Microsoft re-runs Google tests and shows that Chrome has worse battery life than Edge
The bitch-fest that has been rumbling on between Microsoft and Google is showing no signs of abating. We’re all used to the concept of companies engaging in games of one-upmanship, and this has certainly been the case when these two stalwarts have been slugging it out with their respective web browsers.
The most recent battles have been fought over which browser is the most battery efficient. It’s only very recently that Google claimed that Chrome trounced Edge in battery tests -- Microsoft disagrees. The company has re-run Google’s tests and says that it produced very different results. Rather than showing that Chrome offers the best performance when it comes to playing video, this second batch of tests shows -- unsurprisingly -- that Edge is the best by quite some distance.
In re-running Google’s tests, Microsoft is taking quite an aggressive approach to pushing Edge. But this is not just an attack on Chrome. Microsoft’s tests are also used to take a swipe at Opera and Firefox. The tests pitted the Windows 10 Anniversary Update (14393.105) build of Edge against Chrome 51, Opera 38 and Firefox 46. The results suggest that Edge uses:
- 24 percent less power than Chrome
- 32 percent less power than Opera
- 43 percent less power than Firefox
In video tests, Microsoft showed that Edge provided 527 minutes of playback, Opera gave 429, Chrome lasted 365 minutes, and Firefox brought up the rear with just 312 minutes.
But while Microsoft is like a dog with a bone, unwilling to let the battery issue lie, it ignores one very important factor: people are looking for much, much more from their web browser than just decent battery life. Sure, it’s a consideration, but the number of features is far more important, and this is an area in which Edge undeniably lags behind.
You can check out full details of Microsoft’s test and its methodology here.
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