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Our web developers at Ashampoo are quite pleasant fellows. Gentle folks with fawn eyes. But even their looks turn to stone once the I word is dropped, i.e. Internet Explorer. For years, IE set the standard, being both a bane and blessing. Whether unadventurous private user or member of an IT staff, Internet Explorer was the gateway to the world-wide web for many. And web developers in their quest to have their websites render correctly more often than not suffered the many awkward development decisions by Microsoft. During my time as a QA clerk, I had to report time and time again that sites that were working fine in Firefox or Safari didn't behave as expected in Internet Explorer. But that's all in the past, since Edge is now built on Chromium! Old name, new underpinnings! So what's new?
Why is Edge now running on Chromium?
Microsoft have a fairly poor track record when it comes to browser technology. Having initially left the field to Netscape, the company used their substantial market clout to force their users to adopt IE as default browser–until the courts put a stop to that. With Windows 10, Microsoft introduced Edge in hopes of erasing the inglorious past from our minds. There was much fanfare and, naturally, affirmations to the speed and performance advantages over rival software, especially Chrome. But it was all in vain. Edge never saw wide-spread adoption, not least thanks to incompatibilities and a dearth of extensions. Instead of setting the standard, Edge was playing catch-up. As the saying goes, if you can't beat them, join them and that's what Microsoft did: Enter Edge Chromium. Microsoft provides the UI, settings handling and a few extras, Chromium does the heavy lifting, i.e. website rendering–taking the brunt of the development work off Microsoft's shoulders.
Initial test run
Once installed, existing bookmarks, passwords etc. from other browsers can be imported to make you feel at home right away. This is Microsoft, so descriptions, hints and tips abound. Interestingly, the word "Chromium" is never mentioned, unlike the usual verbal fluff (new, fast, performance). This version of Edge is available for Windows 7 and higher as well as MacOS, Android and iOS, with support for syncing favorites, passwords and browsing history across devices. I try to ignore the wall of text and proceed to the start page–which is dominated by Microsoft, of course. There a three default display styles, accessible through a cog icon, that alter layout and design of new empty tabs: "Focused", "Inspirational" and "Informational". The first, dare I say, focuses on the essentials: favorites and the search text field. "Inspirational" adds a random Bing-based background image and becomes my setting of choice. "Informational" includes data from additional sources such as weather, sports and celebrity news, too much clutter for my taste. In any case, as I browse my usual sites, I notice that the usual one second delay is completely gone, at least on my fast PC with a beefy internet connection!
Browsing the web with Edge
I don't want to bore you with benchmark minutiae (summary: Edge is on par with Chrome and Opera and in front of Firefox) so here's the long and short of it: Everything feels snappy and the included Defender SmartScreen does a good job of warning me whenever I visit suspicious sites, while otherwise running discreetly, and silently, in the background. Social networks, shopping portals, news: Everything feels smooth and responsive. The new Chromium engine definitely makes all the difference. This doesn't really feel like a premiere though, since Microsoft have been working with the community on this product for months, regularly releasing preview builds and updates until as recently as January 15.
The "inspirational" visuals
Security and privacy
It's hard to believe but this where Microsoft's new Edge shines. Aside from the already mentioned Defender SmartScreen, Edge now comes with capable, and quite customizable, tracking prevention to protect users from being tracked by websites they aren’t accessing directly (default setting). It's amusing (or is it?) how quickly the log fills with URLs of hundreds of popular sites that would have otherwise slipped their trackers onto my machine without me having actually visited them. Personalized ads can also be disabled with a single click, chapó! The rest is your usual run-off-the-mill feature set, including cookie handling, anonymous usage statistics and shut-down behavior. By the way, Microsoft promise to only collect data to improve "user satisfaction". That definitely brings a smirk to my face! In general, Edge's settings are easy to understand and handle, not unlike Chrome's but slightly more extensive. And that's precisely what may be considered a drawback by MS fans: The new Edge bears no resemblance to either Internet Explorer or its previous namesake, and I suspect that was a deliberate design decision!
