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Hardware 2.0

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Google Chrome is insanely fast ... faster than Firefox 3.0

By | September 2, 2008, 12:59pm PDT

Summary: Google Chrome is fast … insanely fast … faster than Firefox 3.0.

Google Chrome is fast … insanely fast … faster than Firefox 3.0.

Here’s Chrome vs. Firefox 3.0.1 vs IE7 vs. IE8b2 in a head-to-head shootout running the SunSpider JavaScript benchmark.

Google Chrome tops SunSpider JavaScript benchmark

Here Google Chrome completed the SunSpider JavaScript benchmark in a average of 1,791 milliseconds, nearly half the time that Firefox 3.0.1 took to complete the test. In this test Google Chrome absolutely blows away IE.

UPDATED

Let’s see how the browsers compare to each other when tested using the V8 benchmark suite. This suite carried out five tests:

  • Richards
    OS kernel simulation benchmark, originally written in BCPL by Martin Richards (539 lines).
  • DeltaBlue
    One-way constraint solver, originally written in Smalltalk by John Maloney and Mario Wolczko (880 lines).
  • Crypto
    Encryption and decryption benchmark based on code by Tom Wu (1689 lines).
  • RayTrace
    Ray tracer benchmark based on code by Adam Burmister (3418 lines).
  • EarleyBoyer
    Classic Scheme benchmarks, translated to JavaScript by Florian Loitsch’s Scheme2Js compiler (4682 lines).

With this benchmark, the higher the score, the better …

02-09-2008-22-49-21.png

As you can see, Google Chrome savagely beats all the opposition running the V8 benchmark suite a whopping ten times faster than Firefox 3.0.

Google Chrome certainly has delivered on the speed it promised, and so far testing indicates that the browser is very robust - over the past few hours I’ve been hammering it very hard and I’ve yet to have a crash.

Here’s a single Google Chrome Window with 70+ tabs open and the browser is still nice and responsive and there’s not even a hint that it’s struggling under the weight of the open tabs.

google_chrome_70plus_tabs_open_sm.png

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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

Disclosure

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

All opinions expressed on Hardware 2.0 are those of Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. Every effort is made to ensure that the information posted is accurate. If you have any comments, queries or corrections, please contact Adrian via the email link here. Any possible conflicts of interest will be posted below. [Updated: February 23, 2010] - Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other actual/potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted so far on this blog.

Biography

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology -- whether that be by learning to program, building a PC from a pile of parts, or helping them get the most from their new MP3 player or digital camera.

Adrian has authored/co-authored technical books on a variety of topics, ranging from programming to building and maintaining PCs. His most recent books include "Build the Ultimate Custom PC", "Beginning Programming" and "The PC Doctor's Fix It Yourself Guide". He has also written training manuals that have been used by a number of Fortune 500 companies.

Adrian also runs a popular blog under the name The PC Doctor, where he covers a range of computer-related topics -- from security to repairing and upgrading.

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WAAH WAAH
Tizer 28th Oct 2009
Oh boo-hoo.
I block every ad I see and will continue to block every ad I see. There's no reason for them to be thrown in my face. *FLASH FLASH* *POP UP* *CLICK HERE* *ONLY 1 DAY ONLY* *COME WATCH THS MOVIE AND SEE HOW UNFUNNY IT IS*
I don't buy anything that's advertised anyways, so there's no reason for me to see them. You can sit their and cry about how anyone with a brain blocks anything annoying, or you can continue being the whiney little baby you are.
0 Votes
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how about with Safari 3.x /4.x & Opera
Ben_rockwood 2nd Sep 2008
I would like to see comparison chart with with Safari 3/4 & opera
Fast, yes, but without adblock (or equivalent), too painful to use.
0 Votes
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Tell me about it
frgough 2nd Sep 2008
I downloaded and fired it up just for the heck of it and the first thing I noticed was just how MUCH advertising crap ZDNet throws in your face.
see who is advertising. That is part of the tech story. Heaven forbid that I might actually buy one of the advertised products.

I did once have a big problem with ZDNet ads consuming tons of CPU, but, after complaints, they resolved that very quickly.
0 Votes
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Well...
ZachE84 2nd Sep 2008
The advertising is obviously annoying, but the connections each page load needs to make to connect to the ad websites it what slows down web browsing. Firefox 4 life.
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unless it's a google product, then whatever they spoon feed you is the only choice you need to make, I guess.
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Having a screen full of ads is great!
AllKnowingAllSeeing 2nd Sep 2008
Well, unless its a screen full of ads in IE, FF, or the Safari web browsers, then they're annoying and useles, the companies writing them should be blasted.

