Android browsers features and speed test

The speed results in the table below are pretty self-explanatory, but each browser has been identified with its main strengths and weaknesses, which are worth knowing. The stock Android browsers are decent, but 2.1 is not shining both in terms of rendering speeds or compatibility, while 2.2 is devoid of add-on features. The big advantage of the browser in Android 2.2 (Froyo) is, of course, the Adobe Flash 10.1 support, but not every phone comes with it working properly out of the box.
Here the other four notable contenders step in. Dolphin HD loads new sites with speeds comparable to the browser in Android 2.1, which are not impressive, but it has some neat gesture-based navigation features, supports tabbed browsing, and has a catalog with 42 add-ons to extend functionality.
Mozilla's Fennec has the bragging rights to be a mobile version of the almighty Firefox, but, being in alpha stage, it comes at 11.5MB and loads forever. It is the slowest site loader of the bunch for now, but has the advantage of syncing capabilities and hundreds of add-ons compatible with its desktop Firefox brethren.
Opera Mini is a very popular mobile browser on almost every platform, and it doesn't disappoint in Android either. It offers tabbed browsing, and is optimized for low signal, low bandwidth situations. The pages are compressed and pre-rendered on the company's servers first, piping out only the most significant bits to your device in compact sizes. Add to this a finger-friendly interface, and fast loading speeds (almost second in new websites, and first in saved pages), and Opera Mini proves it is one of the best mobile browsers out there. There is one main disadvantage, though - streaming video is not supported, due to the bandwidth hog it is.
And, last but not least, comes SkyFire 2.0. It also uses server-side compression, as Opera Mini does, but its main advantage is that it does so for videos as well. Thus the problem with the lack of proper Flash support is taken care of for most situations. The videos then stream to your device in a more friendly format, that your phone or tablet supports. Another great feature of SkyFire 2.0 is that it can mask itself as a full desktop browser, so if you need a page in its full glory, instead of the mobile-optimized version, you are covered. It is also one of the fastest browsers of the bunch - its average loading speeds put it on top for new live sites, and on par with the second-place default browsers, when it comes to saved pages. The catch - all these features make it somewhat unstable.
Overall, the results show that the stock Froyo browser is fast enough, and supports Adobe Flash, but if you don't have an Android 2.2 device, you are better off picking another browser. Even with Froyo on board, it all comes down to what additional features and add-ons you might want with your browser.
source: PCWorld
6 Comments
1. lilmoney30
Posts: 7; Member since: Sep 14, 2009
posted on Oct 20, 2010, 1:48 AM 0
2. nastynoodles
Posts: 4; Member since: May 14, 2010
posted on Sep 30, 2010, 8:19 AM 0
4. networkdood
Posts: 6330; Member since: Mar 31, 2010
posted on Sep 30, 2010, 12:01 PM 0
3. clevername
Posts: 1436; Member since: Jul 11, 2008
posted on Sep 30, 2010, 8:26 AM 0
5. Droid X Doug unregistered
posted on Sep 30, 2010, 12:26 PM 0
6. coupe68gt390
Posts: 8; Member since: Nov 16, 2009
posted on Oct 01, 2010, 12:01 AM 0
PhoneArena Comments Rules
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please, contact us.
Comments Options
Report Post
Send a warning to post author
Send a warning to Selected user. The user has 0 warnings currently.
Ban user and delete all posts
Message to PhoneArena moderator (optional):