Extensions and more
Naturally, Microsoft have been running dedicated extension sites for their browsers for years but, in the past, hardly anyone ever used them. With the new Edge, users can visit Chrome Store to install vanilla Chrome extensions, once they declared their consent. Edge includes text-to-speech and PDF support by default and its dark mode is indeed easy on the eyes. It also comes with Bing as default search engine, but that can be quickly remedied via "Privacy and services > Address bar > Manage search engines". Other default goodies include a private mode, 4K-Ultra , Dolby Audio and Audivision support for Netflix and the ability to apply your Windows visual style to the browser, nice. Another thing worth mentioning is that, on a Windows 10 tablet, Edge runs circles around Chrome! I'd like to hear whether others have had similar experiences.
Conclusion
Though the technological switch to Chromium is commendable, it's worth asking whether moving from Chrome, Opera and the many other Chromium-based browsers to Edge really pays for most users. We are creatures of habit and even though most data can be imported, transitions always carry a learning curve. Apart from tracking prevention, what are the definitive advantages over Chrome? Maybe these are still to come, as not all planned features have been implemented yet. There's talk of functions to collect and share web content with others, better Office integration and special Windows-based features–if anyone knows how to make software play nicer with Windows, it's Microsoft! As of today, we have a new decent, fast and visually appealing browser that is compatible with the rest of the online world. Is that good enough for you? Why not go and find out! Edge has finally caught up with the rest of the bunch and may be poised to win over/back new/old users.
The future
Make no mistake, the new Edge is an all-around decent browser. Yes, privacy organizations remain suspicious as ever towards Microsoft because, while the company is making it seem like gathered metrics will be evaluated by an ethics committee beforehand, data collection is as prevalent as always. Only this time, the data ends up with Microsoft, not Google! On the other hand, feature set, speed and user-friendliness are convincing across the board. But anything else would have been a major embarrassment, since the heavy lifting is done by others! Ultimately, this move implicitly strengthens the position of Google and creates a dependence that would have been unthinkable for Microsoft in former times. After all, although Chromium is an open-source project, no-one really doubts Google are calling the shots behind the scenes. We are now left with only two browsers (Safari and Firefox) not running on Chromium and are, once-again, faced with an unhealthy monopolization of the browser market.
What I would like to know: Are you willing to give the new Edge a try?
I tried the New Edge but had to drop it as it did not work correctly. There were to many web sites that worked with both the old Edge and Chrome but did not work with New Edge Chrome. I flat out could log on to many sites. Most being the sites I use for DNA Genealogy. When the push the New Chrome I will be forced the use an other than Microsoft browser.
First of All, Thank You for a well-written review.
Personally, I have immigrated to ANOTHER Chromium-Based Browswer—One which I feel is _BEST_ by a Wide Margin:: Vivaldi.
And Now, I could not even IMAGINE leaving Vivaldi — for a Very Simple Reason: Vivaldi simply has an ASTOUNDING Number of available Customizations!! I have moved this part of the interface over There; Another part down to the Bottom of the Screen; All interface elements can be set to infinitely definable colors. In fact, in more than one Review of Vivaldi, some people have stated that the Sheer Number of Customizations that are available can seem overwhelming to the new user.
For me, I could not even IMAGINE using any browser other than Vivaldi!
Microsoft Windows , C'est quand même dur de faire en sorte qu'on abandonne Windows 7 pour Windows 10 si ce n'était que pour réinvestir dans un nouvel ordinateur
Que penser de ceux qui veulent conserver leur ancien équipement (WIN 7 )pour des raisons de logiciels installés depuis longtemps et opérationnels et qui ne peuvent migrer vers Windows 10 à cause du processeur 32 Bits et d'autres paramètres . De qui se moque-t-on à notre époque de consommation imbécile ? Et comment faire sans mises à jour obsolètes ? Heureusement j'ai gardé mon MO5 de Thomson . Qu'en pensez-vous ?
