Web Browser Grand Prix 2: The Top 5 Tested And Ranked

By Adam Overa
published

Benchmark Results: Page Load Times

Our Page Load Time tests underwent some changes since the last Web Browser Grand Prix. We've updated the lineup to reflect the top five most visited Web sites, according to Quantcast. The new selection includes Google, Facebook, Yahoo, YouTube, and MSN. These sites were saved to the hard drive on June 19th, 2010.

Run from the hard drive, this set of tests provides a controlled laboratory perspective on the theoretical, best-case-scenario page load times, and therefore may differ greatly from real-world performance.

Google

Google's browser is the fastest at loading the Google homepage, followed closely by its WebKit cousin, Apple Safari. Firefox and IE8 take third and fourth, while Opera drags far behind, almost doubling Mozilla's time.

Facebook

Firefox manages to load the Facebook homepage the fastest. Chrome follows by 20 milliseconds, with Internet Explorer another twenty behind Chrome. Safari takes fifty milliseconds longer than IE, and Opera comes in last.

Yahoo!

Chrome takes back the top spot for Yahoo! page load time, trailed this time by the browsers from Microsoft and Apple. Struggling to keep up is Opera, and then Firefox.

YouTube

Chrome yet again takes the gold by a solid margin, followed by Firefox and Opera in a near dead heat. IE8 is just 20 ms behind Opera, while Safari flounders at over five hundred milliseconds.

MSN

Chrome finishes first for a fourth time in our page load tests. IE has another good showing at second place. Safari is in third with Opera closely in tow. Firefox is again defeated, finishing last and taking nearly twice as long as Opera.

Adam Overa
178 Comments Comment from the forums
  • The Lady Slayer
    July 7th - Firefox 4 beta released.
    Tom's impending road test STILL BEHIND THE TIMES
    Reply
  • I agree. Firefox 4 was supposed to have the major speed up (especially in startup time.)
    Reply
  • But you know what, apple said they have the world's fastest browser. I think we should just pack up and call it a day. The spoken word of god is indisputable...
    Reply
  • makotech222
    FF4 also has hardware acceleration
    Reply
  • Tamz_msc
    I'm very happy to see my beloved Firefox's performance.Whatever people say about Opera and Chrome, Firefox is the best IMO.And Apple is proved to be a liar from this article.
    Reply
  • Poisoner
    Honestly, does browser speed matter?
    Reply
  • Tamz_msc
    Forgot to add:I cant wait for the final release of FF 4!
    Reply
  • Maziar
    Great review,
    Have to wait for FF4 release to see how it performs compared to others
    Reply
  • mx2138
    I've been using Firefox for about to two years now. I can't get enough of adblock plus. One of my favorite plug-ins.
    Reply
  • wittermark
    lmao @ FFfanboys other review sites posted FF4 numbers, its performance is pathetic to say the least.
    Reply