Which Web Browser Should You Run On Your Android Device?

Features
By Adam Overa
published

Today is our very first Web Browser Grand Prix on Android. Unlike iOS, Android-based tablets have real competition between browsers. So, how do Chrome, Dolphin, Firefox, Maxthon, Opera Mobile, and Sleipnir stack up against the stock Android browser?

Hardware Acceleration Performance

Hardware Acceleration

Psychedelic Browsing and WebVizBench fail to run properly on all Android browsers. Fortunately, JSGameBench works just fine. Therefore, with no other tests present, the Hardware Acceleration (HWA) score is determined solely by the JSGameBench results.

Dolphin and Maxthon have a lock on hardware acceleration for the Android platform, earning first and second place (respectively). Sleipnir and the stock browser are respectable third- and fourth-place finishers. Opera takes fifth, with just one-tenth of the Dolphin and Maxthon scores, as Mozilla comes in sixth. Oddly, Google's own Chrome browser takes a miserable last-place finish on Android.

Adam Overa
65 Comments Comment from the forums
  • mayankleoboy1
    "Stock Android Browser" is a myth. There is NO "Stock" android browser.
    Each device manufacturer (Samsung, Asus, Lg, HTC) customise/modify the "stock" browser to match the SoC, the TDP, power saving, and specific browser benchmark targeted, for that device.

    So this "Stock" browser is actually a modified browser, customised by ASUS to work better with a Tegra3 SoC, in some specifc benchmarks which Asus thinks are more important than others. Its not a representative of all android devices.
    Reply
  • mayankleoboy1
    Sunspider and Kraken are crap benchmarks. All browsers target these benchmarks for specifc optimisations, that are never actually used on the web.
    Reply
  • aznshinobi
    9539316 said:
    "Stock Android Browser" is a myth. There is NO "Stock" android browser.
    Each device manufacturer (Samsung, Asus, Lg, HTC) customise/modify the "stock" browser to match the SoC, the TDP, power saving, and specific browser benchmark targeted, for that device.

    So this "Stock" browser is actually a modified browser, customised by ASUS to work better with a Tegra3 SoC, in some specifc benchmarks which Asus thinks are more important than others. Its not a representative of all android devices.

    When you're running a Nexus device, it's a stock browser...
    Reply
  • adamovera
    mayankleoboy1Sunspider and Kraken are crap benchmarks. All browsers target these benchmarks for specifc optimisations, that are never actually used on the web.SunSpider is the next to go for sure, but I haven't heard a ton of criticism regarding Kraken yet. Between BrowserMark, Peacekeeper, and RIABench, we could withdraw all the vendor-developed JS tests.
    Reply
  • tiret
    give me a browser with flash support then we'll talk
    Reply
  • mayankleoboy1
    ^ coming soon to firefox. Project Shumway.
    Reply
  • tiret
    ^ interesting. lets hope it works out... my gf is rather pissed that she can't play farmville on my galaxy tab.
    Reply
  • fwupow
    I've already figured out that Chrome isn't so hot, but the reason why Chrome still wins for me is that it synchronizes bookmarks, passwords, history and a bunch of other stuff across all my computers and devices. That is an indispensable feature for me.
    Reply
  • wildkitten
    tiretgive me a browser with flash support then we'll talkSince Adobe themselves has ended Flash development for all mobile platforms, I don't think you will see many browsers keeping support for it for long. Likely in a year, maybe 18 months, you won't see any support for Flash as, well, what's the point.
    Reply
  • Firefox Beta has flash support once you download and install the flash apk - I have it working well on my Nexus 7
    Reply