Willing to try anything.
Bernie
possibile che ogni qualvolta si installa il prodotto non c'è la possibilità di attivarlo senza che venga visualizzato il msg di troppe attivazioni ? se sono proprietario del prodotto acquistato regolarmente e pagato ho anche il codice di attivazione quindi devo attivarlo senza problemi. grazie
Se la tua domanda riguarda il software Ashampoo, contatta il nostro team di supporto all'indirizzo support@ashampoo.com. Grazie mille! (translated by deepl.com)
I only recently began using Edge rather than IE. Why? Because IE provides an easy way to export webpages to ON 2016 that are editable. I highlight the pages in ON. Edge does not export to IE, but rather ON 365.
Off and on, I have tried to determine a foolproof workflow using Edge.
Will the new Edge facilitate this? Is there a workflow that uses Edge in conjunction with ON 365 that will do what I need?
Worse, recently certain websites do not allow the link to ON 2016 or export only the link.
Hopefully, either the new Edge or someone here can help in some way.
I am going to download the new Edge now.
Have nothing for microjunk, ever since the microgates/netscape fiasco, I've leaned to live with some form of linux and firefox!
Same here. Google has too much information already. I use firefox, and thank you Lee for the tips on blocking trackers.
Hi Sven,
A great and informative article.
I tried Microsoft Edge as soon as it was released, and I like it, it is different to other browsers with a more sensible approach to personalisation, even though all browsers now go way beyond basic browsing on the World Wide Web as it was in early days of browsing.
Now with a plethora of choices on a browser, one feels as though they are akin to a 'shopping trolley full of goodies'.
After many years, 30 + operating computers I fail to understand the distrust by many people of Microsoft, Google, and other 'monopolistic' companies supposedly reading every thousands, millions, billions, trillions up to the infinity of scrillions of scraps of information from every individual computer user on the planet.
Using the Internet itself is an open door for personal and private information to float around in the 'ether' on the Internet highway.
Banking, credit cards and other transactions, driving licence, vehicle registration, police, insurance, mortgage, renting, travel booking, medical, hospital, smart phone registration, club membership, facial recognition and lots more have individuals' information on a computer, all accessible by nefarious individuals if required, using simple or complicated hacking which increases annually.
Any fear of Microsoft, Google, Email servers, other browsers including Firefox, who also collect users' data, the same as Microsoft and Google, plus, Firefox is produced by individual people who are not employees.
The only way to stop unwarranted fear of browsers and the Internet is to use the OFF switch, although it is un-necessary as personal and private information remains on the Internet highway.
"We are now left with only two browsers (Safari and Firefox) not running on Chromium..."
- what about Opera? Was it overlooked or is it too now based on Chromium?
Opera is a Chromium-based browser using the Blink layout engine. :)
I've been using Edge up until 6 months ago, I stopped using it because of its ability to take control of your system exactly the way Windows 10 and Chrome does. Programs like Chrome, Edge, Google, all of these don't only lurch over you, and this crap about security measures in total complete crap. It's pathetic that your actually believing that there's any protection. First of all the issue is cookies and trackers, and the website that allows certain partners run cookies don't seem concerned about their chain of partners running additional trackers and cookies. Sometimes you can have as many as 40,50,60 or more cookies on one site, and Google? That's sad to even begin to think you're info isn't being taken and sold. To note most sites won't allow you on the site and use the excuse the technology needs your accepting cookies to make it a better experience. Look at Yahoo, bought by Verizon, Look at Dish and Direct TV, read up, there's nothing for free, they all want info and they SELL it. I use a Department of Defense Security System and a DUCK GO DUCK toolbar. Why? Because it deleted all data, any and all and I don't have issues. Hell even on a phone you purchase outright Google's there telling you that it's mandatory to have Gmail, and all of that crap. What's the deal with satellite TV and the push now with streaming and Netflix and the like, Amazon. It's because the FCC is allowing companies to buy each other out. Why? Because they can Squeeze the parent company to release data. That was the reason they took Bill Gates to court, that's why Vista was created, do they could start these absurd security downloads, The reason they made the internet public was because the security teams could see and continue to watch anything and do it sll. Without stepping out of the office. There has been hundreds of billions of dollars put into Cyber Security Command at Ft.A.P.Hill, and to note, with the U.S. hundreds of trillions in the negative and at the same time billions of sales on the internet made a month and only 3 percent paying taxes on the income. Get real, nothing's for free. Love those apps on Google play, yep, they love you data, all of it. I hope you get the point. XP and 7 were the best programs made by Microsoft, and surely they could've been improved but then again, it's all about information. A famous American president once stated in Thailand during Name on a plane loaded with opium said"The man that controls the information controls the world, and the man that controls the opium control the people" nuff said. I do hope I've made my point very clearly.
