Conclusion
Now that we've seen the final results in performance, efficiency, and standards compliance testing, as well as overall placing, let's break down how the Web browsers perform in individual categories.
| Category/Test | Winner | Also Strong | Weak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performance Testing | |||
| Startup Times | IE9 | Opera | |
| Page Load Times | IE9 | ||
| JavaScript | Chrome | Opera, IE9 | Firefox |
| Peacekeeper | Chrome | Opera | Firefox |
| DOM | Opera | Firefox | |
| HTML5 | IE9 | Opera | |
| Flash | Opera | IE9 | |
| Java | Opera | Firefox | |
| Silverlight | Chrome | IE9 | |
| Efficiency Testing | |||
| Memory Usage (Light Load) | IE9 | Chrome, Firefox | |
| Memory Usage (Heavy Load) | Firefox | IE9, Chrome | |
| Memory Management | IE9 | Chrome, Firefox | Opera, Safari |
| Standards Conformance Testing | |||
| HTML5 | Chrome | ||
| CSS3 | Firefox, IE9, Opera, Safari | Chrome | |
| JavaScript | IE9 | ||
| Acid3 | Chrome, Opera, Safari | IE9, Firefox | |
Internet Explorer 9 manages to pull ahead, regardless of whether you look at individual categories or the overall placing. IE9 comes out on top in seven categories, while Opera and Chrome only top five each.
Despite Firefox losing so terribly, the biggest upset in WBGP3 has to be Chrome. Since the release of IE9, Firefox 3.6 is the oldest Web browser here, and it is about to be replaced with the much-anticipated and long overdue Firefox 4. Chrome 10, on the other hand, is only as old as IE9.
IE9 really put the hurt on Chrome. Disciplines like page load times, JavaScript performance, and memory management have traditionally been bastions for Chrome's success. This time, IE9 excelled in all three. Chrome also gives us disappointing results in HTML5 performance, the CSS3 Selectors Test, and it was unable to run Dromaeo DOM.
Opera, though not as terribly battered by IE9 as Chrome, also gives up some ground to Microsoft's newest Web browser. IE9 demonstrates excellent performance in areas where Opera is also strong, such as HTML5 and Flash.
Not only does IE9 manage to beat previous WBGP champions Opera and Chrome with regard to performance, but it also succeeds in strutting its stuff in efficiency and standards compliance. IE9 is the clear winner of Web Browser Grand Prix 3, and we at Tom's Hardware approve of Microsoft Internet Explorer 9.
By beating the stiffest competition (Opera and Chrome) in areas where the competition has historically dominated, Microsoft has made IE a real contender. But with the launch of Mozilla Firefox 4 just over the horizon, the company's arch-nemesis in the browser wars might pose the gravest threat to IE9's WBGP championship.
Follow Adam Overa on Twitter @adamovera.
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I wonder how much microsoft paid tomshardware not to include Firefox 4 RC1
Now everyone is going to switch from Chrome to IE?
Nice comparison Adam. I think people don't give MS credit for IE9 because of their history with web standards and lack of competition with updating their browser since they destroyed Netscape so many years ago. Hopefully they have their head in the game and continue with a somewhat constant update cycle. Currently the transition from IE8 to IE9 was somewhat FireFox'ish with speed instead of waiting for another revision of the OS. The browser definitely surprised me, some quirks here and there that are definitely noticeable and the Chrome/FF influence is obviously present. I wish them luck as the competition heats up.
Will there be a " Web Browser Grand Prix 4: Firefox 4 Enters The Race " after Firefox 4's release (22 Mar)?
i felt the speed once i switched from firefox to chrome and now chrome to IE..
but there is no mention of any addon/extentions for IE..
i mean there is no comparision on who's got nice addons and startup time "with" addons.. since users tend to use web browsers with addons knowingly or un-knowingly..
it would be better if you include those two comparisions as well.. and who takes advantage of GPU and all..
Won't take that long for IE to lag behind.
Won't take that long for IE to lag behind.
lol
maybe not!!
and FFS why doesnt that "submit my comment" button not working in IE!! I am using chrome for that ;(
I like how this article was released one day before Firefox 4 is released.
duck it, i stick to firefox.
Is there a wrong picture on the efficiency page? The 40tabs graph comes up as GUIMark 2?
The 40 Tabs chart is wrong for Efficiency Benchmarks: Memory Usage And Management it shows flash vector charting.
I wonder how much microsoft paid tomshardware not to include Firefox 4 RC1
Then they would have to include every random nightly build of every browser? Comparing the latest release is fair you'll always get one browser or two that is near a new stable version but that's just how it works.
Won't take that long for IE to lag behind.
depends in Microsoft moves up an update schedule that doesn't just include making the browser more secure and fixing bugs. IE8 was pretty snappy back when it was first out it got old in like 3 months compared to other browsers though.
I wonder how much microsoft paid tomshardware not to include Firefox 4 RC1
We only test final products in the WBGP.
Will there be a " Web Browser Grand Prix 4: Firefox 4 Enters The Race " after Firefox 4's release (22 Mar)?
I like how this article was released one day before Firefox 4 is released.
Where are ya'll getting a set date from?
i felt the speed once i switched from firefox to chrome and now chrome to IE..but there is no mention of any addon/extentions for IE.. i mean there is no comparision on who's got nice addons and startup time "with" addons.. since users tend to use web browsers with addons knowingly or un-knowingly..it would be better if you include those two comparisions as well.. and who takes advantage of GPU and all..
We add/modify tests every time with the WBGP. We're already looking into those suggestions.
Is there a wrong picture on the efficiency page? The 40tabs graph comes up as GUIMark 2?
Doh! Fixing that now.
Where are ya'll getting a set date from?
http://groups.google.com/group/moz [...] 9e9650b1b3
Wait a second. Did they really include Safari? Who uses Safari for Windows?
(I'm assuming they tested the Windows version of Safari, because why would you compare browsers for different systems?)
I'm sticking with Opera on my Windows machine and Safari on my Mac.
To be honest I did not read this article, because you're using the "latest and greatest" browsers, but somehow jumped a day early and didn't wait for FF4. Maybe you mentioned it in the article, but if not, then was it really so bad to wait an additional 1-2 days to do this?
... don't know... but this all is not my experience... why there is no firefox 4.0 RC2 ????
Where are ya'll getting a set date from?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/ [...] _22_march/
Although most websites link to this website, so perhaps it was nothing more than a rumor.
Wait a second. Did they really include Safari? Who uses Safari for Windows?
(I'm assuming they tested the Windows version of Safari, because why would you compare browsers for different systems?)
I'm sticking with Opera on my Windows machine and Safari on my Mac.
Opera sucks balls in memory management and lacks handy add-on such as Tab Mix Plus (which is same for Chrome). I would definitely move to Opera if it has these 2 issues fixed.
https://wiki.mozilla.org/Firefox/4/Beta
This article looks like a case of premature e.. something.