Firefox counters Google's browser speed test

Mozilla fought back on Wednesday with some performance results to show a forthcoming version of Firefox outpacing Google's new Web browser, Chrome.

During a launch event Tuesday, Google was eager to toot its horn about Chrome's performance running JavaScript, a programming language used to power many sophisticated Web applications such as Google Docs, Yahoo's Zimbra e-mail site, and Zoho's online application suite. Google showed performance results using its own collection of five JavaScript benchmarks and V8, Chrome's JavaScript engine, but Mozilla countered with a different test called SunSpider.

Mozilla's speed test shows a future Firefox outpacing Google's Chrome for JavaScript programs.

(Credit: Mozilla)

"We're very much in the game and moving fast--'reports of our death are greatly exaggerated,'" JavaScript pioneer and TraceMonkey coder Brendan Eich said in a blog. And noting Firefox's higher score, he said, "Maybe we should rename TraceMonkey 'V10' ;-)"

Firefox 3.1, which Mozilla hopes to release by the end of the year, comes with JavaScript acceleration technology called TraceMonkey. In Mozilla's test that pitted TraceMonkey-enhanced Firefox against the Chrome beta, Google's browser was 28 percent slower on Windows XP and 16 percent slower on Windows Vista.

One caveat is that Mozilla programmers have been talking about SunSpider's obsolescence. I'd like to see TraceMonkey-enhanced Firefox's score on Google's benchmarks, or at least some Mozilla commentary about the quality of Google's benchmark suite. And of course, bear in mind that JavaScript, while important, is only one element of overall browsing performance.

Update 8:16 a.m. PDT: Mozilla's Chris Blizzard directed my attention to this post by John Resig with a broader collection of JavaScript benchmarks. It shows much more balanced results overall, but also shows TraceMonkey faring worse than the current Firefox on Google's tests.

However, Eich said in his post that the TraceMonkey team is addressing the particular issue that hobbled TraceMonkey compared to Chrome.

"(One) graph does show V8 cleaning our clock on a couple of recursion-heavy tests. We have a plan, to trace recursion," he said on the blog. "We simply haven't had enough hours in the day to get to it, but it's 'next.'"

Click here for full coverage of the Google Chrome launch.

[joetesta70]

Fragmentation - isn't it great? Also, Chrome signals the death of that POS Safari....who would use that on Windows or even a Mac. I'd use FF.

[quadj]

I'm not sure where you see Chrome causing the death of Safari. Both use the exact same WebKit foundation. Even the new "application-like" features Google is touting already exists in Safari. If you want proof, use the latest version of Safari and browse the MobileMe site. All those features like dragging and dropping icons "completely within the browser" are direct examples of what Google is referring to. Also, the V8 engine in Chrome is the same thing Apple is putting in Safari 4.0; it's just that Google beat them to the punch.

In short, I don't really think Chrome or Safari will out-pace each other. (You know, there is a reason why Google's CEO is on Apple's board of directors.) To me, both Chrome and Safari are alike. Together they are meant to promote open web standards and stand against IE and other proprietary web formats.

[delvin.friends]

Safari was long deserved to be dead. Security issues alone could throttle it to death and bring to its knees before ie6 alone.

[David_G.]

Usual battle of useless comments. To me, the best browser is the one I want to use. I like Firefox but prefered IE, at least for the last IE, before is was firefox for me. And now I like Chrome better than the others. I think that we HAVE to support open source, and their browser is fast and nice. I love the main page too.

Give it some time and it'll rock. I only hope google will pop some office style kit. Free of course, and open source, a bit like open office, with the google style.

[rucknrun]

One thing that was nice about Chrome. I was hitting a site that uses Shockwave, it never works with Firefox and it worked first time with Chrome.

In my early experience though Firefox still seems faster.

[mattumanu]

So far, Chrome is a hog. I've just had to shut it down twice due to it's using to many resources. For instance, I have running IE, Thunderbird, MixCraft 4, and FF3, and I'm reading a CPU usage of 1-2%. for a few seconds after bringing up Chrome, all is well, but then suddenly the usage jumps to around 74%. After shutting all the other windows down it's still peaking at 24% and I'm not even using the browser! Closing Chrome brings the usage down to 2% again, and that's with IE still running.

Very poor. I'm wondering also why it was making my harddrive run like crazy. It's quiet as butter now, but when Chrome was running it was running like it was being indexed.

Unacceptable.

[Florida_SEO]

@mattumanu

My experience with Chrome has been fantastic this far ... I'm just wondering if you have the latest Java Virtual Machine installed ... ? That would possibly account for your performance issues ...

[firefoxluva95]

Agreed, the best browser is the one that I want to use. My rule? Anything but IE.

As for the CPU usage, keep in mind that each tab in Chrome is a separate process. Firefox and Opera are planning this soon. FF 3.1 will have tabs in separate processes so problems will only crash the tab and not the entire browser. Yes do make sure all your plugins are installed properly. I'm thinking there is something up with your computer settings. Chrome's been running on vista fine but I haven't done any heavy testing. I still prefer FF. But anything other than IE is great to me.

[delvin.friends]

Google just used the new JavaScript engine as an excuse for making a browser. All the built in features that are present in Chrome are actually the best add-ons that were present in Firefox. Though the "incognito mode" was something unexpected.

[escort_defarge]

Hmm.. why did FF wait until after chrome was out to respond this way? It looks very like they just provided unwitting support for Google's justification of Chrome -- to push the world forward.

[eadeguzman]

Oh, Google... Do no evil? No more.

If you switch web browsers between IE and FireFox on a regular basis like I do (as a developer) you will notice that "Download Chrome (BETA)" link on www.Google.com is present only when you are on a FireFox browser.

What does this mean?

Anybody here smell a some sort of test by Google to take advantage of their monopoly on Search to take away share from FireFox? ... and if they are successful, maybe present the same link when views in IE.

Or maybe Google doesn't want to show the like in IE because Microsoft will be very quick to cry: monopoly?

www.google.com is perhaps the best way to distribute a new product since there is no Ads or any content there -- so you will be focused on any small thing that seem different.

Anti-Microsoft competitors cried foul about Microsoft twisting the arms of Windows distributors to distribute its browser as well... but with google, there's no need to twist arms because they are the distributor!

Is that fair?

[eadeguzman]

By the way, the "Download Chrome (BETA)" link is present in Opera and Safari (on Windows) browser as well on the www.Google.com website.

Taking on the small guys first?

[Papa G]

Thats bull! forget firefox. Its all about chrome and Safari for Win!!!! SAFARI FOR WIN ROCKS!!!!
I think that chrome works best with javascript. It loads eyeOS faster (which is javascript based). Check it out at eyeos.org

[mike_williams]

If you like Google Chrome's look and functionality then you should take a look at www.BonzoBox.com. It has the same look with much more functionality. I started using it about 6 months ago and absolutely love it.

[Roncnet2000]

I don't know what the big fuss is all about, safari 3.1.2 (webkit) for windows is as fast, sleek and has darn good interface; also as of this writing (which is Sept 23rd 2008) is the only win browser which passes with 100/100 acid3 test rating. all others fail miserably expect opera 9.5.

[Roncnet2000]

Also I would like to add more about the chrome or so called chromium browser; if someone who has some experience in software industry; would know more about usablity inspection and then usability testing. or could have atleast copied some/or more of the features from usablity standpoint from opera 9.5/6 or firefox 3.1/addons.