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

Benchmark Results: Startup Times

Our startup time tests were completely overhauled for Web Browser Grand Prix 7. We're no longer using live Web sites and a stop watch. The test pages are now hosted on the local Web server along with JSGameBench and the page load time tests. In fact, the new startup time tests are a heavily modified version of our page load time scripts. 

Single Tab

Google.com still serves as our single-tab startup time test page.

Apple Safari takes the lead for single-tab startup time. Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9 takes second place, followed by Mozilla Firefox 7 in third. Opera 11.51 pulls into a fourth place finish with Google Chrome 14 coming in last.

This is the first and last time we'll bother with a single-tab startup time using our new timing method. All the scores are at a tenth of a second or less on this test system, which is too fast to matter. You see, what we didn't realize when we were using a stopwatch and looking for visual cues was that the animation of the browser opening actually takes longer to complete than the page load itself! Hopefully, the eight-tab startup test proves to be more meaningful.

Eight Tabs

Since the new startup time tests are based on our page load timers, we decided to use those pages for this initial exercise. The test sites include Google, YouTube, Yahoo!, Amazon, Wikipedia, eBay, Craigslist, and The Huffington Post.

Chrome is the startup time leader when it comes to opening eight tabs, finishing in just over two seconds. Opera takes second place with a time of 2.7 seconds. IE9 places third at just over three seconds, while the new Firefox 7 takes fourth at 4.6 seconds. Safari rounds out the line-up far behind the rest at nearly nine seconds.

The single-tab startup times are so insignificant that they're not even worth counting, so obviously we have to give this one to Google.

  • 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