A while back, Microsoft Edge was just the default Windows 10 web browser. After ditching the old EdgeHTML engine in favor of Chromium, it has finally started to gain serious traction. And rather surprisingly, Microsoft Edge is now also available on the Mac. But how does it stack against Apple's own native Safari browser for macOS?
Safari runs like a charm on the Mac with great performance and battery life. But being based on the Chromium engine does give Microsoft Edge an advantage coming into unfamiliar territory. Google Chrome uses the same browser engine, so adopting Chromium guarantees Edge greater web compatibility.
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- Download the latest version of Microsoft Edge for Mac - Chromium-based version of Microsoft Edge. Read 10 user reviews of Microsoft Edge on MacUpdate.
I've used Microsoft Edge alongside Safari ever since its arrival on the Mac. Here's my take on how Microsoft Edge fares against Safari on Mac.
User Interface
Microsoft Edge is Microsoft's official web browser. It's also available on both iOS and macOS devices as an alternative to Safari. That means you can use the Edge browser on any iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac device. Microsoft Edge WebDriver for Microsoft Edge will work with the stable channel and all insider channels. Download the correct Microsoft WebDriver version for your build of Microsoft Edge. To find your correct build number: Launch Microsoft Edge. Open the Settings and more (.) menu, choose Help and feedback, and then choose About Microsoft Edge. Microsoft Edge WebDriver for Microsoft Edge will work with the stable channel and all insider channels. Download the correct Microsoft WebDriver version for your build of Microsoft Edge. To find your correct build number: Launch Microsoft Edge. Open the Settings and more (.) menu, choose Help and feedback, and then choose About Microsoft Edge.
Microsoft Edge doesn't attempt to do anything special compared to Chromium alternatives such as Opera or Vivaldi. But its user interface just works. The default tabs provide a search bar that you can comfortably type into and quick links to sites that you frequently visit. You do get a rather annoying news feed, but it's something that you can quickly turn off.
The browser features a slightly larger-than-average address bar, which makes performing Omnibox searches a breeze. The nifty profile icon also allows you to manage, create, and use multiple profiles conveniently. At the same time, the Edge menu gives instant access to browser settings, extensions, progressive web apps, and other features.
However, Microsoft Edge does feel rather clunky and rough. Animations and transitions feel jarring, and I've often experienced input lag while navigating the user interface. However, those issues aren't that serious to put a dent in your browsing experience. After a while, you won't even notice.
On the other hand, Safari feels smooth and polished to near perfection. But its tiny tab strip and address bar aren't exactly geared toward great user experience. The fact that you have to use the confusing menu bars whenever you want to configure the browser seems rather dated.
Performance
It's almost impossible to beat Safari on the Mac in terms of performance. After all, Apple knows its hardware and software the best. But Microsoft Edge doesn't lag behind with its new Chromium engine. In my experience, Microsoft's browser performs almost on par with Safari.
Furthermore, Microsoft Edge technically has better compatibility withwebsites, once again, due to Chromium engine integration. So if you have trouble accessing asite in Safari, you can almost guarantee that it would load up justfine in Edge.
But what about battery life? Just like any native macOS application, Safari excels in that department.But Chromium has improved its efficiency over the yearson the Mac. So don't expect any rampant battery draining issues withEdge.
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Read MorePrivacy Protection
Safari provides native protection against third-party cookies that monitor your browsing activity across websites. You can also ramp things up with content blocking extensions, which help a lot to thwart even more web trackers while improving page load times.
Microsoft Edge also doesn't disappoint when it comes to preserving your privacy. The browser comes with an integrated content blocking module dubbed Tracking Prevention. It offers three different levels of protection (Basic, Balanced, and Strict), which range from blocking tracking cookies, malicious scripts, to personalized advertisements.
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#macos
Click here to see our macos articles pageExtensions Support
Starting with version 13 of Safari for macOS, Apple completely dropped support for legacy extensions, which was a terrible move (at least in my opinion) despite the concerns over privacy. Hence, the current crop of 'supported extensions' is minimal.
Also, most compatible extensions require a fee to work in the first place. As a power user, I now find Safari a hard sell on the Mac.
The new Microsoft Edge, however, offers an impressive and growing library of extensions. Just head over to the Microsoft Edge Add-ons store. You can find a ton of add-ons that can dramatically boost your productivity, enhance your shopping or social media experience, and more.
To make things even better, Microsoft Edge lets you install extensions designed for other Chromium browsers such as Google Chrome.
Data Syncing
While Safari is great at syncing bookmarks and passwords via iCloud to your iPhone and iPad, the browser isn't available outside the Apple ecosystem. Therefore, accessing your data on other platforms is often next to impossible. On Windows, the most you can do is sync your Safari bookmarks to Chrome or Firefox. And yes, better forget Android altogether.
