Firefox Quantum vs Google Chrome

When it comes to web browsers, there are two kinds of people. First, there are those for whom every web browser is essentially interchangeable. This first type of person just wants to get online, check out a few of their favourite websites, and then get right back to whatever it is they were doing before.

The other type of person is what we call a ‘power user’, someone who takes their computer usage seriously. They are that special, and at times perplexing, breed of person who customises every aspect of their computer so that using it becomes an experience tailored to our desires. They really care about the browser that they use.

Of course, we are making a gross generalisation here. Many people feel that they fall somewhere in between these two types. If you are someone who isn’t overly fussy about their computer setup, but who does spend a significant amount of their time browsing the web, then you will likely have developed a preference for a particular web browser, even if it is the one that was installed on your machine by default.

Two of the most popular browsers in the world are Mozilla’s Firefox and Google’s Chrome. These two titans have been vying for the top spot amongst internet users for several years now and they have proven to be very evenly matched. For those who are unsure which of these two might be the best fit for them, we have put together a quick guide.

Firefox Quantum

Firefox Quantum is not an entirely new browser. Rather, it refers to the latest version of Firefox. There are new features which separate Quantum from its predecessors, although most of these are ‘under the hood’ changes which affect the browser’s performance, but will go unnoticed by most users. Perhaps the most significant alteration, alongside the usual efficiency improvements and optimisations, is that Firefox Quantum is the first web browser that truly takes advantage of multi-core processors.

Without wishing to get overly technical, modern processors (think of it as being the brain of your computer) contain a number of different cores. The more cores a processor has, the more calculations it can process every second. Most of the time, internet browsing isn’t a very demanding task, and so web browsers have had little cause to make use of multiple cores. However, being able to do so makes Firefox Quantum noticeably faster than previous iterations, and other browsers.

Google Chrome

There are few companies that know the internet as well as Google (or Alphabet, to give them their proper name), so it is hardly surprising that Chrome has proven to be such a popular browser. Although Firefox Quantum is blisteringly fast (see above) Chrome has, for the last few years, consistently been ranked as the fastest browser available. It has achieved this impressive feat by being very well optimised and lightweight.

As with all things Google, simplicity is at the heart of Chrome’s appeal, it is the most user-friendly browser out there with a simple, intuitive design. Chrome is the ideal choice for those browsing the internet on a less powerful computer and whose requirements are simple.

The Winner?

Both browsers have their advantages, and both are excellent choices. If you have a very powerful computer, then Firefox Quantum will be better suited to take advantage of all that extra power. On the other hand, Chrome will perform better on less powerful machines and, being a Google product, it integrates well for those who own an Android phone.

Both Firefox Quantum and Google Chrome are excellent web browsers. If you are looking for a browser on behalf of someone who is less knowledgeable about computers, then you should go with Google Chrome. If you are looking for something with some real power behind it, however, then go for Firefox.