer enjoys on Windows, and as such it's the default browser of many Mac users simply because it's "just there". On Windows, however, the reasons to switch to Safari, compared to other, more feature rich browsers, are less obvious. If you're a Mac user who intermittently dips into the PC world we could see the sense in a common user interface, but otherwise switchers would do better with something like Chrome or Firefox for an alternate browsing experience. It's not that Safari's bad at what it does, but in the free browser space, the alternatives simply do a little bit more.

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Google Chrome vs Safari: A Comprehensive Browser Comparison

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Introduction to Google Chrome and Safari

When it comes to web browsing options, there are a plethora of choices available to users. However, in the world of desktop browsing, two heavyweights typically dominate the conversation: Google Chrome and Safari. While both browsers are strong contenders, it can be challenging to determine which one is the best fit for your needs. In this article, we will thoroughly compare the features, user interface, and performance of Google Chrome and Safari to help you make an informed decision.

When it comes to web browsing, there are few names as well-known as Google Chrome and Safari. Both of these browsers have their own unique features and advantages that make them popular among users of all ages and backgrounds.

What is Google Chrome?

Google Chrome is a free, open-source web browser that was first launched in 2008. Developed by Google, Chrome quickly rose to prominence thanks to its highly customizable nature and smooth user experience.

One of the key features that sets Chrome apart from other browsers is its extensive library of extensions and add-ons. These tools allow users to customize the browser to their specific needs, adding everything from ad-blockers and password managers to productivity apps and more.

Another major advantage of Chrome is its speed. Thanks to its advanced rendering engine, Chrome is able to load web pages quickly and efficiently, even on slower internet connections. This makes it a popular choice among users who need to browse the web quickly and efficiently, without wasting time waiting for pages to load.

What is Safari?

Developed by Apple, Safari is the default web browser for all iOS and macOS devices. With its sleek design, speed, and powerful performance, Safari remains a popular choice among Apple users worldwide.

One of the biggest advantages of Safari is its integration with other Apple products. For example, Safari allows users to easily sync their bookmarks, history, and other data across all of their Apple devices, making it easy to pick up where they left off no matter which device they are using.

In addition to its seamless integration with other Apple products, Safari is also known for its speed and performance. Like Chrome, Safari uses an advanced rendering engine to load web pages quickly and efficiently, even on slower internet connections. This makes it a popular choice among users who need to browse the web quickly and efficiently, without wasting time waiting for pages to load.

Overall, both Google Chrome and Safari are excellent choices for web browsing, each with their own unique features and advantages. Whether you prefer the customization options of Chrome or the seamless integration of Safari, both of these browsers are sure to provide you with a smooth and enjoyable browsing experience.

User Interface and Design

Google chrome's interface.

One of the key selling points of Google Chrome is its user-friendly interface. Chrome’s interface is clean, straightforward, and customizable, making navigation hassle-free. The browser has a simple and intuitive tab management system, which allows users to easily switch between tabs or create new ones. Additionally, Chrome offers a sleek and modern design that is pleasing to the eye, with smooth animations and a minimalist layout.

Chrome’s interface is also highly customizable, with a range of themes and extensions available for download from the Chrome Web Store. Users can personalize their browsing experience by choosing a theme that matches their preferences, or by adding extensions that enhance their productivity, security, or entertainment.

Another notable feature of Chrome’s interface is its omnibox, a combination of the URL bar and search bar. The omnibox allows users to quickly search for information or navigate to a specific website, without having to open a new tab or window. Chrome also has a built-in password manager, which can save and autofill login credentials for websites.

Safari's Interface

Safari’s interface features a minimalist design, with a top bar containing a URL and search bar. It is functional and straightforward in its design, though some users may find it more limited in customization options when compared to Chrome. The browser has a clean and uncluttered layout, with a focus on content rather than interface elements.

Like Chrome, Safari has a tab management system that allows users to switch between tabs or create new ones. The browser also has a feature called Top Sites, which displays a grid of frequently visited websites for quick access. Safari’s Reading List feature allows users to save articles or web pages to read later, even when offline.

Safari’s interface also includes a range of built-in tools and features, such as the ability to take screenshots or record screencasts. The browser has a Reader mode, which removes ads and other distractions from web pages for a more immersive reading experience. Safari also has a Private Browsing mode, which prevents the browser from saving browsing history, cookies, or other data.

In conclusion, both Google Chrome and Safari offer user-friendly interfaces that prioritize ease of use and accessibility. While Chrome may have more customization options and a more modern design, Safari’s minimalist layout and built-in features make it a solid choice for users who value simplicity and functionality.

Performance and Speed

When it comes to browsing the internet, performance and speed are two of the most important factors to consider. In this day and age, we want our web pages to load quickly and our browsers to be responsive.

Google Chrome's Performance

Google Chrome is known for its fast browsing speeds. Its performance capabilities are unparalleled, thanks to its advanced JavaScript engine. This engine allows for lightning-fast page rendering, making browsing a breeze. Additionally, Chrome can handle multiple tabs without lagging or crashing, making it a reliable choice for heavy internet users.

