Google Chrome

Google Chrome 89.0.4389.82

Windows / Google / 29899361 / Full spec
Description

Google Chrome is a powerful and versatile web browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier. With Google Chrome, you can quickly access your favorite websites with lightning speed from any new tab. It also offers desktop shortcuts so you can launch your favorite web apps straight from your desktop.

Google Chrome is designed to be fast and secure. It uses advanced technologies such as sandboxing and process isolation to protect users from malicious websites and downloads. It also has built-in malware protection that helps keep you safe online by blocking malicious downloads before they reach your computer. Additionally, it has an integrated pop-up blocker that prevents annoying ads from appearing on the page while browsing the internet.

The browser also features an intuitive user interface that makes it easy to navigate through different pages without having to search for them manually or use complicated commands. The address bar provides suggestions for both search queries and webpages as soon as you start typing in it, making navigation even more efficient than ever before. You can also customize the look of Google Chrome by changing its theme or adding extensions for additional functionality such as ad blockers or password managers.

Google Chrome is available on all major platforms including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, iOS, Android and more so you can access the internet wherever you go! Plus it’s free so there’s no need to worry about costly subscription fees or hidden charges when using this powerful browser!

Overall Google Chrome is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a fast and secure way of browsing the internet without compromising their safety or privacy online! With its minimal design combined with sophisticated technology this browser will make navigating through different pages easier than ever before!

Review

Google's Chrome Web browser has become one of the most popular in the world, thanks to smooth performance, support for add-ons, and features like casting and voice search that are absent in or only partially implemented by competing browsers like Safari, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.

Pros

The best add-on support: Chrome slightly edges out Firefox in two ways. One, your add-ons are linked to your Google account. So if you download a new version of Chrome or install an add-on on one of your devices, when you log in to your Google account in Chrome on another device, the browser will automatically download and install those add-ons or updates. Two, the Chrome version of an add-on frequently has more work put into the user interface. For example, the login UI for LastPass is much nicer looking in Chrome than it is in Firefox. That matters if you're logging in and out of LastPass all day.

Plus, Chrome's task manager (access it by pressing Shift-Esc) breaks down how much RAM and CPU power each add-ons is using, so you can identify ones that may be causing issues with browser performance or device battery life. Firefox has some tools to track add-on performance, but they're not nearly as user-friendly.

Great casting support: Casting in Chrome used to require an add-on, but it's now embedded in the browser. If you have a TV with a Chromecast device and it's on the same network as your PC, you can open a Chrome tab on your PC and send it to y0ur television. Or you can cast a streaming video that's embedded on that tab. This is handy for presentations or for watching a video on a big screen. By contrast, for Firefox, only the Android version can stream, it doesn't support as wide a variety of video types, and you can't cast a tab.

Voice search: When you go to Google.com in the Chrome browser, the search field has a microphone icon in it. Click it to search using your voice, if your computer has an enabled microphone. For most people, this is much faster than typing a search query.

Cons

Memory usage could be better: It's not unusual for Chrome to use over a gigabyte of RAM, even when you have just a few tabs open that are more or less static. There are understandable reasons for that -- for one, Chrome has to remember your recently closed tabs so that they can quickly reload on demand. But Chrome does not tend to scale down its usage on devices that have limited amounts of RAM.

Resistance to add-ons that download embedded videos: As the owner of YouTube, Google naturally doesn't want people downloading its videos and viewing them without the ads that make it profitable. But offline viewing is important for people with unreliable connections or who expect to be away from the Internet for an extended period of time.

Google has partly closed the gap with its YouTube Red subscription, which lets you download videos from the site for $10 a month, removes ads, and provides Google Play Music at no added cost. (And conversely, if you subscribe to Google Play Music, YouTube Red is bundled for free.) But that only applies to YouTube. If you dig around, you can find a few add0ons that lets you download embedded videos in Chrome, but they all have varying degrees of sketchiness.

Bottom Line

The most popular browser choice isn't necessarily the best. But despite its issues with RAM usage and limited downloading of embedded videos, Chrome earns its No. 1 spot with smooth page loading, lots of add-on support, and forward-looking features like casting and voice search.

Full spec
Publisher Google
Publisher site http://www.google.com/
Release date 2021-03-09
Date added 2021-03-09
Category Browsers
Sub category Web Browsers
Version 89.0.4389.82
Os requirements Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows, Windows 7
Requirements None
Price Free
Downloads per week 2326
Total downloads 29899361

Comments:

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    Adam

    Google Chrome is my go-to web browser. It's fast and reliable.

    Mar 12, 2021
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  • Brian

    I agree with Adam. Chrome is my favorite browser too.

    Mar 13, 2021
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      Adam

      Definitely, Brian! Chrome's speed impresses me every time.

      Nov 06, 2022
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  • Carol

    I've been using Chrome for years and I've never had any major issues.

    Apr 07, 2021
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    • Isabella

      I completely agree, Carol! Chrome is rock-solid.

      Jul 01, 2021
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      • Carol

        Agreed, Isabella! I've never experienced any crashes with Chrome.

