It should surprise no one that Google Chrome enjoys the bulk of the web browser market share. The web browser’s popularity speaks for itself in this regard. While everyone may have laughed Internet Explorer off the discussion, Microsoft seems to be making a comeback with Edge. Upon shifting to Chromium, Edge has been making waves again, and turning some heads towards it. If you’re reading this article, you may be thinking if Edge is the better browser for you. So, let’s take a deep dive and see how Microsoft Edge racks up against Google Chrome.
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In This Article
Speed
While it may be general consensus that Edge (and earlier, Internet Explorer) is pretty slow, the evidence points to the contrary. Google Chrome is notorious for hoarding a lot of RAM, even when there aren’t a lot of active tabs open on the browser. Microsoft Edge is a lot more efficient at managing RAM, resulting in slightly faster speeds. While RAM consumption entirely depends on your usage, Microsoft Edge generally tends to utilize up to 500MB less RAM than Google Chrome. What’s surprising is that Microsoft’s web browser narrowly edges out Chrome in benchmark tests like WebXPRT 3.
Security
Since Microsoft Edge is based on Chromium, both browsers are pretty evenly matched when it comes to Security. However, Microsoft’s Defender SmartScreen gives Edge added protection against malware, malicious downloads, and other harmful threats to your system. You can also choose the level of tracking protection and personalised ads prevention on Chrome. While your browser is always prone to threats, Microsoft’s product seems like the safer choice here.
Extensions
It is hard to imagine a web browsing experience without browser extensions. You can thank Chrome for that. Up until recently, Edge (previously Internet Explorer) had little to offer when it came to extensions, or as Microsoft calls it – add-ons. But Edge’s shift to Chromium changed that. Now you can add any extension from the Chrome Web Store to Microsoft Edge. Both web browsers are pretty evenly matched in this regard.
User Interface
One of the reasons why you may not want to switch from Google Chrome is the familiarity of the UI. Chrome is very accessible to use, even for beginners. Its intuitive design makes the browser very easy to use on a daily basis. However, if Chrome’s pleasant user interface is the only thing that’s keeping you from moving to Edge, then it shouldn’t be a problem. Both browsers look similar to each other. Both offer dark themes and have accessible icons for the most used features. Looking for something different? Microsoft Edge also lets you place your tabs vertically for easier access and a more unique look.
Syncing
Another reason why you wouldn’t want to leave Google Chrome is its unique capability to sync your data across different devices. Well, that feature isn’t so unique anymore. Microsoft Edge can sync everything from bookmarks and extensions to settings, tabs, passwords, and browser history across multiple devices. Of course, you will need an active Microsoft Account for this. But if you intend to use Edge on your PC, then you probably already have a Microsoft Account. Microsoft’s ecosystem on PC will work even better when you add Edge into the mix.
AI Integration
Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it will be bringing AI integration to Microsoft Edge, along with Skype, Bing, and SwiftKey. Microsoft is one of the biggest investors in ChatGPT, and has been successful in using AI to improve its products. The AI is being rolled out in a phased manner, so it may not be available for your device just yet. While Google has been focussing on using AI for Gmail, Docs, and Sheets, Microsoft is already making strides in making the web browsing experience more fun for users.
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Conclusion
When it comes to these major web browsing aspects, it’s fair to say that Microsoft Edge narrowly beats Google Chrome in speed, performance, security, privacy, and AI integration, while matching it in other parameters like extensions and user interface. If you have been on the fence about switching to Microsoft Edge, the browser’s integration with ChatGPT will surely help you in making your final decision.
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