Web Browser Grand Prix 3: IE9 Enters The Race

Features
By Adam Overa
published

With highly-anticipated Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 now available, along with recently released Google Chrome 10, superb Opera 11, newly updated Apple Safari 5.04, and rock-steady Mozilla Firefox 3.6, this is going to be quite an interesting race.

Performance Benchmarks: Peacekeeper, Dromaeo DOM, And Acid3 Speed

Peacekeeper

Chrome once again bests arch-rival Opera in the Peacekeeper benchmark, scoring 11 000 to Opera's 10 000. Microsoft upsets Apple, as the new IE9 finishes in third place, nearly 1500 points ahead of Safari. Firefox 3.6.15 again falls to last place, with just over 3300 points.

Dromaeo DOM

While the JavaScript portion of Mozilla's Dromeao benchmarking suite has been shelved in favor of Kraken, the DOM portion never gave us any problems--until now. For some reason, Chrome crashes early on in Dromaeo's full DOM test suite, displaying the sad-faced tab.

Unfortunately, Chrome must be disqualified from this benchmark; it will not receive any points, and this test will be removed from its average.

Opera comes in first, more than 1000 points ahead of second-place Safari. IE9 places fourth, and Firefox continues to take a beating in last place.

Acid3 Speed

Only the Web browsers that scored a full 100 out of 100 in the Acid3 test were timed for speed. 

Safari is in first, coming in just a hair ahead of Opera, with third-place Chrome taking twice as long to finish. 

Adam Overa
244 Comments Comment from the forums
  • pirateboy
    I wonder how much microsoft paid tomshardware not to include Firefox 4 RC1
    Reply
  • cruiseoveride
    Now everyone is going to switch from Chrome to IE?
    Reply
  • bison88
    Nice comparison Adam. I think people don't give MS credit for IE9 because of their history with web standards and lack of competition with updating their browser since they destroyed Netscape so many years ago. Hopefully they have their head in the game and continue with a somewhat constant update cycle. Currently the transition from IE8 to IE9 was somewhat FireFox'ish with speed instead of waiting for another revision of the OS. The browser definitely surprised me, some quirks here and there that are definitely noticeable and the Chrome/FF influence is obviously present. I wish them luck as the competition heats up.
    Reply
  • andy5174
    Will there be a " Web Browser Grand Prix 4: Firefox 4 Enters The Race " after Firefox 4's release (22 Mar)?
    Reply
  • illuminatuz
    i felt the speed once i switched from firefox to chrome and now chrome to IE..
    but there is no mention of any addon/extentions for IE..
    i mean there is no comparision on who's got nice addons and startup time "with" addons.. since users tend to use web browsers with addons knowingly or un-knowingly..
    it would be better if you include those two comparisions as well.. and who takes advantage of GPU and all..
    Reply
  • winner4455
    Won't take that long for IE to lag behind.
    Reply
  • illuminatuz
    winner4455Won't take that long for IE to lag behind.lol
    maybe not!!
    and FFS why doesnt that "submit my comment" button not working in IE!! I am using chrome for that ;(
    Reply
  • turboflame
    I like how this article was released one day before Firefox 4 is released.
    Reply
  • dimamu15
    duck it, i stick to firefox.
    Reply
  • Scanlia
    Is there a wrong picture on the efficiency page? The 40tabs graph comes up as GUIMark 2?
    Reply