But Chrome's performance doesn't stop there. It also boasts a powerful set of developer tools that allow developers to test and optimize their websites for maximum speed and performance. These tools include a JavaScript debugger, a network panel, and a timeline view, among others.

Safari's Performance

Safari's performance, too, is generally regarded as impressive. Its speedy loading times and quick navigation make it a favorite choice among Apple users. Safari's rendering engine, WebKit, is known for its efficiency and speed, making browsing a smooth experience.

Like Chrome, Safari can handle multiple tabs without slowing down, making it a great choice for users who like to have multiple tabs open at once. Additionally, Safari has a set of developer tools that allow developers to test and optimize their websites for maximum performance. These tools include a JavaScript debugger, a timeline view, and a network panel, among others.

In conclusion, both Google Chrome and Safari are excellent choices when it comes to performance and speed. They both offer powerful rendering engines, efficient JavaScript engines, and reliable tab management. Whether you're a heavy internet user or a developer looking to optimize your website, both browsers have the tools and capabilities you need to get the job done.

Security and Privacy Features

Security features in google chrome.

Security is a top priority for Google, and so Google Chrome has several built-in features aimed at preventing malware and other online threats. Chrome offers an integrated sandbox environment that isolates web pages from other systems, making it more difficult for hackers to gain access to sensitive information. It also has an auto-updating feature that ensures it is always up-to-date with the latest security patches.

Security Features in Safari

Similar to Chrome, Safari features several security measures to protect user data. Safari utilizes advanced anti-phishing technologies to protect against fraudulent websites and an intelligent tracking prevention system that limits advertisers' ability to track user behavior. Additionally, Safari incorporates Apple's Keychain password management tool, which securely stores user login details.

Extensions and Add-ons

Google chrome's extension library.

Google Chrome is one of the most popular web browsers and offers an enormous selection of extensions, themes, apps, and add-ons that users can choose from. These extensions can be found on the Chrome Web Store and can be easily downloaded and installed with just a few clicks. The Chrome Web Store offers a wide variety of extensions, ranging from productivity tools to ad-blockers to entertainment add-ons.

One of the benefits of using Chrome is the ability to customize the browser to fit individual needs. With so many extensions available, users can enhance their browsing experience and tailor it to their specific interests. Additionally, due to its popularity, many developers prioritize developing extensions for Chrome first, meaning that users can often find the latest and most innovative add-ons on this platform.

Some of the most popular Chrome extensions include Grammarly, a spell-checking and grammar tool, LastPass, a password manager, and Adblock Plus, an ad-blocking extension. However, with so many options available, users can find extensions that cater to their unique needs and interests.

Safari's Extension Library

Safari is the default web browser for Apple devices and offers a smaller selection of extensions compared to Chrome. However, Safari's extension library still offers several useful plugins and extensions that can enhance the browsing experience.

Safari's extensions can be downloaded from the App Store, making it streamlined to download and manage new additions. This makes it easy for users to find and install new extensions without having to navigate to a separate website or store.

One of the benefits of using Safari is that it is optimized for Apple devices, meaning that Safari extensions are designed to work seamlessly with the hardware and software of Apple products. Additionally, Safari's extensions tend to be more curated and vetted, ensuring that users can trust the quality and security of the extensions they download.

Some of the most popular Safari extensions include Pocket, a bookmarking and read-later tool, 1Password, a password manager, and Ghostery Lite, an ad and tracker blocker. While Safari's extension library may not have as many user-made extensions and add-ons as Chrome, it still offers several useful tools that can enhance the browsing experience for Apple users.

Cross-Platform Compatibility

When it comes to choosing a web browser, cross-platform compatibility is a crucial factor to consider. It allows you to access your bookmarks, history, and preferences across multiple devices and platforms.

Google Chrome is one of the most widely used web browsers, and one of its significant advantages is its cross-platform compatibility. Whether you're using a Windows PC, a macOS laptop, or a Linux machine, you can easily download and use Google Chrome without any compatibility issues.

Moreover, Google Chrome's compatibility extends beyond desktop and laptop computers. You can also use it on some mobile devices, including Android smartphones and tablets. This feature makes it an excellent option for those who work on the go or use multiple devices regularly.

Google Chrome's User Interface

Aside from its cross-platform compatibility, Google Chrome is also known for its user-friendly interface. Its minimalist design and intuitive layout make it easy to use, even for those who are not tech-savvy.

Google Chrome also offers a wide range of customization options, allowing you to personalize your browsing experience. You can choose from various themes, extensions, and add-ons to enhance your productivity and make your browsing experience more enjoyable.

Safari's Compatibility

While Safari is primarily designed for Apple's devices, it can also be downloaded and used on Windows. However, its compatibility is limited, and its performance and features may differ significantly from its Apple counterparts.

One of the advantages of using Safari on an Apple device is its seamless integration with Apple's software and systems. For example, if you're using Safari on a MacBook, you can easily use features like Handoff and Continuity to switch between your MacBook and iPhone or iPad.

