Test Setup And Benchmark Suite
Versus The Desktop Web Browser Grand Prix
As we stated in our exploration of iOS-based Web browser performance, much of the desktop benchmark suite had to be dropped from mobile testing. Let's quickly recap the losses.
Start time is scaled back to just a single-tab “hot” start. Mobile OSes only load the active tab, and background tabs aren't loaded until they are made active. This makes the eight-tab start time irrelevant. Since tablets are usually never powered down unless they run out of battery, “cold” start times are also irrelevant.
Current mobile operating systems handle memory and multi-tasking in a very different manner than PCs, so the memory efficiency tests from the desktop are not needed, either. With the loss of the 40-tab memory test and the inability to load all tabs simultaneously, the page load reliability test cannot be conducted either.
We also lost plug-ins, so Flash, Java, and Silverlight aren't needed. WebGL was jettisoned too, since no mobile Web browser supports it yet.
Versus The iOS Web Browser Grand Prix
We lost WebVizBench and Psychedelic Browsing on Android, since the tests fail to run on too many browsers. However, JSGameBench makes a return as our hardware acceleration benchmark.
There was no need to substitute the GUIMark2 HTML5 Vector Charting tests with GUIMark3's Vector Test, as we did on the iPad. In an odd reversal, the GUIMark3 version crashes on most Android browsers. We did, however, need to scrap the Bitmap Gaming portion of the test, as well as the Asteroids HTML5 Canvas 2D & JavaScript benchmark because Dolphin has issues running those tests.
Sadly, we're all out of CSS performance tests: Kaizoumark will not run on several browsers, the CSS Stress Test & Performance Profiling is a bookmarklet and will therefore not work on Android, and Maze Solver still has serious issues with Firefox.
Test Setup And Benchmark Suite
| Test System Specs | |
|---|---|
| Model | Asus Transformer TF300T |
| Operating System | Google Android 4.1.1 "Jelly Bean" |
| Display | 10.1" LED-Backlit WXGA IPS (1200x800) |
| Processor | Nvidia Tegra 3 (quad-core) @ 1.2 GHz |
| Graphics | Nvidia ULP GeForce |
| Memory | 1 GB DDR3 |
| Storage | 32 GB eMMC Flash |
| Networking | 802.11 b/g/n @ 2.4 GHz |
| Local Web Server Specs | |
| Operating System | Ubuntu 12.04.1 LTS Server Edition "Precise Pangolin" (32-bit) |
| Processor | Intel Pentium 4 @ 2.41 GHz |
| Motherboard | Biostar P4M80-M4 |
| Memory | 768 MB DDR @ 333 MHz |
| Graphics | Nvidia GeForce FX 5500 128 MB DDR (AGP) |
| Storage | Western Digital Caviar SE WD1600AAJD, 160 GB EIDE, 7200 RPM |
| Extra Packages | Apache2, MySQL Client, MySQL Server, PHP5, PHP-GD, PHP5-MySQL, PHPMyAdmin, SSH, Node.js, NPM |
| Network Specs | |
| ISP Service | Cox Preferred (18 Mb/s down, 2 Mb/s up) |
| Modem | Arris Touchstone Telephony Modem TM502G |
| Router | Linksys WRT54G2 V1 |
| Benchmark Suite | |
| Page Load Time | Start Time (Yahoo! homepage, Cached) |
| Uncached Load Time (Eight Test Pages) | |
| Cached Load Time (Eight Test Pages) | |
| JavaScript | RIABench JavaScript (Eight Tests) |
| Apple SunSpider v0.9.1 (Google Mod) | |
| Mozilla Kraken v1.1 | |
| Google Octane v1 | |
| FutureMark Peacekeeper v2 | |
| RightWare BrowserMark v2 | |
| DOM | Mozilla Dromaeo DOM Core |
| HTML5 | GUIMark2 HTML5 (Three Tests) |
| HTML5 Canvas Performance Test | |
| Impact HTML5 Benchmark | |
| Mandelbrot Set in HTML5 | |
| Hardware Acceleration | Facebook JSGameBench v0.4.1 |
| Standards Conformance | HTML5Test.com |
| The CSS3 Test | |
| Ecmascript Language test262 | |
| Facebook ringmark | |
| Security | Browserscope Security |
Although applicable links are included in the table above, we've also created a delicious account dedicated to chronicling links to Web Browser Grand Prix benchmarks.
The Transformer, local Web server, and all software were updated as of midnight (Eastern Standard Time) on November 24, 2012. Detailed methodologies are explained on the individual benchmark pages.
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"Stock Android Browser" is a myth. There is NO "Stock" android browser.
