Microsoft has made claims that their browser is faster and more secure than alternatives like the popular browser Google Chrome. A comparison of Microsoft Edge vs Google Chrome gives us some unclear results.
Microsoft Vs Google Chrome
Microsoft has long struggled to get people to use their internet browser. While Internet Explorer was previously one of the only options for accessing the web, competitors like Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox have come onto the market, offering features which blow Microsoft’s original browser out of the water. With Edge, Microsoft is hoping to recapture a portion of the market – but they’ve had an uphill battle. Edge is still viewed as a less impressive and less capable internet browser – perhaps due to the poor performance of the company’s original Internet Explorer.
Microsoft seems desperate to show its users that Edge is a massive improvement – even going so far as to suggest sticking with Edge when someone searches on Bing for Google Chrome. A recent Microsoft Edge vs Google Chrome comparison actually suggests that Microsoft’s product is better than expected, but the company continues to struggle against a negative reputation.
It turns out that if you value your internet browser’s speed and security, Microsoft Edge may come out on top. Microsoft insists that their browser is the superior option, but does a Microsoft Edge vs Google Chrome comparison backup these claims? In certain ways, the answer is yes.
Google Chrome currently controls around 58 percent of the market share, making it far more popular than alternatives, but Microsoft has released two new ads on New Year’s Eve encouraging users to take another look at Microsoft Edge vs Google Chrome and experience a supposedly superior experience. The ads highlight Windows 10 Edge’s improvements in speed, security, and battery efficiency when compared to Chrome.
The two 30-second ads claim that “Microsoft Edge is up to 48 percent faster than Google Chrome” and is “The faster way to get things done on the web.” Additionally, the ads suggest that the Edge browser is safer than Google Chrome, blocking 18 percent more phishing sites on the web and touting the browser as “the safer way to get things done on the web.”
There are also claims Edge comes out on top when comparing Microsoft Edge vs Google Chrome in terms of battery life, as Chrome is notorious for draining the battery of laptops with its significant resource requirements.
Is Microsoft Edge Actually Better?
As of now, the Microsoft Edge vs Google Chrome comparison doesn’t have a clear winner, and Microsoft’s claims are somewhat unsubstantiated. There’s currently no telling where exactly the company found this data, and many users report a significantly smoother experience when using Chrome. There’s a possibility, however, that the claims are based on tests carried out by cybersecurity firm NSS Labs in October of 2017, reported on by MSPowerUser. These results showed that Microsoft Edge featured the strongest browsing security – blocking 92.3 percent of phishing sites. Conversely, Google Chrome blocked only 74.5 percent of the sites with Mozilla Firefox bringing up the rear with 61.1 percent success.
However, this is one test that seems to suggest improved security. Where are the tests comparing Microsoft Edge vs Google Chrome in terms of speed? Google Chrome is an incredibly quick browser that has a large following for a good reason. Is Microsoft Edge’s lack of market share just due to people not giving it a fair chance? There is some evidence that Microsoft Edge is easier on a device’s battery, which may make it a better option for your laptop when you’re not plugged in, but that may not be enough reason to get people to switch.
It’s important to note that Microsoft has a vested interest in getting users to use Edge, both for the data it provides along with the built-in use of Bing as a search engine. While it’s possible to change the settings of Edge to use Google Chrome as the default engine, it’s hidden beneath a few menus and may be hard for the non-tech-savvy to locate.
A large portion of Microsoft Edge’s user base are those who simply use the default browser packaged with their PC without seeking out other alternatives. Likewise, Bing has a much lower utilization than Google outside of users who simply take advantage of the default options. The awareness and utilization of Google Chrome continues to grow, so Microsoft may find themselves fighting a losing battle – even with targeted attack ads comparing Microsoft Edge vs Google Chrome and declaring Edge as the clear winner.
Even if Microsoft Edge is the superior browser, many people will stick with what they’re familiar with. While the recent ads may convince a few users to give the browser a try, it’s very likely that Google Chrome will continue to reign supreme moving forward. Microsoft may have developed something great with Edge, but a negative reputation for slower and less efficient browsers has relegated Edge to an underutilized browser that many people use only to download Google Chrome.
