| Flash |
GUIMark 2 Flash
The chart below lists the results of all three GUIMark2 Flash tests for each of the five Windows 7 Web browsers.

The next chart has the same data for the four OS X browsers.

This final chart hosts the cross-platform composite scores, which average the results of the three GUIMark2 Flash tests.

Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9 achieves the highest score in the GUIMark2 Flash Windows 7 testing, closely followed by Opera and Safari. Firefox 6 only earns a fourth-place victory, with Chrome 13 in last place.
The highest score from all of our GUIMark2 Flash testing goes to Opera on OS X. Chrome 13 manages to rocket into second place on the Hackintosh, while Safari 5.1 and Firefox 6 practically tie for last.
Flash Benchmark 2008

Safari 5.1 nabs the highest score in Flash Benchmark 2008 in Windows 7, followed by Microsoft's IE9. Opera takes the third-place spot, with Chrome 13 and Firefox 6 far in tow.
Opera for Mac achieves the highest score in all of our testing, more than 10 000 points ahead of Safari's Window 7 victory. Safari takes second in Lion, closely followed by Firefox 6, then Chrome 13.
It appears that Opera on OS X is the Flash performance king.
| Java |
GUIMark Java

Firefox 6 leads in GUIMark Java under Windows 7. Mozilla is followed by Chrome 13 with a 5 FPS disadvantage. Opera takes third, followed by Safari 5.1 barely ahead of IE9.
In OSX, Opera takes the lead, followed by Chrome, Safari, and Firefox.
This benchmark shows Windows 7 to have a significant advantage over Mac OS X in Java performance.
| Silverlight |
Encog Silverlight

The Encog Silverlight scores are pretty close together. In Windows 7, Opera 11.50 holds onto first place. Version 13 allows Chrome to move from third place to second. Firefox 6 catapults Mozilla up one spot, from fourth place to third. Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 drops from second place to fourth, and Safari remains in last place.
The OS X scores are all very far behind the Windows 7 results (by about double). Firefox 6 takes the lead in Lion, followed by Safari 5.1. Opera settles into third place on the Apple platform, and Chrome finishes last.
Silverlight is the second plug-in where Windows has a serious edge on OS X, but this wasn't entirely unexpected. Afterall, Silverlight is Microsoft's own attempt at a Flash-killer.
- Crowning A Web-Browsing King In Windows 7 And OS X
- The Contenders
- A Spotlight On Lion's Safari
- Hardware And Test Setup
- Performance Benchmarks: Startup Time
- Performance Benchmarks: Page Load Time
- Performance Benchmarks: JavaScript, DOM, And CSS
- Performance Benchmarks: Flash, Java, And Silverlight
- Performance Benchmarks: HTML5
- Performance Benchmarks: HTML5 Hardware Acceleration And WebGL
- Efficiency Benchmarks: Memory Usage
- Efficiency Benchmarks: Memory Management
- Reliability Benchmarks: Proper Page Loads
- Conformance Benchmarks: HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, And DOM
- Placing Tables
- Analysis Tables
- Two Winners: One In Windows 7, One in OS X
thank you, workin' on it
chrome13 completely obliterats it.
and firefox 8/9 are still a memory hog.
not really surprised by poor show of ie9. moat updates it gets are "security updates".
Yeah? And exactly what principle would that be?
Bring back the Google Dictionary, otherwise I will use Bing Search, Firefox and Facebook instead of Google Search, Chrome and G+.
According to the graphic on "Reliability Benchmarks: Proper Page Loads" on MacOS Firefox is actually second, not third.
thank you, workin' on it
These "browser" GP are getting more and more complete and the're always very interesting.
I have to say, I am a bit surprised to see FF being so close to Chrome now: kudos to Mozilla.
I have been using FF since 1.0 and only recently coupled it with Chrome (it is just convenient for me to have 2 completely different setups).
FF 7.0 should have a significant boost in memory efficiency: if everything else stays the same, we´ll have a new champion ...
But if anythin is clear from these reviews, is that nothing stays the same for very long in the browser´s domain (well, except IE).
Looking forward to GP7, whenever that will be.
You should've put more emphasis on the actual scores and performances in tests rather than count the times when certain browsers placed 1st. Thus a browser that had a small advantage in more and minor tests and at the same time severe handicaps in more important but fewer tests would seem better, when technically it is not. Suggestion: tie all the candidates when the differences between them in a certain test are less than a single digit percent. Good article anyway.
And to think Apple hates Flash...
There are no points in the analysis tables. They simply list how each browser rates per category of testing. The 'Strong' part of the table was added a long time ago and it basically means that it's right up there with the winner in terms of performance. When we get a solid point-based scoring system figured out 'Winner' will only receive a minor boost above 'Strong', whereas 'Strong' will receive a significant boost above 'Acceptable', and 'Acceptable' above 'Weak'. We're not there yet, but we're getting closer with every WBGP. The composite tests are a BIG step in that direction, and the new benchmark rankings further lay the groundwork for a fair scoring system which accurately reflects scale.
The analysis tables were created to balance the raw placing tables. The problem with what you're saying is that you would have to decide which categories are more important than others. Is JavaScript more important than CSS? Is HTML5 more important than Flash? This is going to depend on who you ask. People who only watch Netflix with an HTPC will put mega emphasis on Silverlight perf, whereas the chronic YouTuber will be more concerned with Flash, and devs are going to gravitate towards standards conformance. Ranking benchmarks based on the importance of what they test isn't a one-size-fits-all type of thing with Web browsers. As far as your other suggestion, dealing with practical ties, this is something we definitely want to look into moving forward. Thanks!