Comparing Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome: The Ultimate Browser Showdown

Google Chrome occupies the most popular browser market, with the highest usage rate on computers and mobile devices. And Microsoft Edge is pre-installed on Windows systems, it can be found on almost all Windows devices.

This article will analyze the main differences between the two browsers in depth to help you make wise choices.

Overall comparison

Microsoft Edge:

• Windows devices are pre-installed.
• Rendering faster than Internet Explorer.
• It is more stable as a Windows application and a web application.
• Supports more screen projection devices through the DLNA and Miracast protocols.
• Extensions that support Microsoft Store and Chrome Web Store.
• Built-in tracking protection and potentially unwanted program interceptor.

Google Chrome:

• Open source and scalable.
• Have a huge library of extensions.
• Widely supported, especially on consumer-grade devices.
• Available across platforms.
• More memory occupancy.
• There is uncertainty about the future of ad blockers, as Google starts to limit them.
• All operating systems except Android need to be downloaded and installed separately.

Despite the differences, Microsoft Edge and Chrome, as web browsers, have far greater similarities than differences. In many cases, which one to choose depends more on personal preference. For example, Chrome and Microsoft Edge can:

• Show your favorite websites and applications.
• Bookmark the location of these websites and applications.
• Open multiple websites or applications simultaneously in a separate window or tab.
• Track the locations you visited in the History view.
• Enable incognito mode.

The difference between the two is the way these functions are implemented. The following will compare the specific implementations of the two browsers in terms of rendering engines, extension availability, default settings for features and services, and compatibility between desktop and mobile platforms.

Rendering and search: Each has its own shortcomings

Microsoft Edge:

• Based on Chromium, use the Blink rendering engine.
• The default search engine is Bing.

Google Chrome:

• Based on the open source Blink rendering engine.
• The default search engine is Google.

Chrome uses an engine called Blink, which is based on the WebKit engine developed by Apple. WebKit is also a branch of the open source engine KHTML, which is the default browser engine for Linux K desktop environments.

These iterative open source software licenses allow Google to quickly build its browser, which is part of why Chrome has an open source version called Chromium. Other organizations can use this framework to create their own browsers.

Microsoft Edge used the EdgeHTML rendering engine, which is a continuation of the Internet Explorer rendering engine. Internet Explorer, especially versions 6 to 8, is very picky when displaying websites. Pages that are correctly rendered (although slightly different) in Mozilla Firefox or Chrome may show corrupted in Internet Explorer 6 and require special workaround code. There are similar issues with EdgeHTML, although the engine eliminates many legacy issues and is faster. In 2019, Microsoft rebuilt Microsoft Edge on the Chromium open source project using Blink and V8 rendering engines.

Extensions: Chrome may offer more options

Microsoft Edge:

• Extensions are provided in the Microsoft Store, but tend to prioritize large developers, making extensions for small developers difficult to find.
• You can install the Chrome Web Store extension.
• The lack of backward compatibility with Internet Explorer limits the number of available extensions.

Google Chrome:

• Have a huge library of browser extensions.
• Extensions can be browsed and installed from the Chrome Web Store.

Chrome's extensions allow users to install add-ons to introduce more features. You can easily browse and install these add-ons from the Chrome Web Store. Chrome is not the first browser to come up with the concept of extensions, but it has one of the largest libraries. Google enables developers to easily write code and submit new extensions to their store.

Microsoft Edge also supports extensions and there is a section in the Microsoft Store that can search for extensions. Many large applications, such as Evernote Clipper, are provided as Microsoft Edge extensions. However, it may be difficult to find multiple options for small developers' extensions or specific extension types. Since Microsoft Edge is now based on Chromium, it supports extensions for the Chrome Web Store (although you will see a pop-up that encourages you to switch to Chrome).

Default settings: Depend on your favorite environment

Microsoft Edge:

• The default home page is a Bing search box with Microsoft news content.
• The default search engine is Bing.
• Display video output on any device that supports the Miracast or DLNA protocol.

Google Chrome:

• The default homepage is Google.com.
• The default search engine is Google.
• Show video output on Chromecast devices.

The default settings of the two are different, but you can change them. Chrome uses the following default settings:

• Home page: The default home page of Chrome is Google. When you launch Chrome, you can quickly access services like Google search and Gmail (if you have a Google account).
• Default search engine: Chrome uses Google as the default search engine when you type keywords in the browser address bar.
• Screen projection: Newer devices have the ability to project screens or display video output on other devices. Chrome connects to a Chromecast device to display its output.

Microsoft prefers its services:

• Home: When you open a new tab or window, you will see a page containing stories from Microsoft News and a search box powered by Bing.
• Default search engine: Microsoft Edge uses the Bing search engine when you enter a search term in the address bar.
• Screen casting: Microsoft Edge can project screens to any device that supports DLNA protocol or Miracast. These protocols are more compatible with Chrome sending media or mirroring screens.

Compatibility: Applicable to most operating systems

Microsoft Edge:

• Windows devices are pre-installed.
• Available for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Android, and plans to support Linux in 2020.

Google Chrome:

• Chromebooks and Android devices are pre-installed.
• Runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, iPadOS and iOS.

Chrome is one of the most cross-platform browsers. It is available for mobile browsers on Windows, macOS, and Android, iOS and iPadOS devices. It works on Linux too.

Microsoft Edge is pre-installed on all standard versions of Windows. It also works on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Android.

Final Conclusion: Microsoft Edge and Chrome are becoming more and more similar

Many of the differences discussed in this article are evident in current versions of Chrome and Microsoft Edge. However, some differences will disappear soon.

Despite the similarities between the two browsers, the aspect that may still be different is the associated service. For example, you can sync bookmarks with your Microsoft account in Microsoft Edge instead of Google account, and Bing will keep its default search engine. However, a common platform makes it easier for developers to create content and applications consistent across major browsers.

You don't have to choose one of them. You can have both browsers at the same time and use the one that is more suitable for your specific website. However, if you use multiple web apps or use the Google ecosystem heavily, choose Chrome.

If you don't like Google's advertising and search activities and use a Windows computer, Microsoft Edge is installed on your device. It is a great option if you have concerns about Google's ads and search activities.

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