However, if you're using Safari on a Windows PC, you may experience some compatibility issues. Some websites and web applications may not work correctly, and you may encounter performance issues.

In conclusion, when it comes to cross-platform compatibility, Google Chrome is the clear winner. Its compatibility with a wide range of devices and systems makes it an excellent option for those who work across multiple platforms. However, if you're using an Apple device, Safari's seamless integration with Apple's software and systems may make it a better option for you.

Mobile Browsing Experience

Mobile browsing has become an essential part of our daily lives, and with the increase in the use of smartphones and tablets, it has become crucial to have a browser that provides a seamless and user-friendly experience on mobile devices. In this article, we will discuss two of the most popular browsers for mobile devices, Google Chrome, and Safari.

Google Chrome on Mobile Devices

Google Chrome is one of the most widely used browsers on desktops, and its mobile version is no different. It is available on both iOS and Android devices, and its mobile version offers many of the features found in its desktop counterpart, such as tab syncing, incognito mode, and voice search. Additionally, it is optimized for mobile use, making it an excellent option for those who browse frequently on their mobile devices.

One of the standout features of Google Chrome on mobile devices is its ability to sync tabs across devices. This means that you can start browsing on your desktop and continue on your mobile device without any interruption. This feature is especially useful if you are in the middle of reading an article or watching a video and need to switch devices.

Another feature that sets Google Chrome apart on mobile devices is its incognito mode. This mode allows you to browse the internet without leaving any trace of your browsing history, cookies, or search history. This is especially useful if you are using a shared device or browsing sensitive information.

Google Chrome on mobile devices also offers voice search, which allows you to search the internet by speaking into your device. This feature is particularly useful when you are on the go and need to search for something quickly without typing.

Safari on Mobile Devices

Safari is the default browser on all iOS devices, and it offers a seamless browsing experience on mobile thanks to its integration with Apple's software and systems. It has features like tab syncing, reader mode, and in-built privacy controls to make browsing on mobile devices smooth and user-friendly.

One of the standout features of Safari on mobile devices is its integration with Apple's software and systems. This means that if you are using an iPhone or iPad, you can seamlessly switch between your device and your Mac without any interruption. This feature is especially useful if you need to access a website or a document on your Mac while you are on the go.

Safari on mobile devices also offers a reader mode, which allows you to read articles without any distractions. This mode removes all ads, sidebars, and other distractions, making it easier to focus on the content. Additionally, Safari on mobile devices has in-built privacy controls, which allow you to browse the internet without leaving any trace of your browsing history, cookies, or search history.

In conclusion, both Google Chrome and Safari offer excellent browsing experiences on mobile devices. While Google Chrome is more widely used and offers features like voice search and incognito mode, Safari's integration with Apple's software and systems and its reader mode make it an excellent option for those who use iOS devices. Ultimately, the choice between the two will depend on your personal preferences and needs.

Developer Tools and Support

Developer tools in google chrome.

As an open-source browser, Google encourages developers to customize Chrome through extensions and plugins. It also offers comprehensive developer tools that make troubleshooting web applications easier. Chrome features the JavaScript console, source viewer, and error console, making it an ideal choice for developers.

Developer Tools in Safari

Developers using Safari can access advanced debugging, profiling, and testing features that make their work easier. Safari’s developer tools include features like the console, network inspector, and timeline tools to help pinpoint and troubleshoot issues on web pages. Additionally, Safari supports WebKit, a powerful layout engine used to create web pages and apps.

Conclusion: Which Browser is Right for You?

Ultimately, the choice between Google Chrome and Safari comes down to personal preference and specific needs. Both browsers offer rich features, speed, and security, and ultimately, the decision between them comes down to which one feels more comfortable to use. To decide, you can weigh the pros and cons exhibited in this article and focus on what matters most to you. Whichever browser you decide to use, be confident in the knowledge that you are using two of the most advanced and polished browsers available on the market today.

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4 ai search engines i use every day, the internet is not forever, so it's time to preserve what you can, quick links, safari is highly optimized for macos, works great with iphone and ipad, good privacy controls, access passwords with icloud keychain, icloud+ subscribers can use private relay, safari works with hide my email too, apple pay provides a fast way to shop, use compact tab layout for minimal ui, having a second (or third) browser installed is handy.

Safari comes pre-installed on your Mac and might just be all you need from a web browser. It also has some features that make it a more attractive and convenient option for owners of Apple hardware in general.

Safari is a highly optimized browser that Apple develops alongside macOS and the hardware it runs on. Thanks to this, it uses less energy than competing browsers which is especially important if you own a MacBook. Using Safari should mean you get more battery life out of your MacBook compared to Chrome or Firefox.

We tested Browser Bench Speedometer 2.0 and got a score of 344 in Safari compared to 236 in Firefox on an M1 Max MacBook Pro. Results were similar in JetStream , the JavaScript and WebAssembly benchmark, where Safari scored 220.992 while Firefox managed 132.598. These results should be taken with a pinch of salt, but you can always run the tests for yourself if you're curious.

