If you own an Android device, it probably already has Chrome installed on it. Edward Munn compares Google’s browser to five of its toughest competitors, to see if it’s worth switching
Firefox
What we liked
Firefox for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X is fast, stable and easy-to-use, and the Android version is equally impressive. Like its computer-based counterpart, Firefox for Android has an impressive range of add-ons that you can install to enhance your browsing experience, including Adblock Plus.
We particularly like the browser’s customisable home screen, which lets you flick between your Top Sites, Bookmarks, History and Recent Tabs when you open a new tab or tap the address bar. The app lets you sync much of this information with the Desktop version of Firefox (as well as to other Android devices using the app), and you can also save your login details for your favourite sites. If you want to browse the web without storing any information from your session, there’s an option to open a new Private Tab from the app’s main menu, and you can also start a New Guest Session if you’d like to allow a friend to use your browser without compromising your privacy.
If you read a lot of articles on your smartphone or tablet, you can tap the book symbol in your address bar to activate the app’s Reader Mode, which turns the page into beautifully formatted plain text. A long-press adds it to your Reading List, so you can go back to it later.
Although we initially found Firefox’s search bar a little cluttered, we like the way it lets you pick from multiple search engines after entering keywords. Not only is it easy to use and packed with great features, Firefox also came out on top in both our Sunspider 1.0.2 and Peacekeeper benchmark tests, making it the perfect browser for varied everyday use.
How it can be improved
We’d love to see an iOS version of Firefox to sync your information between even more devices. Data-saving tools like those found in Maxthon and Chrome would be handy, too.
OUR VERDICT
Firefox’s impressive combination of features, performance and usability make the browser a worthy winner of our Gold Award. We think it’s as good as, if not better than, the PC version.
Chrome
What we liked
Like our Gold and Bronze Award winners, Chrome lets you sync your bookmarks, history, passwords and open tabs between your Desktop browser and the mobile app, so you can carry on where you left off on another device. If you already use Chrome on your PC, this feature is the single biggest reason to make it your primary Android (and iOS) browser, too.
Chrome was also the simplest of all the browsers we tested, and the easiest to use. We wouldn’t change anything about its interface where most functions, including opening a new incognito tab, can be accessed from the main menu. It also has a Data Saver tool, which can reduce the amount of data your mobile device uses.
Chrome’s performance was only a short way behind Firefox on both the Sunspider 1.0.2 and Peacekeeper benchmark tests, but we found it offered smoother scrolling when we tested it on the mobile-optimised BBC News site.
How it can be improved
Although we admire the browser’s simplicity, we’d like to see the option to use extensions such as Adblock Plus on the mobile version of Chrome.
OUR VERDICT
Chrome’s incredibly simple interface and lightning fast performance make it an absolute pleasure to use. The inclusion of a killer feature or the option to use extensions would have made it a strong candidate for the top spot.
Maxthon
What we liked
Maxthon has a range of useful features that we didn’t find in any of the other browsers we tested. For example, there’s a built-in QR-code scanner, which you can access directly from the address bar, and a Night mode that dims the screen for reading in bed. What’s more, the browser has Adblock Plus installed as standard, so you can enjoy an advert-free experience from the word go.
If you want to reduce your mobile data usage, you can use the Images Off option so the browser only loads a web page’s basic layout and text, cutting bandwidth significantly. Like both our Gold and Silver award winners, Maxthon lets you sync your bookmarks and recent tabs with its PC counterpart, and includes a privatebrowsing mode. It also has a range of add-ons to make it more productive, such as the Advanced Gesture add-on, which lets you open, close or switch between tabs by making on-screen gestures.
How it can be improved
Maxthon performed well in the Sunspider 1.0.2 benchmark test, but produced a disappointing score on Peacekeeper. We also found its interface much less intuitive than our other award winners.
OUR VERDICT
Maxthon has more features than any of the other browsers we tested, but our Gold and Silver Award winners are faster and easier to use.