Choosing an Internet browser might not seem like a big decision, but in some cases it can determine the speed of not only your browsing, but your entire computer performance. The right browser will depend in part on what you want to use it for. If you are only an infrequent browser who needs to check his email, nearly any browser will appear equal to the next. However, in some cases one browser might offer a better match for your needs. Google Chrome and Internet Explorer are two browsers commonly used on both Mac and PC machines. Here is a quick break down of some key differences to help you decide which one is best for you.
Speed
Chrome regularly beats the competition when it comes to the speed of opening and operating the browser, or a new tab within the same browser window. If speed is your utmost concern, you will save more time using Chrome than Explorer. In fact, some studies show that with as many as nine active tabs, Chrome will load twice as fast as Explorer. While this boils down to just a few seconds' difference, over the course of a day it may add up to a lot of time saved if you're browsing for hours at a time.
You can view a PDF on both Chrome and Explorer browsers, but Explorer has native support, which means you don't need to download anything additional to view your PDF documents. If you are using Chrome, you will need to manually add an Adobe download before you view the same files. Explorer also supports more PDF features without the need of additional add-ons, such as viewing PDF thumbnails, page numbers, and page search.
Extensions
Google Chrome and Internet Explorer both offer the ability to add extensions, also called add-ons, to accomplish features that are not native to the browser. For instance, you might want to combine your social media accounts in one gadget. While Google Chrome as an expanding store where you can download new extensions, Internet Explorer relies mostly on third-party add-ons that are downloaded from around the Internet. In either browser, an add-on can be removed once it's downloaded so you're not stuck with it forever.
Privacy
Both Chrome and Explorer offer private browsing. Chrome calls it incognito browsing, while Explorer simply refers to it as private browsing. When in this mode, your browsing history won't be saved to the previously visited site memory that is stored on your machine. On both Chrome incognito browsing, and Explorer private browsing, the cookies are not stored so you leave less even less of a trace.
Both Chrome and Explorer Internet browsers are free, so if you try one and decide that it's not right for you - you can easily switch to the other. You can even import your bookmarks between the Web browsers. Be aware, however, that each browser will occupy space on your hard drive. If you're low on memory, uninstall the browser that you're not using to make room for more files and programs.
About The Author:
Dennis McIntosh is an SEO junkie. He loves writing about all things search and browser based on tech blogs.