Far more obvious are the performance gains you can see and feel. Webpages feel more responsive in Safari on the same MacBook compared with Firefox. This affects everything from the render speed of a website to the feel of web apps like WordPress and Gmail.

Since Safari is a part of macOS, updates are handled alongside standard operating system updates. You'll get major new versions each year when macOS gets upgraded in the fall, often bringing new features and better integrations into Apple's ecosystem.

If you own an iPhone or iPad, Safari works well across all three platforms allowing you to access your tabs and shared favorites thanks to iCloud sync. Open a new tab on a Mac or mobile device then scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the rest of your tabs. This only works if you use the same Apple ID with your devices.

Reading List, Apple's "save for later" bookmarking feature also syncs between devices. You can add a webpage to Reading List from iOS apps like Twitter or Reddit then pick them up later in the sidebar on Safari for Mac.

These integrations are set to get even better in macOS 13 and iOS 16, with Safari Extensions syncing between devices where compatible counterparts exist.

Safari ticks the basic boxes in terms of privacy, including attempts to thwart cross-site tracking cookies. The browser uses what Apple terms "Intelligent Tracking Prevention" which is a fancy way of saying that Apple hides IP addresses from trackers. There's more to it than carte blanche IP scrambling , and the feature kicked up a stink among advertisers when it first arrived in 2017.

You can also access a feature called Privacy Report by clicking on the ellipsis "..." button in the URL bar, which tells you how many trackers are attempting to track you. Click on the "i" button to see a broader picture of your online privacy, including the percentage of websites you've visited that have attempted to track you.

Y ou'll also get a decent pop-up blocker, the ability to use DuckDuckGo instead of Google by default, and granular control over which websites can access your microphone, webcam, location, and send you notifications. Most browsers offer these features, but it's good to note that Apple users aren't missing out on the basics if they stick with Apple's included browser.

iCloud Keychain lets you store your login credentials in the cloud so that you can access them on any device. This works with Safari across devices and allows you to recall login information, use two-factor authentication , and create strong unique passwords for all of your accounts.

The feature even scans your existing password database and notifies you if any passwords were featured in known data breaches. The only drawback is that you need to use Safari for this feature to be at its best. On an iPhone or iPad you can find your credentials under Settings > Passwords, with most apps now integrating nicely with Apple's solution.

On a Mac you might want to create a Shortcut that you can quickly trigger from the menu bar . This allows you to access your login information for authenticating third-party apps and any other browsers you may need to use.

While iCloud Keychain was rough and difficult to recommend in the beginning, Apple's work in turning this into a real password manager alternative has paid off. It's arguably a good enough reason to Switch to Safari if you're paying for a third-party solution and want to save some money.

Safari Private Relay provides even greater privacy while browsing the web with Apple's browser. The feature is available to all iCloud+ users who pay for additional iCloud storage space (even the 50GB tier).

Once you enable iCloud+ Private Relay , the feature encrypts the data leaving your device including the website you're attempting to visit. You're then assigned a random IP address on one server, while another server decrypts the web request. Apple claims that "no single entity can identify both who a user is and which sites they visit."

Private relay stops short of being a VPN , and if you're using a VPN already then you won't need iCloud Private Relay (macOS will inform you that the two are incompatible). But if you aren't paying for a VPN already, iCloud Private Relay provides additional at minimal cost to browsing speed.

If you're already paying for iCloud space, this is basically a free bolt-on. It can introduce a slight delay between sending your website request and accessing the website, which is comparable to the performance penalty incurred when using a VPN.

Just like Private Relay, iCloud+ users also get access to Hide My Email. As the name implies, this service lets you create email aliases that forward to an account of your choosing . You don't have to use an Apple iCloud account for this, you can opt to forward to Gmail, Outlook, or any account you choose.

This feature integrates nicely into Safari in that you can choose to create and store a new Hide My Email alias right from the "email" field on a signup page. You can always create custom Hide My Email addresses for use in other browsers and apps using iCloud settings, but Safari makes the process entirely painless.

These aliases are great for stopping spam, signing up for free trials, getting discount codes for online stores, and more. You can toggle them on and off as you need them, and delete them when you're done.

Apple Pay is Apple's payment processor. You can set up Apple Pay in Safari Preferences with a compatible debit or credit card. Most major and many smaller financial institutions now support Apple Pay, making it easier than ever to check out with Safari.

Once you're set-up, click on the Apple Pay button on a website to complete your transaction. You can often skip the signup process and check out in record time, and Apple Pay even lets you specify a delivery address and shipping option. Being able to quickly calculate shipping costs without going through a lengthy signup process is one of the biggest benefits of Apple Pay, even if you end up checking out using more conventional methods.

When you're ready to pay you can verify your purchase using Touch ID or by authenticating on your iPhone.

It's a minor point, but Safari's compact tab layout deserves a small mention . You can enable this setting under Safari > Preferences > Tab by choosing "Compact" instead of "General" at the top of the window.