On the other hand, we should all be thankfull that Google's looking out for us, serving us screen full of ads on things we really need...

happy
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I can think for myself
gaelicfog@... 3rd Sep 2008
Thank God I have the intelligence to think for myself. I don't like a browser thinking it can tell me what ads I should see. Is Google going to show me ads of companies that don't run ads on it's browser? I doubt it. That's why I block every browser I have from trying to put ads on my home page. I don't like Gig Brother guiding me and neither should you.
0 Votes
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The Ads on ZDNet Are Not That Bad
chessmen 3rd Sep 2008
I have seen sites that truly horrible in terms of the number of ads they have. ZDNet is pretty reasonable. I respect the fact that ZDNet needs money to operate; just as long as the ads don't get obtrusive.
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I agree with you but ...
BlazingEagle 6th Sep 2008
I hope ZDNet keeps their ads reasonable & unobtrusive.

One site I visited was NOTHING but one big ad disgused as a "legitimate" web site.
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Adblock
perversion2003@... 2nd Sep 2008
absolutely correct
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Adblock?
LBean 2nd Sep 2008
You might try what I do. Just refuse to visit sites with an excess of ads. Problem solved.

FWI I don't mind the ads. Someone needs to fork over the bucks to pay for the time and effort required. But if there are too many ads (not currently the case with ZDNet) it's not worth my time or trouble to visit...especially since there are so many other places where I can get the information/news I want.
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I am under no obligation
frgough 2nd Sep 2008
to ensure a company makes money. If they shove annoying ads in my face, I block them out. End of story. If they whine about it, I reply that they need to find a business model that doesn't annoy their users to the point where they block ads or leave the site.
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Awwwwwww
quasilou 3rd Sep 2008
Poor wittle baby doesn't wike ads shoved in his face, awwwwww!

What a bunch of whining crybabies. Not like you're forced to click on an ad or buy the products and services they're promoting. Your "I am under no obligation to ensure a company makes money" has zero relevance to ad blocking, since you're under no more obligation to support advertisers whether their ads are visible or hidden.

Unless you're such a mindless, moronic drone that you have no self control and must purchase products and services you see advertised out of uncontrollable compulsion.

So take your pick: Whining crybaby or mindless, moronic drone...which are you?
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re: awwwwww
fritzendugan@... 3rd Sep 2008
Perhaps you should read a book entitled "Fahrenheit
451." I am of course referring to the scene in which
the main character is pummeled with advertising while
riding a subway. Sure, we can ignore them, but not
completely. Eventually they get to us, especially when
they blend right into the actual content. Sure, ZDNet
isn't terrible, but it's still pretty bad. Usually, I
barely notice, but just now taking the time to
actually look, and it is pretty ridiculous.

Basically, I'm just pointing out the only "mindless,
moronic drone" is the one who likes to have "mindless,
moronic" advertising crammed down his throat all the
time.
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re: awwwwww
quasilou Updated - 3rd Sep 2008
Surely you're joking. A screen full of ads that have no physical interaction with the user is hardly akin to being "pummeled" with advertising.

I tell ya what...if you're ever in a situation where you're actually, physically pummeled, why don't you then think about this post of yours and then consider which you'd rather do again: Go to a web page with ads on it, or be physically pummeled in real life.

And yes, you can ignore them.

I've been on the web for about 14 years. I don't use ad blockers. I spend most of my work day and some of my personal day on the web.

So far, the ads have not "gotten to me".

Oh, gee, I wonder if it's because I don't have the immature mental capacity of a 1-year-old and I can actually tell the difference between an ad and the content I went to the site to find in the first place.

I'm not sure who you're referring to when you write about the mindless, moronic drone who likes to have advertising crammed down his throat, because ignoring ads isn't anything like having them crammed down your throat.

Because you're ignoring them.

Get it yet?

I imagine not, since you're too busy trying to dream up parallels to works of fiction that are entirely irrelevant to this discussion.

Next you'll probably tell me that all the advertising is subliminally telling you who to vote for in the election and you KNOW it's really happening because you can see it clearly using your "They Live" sunglasses!
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bandwidth
Dr. John 3rd Sep 2008
Actually, I'm more annoyed about the bandwidth drain. Most businesses, particularly SMB's and non-profits, are running on very limited bandwidth. Ads that increase the bandwidth demand per page viewed by as much as 4,000% are becoming the bane of many of us.