        Nov 07, 2022
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  • David

    The user interface of Chrome is clean and easy to navigate.

    Apr 29, 2021
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    • Frank

      I agree, David! Chrome's UI is minimalistic yet intuitive.

      May 23, 2021
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    Emily

    Chrome has a lot of useful extensions that enhance my browsing experience.

    May 01, 2021
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    • Jack

      Absolutely, Emily! The extensions library is vast and very useful.

      Aug 11, 2021
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  • George

    Chrome's tab management is top-notch. I love how easy it is to organize my tabs.

    Jun 05, 2021
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  • Hannah

    One thing I love about Chrome is its seamless integration with other Google services.

    Jun 08, 2021
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    Kevin

    Chrome's security features are top-notch. It's my browser of choice for online banking.

    Sep 03, 2021
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  • Liam

    I use Chrome for work and the tab groups feature has been a game-changer for me.

    Sep 16, 2021
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  • Megan

    The ad blockers available for Chrome are really effective in blocking annoying ads.

    Nov 03, 2021
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  • Natalie

    Chrome's bookmarks sync seamlessly across devices. It's super convenient!

    Nov 07, 2021
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    Oliver

    Chrome's developer tools are fantastic for web development and debugging.

    Nov 16, 2021
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  • Peter

    I fully trust Chrome's security measures for my personal and financial data.

    Nov 29, 2021
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    Quinn

    Chrome's customizable settings make it easy to tailor the browser to my preferences.

    Jan 21, 2022
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  • Rachel

    I love how Chrome suggests relevant bookmarks based on my browsing history.

    Mar 11, 2022
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  • Samuel

    Tab groups in Chrome have greatly improved my productivity. I can easily switch between tasks.

    Apr 20, 2022
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    Thomas

    Chrome's console in the developer tools is invaluable for debugging JavaScript code.

    May 12, 2022
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    Uma

    Chrome is my favorite browser as well. The speed and performance are unmatched.

    May 18, 2022
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  • Victor

    Chrome's built-in password manager is very convenient. It remembers all my passwords securely.

    Jun 03, 2022
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    Wendy

    I love how I can personalize Chrome with different themes to suit my style.

    Jun 20, 2022
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  • Xavier

    Chrome's automatic translation feature is helpful when browsing foreign websites.

    Jul 21, 2022
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    Yasmine

    The element inspector in Chrome's developer tools is a lifesaver for CSS debugging.

    Sep 07, 2022
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  • Zara

    Using tab groups in Chrome has made me more organized and efficient in my work.

    Oct 03, 2022
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  • George

    The ability to pin tabs in Chrome is a small but handy feature for me.

    Dec 12, 2022
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  • Hannah

    Chrome's integration with Google Drive makes it easy to save and access files online.

    Dec 24, 2022
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  • Brian

    Chrome's incognito mode is great when I want to browse privately.

    Jan 16, 2023
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  • David

    Chrome's omnibox is one of the most versatile address bars out there.

    Feb 01, 2023
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    Emily

    The password manager in Chrome is super handy. I never forget my passwords now!

    Feb 04, 2023
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  • Jack

    Chrome's dark mode looks sleek and is easy on the eyes during nighttime browsing.

    Feb 20, 2023
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  • Isabella

    I appreciate Chrome's synchronization across devices. It makes switching seamless.

    Mar 12, 2023
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  • Megan

    The 'Read Later' extension in Chrome is perfect for saving articles to read later.

    Mar 13, 2023
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    Kevin

    Chrome's phishing and malware protection gives me peace of mind while browsing.

    Apr 09, 2023
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  • George

    The 'Tab Search' feature in Chrome makes it easy to find specific tabs even with many open.

    Apr 17, 2023
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  • Rachel

    Chrome's omnibox suggestions are usually spot on. Saves me time when typing URLs.

    May 13, 2023
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    Oliver

    The 'Network' tab in Chrome's developer tools helps me analyze website performance.

    May 29, 2023
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  • Peter

    Chrome's safe browsing feature protects me from dangerous websites and downloads.

    Jul 17, 2023
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    Quinn

    I love how I can customize Chrome's appearance with different themes and colors.

    Jul 28, 2023
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  • Samuel

    Chrome's 'Send Tab to Self' feature is great for quickly accessing tabs on other devices.

    Aug 14, 2023
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    Thomas

    The 'Sources' panel in Chrome's developer tools is invaluable for JavaScript debugging.

    Aug 18, 2023
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    Uma

    Chrome's built-in PDF viewer eliminates the need for separate PDF reader software.

    Sep 08, 2023
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  • Victor

    The password generator in Chrome helps me create strong and unique passwords easily.

    Sep 13, 2023
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    Wendy

    I enjoy exploring the vast collection of Chrome themes available in the web store.

    Oct 09, 2023
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  • Xavier

    Chrome's automatic translation feature has been indispensable for my language studies.

    Oct 11, 2023
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    Yasmine

    Chrome's device mode in developer tools helps me test and debug responsive web designs.

    Nov 05, 2023
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  • Zara

    Using Chrome's tab groups, I can easily separate personal and work-related tabs.

    Dec 14, 2023
    Reply