Once enabled this allows Safari to use the header color of a website to theme each window, and shrinks the UI area at the top of the window to a single line. It can be a bit cramped if you like to let your tab descriptions and URL bar breathe, but if you want to fully focus on a web page's content then it can't be beaten.

Sometimes websites want a specific browser, notably Chrome. In instances like this, having a second or third browser installed is handy. Some web apps function better in Chrome, particularly those designed with Google's platform in mind.

Safari isn't the most customizable browser, but that shouldn't put most users off. Extensions are managed using the Mac App Store which can feel a little limiting, and you can only choose from a handful of search engines that Apple has included. With that in mind, you should give Apple's browser a chance before writing it off entirely.

You could always use an app like BrowserFairy to quickly open links in the browser of your choice, but be mindful of increased energy consumption when using more than one browser.

Web Browsers

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Safari redirects to Google

Verified Safari is default browser. However, when searching a subject, the browser redirects to Google. Why?

Posted on Jan 10, 2022 8:17 AM

Posted on Jan 11, 2022 8:41 AM

lketelaar wrote:

Preference setting for "Safari" as default browser has been completed several times. Safari will launch Safari browser, but when a typed item is entered in the search box, browser screen changes to "GOOGLE" to deliver search results. This is a recent development that I can't seem to change. Thanks.

Safari is a browser, an app. There is no Safari search engine. When you do a search in Safari, you need to use some search engine. If you don't want to use Google as your default search engine, pick another one in Settings>Safari>Search Engine.

DuckDuckGo is popular among people concerned about privacy.

I really want to switch to Safari from Google Chrome, but...

Thread starter Dockland
Start date Jul 19, 2021
Sort by reaction score
Mac Basics, Help and Buying Advice

macrumors 6502a

Jul 19, 2021

Jul 20, 2021

Ooh, that's a tough one. Safari does something like that with the icons on the Touch Bar for Macs that have one, but otherwise the tabs (which can have icons) look pretty text-dominated.

Contributor

Dockland said: As stated above, I r e a l l y want to make the big S to Safari from Google Chrome, favorites are imported and so on, but I'm so familiar to the Google Chrome layout with the favorites on top bar and the way I can arrange them with eaze. I can't see to get my favorites to the top bar (most frequently used one) with icons only. I always, and have always removed the "names" of my favorites just to un-clutter the experience. Is there a way to get Safari appear exactly (visually) as Google Chrome? I mean exactly. So I won't notice the switch experience wise, that is. Like to get rid of Google Chrome once and for all. Safari has the same extentions I use as I do in Google Chrome, I've bought them all (not that many actually, but some ad-blocker and the great great "Dark Reader" that all just works great. So, what I'm actually looking for it this layout (img from my Google Chrome start page) When I manage to get my favorites to the "top bar" in Safari, there's no icons. Only "text" that I don't have/use. View attachment 1808643 Click to expand...

Madhatter32

Macrumors 65816.

Suggestion: try Safari and see how it works for you as is. Just because it is different does not mean the experience will be less satisfying. Go through the minor learning curve of the new browser and you will be happy you did.

macrumors 68020

Jul 21, 2021

Dockland said: of my favorites just to un-clutter the experience. Click to expand...

johannnn said: Why not just remove the favorite bar all together? The menu bar has "Bookmarks" which opens up your bookmarks. I think you haven't gotten far enough in your uncluttering. Click to expand...

Madhatter32 said: Suggestion: try Safari and see how it works for you as is. Just because it is different does not mean the experience will be less satisfying. Go through the minor learning curve of the new browser and you will be happy you did. Click to expand...

macrumors G5

So, why should you try to convince yourself that Safari would somehow be a better choice, when Safari doesn't seem to do what you want? (I use MS Edge quite often these days, or Firefox, but Safari remains my main browser. I try to not get caught up in the differences between the various browsers, and the browser that I use at the moment depends mostly on what I am doing at the time )

macrumors member

Dockland said: Like to get rid of Google Chrome once and for all. Click to expand...

DeltaMac said: So, why should you try to convince yourself that Safari would somehow be a better choice, when Safari doesn't seem to do what you want? (I use MS Edge quite often these days, or Firefox, but Safari remains my main browser. I try to not get caught up in the differences between the various browsers, and the browser that I use at the moment depends mostly on what I am doing at the time ) Click to expand...

Approved said: Why? What purpose or goal are you trying to achieve? Click to expand...

Dockland said: The same reason i nowadays prefer MacOS instead of Gentoo Linux, that i've been using for years. I like the ecosystem. A complete, seamless ecosystem. As on my other Apple Devices I'm using Safari exclusively, because it's native Apple. I like the Apple privacy policy, I can go on, but why would that matter? It's way snappier (desktop version) than any other browsers out there. I can watch UHD content without hassle, nearly perfect color rendering and so on. But the design is like a 4:th grader decided to try and make a browser to his home computer. Click to expand...

