Which Web Browser Is Best Under Windows 8?

Welcome to our first-ever Web Browser Grand Prix on Windows 8! Will Chrome remain the reigning Windows champion? Is Internet Explorer 10 going to smash the competition like its predecessor? Does Opera 12.10 finally deliver on what version 12 promised?

Source

A Guy

 

[Der Snoober]

In the beginning I've been using IE4-IE6. Then I went on using Firefox untill IE8. In that period Firefox was really leaping behind in development. And I found out dat IE was doing all that I needed.

Have been trying other browsers since (Opera, Chrome, Firefox, etc.), but non of them made me change using IE.

I guess in the end I'm a MS Fan Boy

 

[pcRat]

I've used IE my whole life except for a Linux netbook I once used with Firefox - Never found anything I liked better than IE . . . . until I bought a new Windows 8 touch screen notebook - Now it appears my IE days may be over

Why? One word . . . . Bing! Bing is the default (and only search engine) that comes loaded with Win8 and IE10. If you are using Win8 in the desktop mode, it is possible to load other search engines and make any one of them you like the default (though it will not let you delete Bing) but if you're using Win8 in the metro mode on a touch screen PC, for some strange reason IE10 will not allow you to add any other browser to the list, so since there's nothing else there but Bing to choose from, you're stuck with it

Sad that Microsoft seems intent on driving those of us who can't stand Bing toward some other browser, but that appears to be exactly what they are doing. I'm going to miss IE and I hope Chrome isn't too hard to get used to . . . . I guess it's the logical choice for me because I prefer Google searches to anything else

Don

Win+I then click Change PC settings, then click Search on left side, & turn bing off by pressing the On/Off switch

 

[brummyfan]

I found annoying problem with uninvited "Babylon" while installing Chrome, apart from that I like Chrome but for regular use IE10.

 

[elbmek]

I am in my laptop right now via dual boot, in linux mint maya, and its fast fast fast. I tried waterfox but I keep getting error messages on download, so binned it forb now. Will try itb through win 7 shortly.

 

[molebo]

I am in my laptop right now via dual boot, in linux mint maya, and its fast fast fast.

Windows 7 and 8 are way way faster.

 

[elbmek]

not against linux they are not but anyway, now on waterfox in win 7 and so far so good. I did note one thing though at the beginning, it did the firefox trick of not shutting down quick enough. I closed waterfox, then remembered something, went back in and got the old firefox message about its not closed down please restart pc, which is wrong anyway, it just takes longer than other browsers to shut down.

 

[molebo]

not against linux they are not .

oh yes, now if your PC is bloated, that's another story aside the tread is about under Windows 8.

 

[elbmek]

oh well, waterfox binned. It refused to load homepage and couldnt find my email, went back to chrome and all is fine again

 

[Der Snoober]

I found annoying problem with uninvited "Babylon" while installing Chrome, apart from that I like Chrome but for regular use IE10.

Wierd... you've installed Chrome using the official executable? If Google start pushing bloathware/ spyware with their browser it must prove they are really desperate to make a buck. Of they have total lack fore the privacy off their customers.

 

[elbmek]

I am on chrome, no problems. you must make sure that you untick anything ticked as you proceed with the installation. Like toolbars etc that are offered to you free but anything free always has a price tag, just like phone apps.

 

[Der Snoober]

I am on chrome, no problems. you must make sure that you untick anything ticked as you proceed with the installation. Like toolbars etc that are offered to you free but anything free always has a price tag, just like phone apps.

You've said it right there! Just untick everything!

But howmany people do you know who really read the installation questions? The most people I know will click on everyting they see, like 'next, next, next' without reading . ==> I've had to help a lot of friends getting rid off "ask-toolbars" and other trash .

So although it is the responsibility of the user to first read before they click, I think a lot of companys are deliberatly misusing the trust the people have in them. Most people think that "Google = trustworthy". So their installationpackages can also be trusted.

Anyway, luckily the IE installation packages are still bloathware and spyware free!

 

[molebo]

May I ask why you are using more than one Browser ? This make no sense and must be very confusing.

 

[elbmek]

Some browsers work better with different versions of windows. Firefox, for example, worked great with Vista but its naff with 7 and 8. IE before 9 was fine, no problems, but I hated 9 because they did away with a lot of functionality and more than a few tweaks. I am still undecided on 10 but I like buttons where I can see them, not hidden behind some anonymous symbol or gone altogether. I tried pale moon, and found adware so deleted it, I tried waterfox on my 64 bit laptop and it blew up, refusing to open my email address nor designated homepage.

What I am looking for is a trouble free fast simple browser with tweaks and with simplicity, so now I am on Chrome. I look around but keep coming back to Chrome. IE is designed by a chimp with dyslexia.

 

[cycledoc]

I really dislike IE 10's handling of bookmarks (I have a couple of hundred). The full screen version seems more like a beta than a finished product. Microsoft appears to have dropped the ball on it. I'll use Chrome or Firefox for this reason alone. In the past I've been concerned with security on IE, I'm not sure that applies at present.

 

[elbmek]

I think its about time Bill Gates picked up his dummy and his teddy bear and decided to cooperate with the browser & search engine people and told them look, this is what you are going to need to do when Windows X comes out, because whether he likes it or not, they are here to stay and people have a free choice. He already has a virtual stranglehold on Operating Systems but linux is catching up, fast, and thats FREE! Wake Up MS, come into the real world.

 

[alphacarina]

Why only under Windows 8, Google is the best under any OS.

I agree. The point of my post was that if you're using Win8 with IE10 in the metro mode on a touch screen PC, Microsoft *won't let you* use anything but Bing . . . . which for me means IE10 is, unfortunately, history

Don

 

[McDougal]

I use Chrome most of the time, because it's the fastest, and integrates nicely with my email (I can sync bookmarks and settings).

But Firefox and IE10 are also used. In my experience, IE10 has been great in Win8. It's the fastest version of IE I've used so far. The only thing I don't like about it is lack of addons and customization.

 

[4wd]

Firefox works perfect here in w8 (and has the best collection of add-ons, incl. the great NoScript). The metro-IE is disgusting IMO. And desktop IE (as well as metro-IE) has got this special rendering that makes fonts muddy and blurred (on 3 different laptops) = useless. Chrome works fine, as does it's (chinese) offspring CoolNovo (has sidebar option).

 

[will1982]

Chrome, it's speedy and my stuff syncs

 

[fafhrd]

When it comes to cutting edge browser technology, Chrome Canary, Opera Next, and Firefox beta are playing catchup with the latest trends, and are likely to be more secure, and sometimes with less bugs than production versions.

For instance, here are the HTML5Test results for the most recent versions of the major league Browsers:

and the most recent nightly build for Chrome Canary:
only 32 more points to a perfect score!
Opera Next:

IE10:

Firefox Beta:

And finally, Maxthon:

Sorry, but I just couldn't find a beta or updated Safari since May 2012, with the Windows version 5.1.x compared to the Mac V 6.

Of course, you can pick a benchmark that IE10 comes first in too: The BIG browser benchmark: All the latest browsers tested | Page 2 | ZDNet.