Microsoft Edge Chromium is already a viable alternative to Chrome and Firefox

 

Microsoft doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to web browsers. For the past five years, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge have played a secondary role behind Google Chrome and Mozilla's Firefox, often for the sole purpose of installing these competing browsers. In an effort to reclaim some of the browser market, Microsoft is redesigning Edge based on Chromium.

Chromium is an open source browser project, or if you prefer, a web rendering engine launched by Google that developers can use to build better browsers. Google Chrome, Opera, and Amazon Silk are just a few examples of Chromium-based browsers. Since Microsoft also moved to the popular open source project, Firefox now stands out as the last major option not based on Google's vision for the web.

Microsoft Edge Chromium is still in beta, but I've been using it as my primary PC browser for a couple of weeks now. The Android version of Microsoft Edge is also based on Chromium and can sync bookmarks and other information across both platforms. As a longtime Google Chrome user and frequent Firefox fan, I was pleasantly surprised to spend time with Microsoft Edge running Chromium. In fact, it's very likely that Edge will become my default browser in the final version.

Microsoft Edge Chromium contains great features

I wouldn't immediately put Microsoft, Edge, and useful features in one sentence, but the company's latest browser is full of tricks.

For starters, you'll find the usual set of bookmarks, bookmark import, and link exchange options. Edge also offers a built-in dark mode, although it doesn't overwrite web page color schemes. What's even more interesting is Microsoft's built-in Read Aloud feature that can read web pages to you. Useful for reviewing this article and digesting the news over your morning coffee. There's also an immersive reading mode if you want to read a website without custom formatting.

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Applications

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A big plus for me is native Chromecast support. I often stream video from my tablet or PC to the TV in my living room. This is one of the reasons why I couldn't get rid of Chrome for Firefox, but Edge finally lets me switch and continue streaming.

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Edge also has a "Collections" feature. It allows you to select collections of web pages, images, and text snippets by simply dragging and dropping them. Think of it like improved markers. This is useful for saving things for later without cluttering up your favorites, and you can also open collections in Excel and Word.

Microsoft finally feels at the forefront of the Internet.

The last major feature is called Applications. Essentially, apps allow you to download and install web pages and web apps for use without the Edge browser. You used to have to find these dedicated web apps in the Microsoft Store, but now Edge handles downloading and managing web apps in the browser.

For example, you can download the Twitter web app through Edge by simply visiting the Twitter website and clicking "install this site as an app" from the settings menu. Once installed, you can launch the web page as an application right from your desktop, taskbar, or start menu, just like any other software. It's similar to saving links, only better, as some web apps can also work offline. Alternatively, you can install the Android Authority website and run it as an app to keep up to date with the latest news without launching Edge every time. It's pretty neat and what I intend to use more often.

Overall, Edge offers everything you need in a web browser and more. Microsoft finally feels at the forefront of the Internet.

Microsoft Edge Chrome Surface Pro X

Not as much RAM as Chrome

Google Chrome is a notorious performance eater. It will need as much RAM as you can give it and this is one of the main reasons why people switch to Firefox which is much lighter. The good news is that Microsoft Edge Chromium is even lighter than Firefox. It definitely looks like the most popular browser

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