Lightweight and fast browser - the best for Windows. Google Chrome, Opera, Safari e Mozilla Firefox they do a great job of supporting your browsing needs. But they are also quite demanding and consume a lot of system resources. These popular browsers can put a strain on your RAM and even drain your laptop's battery.
Using lesser-known lightweight browsers is a great solution to this problem. These browsers do the same job as their more well-known counterparts and there are no compromises in performance. Here is the list of the top 5 lightweight web browsers you may want to try.
1. COMFORTABLE ICEDRAGON
Developed by a well-known cybersecurity company, Comodo IceDragon is the engine of a browser. The browser itself has Mozilla Firefox-like functionality and strong security to keep all data intact. You get the usual assortment of add-ons, extensions, menus, and more.
IceDragon uses Comodo DNS servers to convert a URL into an IP address. More importantly, this browser has a dedicated virtual container. This means that it does not come into contact with your system, so there is no risk of malicious software unknowingly infecting your computer.
This lightweight browser also offers the ability to remove crash and performance reports and also scans web pages for potential threats. IceDragon runs on Windows and requires 128MB of RAM and 40MB of hard drive space.
2. TORCH
Torch is a great solution if you use the internet to enjoy multimedia content. This browser exists on the Google Chrome rendering engine and has many custom features to simplify playing and managing multimedia content.
For example, Torch Music is a YouTube-based service that allows you to access all your music and videos in one place. There is also a pre-installed button to download YouTube videos, as well as a torrent downloader.
The browser has an easily navigable user interface which has three zones. The central area displays the website contents, the one on the left is dedicated to sharing, and the area on the right offers more navigation options.
3. MIDORI
Midori is an excellent option if you are not a demanding user. It is an open source browser that offers a decent selection of features. Furthermore, it stands out as one of the browsers that consumes a minimal amount of resources.
In terms of functionality, this browser offers HTML5 and RSS support, anonymous browsing, a spell check and more. Midori includes some extras like font / display and privacy settings. Previously, it used DuckDuckGo encrypted as the default search engine to protect information privacy. However, Midori recently switched to the Lycos unencrypted to allow much faster performance.
The minimalist user interface is yet another highlight of this browser. Midori has a search bar and some usual buttons, which allow the search to be center stage.
4. VIVALDI
Vivaldi is one of the younger browsers on this list. It has gained popularity due to its reliability and outstanding performance. This browser uses the Google Chrome engine, but it is much less demanding on your computer's RAM.
With this browser you will have many customization options. You can choose different themes and have them change automatically. Vivaldi also allows you to take notes and rearrange tabs. As mentioned, the Vivaldi is up to par in terms of performance compared to some giants.
For example, the browser has been tested better for HTML5 than Mozilla Firefox. There is still some room for improvement. But if you liked old Opera, you'll probably like Vivaldi because it appears to behave similarly to the first iteration of that popular browser.
5. MAXTHON CLOUD BROWSER
This browser is not only lightweight, it also has some of the features that should satisfy even the most demanding users. Maxthon Cloud Browser comes with a screen capture tool, Night and Reader modes, ad blocker, notepad, RSS feed, and more.
It also comes with Magic Fill, a built-in password manager. Unlike most other lightweight web browsers, Maxthon syncs user data via a dedicated cloud service. Create an account on Passport, Maxthon's cloud service and you'll be able to sync your data across multiple devices.
The user interface is a bit unusual, but you won't have a problem getting used to the toolbar on the left. Another strong point of this browser is its multi-engine support. Maxthon offers you the possibility to use the Google Chrome Webkit and Internet Explorer Trident engines.
WHICH IS THE LIGHTEST BROWSER?
Torch. For all the features of the Torch web browser, it appears to be unstoppable in terms of speed and performance. Torch is also simple to use, requiring little storage and little RAM to run. The built-in download button also prevents you from installing malicious malware - another defense for your hard drive.
WHAT IS THE BEST GENERAL BROWSER IN 2019?
Firefox. Although Firefox is considered to be a larger RAM sink than other, lighter browsers, it is still the absolute best in nearly every category. It is one of the fastest internet browsers, has private windows and reliably blocks malware. The only downside is how hard your bookmarks are to find.
Read also: The 6 best free malware elimination apps of 2019
WHICH IS THE MOST SECURE BROWSER?
Firefox, IceDragon. Yes, Firefox again. Of the popular web browsers, Firefox is the safest and has a consistently low malware rate. IceDragon is the safest for the lightest browsers, as this browser has the most support and a virtual container. This means that IceDragon does not interact directly with your system.
THE FINAL VERDICT
It is nearly impossible to single out any of the browsers from this list as the best. Each excels at their own respect and the final choice comes down to personal preferences and browsing needs.
For example, IceDragon is probably the safest, while Maxthon has the most features. Torch is among the lightest, but Midori and Vivaldi are not far behind. All of them offer a pleasant browsing experience without any effort on the part of the system.
You should also know that these browsers are completely free and you will not be bombarded with advertisements.
Read also: How to remove advertisements that pop up on their own
