I searched all over the net for latest browser speed comparison test and I did not find anything, so I decided why not to make test myself. I already had on my pc, Opera and Firefox so I downloaded latest version of IE7, Chrome and Safari. Since I am big Opera fan and I am using Opera Browser for over 9 years I thought that Opera will easily blow up opponents just like it did maybe two years ago. However I did not count that Chrome is so blazing fast. I used few old tests from HowToCreate.co.uk and Java Script tests from CelticKane.com and also I added few of my own… All browsers are tested on same machine Athlon 3800 64bit, Gigabyte M55S-S3 mainboard and 2 gb DDR2 ram and Windows XP with SP2.Browsers:
Opera 9.63
Firefox 3.0.4
Internet Explorer 7.0.5730.13
Google Chrome 1.0.154.36
Apple Safari 3.2.1
All browsers are tested “out of the box” without any extension or plugin.
This gave significant advantage to Firefox, since it is considerable slower with just couple of extensions.
1. Cold Start:
For cold start test, I run the programs (after windows finish loading) and then I measure time of loading until browser is ready for use. I measure 3 times and between any test I reset my pc. For other tests I also measured 3 times and then calculated average value… After first test, Chrome already jumped on the first place with unbolivable load of only 1,6 seconds. Opera was second with 3,7 second and surprise was Internet Explorer with just 0,1 second behind Opera. Safari started bad with very slow loading with over 10 seconds.
2. Warm Start
Warm start is the test when I run browser then turn it off and then start it again without turning or logging out from windows. I hardly got Chrome loading time in this case, since it was incredible fast. Safari, for a difference from last test, was now very fast to. Opera and Firefox are slower then first three.
3. Acid 2 test
Acid 2 is web standard compliance test. All browsers easily passed, but IE7 failed completely with ruining and deforming that poor face.
4. Acid 3 test
After easy job on ACID 2, neither one browser passed Acid 3 test. However Opera scored most points, ending it with the score of 85. Chrome was second with the score of 79. Some alpha and beta version of browser are already passing successfully this test…
5. CSS speed test
This test was taken from HowToCreate.co.uk!
Quote:
To test CSS rendering speed I use a CSS benchmark test devised by nontroppo. The test measures the time it takes the browser to render a page consisting of almost 2500 positioned DIVs. The page is stored locally, loaded once to pre-load it, then reloaded 3 times, and the average time taken for those three renderings. The page is the first page loaded after starting the browser (after logging out and in). All browsers took significantly longer during the initial load, which is why I discount this initial load, as it does not reflect the reality of normal rendering. Safari and Firefox headed clear victory here leaving behind Opera then Chrome and IE7.
6. Javascript speed
I assigned browsers to celtickane.com javascript speed test. Every browser is tested three times and then average speed is calculated. Chrome won again with Safari on second, Opera on third, Firefox on 4th and as expected IE7 on the last place.
7. Memory usage
I started every browser with one tab. Opened google.com and then checked with Chrome “memory usage option” how much every browser take memory. IE7 taked easy victory here probably because parts of the IE are in some other windows processes which are not counted. Safari taked shameful last place with using over 65 MB for loading only one page.
8. Setup Size
Opera used to have smallest installation file but now Firefox takes that place. Interesting thing is that if you dont need additional languages then Opera setup.exe is smaller then 6 mb, however since Opera gives this file for download by default then I took that file in count.
8. Setup Size
Opera used to have smallest installation file but now Firefox takes that place. Interesting thing is that if you dont need additional languages then Opera setup.exe is smaller then 6 mb, however since Opera gives this file for download by default then I took that file in count.
Conclusion and FINAL SCORE.
Opera do not have advantage any more. Instead of advantage it is neither anymore the fastest. Chrome is ahead, then Opera on second place and Firefox just behind it (depends on personal taste). Safari is ok browser but weaker then first three, and it looks that Apple marketing is just a bunch of lies. IE7 is the bad thing. Just like a IE6. But since people get it free with windows they still use it. If we counted Opera powers of customizing skins, moving elements (such as menus, buttons, toolbars, adressbar, statusbar, skins) then Opera would be easily be on first place…
Be the one to choose
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