Some people may only use the default browser that comes preinstalled on their laptops until they download others like Firefox or Chrome. However, there are many who prefer Safari on their MacBooks or Microsoft Edge on their laptops that run on Window 10.
It may seem like the web browser used doesn’t make a difference when checking emails, shopping online or browsing Facebook, but if you are a user that likes to watch Netflix in bed without having to constantly connect to power, one of these browsers may just be the best.
In the battle of the web browsers, Microsoft Edge is the best web browser for battery life on Windows 10 devices.
However, keep in mind that this claim comes directly from Microsoft itself, but it does have some studies to back it up.
The company conducted three different tests to see which browser works most efficiently to allow the user to browse away the longest. The browsers tested included: Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome and Opera.
The first was a lab-controlled test conducted to measure the power consumption of the browsers. The test included connecting a Surface Book to power-monitoring equipment to determine the amount of power used during various activities, like opening websites, opening new tabs, scrolling through articles and on Facebook, Amazon, Wikipedia and watching YouTube videos in the four browsers.
Microsoft found that Microsoft Edge was the most energy-efficient browser, with up to 36 to 53 percent more battery life when using the Surface Book to do various browsing tasks.
The second test included measuring the energy telemetry from Windows 10 devices “in the wild,” meaning the company used real-world data. These data points also crowned Microsoft Edge as the winner for the best at power consumption.
The final lab test consisted of streaming the same HD video wirelessly on four different browsers on the same Surface Book. Microsoft then recorded a time-lapse video to reveal which browser would result in more browsing time.
Many might be curious to see how Firefox and Chrome did when compared with Microsoft Edge, and interestingly enough, the Surface Book’s battery died the fastest when using Google Chrome after a total of four hours and almost 20 minutes. Firefox was out next, lasting five hours and nine minutes before the battery died.
Opera proved to hold its own, but after more than six hours, the laptop’s battery died, making Microsoft Edge the winning browser. The Surface Book did not die until an impressive seven hours of streaming. The browser was found to have 17 to 70 percent more battery life than the other three browsers.
Microsoft said that is because its browser is designed to be power efficient without relying on battery-saving modes. The company also revealed that regular Windows 10 updates also include power-saving tricks such as using fewer CPU cycles and consuming less memory. A Windows 10 Anniversary update is expected to be released this summer to further increase the energy efficiency of Microsoft Edge by improving background tabs and Flash.
However, other browsers, like Opera, have new battery-saving modes, and Chrome and Firefox have lots of extensions that may make users want to make the jump, regardless of whether or not Microsoft Edge is the best for battery power.