Microsoft Edge for the Mac, on the other hand, is truly cross-platform. You can easily access your browsing data (bookmarks, passwords, extensions, etc.) not just on the iPhone and iPad, but also on Windows and Android. Of course, you must have a Microsoft Account to sync your Edge browsing data, but it's incredibly easy to create one.
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Read MorePick Your Weapon Wisely
Microsoft Edge is shaping up to be a terrific web browser on the Mac, with unique features such as Collections starting to differentiate it from the myriad Chromium clones out there. It also receives frequent updates and feature revisions, something that Safari sorely lacks.
Both browsers offer solid privacy-related features, so a switchover depends completely on what else you prefer. If you like a user interface that's easy to use, an extensions library that allows for endless possibilities, or the ability to sync your data across multiple platforms, then Microsoft Edge is worth trying out.
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For those of you who don't stray out of the Apple ecosystem much, love the performance and battery life in Safari, or its pure stability and reliability, it's just better to stick to the Mac's native web browser.
Next up:Decided to go with Microsoft Edge on your Mac? Check the next link to easily import your browsing data from other browsers to Microsoft Edge on your Mac.
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.Read NextHow to Import Browsing Data to Microsoft Edge ChromiumAlso See#Microsoft Edge #safari
Did You Know
Microsoft Windows 1.0 was first released in November 1985.
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Edge Browser For Mac Review
Latest Version:
Microsoft Edge 86.0.622.48 LATEST
Requirements:
Mac OS X 10.10 or later
Author / Product:
Microsoft Corporation / Microsoft Edge for Mac
Old Versions:
Filename:
MicrosoftEdge-86.0.622.48.pkg
Details:
Microsoft Edge for Mac 2020 full offline installer setup for Mac
Should I Download Microsoft Edge For Mac
Apparently, Microsoft was overly ambitious because they haven’t gotten enough people to come back to the macOS browser. There are different reasons why this is the case. Mainly, it has to do with the EdgeHTML engine which powers the browser.
Microsoft’s been actively trying to improve their browser for a while now. They’ve stopped using the EdgeHTML engine and switched to the Google Blink engine, with the browser being powered by Chromium. Edge Browser for macOS will continue to work the same way as before, though.
Better for Developers
Web developers must always make sure the websites they’re coding are compatible with every major browser being used in the present. To do this, they must pay attention to the primary browser engines used to make these browsers. The engines include Gecko by Mozilla, Blink by Google, WebKit by Apple, and EdgeHTML by Microsoft.
Since EdgeHTML is gone, it is now easier for web developers to keep their website creations compatible with the latest browsers out there.
Microsoft is smart to switch their browser engine to Google’s Blink because it is easier for the latest web standards to be implemented in their newest releases of Chromium. The development team of Edge just needs to keep these releases updated.
The aesthetics are the same
Microsoft Edge users don’t seem to mind the visual design of the browser because it is pretty much the same. In fact, the user interface is the most popular feature of the app. It makes sense that Microsoft wouldn’t try to change a design that is already liked.
The Chromium and EdgeHTML versions are not totally the same, though. Once you start looking at the menus of the browser, you’ll see differences. The classic sidebar has been replaced by the new Chromium settings. Users are actually praising this change.
Limited Visual Customization Choices
User personalization could use a lot more work. The only things that users can change are the favorites bar, default fonts, and home button.
If you liked the classic Edge’s dark theme, that is not completely implemented yet into this internet browser. But if you go to the edge://flags page, you can enable the theme.
Possibly Uses Less RAM; Feels Faster
When you first try out the browser, you’ll notice it runs great and loads webpages fast. It even feels as fast as Chrome, so that’ll make the transition easier if you’re looking to start using Edge Browser instead.
Despite the variations in RAM usage, It seems to have less RAM than Chrome. If you try to open several tabs at once, you’ll notice this. Overall, the performance is better than the previous EdgeHTML version.
Several parameters influence RAM usage, which means your results may be a bit different. Plus, the build is quite early, so you should see performance changes in the stable release.
An abundance of new extensions
The Chrome Web Store definitely has the most extensions available out of any other repository. The add-on you’re looking for will be there before anywhere else.
You must have a Chromium-powered browser for the extensions to work. Since the program falls into this category now, then you can use extensions with it too.
The Microsoft Store is still available, but users can freely install extensions of Chrome too.
Same Exterior, Different Interior
Overall, it appears like Microsoft made a good choice to start using Chromium. The design of the browser still looks and feels the same, but there are so many possibilities that could come in the future.
Right now, the build has not been officially released for general public use. Therefore, if you notice problems with it, don’t get too upset. This new version of Edge is in the development stage, and fixes are constantly being made for it.
Also Available: Download Microsoft Edge for Windows