Benchmark Results: Memory Management
On the last page we looked solely at memory usage, both with a single tab, and with a large load of 40 tabs. Now we're going to close the 39 tabs we opened for the 40-tab test. After five minutes we record the new memory usage totals. Finally we wait an additional five minutes and record a final number just to see if the usage drops over time.
-39 Tabs
After closing 39 of the 40 tabs from the last test, we're again left with the Google homepage in a single tab.
When returning to a single tab from 40, Google Chrome once again demonstrates almost OS-like memory management. Google's browser goes from almost 1.5 GB back down to just over 60 MB, just 15 MB more than before the additional 39 tabs were opened.
Firefox is a close second with just under 100 megabytes. Mozilla manages not only to beat its Windows 7 -39 tab usage by 10 MB, but it only holds onto a third of the 40-tab total. In contrast, it only gives back half in Windows.
Opera, on the other hand, has a big problem with memory management in Ubuntu. After closing 39 of the 40-tab load, Opera still hangs onto 800 MB of system memory, only returning 70 MB.
-39 Tabs, Another 5 Minutes
After waiting an additional five minutes, the results remain the same. Both Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox slightly increase in memory usage. Opera gives back only 40 additional megabytes, still holding onto over 750 MB.
Chrome obviously takes the top spot for memory management, just like in Windows, despite doubling its peak usage in Linux. Firefox achieves a close second, demonstrating big improvements to memory management in its Linux version. Opera tanks at memory management in Linux. The Norwegian browser gives back essentially none of the RAM it used with 40 tabs open.
- 1 / 4
- Next
-
Related Stories :
- Web Browser Grand Prix: Chrome 20, Opera 12, Firefox 13
- Web Browser Grand Prix 7: Firefox 7, Chrome 14, Opera 11.51
- Web Browser Grand Prix 5: Opera 11.50, Firefox 5, And Chrome 12
- Facebook's Not Recommending Opera Instead of Chrome
- Web Browser Grand Prix: Chrome 25, Firefox 19, And IE10
- Firefox 18 Posts Speed Gains Over Chrome, Mozilla Says
- Web Browser Grand Prix: Chrome 18, Firefox 11, Windows XP
- Web Browser Grand Prix 9: Chrome 17, Firefox 10, And Ubuntu
- Web Browser Grand Prix VIII: Chrome 16, Firefox 9, And Mac OS X
- Google's Done It: Chrome Passes Firefox in Market Share
The article that I was waiting for.How the tables have turned!
Conclusion:Firefox is quite capable in both Linux and Windows.
I'm using Firefox 4 beta and I find it pretty quick.
yes i would have loved to have seen the firefox 4 beta with the results. although great article.
Interesting how FireFox chose to sacrifice speed for memory.
Why not put firefox 4 into the equation?
yes i would have loved to have seen the firefox 4 beta with the results. although great article.
When it's final, I'll test it.
I'll get berated for this I'm sure but will we see an OSX article on browsers as well?
You are kidding,right?
Opera Turbo feature, is not mentioned here, it can boost speed in real surf. And also when we open a closed tab in Opera it opens them instantly, that's why Opera holds memory for closed, tab.
Opera still can't render pages properly, still can't print content properly, and we waste our time with senseless tests of imperceptible speed.
I dont think anyone using firefox will change to another browser even if it is Faster. I love my firefox
Wow, Chrome uses more memory than Crysis on my computer.
Opera Turbo feature, is not mentioned here, it can boost speed in real surf. And also when we open a closed tab in Opera it opens them instantly, that's why Opera holds memory for closed, tab.
Opera Turbo increases page load times on slow connections.On my 2Mbps connection the time in which Opera Turbo connects to its servers is the time in which Google loads in Firefox.
I still don't see a point of this test especially as hardware gets better and better. Computer which runs on SSD or Raid SSD with 20Mb/s Internet Connection don't matter what browser you're on cause you can't see a damn difference.
Then all browsers lie except Opera hehehe, don't blame me, or whatever, that don't change the result: The fast browser in the knowing universe.
I guess the tab recycle bin is responsible for high opera mem usage even after the tabs are closed. however I have not yet found a way to disable it so it gets to normal memory management. however I love the feature, to the mem issue is not that big a deal for me...
also this is a nitpick, but please do name the article the ubuntu circuit. I do not think the results will be 100% identical on other linux distros.
Gratuliere is probably what you meant...
No. "Gratulerer" is norwegian, so is Opera ;-)
Does Linux even matter? Outside of hippies, does anyone use it?
Looks like if you have a system with less ram FF is your choice browser. But overall it is stomped by Chrome.
I too am using FF4 beta. It is noticeably faster with page load times than FF3. But I agree about only testing final releases.
Thanks Adam Overa for including Linux in the Grand Prix.
haplo602 +1
Correct depends on GCC version installed + lots of other factors and source compile or bin and who / what did the bin on what config.
With Mozilla now using gcc 4.5.* the 3.6.6 firefox is slower than ie6 in xp.
Upgraded to 3.5.11 and 3.0.18 on 2 xp boxes I have from 3.6.6 , about to do the same in my linux boxes.
The gcc 4.5.* optimization issues is bitting hard on Mozilla.
Firefox 4 beta has same gcc 4.5.* issues = slow.
Someone at Mozilla will have to source build a complete gcc 4.5.* distro and build it about 3 times over on same code to make sure all is included / properly optimized + pray it is working correctly.
Arch linux had GCC 4.5.* integrated already so should be a good place for mozilla to start from.
Can not stand Opera appearance and layout too much vista / win7 feel. Used to love opera way back just after we lost netscape.
Nice to see Opera coming back in win + lin.
Does Linux even matter? Outside of hippies, does anyone use it?
LOL good question.
With Win vista annoying so many a lot of people jumped to linux dual boot or just linux. Win7 has caused another major wave of new linux users + recession made allot of people think about $500 for Microsoft office that messes up their old word documents ect and free openoffice / koffice etc. in linux.
So free properly working office pc operating system + office apps so might as well go linux instead of $1300 to win7 replace 90% of your software and pray it works + then still loose half your data with win7 issues / bugs.
And you can do this from a live cd or dvd no need to install makes it very attractive. Can also read / write to ntfs hfs+ and other partitions even with vista / win7 locks enabled, makes getting to your data and formating your win7 much easier when vista /win7 constantly fails to works / boot.
Linux is good not great not excellent but for office use 100 times better than Vista /win7.
Gaming in linux is still bad or about the same as Vista / win7 so have to dual boot and play game in XP.