Jul 22, 2021

I've switched to Safari exclusively today. Made it the default browser in MacOS. So far so good.

macrumors 6502

Jul 23, 2021

The only time I use safari is on mobile because it makes more sense than chrome does. Chromes mobile browsing experience is absolute garbage, even if it’s Adblock is better. But on desktop? Hands down chrome is the best system. I think wanting to have a native and in-app experience is fair, but you have to weigh the pros & cons of that choice.

macrumors 68040

Dockland said: Why doesn't Apple make Safaris layout like Google Chrome? I've used Safari a lot, as much as I can, but I always return to the familiar "face" of Google Chrome, unfortunately. A top bar with icons, that's my deal breaker. No more, no less. I thought there was some addon or likewise that fixed this. Click to expand...

Jul 24, 2021

bluespark said: I understand seeking familiarity, and you do have a clean setup, but I've grown to much prefer Safari's sidebar to organize my bookmarks. As I see it, the vertical space is much more valuable than the horizontal space when browsing, so most of the time my bookmarks on the side don't seem to take up any actually useful room at all. On the rare occasion when they do, it's easy enough to close the bookmarks drawer altogether with the icon above it. Click to expand...

countermoon

Macrumors regular.

Jul 27, 2021

What about Firefox or Brave? I found them superior to Chrome and Firefox.

countermoon said: What about Firefox or Brave? I found them superior to Chrome and Firefox. Click to expand...

Aug 13, 2021

Dockland said: Firefox, wasn't that a web browser that died at the same time as Netscape Navigator? Click to expand...

Airforcekid

Macrumors 68000.

Try Brave its a good middle ground enhanced privacy over chrome with the same layout and extensions. The ads are opt in so you can try them or just ignore the feature altogether.

macrumors newbie

Nov 8, 2021

I prefer Chrome to Safari. I want to attach bookmarks to the Bookmark Bar but cannot figure out how to do it. Can someone please tell me the steps? Thanks!

rvjimzhr said: I prefer Chrome to Safari. I want to attach bookmarks to the Bookmark Bar but cannot figure out how to do it. Can someone please tell me the steps? Thanks! Click to expand...

Geez! So simple. Thanks!

macrumors 601

I used for years Firefox. It served me well and gave me a sense of having a bit more control. However, over the years and changes on the internet, with applications and more, it became a serious memory pig. I opted to give Safari a try and got used to it quickly but about half a year ago, I switch over to Chrome and Brave as my main browsers as Safari ended up worse than Firefox. Some say it has to do with websites but alas if those who make browsers know this is a problem, they should find ways to better control the amount of RAM being monopolized.

macrumors 604

Nov 11, 2021

Chrome has been banished from all computers in my household. The data collection and usage is truly terrible, but that's google's way. Only Safari, Firefox and Brave on our computers.

Apple’s Tencent privacy controversy is more complicated than it looks

By Adi Robertson , a senior tech and policy editor focused on VR, online platforms, and free expression. Adi has covered video games, biohacking, and more for The Verge since 2011.

Share this story

Late last week, privacy advocates warned that Apple was sending iOS user data to Chinese company Tencent, an alarming development for anyone who had taken the company’s privacy promises at face value. A note in iOS 13 mentioned that its Safari browser uses Tencent’s Safe Browsing system to help fight malicious webpages — but Tencent may log IP addresses in the process. While this has been true for months or even years , the news casts a harsh light on Apple’s recent struggles with surveillance and censorship in China — and the larger problems with privacy on the web.

Apple’s problems are based on a mostly uncontroversial iOS feature: Safari’s “Fraudulent Website Warning” option. The Fraudulent Website Warning, as its name may suggest, warns users when they’re about to visit a known phishing or malware site. Safari identifies these sites by cross-checking users’ web traffic against an external blacklist. In the past, that’s typically been Google’s Safe Browsing program. According to an iOS notice, though, Apple is now using a blacklist from Tencent Safe Browsing as well.

These blacklists are great for warning users off bad sites. But they can hypothetically be used for tracking users, too. In a worst-case scenario, a browser could directly submit every link you click to be checked against a blacklist — which would create a comprehensive log of your internet activity, linked to your IP address.

The worst-case scenario for “Safe Browsing” is pretty bad — but probably hypothetical

As far as we know, Safari isn’t doing anything like that. But Apple’s partnership with Tencent has still sparked fears that the massive tech and media company could be abusing the system. Tencent runs a variety of apps in China, including the WeChat messaging service and the QQ Browser. And like several other Chinese companies , it censors its apps and has allegedly passed user information to the Chinese government.

Apple has vehemently argued against this theory. In a statement to The Verge , it said that Tencent and Google aren’t getting lists of users’ web browsing history:

“Apple protects user privacy and safeguards your data with Safari Fraudulent Website Warning, a security feature that flags websites known to be malicious in nature. When the feature is enabled, Safari checks the website URL against lists of known websites and displays a warning if the URL the user is visiting is suspected of fraudulent conduct like phishing. To accomplish this task, Safari receives a list of websites known to be malicious from Google, and for devices with their region code set to mainland China, it receives a list from Tencent. The actual URL of a website you visit is never shared with a safe browsing provider and the feature can be turned off.”

