Google shows off improved battery life with Chrome 53

Chrome has long been held up as an example of software being battery hungry. It's something that Google has been working to address with the Android version of the browser; now the company has turned its attention to the desktop build.

In a new video that highlights the improvements that have been made in recent months, Google compares a Vimeo video running in Chrome 46 to the same video running in Chrome 53 on identical hardware -- a Microsoft Surface Book, since you ask. The results are impressive.

Google's tests show that Chrome 53 gives more than two hours extra battery life, but the company admits that this is only in relation to video. It highlights the fact that the Mac version of Chrome now uses a third of the battery it used to, meaning more browsing on the move. But speed is also important. Revealing the results of the tests, Google says:

Speed has always been a priority for Chrome. People spend so much time in the browser that even tiny page delays can add up to minutes of lost time every day. When measured with tools like Speedometer, improvements over the last year have made Chrome more than 15 percent faster on both desktop and Android. That’s good news if you’re working against a deadline or trying to place a last-minute order.

We also know that you want to get as much browsing time out of your laptop’s battery as possible. So Chrome now uses less battery for sites that people visit the most. For example, Chrome for Windows lets you watch more video on sites like Vimeo, Facebook and YouTube than it did a year ago.

Check out Google's video below which shows how battery life compares between Chrome 46 and Chrome 53:

Photo credit: Thirteen / Shutterstock