Each device manufacturer (Samsung, Asus, Lg, HTC) customise/modify the "stock" browser to match the SoC, the TDP, power saving, and specific browser benchmark targeted, for that device.
So this "Stock" browser is actually a modified browser, customised by ASUS to work better with a Tegra3 SoC, in some specifc benchmarks which Asus thinks are more important than others. Its not a representative of all android devices.
Sunspider and Kraken are crap benchmarks. All browsers target these benchmarks for specifc optimisations, that are never actually used on the web.
"Stock Android Browser" is a myth. There is NO "Stock" android browser.
Each device manufacturer (Samsung, Asus, Lg, HTC) customise/modify the "stock" browser to match the SoC, the TDP, power saving, and specific browser benchmark targeted, for that device.
So this "Stock" browser is actually a modified browser, customised by ASUS to work better with a Tegra3 SoC, in some specifc benchmarks which Asus thinks are more important than others. Its not a representative of all android devices.
When you're running a Nexus device, it's a stock browser...
Sunspider and Kraken are crap benchmarks. All browsers target these benchmarks for specifc optimisations, that are never actually used on the web.
SunSpider is the next to go for sure, but I haven't heard a ton of criticism regarding Kraken yet. Between BrowserMark, Peacekeeper, and RIABench, we could withdraw all the vendor-developed JS tests.
give me a browser with flash support then we'll talk
^ coming soon to firefox. Project Shumway.
^ interesting. lets hope it works out... my gf is rather pissed that she can't play farmville on my galaxy tab.
I've already figured out that Chrome isn't so hot, but the reason why Chrome still wins for me is that it synchronizes bookmarks, passwords, history and a bunch of other stuff across all my computers and devices. That is an indispensable feature for me.
give me a browser with flash support then we'll talk
Since Adobe themselves has ended Flash development for all mobile platforms, I don't think you will see many browsers keeping support for it for long. Likely in a year, maybe 18 months, you won't see any support for Flash as, well, what's the point.
Firefox Beta has flash support once you download and install the flash apk - I have it working well on my Nexus 7
It is not benchmark results that counts when choosing my mobile browser. And what counts?
- some kind of adblocking utility, like urlfilter.ini in Opera, adblock in firefox
- minimum font size. On my 8" 160dpi screen fonts are too small to be read comfortably. In Opera I can declare a minimum font size and have all webpages readable and well formatted.
- declare to be a desktop browser. I most browsers I have to declare this for every site I visit, in Opera I do it once and it is set
- smoothness on any hardware, not only Quad-core. Try stock browser or firefox on a single-core A10 machine and it will freeze for 10s when composing your webpage. Opera won't be butter-smooth, but it will let you scroll througn the page from the beginning.
So Opera is the worst browser according to Thg, but is the best for me, the average user.
Read this on Dolphin on my Galaxy Tab, Dolphin has been a fixture on the Tab for two years and for good reason. Forget the scores, even if it wasn't top I would still use it, the actual user experience is head and shoulders above the competition.
It is not benchmark results that counts when choosing my mobile browser. And what counts?- some kind of adblocking utility, like urlfilter.ini in Opera, adblock in firefox- minimum font size. On my 8" 160dpi screen fonts are too small to be read comfortably. In Opera I can declare a minimum font size and have all webpages readable and well formatted.- declare to be a desktop browser. I most browsers I have to declare this for every site I visit, in Opera I do it once and it is set- smoothness on any hardware, not only Quad-core. Try stock browser or firefox on a single-core A10 machine and it will freeze for 10s when composing your webpage. Opera won't be butter-smooth, but it will let you scroll througn the page from the beginning.So Opera is the worst browser according to Thg, but is the best for me, the average user.
This. A review of performance only is useless. Features are more important.
Also, Opera has a night mode that works, the only browser I could find with one. It's a little hacky though (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1326434)
"Boat Browser" (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.boatbrowser.free) supports flash just fine. I've used it on a Galaxy S3 and a Nexus 10. Just go download the latest Flash apk from Adobe:
http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-playe [...] developers
Scroll down a bit to get to the Android listings.
naked browser
the ui is very minimal though so might not be newcomer friendly
but the responsiveness is on par with dolphin
Chrome is the default browser for Nexus devices running Jellybean. Browser is not even installed on neither the Galaxy Nexus nor the Nexus 4.
Chrome is not only the default for Nexus devices...Razr M, HD, and Maxx HD also come with Chrome as the only browser installed. It's been great for me and I especially like being able to swipe between tabs.
so, according to real life browsing opera has fastest browsing, but because it scores last in syntethic benchmarks it comes last?