Like the startup time tests, our page load times have also split into two groups of testing: uncached and cached.
Uncached Page Load Time |
Non-cached page load time is taken from browsers with a completely cleared cache and clean history. Non-cached page load time is indicative of the loading time for a page you've never been to before.
Windows 7 Detail View

Mac OS X Detail View

Uncached Page Load Time Composite
This chart displays the average time each Web browser takes to load all nine test Web sites.

When loading brand new pages in Windows 7, it's Google Chrome that takes the lead with an average of 1.5 seconds. Second place is shared by Safari and IE9 at 1.7 seconds. Firefox 9 takes third at just 1.76 seconds, and Opera places last at 1.87 seconds.
The finishing order changes slightly in Mac OS X, though Chrome 16 still manages to hang on to first place. Second place goes to Firefox 9, which again earns nearly the same score as in Windows 7. Apple's Safari takes third on its native platform, while Opera for OS X is the only Web browser to take longer than two seconds, placing last.
Cached Page Load Time |
The cached page load time tests are performed with the test pages already fully loaded into the browsers cache and history. Cached page load time is indicative of the loading time you can expect for a page you regularly visit.
Windows 7 Detail View

Mac OS X Detail View

Cached Page Load Time Composite

When loading previously-visited Web pages, Google Chrome again takes the lead in Windows 7 at three-quarters of a second, followed by WebKit cousin Apple Safari at 0.8 seconds. Opera shoots up from fifth place to third for cached pages, loading in around one second. Firefox 9 remains in fourth place with a time of 1.15 seconds. IE9 drops to fifth place from third to finish at nearly 1.5 seconds.
In Mac OS X, Apple Safari barely edges out Chrome for first place (both place under the one-second mark). Firefox takes third at 1.1 seconds, and Opera finishes last at 1.25 seconds.
- Web Browser Grand Prix VIII
- Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, And Safari
- WBGP VIII Test Setup
- Startup Time Performance Benchmarks
- Page Load Time Performance Benchmarks
- JavaScript Performance Benchmarks
- DOM And CSS Performance Benchmarks
- Flash Performance Benchmarks
- Java And Silverlight Performance Benchmarks
- HTML5 Performance Benchmarks
- Harware Acceleration Performance Benchmarks
- WebGL Performance Benchmarks
- Memory Usage Efficiency Benchmarks
- Memory Management Efficiency Benchmarks
- Page Load Reliability Benchmarks
- Standards Conformance Benchmarks
- Benchmark Analysis
- Crowning Two Champions In Windows 7 And OS X
I think add ons are much easier to find with FF, and there seems to be a wider variety. Then again I do realize this article wasn't about browsers with add ons.
Yes, we're using everything stock. There is no one-size-fits-all combination of plug-ins to standardize on, and every browser might not have the exact same plugins available. So that throws out a fair comparison between browsers - wouldn't work for the WBGP. Perhaps an article concentrating specifically on Firefox (or another Web browser) with and without various plug-ins would clear that up?
Why do people seem to forget Chrome has this built in. All you have to do is go into the options menu and disable JavaScript.
i know i know, chrome is faster, has market share, ie 9/10 are coming up, blah blah. but ff can still fight. google's benevolent (read: to antitrust-pacifier) fund injection should help ff. besides, chrome is a sneakware bundled with numerous softwares. ff has scriptblockers that block statcounter.
Thanks for the feedback, and good catch. I must have goofed and started making the graphics with an older file when I already had the newer one. Doh! It's all fixed now, and it should update momentarily.
Firefox can do the same with tab mix plus. I couldn't live without scrolling though my tabs.
Just like VHS vs Beta, NTSC vs PAL or Gasoline vs Electric... just because the public likes something does not mean it is the best solution.