I don't mind ads, since they pay for the content - BUT - is it really necessary to create and use flash ads, animated gif ads, full blown multimedia ads, etc..., aka bandwidth hogs?
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Please know what you are taking ...
rbslack@... 4th Sep 2008
If you would bother to read Heinlein's F451 you might possibly realise that you are in fact a mindless drone. At least he knew the difference between advertising and controled subliminal messages, which is wat he was refering to in has book, and harmless advertising. SSome of of us are capable of free thought even if you aren't.
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F451
miglewis 5th Sep 2008
Heinlein didn't write F451, Bradbury did.
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You don't sound terribly 'free'
hasta la Vista, bah-bie 5th Sep 2008
Considering you're tied to Flash pop-up ads and animated java script sales pitches floating across your IE screen...

happy
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It takes one to know one
gaelicfog@... 3rd Sep 2008
You are 100% correct that none of us need to click on any businesses ads. I've been on the web since 1994 and I'v purchased plenty of things on the web, thousands of dollars worth of things over that time. Maybe it's just me, but I like to buy what I want and not have a big brother filtering to me the businesses they want me to buy from which might not necessarily be the best quality or price. I receive emails from most of the companies I have had the best luck from over the years so I don't need Google, Firefox, IE, Flock, Netscape telling me what I should buy and therefore most ads a weeded out or blocked and the rest are ignored.
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I use an ad-blocker too
hasta la Vista, bah-bie 4th Sep 2008
The one's who seem to object to them the most are advertisers, product shills or people too dumb to know how to use one.
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WAAH WAAH
Tizer 28th Oct 2009
Oh boo-hoo.
I block every ad I see and will continue to block every ad I see. There's no reason for them to be thrown in my face. *FLASH FLASH* *POP UP* *CLICK HERE* *ONLY 1 DAY ONLY* *COME WATCH THS MOVIE AND SEE HOW UNFUNNY IT IS*
I don't buy anything that's advertised anyways, so there's no reason for me to see them. You can sit their and cry about how anyone with a brain blocks anything annoying, or you can continue being the whiney little baby you are.
0 Votes
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whaaa.whaaaa!
rbslack@... 3rd Sep 2008
Whining is exactly what you are doing be realistic. Someione has to pay for these sevices. So why dont we just bill it all to you and see if you can understand a little more about real life if you have to actually do something for a change. Stop being such a whimp.
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Is anybody denying you?
hasta la Vista, bah-bie Updated - 4th Sep 2008
From reading all those ads if you want to?

Just because you have no problem being deluged with junk mail & advertising doesn't mean other people have to.

Maybe advertisers should work on not antagonizing some of their customer base if they want them to buy their products. Don't ya think(?)

Or do you work for one of those ad-click companies and feel threatened because somebody had the 'gall' to put an ad blocker on their browser. Did he put it on your browser?

If not, then mind your own business...
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I don't get it...
Media-Ted@... 3rd Sep 2008
... what's with the Ad-hate? I think most users are only concerned with two things: 1. How fast does the page load so I can see what I want to look at? & 2. Can I find and use what I went there to get in the first place?
We have eyes which can "look" as well as "see". So there's a bunch of ads around what I want to see, what of it? Do these same whinies want everyone else to get away from the road just because they want to use it exclusively?
Two more extremely simple points: 1. We all must use the road, so we must share and accept that the road costs everybody - somehow; & 2. The real problem is those who decide to take the road at their terms - i.e. pull out on a highway at 30mph when oncoming traffic is already doing the posted 65mph.
I can put up with ads on websites, as long as they don't deliberately slow or stall my browsing travel. I am severe in my hatred of those morons who are convinced (by their own inferiority and blatant ignorance) that, by blocking my view from something - I'm going to be "motivated" to buy something from them.
I'll accept the clutter around what I'm looking for, ... as long as the page(s) open quickly. I can ignore/block the ads from disturbing my thought process, thank you very much.
Popups and blockers - OK I agree; but "ad-blocking" is just too "pamper me cuz I donwanna hafta work".
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Yep
Devonmcnulty@... 5th Sep 2008
Um um darn can't seem to say yes yes cellphone style.
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Hosts
AzuMao 24th Sep 2008
If you don't want to support ZDNet, just use the hosts
file to clock the ads.
If you're feeling geeky and have around 5 minutes to
spare, you could even go so far as to set up a tiny
little local webserver that serves a script to delete
the ad frame, so you don't even have to see the "This
webpage is not available" messages.

