Firefox Quantum is making waves in the crowded web browser space. And that could lead to some disruption for other popular browser options like Chrome and Edge. But just how does Quantum stack up against these other options? Here’s a look at some of the features of Firefox Quantum and how the new browser compares to other popular options.
Features of Firefox Quantum
The overall look of the browser is new, with a more colorful logo and a sleek, minimalist design. The menu, settings, and preferences are all basically the same as they were in past versions of Firefox. They look a bit different but are in generally the same place so you should be able to find everything fairly easily. There’s also a search bar that offers intuitive suggestions as you type.
One major thing that Quantum does is utilizes the power of your computer’s multicore processor. This allows the browser to better take advantage of the resources available. This could lead to a marginal speed increase for now. But it’s really meant to help the browser stay up to speed in the future as hardware improves. Additionally, Firefox Quantum is expected to soon take advantage of an added security feature known as Breach Alerts.
How Firefox Quantum stacks up against other browsers
Browser speed tends to be one of the biggest issues for users. And the general consensus is that Quantum holds up fairly well but doesn’t blow the other browsers away. Quantum uses less RAM than Chrome and other browsers. So basically, it doesn’t need to use as many of your PC’s resources to stay up to speed. Again, that’s mainly a feature that will have an impact on the future as hardware resources improve.
But for now, the browser still performs fairly well in a lot of circumstances. It can run advanced web applications at about the same level as Chrome. However, it’s a bit slower when it comes to running new Javascript functions.
Overall, Firefox Quantum doesn’t offer any earth-shattering new features or capabilities. But it appears to be a solid option. So if you’re satisfied with other browsers like Chrome or Edge, you don’t necessarily need to make an immediate switch. But if you’re looking for a new browser with a sleek design and decent speed, it could be worth a try.
Photo credit: Flickr / Marco Verch
I’ve been using Quantum for over a week now and I might stick with it. Biggest negative is the bookmark manager. I prefer Bookmark OS
My Quantum experience has been horrific. Auto update on over 5 white box workstations and my personal laptop causes frozen machines. Even the suggested downgrade ver 52 ESR causes issues. Between this inexplicable freezing and the inability and/or lack of updated legacy extensions I’ve migrated to the less capable Chrome. What a shame, version 55 was the pinnacle!