No thanks, No Edge Microsoft, No Apple except to eat. And most of all No Google.
Still have gmail but soon nixing that to.
It's hard to delete Google completely out of my life, but each week am getting closer to it.
Use Brave & DuckDuckGo.
Still having issues with Braves syncing of Bookmarks but there workin on it, hopefully.
To me Google is like a Plague & they need to go down.
Regardless of how much better it is, I strongly suggest this change: Allow BOTH the old AND the new Edge browser. MSoft's plan is to push out the new browser, and KILL/DELETE/DISABLE the old browser.
Smartly however, they provided a means of keeping both browsers active. For developers, this is mandatory. If there's bad news here, it is this: If you don't apply this change now, sooner than later, the new Edge will REPLACE and not SUPPLEMENT the current Edge Browser.
To Apply this change, EITHER copy and paste the following lines to a new text file with the extension. "[*].REG", or apply this change by adding this key manually:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate]
"Allowsxs"=dword:00000001
Notes:
1. This should only be applied to Windows 10 PC, or anywhere Edge was provided already and you'd like to keep both browsers, (since most PCs have plenty of spare HD space).
2. There is NOTHING in this file that would prevent applying this to other PCs, so I'd suggest naming it something like: KEEP-both-Versions-of-EDGE-for-Windows-10.REG
3. Be aware that two browsers with nearly identical functions could have unexpected issues, although I'd think it safer and more convenient to keep both.
I have to use Chrome from time to time as some of the applications I use for work will not run reliably in other browsers. Some of our older software actually requires I run the legacy version of IE, so hopefully that will remain available. In the end though, I'll stick to Firefox as much as I can since I have an innate distrust of big, monopolistic companies like Microsoft, Google, Apple, etc.
As a Linux user, I use Chromium, Waterfox and Firefox. On the odd occasion that I do use Windows, I'd never use a Microstalk version of software. As for collecting data for user's satisfaction, I hope there's an option to disable it and be even more satisfied that there is not a digital stalker collecting any data at all.
To stop trackers, all you need is a base browser, preferably not Chrome and install UblockOrigin (by Raymond Hill) NOT Ublock, and Privacy Badger (from the EFF) or UMatrix, also from Raymond Hill, to block scripts.
All of that said, it is good that Microsoft is using an open-source project, but does Microsoft release all of it's own extras as open-source as well?
As always, you are not allowed to reverse-engineer, decompile, disassemble, decrypt or use any other means to obtain the source code of the software. :)
How relieved I am to see that someone else feels the same as I do about Microsoft and Apple; I thought I was the only one in the world! Ever since being forced to start using Windows 8/10 I have uninstalled Edge as one of my first customisations, along with Cortana!
It may not be as fast, but I will continue with Firefox. I prefer to avoid Microsoft as much as I can (Apple even more so). The extra "Edge" on speed of the browser really isn't very significant in the overall processes of browsing.