With the introduction of Windows 10 in 2015, Microsoft announced the new Microsoft Edge browser to replace the XNUMX-year Internet Explorer. The Edge browser used the EdgeHTML rendering engine and won favor with enthusiasts for its fresh look, smooth scrolling, and better power management than market leader Google Chrome.
Quickly moving into 2018, Microsoft Edge was in its third year of development and yet it didn't get as much traction as the company originally hoped. Two main reasons for this. First, the extension's support wasn't as feature-rich as Chrome. Second, some websites had a compatibility issue with Microsoft's rendering engine.
Microsoft finally gave up and announced another Edge browser based on the open source Chromium. It quickly fixed the above mentioned issues for the software company. In this post, we will compare Microsoft Edge with Google Chrome. We will also report the benefits of using Microsoft's browser over Google's. Let's begin.
- Download Microsoft Edge
- Download Google Chome
User Interface
Both browsers look identical at first glance. However, I expect Microsoft to add flowing design touches with the acrylic effect (similar to the old Edge) to the Chromium-based Edge browser in upcoming updates.
The homepage is completely different on both browsers. Google uses the same search combination as Google with the most visited websites below.
Microsoft has done a better job here. Use Bing's daily wallpaper with Bing search, most visited sites, and Microsoft news integration on the main page. It is well structured. And of course, you can customize that too.
Performances
Usually, I skip this section in browser comparison as a browser's performance depends on multiple factors such as internet speed, number of extensions installed, ongoing background tasks, and app version. But here I have noticed some advantages of using Microsoft Edge over Google Chrome.
First, the web compatibility issue is gone (previously, I had trouble with Twitter and YouTube on EdgeHTML). Loading speeds were nearly identical, but I found scrolling to be better and more accurate with Microsoft Edge.
The company is also committed to improving native Chromium code, which will ultimately benefit other Chromium-based browsers such as Chrome, Vivaldi, and Opera.
- Safari vs Google Chrome: Which Browser Is Better on Mac
Features
With the move to the Chromium-based browser, Microsoft Edge now offers the same level of support as Chrome extensions. It features an excellent reading mode with voice support. You can change the text style, fonts and page themes.
Microsoft Edge also supports the dark theme. Unfortunately, the ability to block websites went away with the Chromium transformation.
Chrome offers tight integration with most other Google products. You can view and interact with notifications from most Google apps from the notification panel itself.
Chrome offers a dedicated thematic engine from the web store. You can use it to personalize the whole experience.
Safety
The open source Chromium is updated every six to eight months with the latest security patches. Usually Google is quick to implement them in the Chrome browser.
Microsoft does the same. But the company went ahead and added a tracking prevention option in the Settings menu.
Users can go to Settings> Privacy and Services and enable the option and set it to a balanced approach.
The practice blocks trackers from sites you haven't visited and even stops malicious trackers without affecting the sites.
Microsoft has removed or replaced more than 50 Google services from the default Chromium code. They include ad blocking, Google Now, Google Cloud Messaging, and Chrome OS related services. So, if you're someone looking to get out of Google's world of apps and services, Microsoft Edge might be your best bet without any compromise.
Password management
Google Chrome offers robust password management within the browser. Known as Chrome Password Manager, it offers autofill and suggests strong passwords to get you started.
Use Google account to sync history, bookmarks, passwords and account settings across platforms. So, if you are using an Android device, it will automatically sync data when the browser is set as the default on the operating system.
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Microsoft does the same with the Edge browser. You can access the password from the Settings> Profile> Password menu.
As expected, the browser uses the Microsoft account to synchronize data across platforms.
Unfortunately, none of the software offers dedicated password management via the app. Firefox does this with Firefox Lockwise. Microsoft is expected to offer a dedicated password manager with the Office 365 subscription. We hope it will integrate with the Edge browser.
Cross-platform availability
Google Chrome is available on every platform you can think of. You can access the browser on Android, iOS, Mac and Windows.
Microsoft, once again, overtakes Chrome here. The Edge browser is accessible on Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows 10. It also works on ARM-based Windows PCs, including the Surface Pro X. Edge should be future-ready with Windows 10X, designed specifically for foldable PCs.
Should you switch browsers?
As you can see from the comparison above, Microsoft takes a heavy step with Edge over Google Chrome. If you're someone looking to get out of the Google ecosystem and appreciate Microsoft's efforts to block unwanted trackers, then opt for Edge. Chrome, as always, is a solid option for Android users, and the years of development shine in the final product.
Further Reading:
- How to change the search engine in Microsoft Edge Chromium
- Microsoft Edge vs Google Chrome: Which Safari Alternative Is Better on Mac
- The 5 best alternatives to the Samsung Internet Browser for Android
- How to change the default web browser
- Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome: which is the best browser in 2022?
