In the world of browsers, both Apple’s Safari and Google Chrome are very popular options for users and although they fulfill the same function and are based on similar technology, they have differences that can make us opt for one or the other. Do we prefer simplicity or do we prefer customization? Do you use different operating systems? All these questions can be the basis for answering the central question of this article.
Which browser is better, Chrome or Safari? Throughout this article we will see how web browsers work and a comparison of the functions of the two, as well as our final conclusion.
We all know that a web browser is an application designed to be able to navigate the Internet and view it. What few people know is that many modern web browsers share a common browsing engine: the WebKit from Apple.
WebKit is an open source web rendering engine that was created in 2001 by Apple for its browser. Safari, which in turn is based on another open source project from the Linux world, and on which other companies have been contributing code, including Google, to gradually improve it. Until 2013, when Google broke away from the rest by adopting its own web engine, called blinkwhich is also based on WebKit.
Even though Blink has been forked from WebKit, both web rendering engines are still very similar in terms of architecture and features. In fact, most of the developers working on Blink are former WebKit developers, and many of them continue to contribute to the WebKit project.
What does this imply for the user? That a priori, both Safari and Chrome, being based on similar projects, should offer similar returns. Therefore, a priori, it would not matter which browser to use, since they will be similar, although we will see that not everything is like that.
According to Apple, Safari is faster than Chrome on a Mac
Safari: the conjunction of hardware + software.
Safari is the browser that comes predefined on Apple systems and is developed 100% by them. This implies that the integration of the browser with the operating system is designed in detail, taking into account how to get the most out of Apple’s own hardware (with its ARM M1 and M2 processors), as well as Intel’s integration of older models. .
In addition to this such deep integration between hardware and softwareSafari has a number of highly desirable features for any user of the Apple platform:
- Compatibility with other Apple products, such as iCloud and Apple Paywhich allows users a browsing experience easier and more intuitive, without having to remember passwords or link payments to FaceID, for example. This gives it an advantage over other browsers.
- Safari offers features advanced privacy and securitysuch as third-party tracker blocking, private browsing, phishing protection, and pop-up blocking, which go hand in hand with the security features implemented in MacOS and iOS.
- Energy efficiency, especially for said integration. Safari uses fewer system resources than other browsers and has a feature called “Low Power Tabs” that reduces power usage by minimizing the performance of infrequently used tabs.
- Don’t waste time, use Continuity: Safari users can start browsing on one device and continue on another seamlessly, using a feature called Continuity. So you could be writing an article on your iPad, to finish it on your Mac without having to reopen everything.
Safari is Apple’s built-in browser
Chrome: speed and multiple options for any platform
Chrome is the browser designed by Google and as we have said, based on Blink, which being a newer version on paper is more efficient than the WebKit Safari is based on. The Google browser, contrary to Apple’s philosophy, is intended to be a cross-platform all-rounder: runs so much in windowsas macOS, linux, Android and iOS, among other operating systems. What gives you the chance to be Very versatile and that the user knows how to handle it perfectly regardless of the platform he uses.
In addition, it has the following virtues:
- Is highly customizable thanks to the addons that can be downloaded from the Google store, so it is possible to add more features than those that come predefined by default in the browser itself. Google extensions range from security and anti-advertising applications like Adblock Plus, as well as extensions to download videos or analyze web pages.
- Integration with other Google products: If you are a user of tools such as Gmail, Google Drive, Keep or Google Calendar, their integration with Chrome can make it the best browser for you to use, especially if you are also a user of the suite of Google Workspaces.
- Chrome has various security features, including a phishing detection tool, a pop-up blocker, and a private browsing feature. Being based on Chromium, which is open source, quite a few developers are investigating vulnerabilities in the browser and it tends to be updated very frequently.
Chrome is Google’s multiplatform bet
Regardless of what the makers of each browser say, the answer is always a big “it depends.” There are numerous synthetic tests where they test both browsers with different hardware and they are usually not very conclusive. so the answer It will depend on your personal needs and preferences.
if you are a apple userespecially with the new M1 or M2 processors, Safari may be the best optionsince it is specifically designed for your team and all the integration that exists in the Apple ecosystem makes the balance favor the Cupertino browser.
On the other hand, if you are a user who works with multiple platforms (like a Windows PC, an iPad, and an Android phone, for example)or if you are a person who needs power customize your browser to the max, Chrome It is the option that you should take without a doubt.
Our advice is that have both and enjoy them whenever possible, seeking to make the best of both worlds compatible and thus be able to have the most complete web browsing experience possible.
