It doesn’t matter whether you have the latest and greatest in gaming tech or a machine from the 2000s. All gamers have been at this tragic point in their lives: you’re in the middle of a critical match or challenge, and right when you’re about to succeed, your computer freezes.
Pushing your systems to the max is what everyone does. So, if you can get a little more power here and there, it makes a huge difference.
Have you ever wondered whether your browser choice affects the performance? Let’s run through the most popular browsers to see which is the best option for the best gaming experience.
Browser Choice and Game Performance
If you play browser games, the browser you choose will affect your game performance. But it’s one of many factors that will impact your experience. Other factors you need to consider include:
- The amount of RAM you have
- Your graphics cards or lack of one
- Internet connection speed
- The health of your PC
- Number of outgoing connections
But this time, it’s all about browsers. So let’s take a look at the different browsers and weigh out their pros and cons when it comes to gaming.
Chrome
Chrome is the most popular browser, with nearly 60% market share. The one thing everything loves about Chrome is that it has some of the quickest load time among all browsers.
Chrome’s also begun phasing out Flash in favor of HTML 5. For gamers, it can be both positive or negative. For HTML5 games, it’s a fantastic choice. But you’ll have to say goodbye to Flash games soon.
It also works on mobile devices so you can take advantage of cross-platform compatibility. Between speed and multi-platform functionality, it’s hard to beat Chrome.
Firefox
Firefox always had a reputation for safety and reliability. But speed often suffered in this open-source browser. But that changed in 2017. The Firefox Quantum Update allowed the browser to use less RAM. The pages now can load faster while putting less demand on other system resources.
With this update, Firefox has become one of the best browsers for gamers since you have a lighter browser with more RAM. And you’ll have plenty of memory to power your online games. Firefox has also made considerable strides in VR and AR content. Keep an eye out on Firefox because it may be the gaming browser of the future.
Opera GX
In 2019, Opera released a gaming browser. Built on top of its already robust Chromium-based browser, Opera GX is designed for gamers. And if you never considered something other than Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari, then it’s worth taking a look at.
Opera GX has:
- Gaming themes
- Razer Chroma integration
- Customizable lighting
- Twitch integration
- Game deals notifications
- GX control
The last feature is what will appeal most to gamers. With GX control, you customize the system resources Opera consumes. You can limit what percent of your CPU cores, how many CPU cycles, how much RAM, and more the browser uses.
The browser works well with Steam and GoG games, but there are still some features missing. For example, it could have better peripheral support.
The overviews of the browser vary too. It’s fun to use, but only a few gamers have reported significant performance advantages. And it doesn’t have as many extensions compared to Chrome and Firefox.
Opera GX is free and signals some exciting trends to come. It’s worth checking it out, but you likely won’t be ready to ditch a mainstream browser yet.
Safari
Safari holds an exciting place in the gaming world. The most obvious thing people say is that it’s best for Mac users. No argument there — it’s designed for Apple devices.
But Safari has a few other tricks up its sleeve. It’s an excellent choice for Facebook games regardless of your OS. That’s because it allows users to auto-block videos, so you can keep your resources focused on your games instead.
Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer
Everybody makes jokes about Internet Explorer. And it does deserve most of them. But Internet Explorer is an excellent choice for Flash Games. It also uses your Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) for all graphics rendering. It allows it to render heavy graphics pretty smoothly.
Microsoft Edge also deserves more attention. When it comes to speed, it keeps up with Chrome. And it also has excellent features like integration with Xbox Live.
When you access the browser via an Xbox, you can continue a game right where you let off and can even upload files to your PC. If you’re in Microsoft’s ecosystem, Edge is an excellent option for you.
The Bottom Line
In the end, your browser choice only plays a small role in your gaming experience. The best way to ensure you’ll have the resources you need is to make sure your PC and internet connection are in good shape. You can do this by:
- Using antimalware and antivirus tools like Malwarebytes and Norton
- Protecting your internet connection with NordVPN
- Updating your computer and software
- Monitoring your CPU and RAM performance
- Clearing browser history, cookies, and other data
Be sure to follow these strategies to have the best gaming experience possible, and you’ll always be able to play browser games at your best.