"Problem" solved happy
Well, from the Chrome comic, they did say they were actually compiling (I'm assuming using JIT) JavaScript, which would indeed mean it's gonna be faster than anything else.
could care less why.
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Joe Sixpack.
LBean 2nd Sep 2008
Careful! You don't want to offend Joe Sixpack.
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Well, it's faster.
CobraA1 2nd Sep 2008
Well, whether he cares how it works or not, it's faster =).
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Firefox is still faster
jbianch 3rd Sep 2008
Whatever they may claim.
What a boring, watered down little browser they've released. I feel foolish for ever even caring. Firefox is still a far superior browser than anything else out there. You can tell when all their competitors fall over themselves to steal their ideas.
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relative matter
xuniL_z 3rd Sep 2008
I use IE7 on vista on a fast 4GB laptop. Soon, in fact already the same specs can be had for under 1,000.00 and are on their way to 600.00.

Speed measured in nanoseconds is moot i think.
IE on my machine loads pages as fast as i can possibly, as a human, view and read them. I can click link after link, fire off a feature that uses AJAX or heavy amounts of Flash or Silverlight and it's still so fast I can't react any faster. I'm sure it's not just me.



What difference does it make if rendering occurs some number of nanosceonds quicker?


I'm not a web developer but use a lot of web apps and I'm more than pleased with the pleased. It could not be faster, and matter to how quickly I, as a human, can react and do work, or enjoy a site or whatever.


Finally, hardware has gotten ahead of what Microsoft can take away.


Everything on the PC, Sql 2005, Visual studio, Office apps, IE sessions...they all load and display fast enough that the human eye is never left waiting, not noticably, not for a nanosecond.
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Completely agree
CreepinJesus 3rd Sep 2008
I have a 64-bit system with 4GB RAM, and IE7 runs blisteringly fast on here, too. From clicking the icon in the quick launch, it's up and running and has loaded my iGoogle home page before I've even moved the mouse away from the taskbar.

As for Firefox 3, which I recently tried, it takes at least 3 seconds for the program to even start!
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Wish I could say that
dch48 3rd Sep 2008
My machine is a single core AMD Turion64 running 32 bit XP MCE. Some pages that have flash video take up to 15 seconds to load to the point where the video begins. This is with IE7. I tried Chrome and --- exact same speed on all pages I tried. My home page, myway, takes from 0.8 to 1.2 seconds to load with both browsers. Equal speed to IE is good in a way though since every release of FF has been slower than IE7 for me.
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well thats true ...
rbslack@... 4th Sep 2008
Firfox is definately a dog. but as far a speed goes Chrome is still faster not only in loading but in start time. And the speed most people are refering to here is when there are several seperate tabs open simtaneously...something Chrome handles much better that any prvious browser including IE7.
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you're kidding right ?
rbslack@... 4th Sep 2008
I have used both firefox and now chrome and not only is it alot faster it is also more efficient. yeah it doesn't have some of the add-ons ...yet. but keep in mind that it is still a BETA. I'm sure the final release will have all the bells and whistles you seem to be so fond of. But for you to say that Firofox is not only a lie it's just rediculous.
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start to be found and subsequently patched before we brag about the speed.

Every browser ever made starts out as a sieve. Then when the patches start coming and the code grows it will slow the browser down.
Chrome is going to be a big step up since they started from scratch, with security on the top of the list.
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Security on top of the list?
AllKnowingAllSeeing 2nd Sep 2008
I think it was forth or fifth.

Seeing that it's Google, I'm positive that Ad revenue was first, then Ad reveue, Then Ad revenue, then dohickies, THEN security.


Sandboxes are good, until holes develop and the sand all mixes together someplace else.
browser, all tabs and window run in ONE process, and the memory is readable and writable by, well, EVERYBODY. That all changes with Chrome. And, Google knows that nobody will use it unless it is secure, you can bet that was on the top of the list. As far as advertising goes, they just don't want MS dicking with the browser and shuffling and deleting cookies. You do not want to let your competitor control your destiny.
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Get real.
bjbrock 2nd Sep 2008
I give it three months before it will be picked apart by hackers.
contained in many cases. The architecture is so much better than any existing browser.

And, it won't me months, in case you did not notice, Chrome is also vulnerable to some of the Safari problems:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=1843
So what so long as they are addressed as they apear we have no real reason to complain. Hacker like to push the limits in all things...and in a way we should be greatful, because this just means that things will get better and more secure all the faster.
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Sandbox, blah, blah, blah
Woned B. Fooldagan 17th Sep 2008
IE8 already does this. Try it and find out first hand instead of listening to the media tripe.
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IE8 tabs
timjpearson 3rd Sep 2008
IE8 already does this too. Each tab is a seperate process.
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sorry..no they aren't...
rbslack@... 4th Sep 2008
they are sitll isolated cells within the same process.

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