Apple offered ZDNet a further description of how the system works. It says Google and Tencent are “sending a copy of the database to a user’s browser and letting the browser check the URL against this local database,” so traffic never actually reaches those companies. It also says that Tencent’s blacklist is only used inside mainland China where Google domains are banned.

Johns Hopkins cryptographer Matthew Green painted a more complex portrait of the Safe Browsing system, however. He notes that Google, for instance, relies on a complex interplay between the blacklist and Safari. Basically, Google hashes each unsafe URL into a code that doesn’t explicitly identify it, then sends Safari the first sections of these hashes, known as “prefixes.” When a user visits a webpage, Safari hashes its URL and checks the prefix against its list. If there’s a match, Safari asks Google for all the hashes that include that prefix. Google delivers, and Safari checks that smaller list for a complete match — then flags the page if it finds one.

Privacy is all about weighing different kinds of threats

This means that Google never sees a complete URL hash, and in many cases, it won’t get any information at all. But when Safari finds a matching prefix and asks Google for more hashes, it reveals the user’s IP address, as well as a partial hash for whatever page they’re visiting.

If a blacklist provider like Google is operating in good faith, this offers reasonably good privacy — especially weighed against the very real dangers of malicious sites. But Green argued that these little pieces of information can still erode users’ anonymity as they browse the web day after day. If a safe browsing provider is actively trying to track people, that could be a problem. He didn’t conclude that Tencent is doing this, but it could be doing it. As a result, Green believes Apple should have been more transparent about the fact that it’s working with the company.

Normally, this might be considered a minor misstep from Apple. After all, lots of American companies work with Tencent. ( The company led a $150 million funding round for Reddit earlier this year, and it’s previously invested in Fortnite creator Epic, among many other gaming companies worldwide .) And although China’s government is more draconian and authoritarian than America’s, tech companies have a long and troubling history of complying with US state surveillance requests. Google and Apple were both implicated in PRISM, the National Security Agency’s sweeping web spying program .

The Tencent story blew up because it fit a larger Apple narrative

But the news is coming as Apple faces harsh criticism for its very real concessions to the Chinese government. The company began storing some iCloud encryption keys in China last year, despite fears that this might make them vulnerable to government seizure. More recently, it removed a mapping app that helped Hong Kong residents avoid police checkpoints amid a crackdown on pro-democracy protests. It also hid the Taiwanese flag emoji for iOS users in Hong Kong or Macau, and allegedly banned the Quartz news app from its Chinese App Store over the outlet’s Hong Kong protest coverage.

Moreover, Apple often uses privacy and security to distinguish itself from other tech companies. So its willingness to compromise in China has been a notable weak point, readily exploited by competitors like Facebook.

The bigger story here isn’t about any individual company. It’s about the difficulty of getting meaningful privacy online, especially when a few huge companies control much of the internet. It’s easy to condemn tracking when it’s used for targeted advertising or similar money-making schemes, but these centralized security systems are incredibly useful for anybody browsing the web. But users often don’t understand the trade-offs they’re making — even when those trade-offs are justified to prevent serious threats like phishing and malware.

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гугл или сафари что лучше

VIDEO

What color do mixed google and safari make?🪢 #colormixing #paintmixing #satisfyingart #asmart
Real life safari/google hack
Google Circle on Galaxy S24 is Basically Google Lens #podcast
Thanks for Safari or Google for helping me doing this trend
https://www.google.com/?client=safari&channel=iphone_bm
Он УБЬЁТ SAFARI и GOOGLE CHROME! #apple #safari #appstore #приложение

