Web Browser Grand Prix 7: Firefox 7, Chrome 14, Opera 11.51

By Adam Overa
published

Mozilla released the hotly-anticipated Firefox 7 two days ago. Does it deliver on the promise of speed and memory improvements? Does Firefox 7 have what it takes to dethrone current Web Browser Grand Prix champion, Google Chrome? Read on to find out!

Benchmark Results: HTML5 Hardware Acceleration

Psychedelic Browsing

While Firefox 6 managed to edge out IE9 in the last Web Browser Grand Prix, Microsoft comes back swinging, quadrupling its WBGP6 score to take a solid lead. While Firefox 7 greatly improves upon the Firefox 6 score (doubling it), that's not nearly enough to stop IE9. Mozilla settles for second place. As usual, Chrome is a distant third-place finisher, followed by Opera in fourth and Safari in fifth.

We emailed Microsoft to find out why the scores in Psychedelic Browsing suddenly jumped so drastically, especially considering that IE9 hasn't posted any updates since WBGP6. As of the time of writing we had not heard back. If we do receive a response we will update this page with whatever we find out.

Hardware Acceleration Stress Test

Mozilla's Hardware Acceleration Stress Test results in the exact same placing and scores as in WBGP6: Firefox/IE9, Chrome, Opera, Safari.

It appears that IE9 currently holds the performance lead in HTML5 hardware acceleration, though Firefox is still a fantastic option. For now, the other three browsers just can't compete in this discipline.

Adam Overa
131 Comments Comment from the forums
  • gerchokas
    Well done Mozilla!
    Now they could change their famous icon to a more minimalist/modern style and we're done. Speedy AND classy, just like a fire fox.
    Reply
  • shiftmx112
    Enjoy it while you can Firefox fans

    Indeed. I have been quite content with FF8 though.
    Reply
  • soccerdocks
    Until another browser beats Chrome in the speed/performance benchmarks I'm sticking with it.
    Reply
  • iam2thecrowe
    im sticking with IE, its perfectly fast enough and stable and why should I have to install another browser when it works perfectly fine?
    Reply
  • JOSHSKORN
    I'm on FF10. :D Nightly 64-bit!
    Reply
  • compton
    I have to say, I do really like chrome. I stopped using Firefox as much one I tried the chrome beta, and now I use IE9 and chrome all the time. I used opera for a while, but Netflix streaming doesn't work with it, nor do many other sites I use.

    Now that IE is good again, I can't fault anyone for using it in lieu of the others.
    Reply
  • makaveli316
    "Until another browser beats Chrome in the speed/performance benchmarks I'm sticking with it."

    lol people still think they can feel the difference in terms of speed in real world performance and there's still people that doesn't use a browser for their needs and preferences, but just because they have seen some silly benchmark.
    Ridiculous. I bet those are the same people that are always complaining in the forums about crashes, viruses and blue screens.
    Reply
  • killik
    Even better yet,if you use FF7 with the MemoryFox addon,Firefox simply obliterates the competition.try it for yourself.
    Reply
  • killik
    Even better yet,if you use FF7 with the MemoryFox addon,Firefox simply obliterates the competition in the memory management department.try it for yourself.
    Reply
  • frostmachine
    I noticed firefox will use progressively more memory. Even if it's just refreshing the same pages. I use firefox, opera n chrome, keeping them open 24hr/day. It can go from intial 100mb to over 500mb. I don't see this in the other browsers.
    Reply