Microsoft Boasts Edge Saves Battery Most, Chrome The Worst

Once upon a time, web browsers competed on the basis of rendering performance and quality. Then they moved on to extensions and add-ons. Now it seems that the next arena will be in power consumption. As users become more battery conscious, thanks to a slowdown in battery tech innovation, they will start looking to programs that eat up more battery than they should. Unsurprisingly, Microsoft boasts that its Edge web browser is the most efficient at power management. And in the same breath, points to Google Chrome as the worst.

Microsoft performs a few tests to prove its point, but perhaps the most interesting test, and the most relevant to users, is one where Microsoft set up four identical Surface Books streaming the same HD video on four different web browsers, namely, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and, of course, Edge. The test is to determine which browser will kill the unplugged laptop faster.

The first to say bye-bye was Chrome, which only lasted 4 hours 20 minutes. Firefox wasn't that far behind with its 5 hours, 9 minutes. Opera surprisingly fared better, lasting up to 6 hours 18 minutes. And before you ask, Opera's power saving feature can't work under these conditions. Of course, Microsoft beat them all out, giving users 7 hours and 22 minutes of video streaming time. Long enough to finish your favorite trilogy, says Microsoft.

Microsoft also cites both controlled lab tests as well as telemetry data harvested from Windows 10 devices to further impress how the Edge web browser is the least power hungry among the major players in that market. And that Chrome is the worst offender. That said, there might be other factors to consider when vying for one browser or another, like, for example, aforementioned add-ons. Edge still has very few of those, which could also contribute to its still fast and lean performance. For now, Microsoft can probably enjoy this victory over its peers.

SOURCE: Microsoft