COMMENTS

Safari vs Chrome [Which is Best for iPhone, iPad & Mac 2024 ]
1. Features. First up in our Google Chrome vs Safari showdown, we'll explore each of the browser's features. It's fair to say that Safari and Google both cover the basics of a good browsing ...
Safari vs Google Chrome: A Comprehensive Browser Comparison
Overall, both Safari and Google Chrome offer unique approaches to user interface and design. While Safari prioritizes simplicity and elegance, Google Chrome emphasizes ease of use and consistency. Ultimately, the choice between the two will come down to personal preference and the specific needs of the user.
Safari vs Chrome: Which browser should you use on your Mac?
Safari, however, is the king of continuity. If you have an iPad, iPhone, or a Mac, you can easily pass windows and tabs between them.It's an easy way to take an article with you if you didn't ...
Safari vs. Chrome: Which browser is better for iPhone and Mac?
While Chrome offers some privacy controls, it cannot match Safari's level of privacy protection. As part of Google's business model, Chrome collects user data to improve its services, raising concerns for privacy-conscious users. Safari vs. Chrome - Customization . Safari's customization options are relatively limited compared to Chrome.
Why Is Safari Using Google
In essence, Google's position as Safari's default search engine epitomizes a harmonious fusion of technological prowess, user-centric principles, and collaborative innovation. This partnership underscores the commitment of both Apple and Google to elevate the browsing experience, empowering users to explore the digital landscape with confidence ...
Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, or Safari: Which Browser Is Best ...
Most people browse the web using Google Chrome without really thinking about their options. ... Safari was a forerunner in several areas of browser features. ... basically a pinned tab of recent ...
Safari vs Chrome on Mac: which is best for Mac users?
When it comes to answering the question of which browser — Safari or Chrome — is best for Mac users, there is no single answer. For most Mac users, especially if you're embedded in the Apple universe, Safari is definitely the most convenient one. But if you have a Google account and use lots of Google services, the opposite is true.
Safari vs. Chrome for Mac: Which Is Right For You?
In short, Chrome is more complex than Safari and has greater potential for expandability, yet still manages to be more intuitive and straightforward. 3. Cross Compatibility. Chrome is currently available for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android.
Safari vs. Chrome vs. Firefox vs. Edge on macOS in 2022
Chrome came out on top in JetStream 2 testing, while Safari took second place. MotionMark browser benchmarks. Safari was the fastest in MotionMark benchmark testing. Speedometer browser benchmarks ...
Safari vs Google Chrome
Google Chrome, a product of web giant Google Inc., is renowned for its minimalist design, speed, and high compatibility with various devices. On the other hand, Safari, born from the innovative ...
Google just gave you one big reason to ditch Safari and use Chrome on
This Chrome result even beat out Safari, macOS' native browser app, by a 7% overall margin and a 15% margin when it came to graphics performance. Cumulatively, the macOS Chrome app has increased ...
Which Browser Engine Powers Your Web Browsing—And Why Does ...
There are three main engines to consider: WebKit (powering Safari ), Gecko (powering Firefox ), and Blink (powering Chrome, Opera, Brave, and others). We're not covering it in detail here, but ...
Safari vs Google Chrome: Which browser is better in 2023?
Click to open the app in the menu bar. Select Google Chrome. Check "Slow down this app if it uses more than". Choose the percentage (e.g. 10%) Verdict: Safari is definitely the speedier and more lightweight browser of the two. But if you need to use Chrome, its desire for more RAM and CPU can be mitigated with App Tamer.
Google Chrome vs Safari detailed comparison as of 2024
430 157. When comparing Google Chrome vs Safari, the Slant community recommends Safari for most people. In the question "What are the best desktop web browsers?". Safari is ranked 18th while Google Chrome is ranked 21st.
Browser battles: IE vs. Firefox vs. Chrome vs. Opera vs. Safari
The default "Top Sites" panel of commonly visited sites is a little more slick-looking than Google Chrome's very similar-looking "Most Visited" panel, but they both basically just do the same thing.
Safari Is Better Than Chrome, Actually
Google Chrome doesn't really offer a read mode—at least, not one you can use without accessing a hidden settings page. ... basically, a hardware company. Sure, it sells services, but for the ...
Google Chrome vs Safari: A Comprehensive Browser Comparison
The browser has a Reader mode, which removes ads and other distractions from web pages for a more immersive reading experience. Safari also has a Private Browsing mode, which prevents the browser from saving browsing history, cookies, or other data. In conclusion, both Google Chrome and Safari offer user-friendly interfaces that prioritize ease ...
8 Reasons You Should Be Using Safari on Your Mac
Thanks to this, it uses less energy than competing browsers which is especially important if you own a MacBook. Using Safari should mean you get more battery life out of your MacBook compared to Chrome or Firefox. We tested Browser Bench Speedometer 2.0 and got a score of 344 in Safari compared to 236 in Firefox on an M1 Max MacBook Pro.
Safari (web browser)
Safari is a web browser developed by Apple.It is built into Apple's operating systems, including macOS, iOS, iPadOS and visionOS, and uses Apple's open-source browser engine WebKit, which was derived from KHTML.. Safari was introduced in Mac OS X Panther in January 2003. It has been included with the iPhone since the first generation iPhone in 2007.
Safari redirects to Google
Safari is a browser, an app. There is no Safari search engine. When you do a search in Safari, you need to use some search engine. If you don't want to use Google as your default search engine, pick another one in Settings>Safari>Search Engine. DuckDuckGo is popular among people concerned about privacy. View in context.
safari or google chrome? : r/browsers
It is tailor-made for IOS. 3. Reply. Award. Share. [deleted] • 3 yr. ago. I personally prefer Chrome. Safari feels outdated to me, plus I use Chrome on all my other devices so everything is integrated nicely.
I really want to switch to Safari from Google Chrome, but
10,416. 27,316. SoCal. Jul 20, 2021. #3. Dockland said: As stated above, I r e a l l y want to make the big S to Safari from Google Chrome, favorites are imported and so on, but I'm so familiar to the Google Chrome layout with the favorites on top bar and the way I can arrange them with eaze. I can't see to get my favorites to the top bar (most ...
Apple's Tencent privacy controversy is more complicated than it looks
Basically, Google hashes each unsafe URL into a code that doesn't explicitly identify it, then sends Safari the first sections of these hashes, known as "prefixes."
Apple takes shot at Google with prominent San Francisco billboard
Apple has switched one of its most prominent billboards in San Francisco to a new advertising campaign, and it appears to include a dig at a Bay Area tech rival. The new billboard reads, "Safari ...