Google claims 30 percent Chrome speed boost

Google has shifted the JavaScript engine that powers its Chrome Web browser into a higher gear.

The company announced Thursday that an update to Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine, combined with a new version of the Webkit browser engine, should improve the loading speed of JavaScript-heavy Web pages by up to 30 percent. The updates will be automatically downloaded to existing copies of Chrome.

JavaScript engines are one of the new fronts in the browser wars, with various vendors touting the performance of their browsers this year in hopes of unseating the competition. Chrome did very well on CNET JavaScript tests earlier this year, besting Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer.

Google also announced a few other changes to Chrome, including the addition of new features that let you erase embarrassing (or NSFW) Web sites from the most-visited list that appears when you open a new tab in Chrome. And Chrome now has a feature found in many browsers: form autofill.

[eltoro2827]

thats great but can they get it from quit freezing 30% faster?

[OctoChops]

don't blame Google for Window's faults :-P

[slecalvez]

What does windows have to do with Google Chrome BETA freezing you idiot... ignorant? Troll...

[walker2151]

It's not google's fault you don't have a computer that can handle Chrome. I've used it on XP, Vista, and Windows 7 RC without any problems. I have had problems with it basically freezing/going really slow on Server 2003 (our server uses an old built in GPU and doesn't even have USB 2.0). Other than that I've never had a problem. But, it doesn't help that it runs on Windows right now, Windows does tend to freeze up or have programs freeze sometimes.

[Angmarr]

It would also be nice if they fix bugs like Option buttons, Check boxes NOT SHOWING UP on come web pages!

I'm getting more and more disappointing with Google! I mean is speed the only thing they care about?? what about actually displaying simple webpages before showing off chrome experiments!?

there is not such thing as Chrome vs. Firefox anymore @ this rate!

[jake3373]

Chrome is the best! I use it all the time w/o any problems

[SergeM256]

As they say it "improve the loading speed of Javascript-heavy Web pages" by up to 30%. I don't think real user would see any real improvement. Loading speed depends on many factors such as speed and load of host server, speed of internet connection, hardware performance, etc. Software performance, such as better browser is really minor part of total performance.

[jake3373]

Yeah, unless its Chrome vs. IE

[soonerproud]

I honestly can not see a difference when loading the same JS heavy pages with both Chrome and IE8 in Win 7 side by side. If Google would fix Chrome to remember my zoom settings on each page I visit, add a bookmarks button option instead of the toolbar and get their extention system up and running, I might switch to it from IE8.

On a side note, if Mozilla would incorporate NoScript functionality (InPrivate Browsing on IE8) and tap into protected mode or build their own sandbox like Chrome, I might be inclined to switch back. The NoScript/Adblock Plus debacle really turned me off to Firefox.

[walker2151]

How 'bout a difference on start up time between IE8 and Chrome in Windows 7? I don't ever use IE so I haven't checked. It's one thing I do enjoy about Chrome it starts up instantly.

[soonerproud]

I meant InPrivate Filter, not Browsing in my previous post.

[soonerproud]

@ Walker2151:

IE8 starts up almost instantaneously. I doubt that Chrome can start any faster and start time is not a accurate measurement of true performance. FF 3.5b4 is slower to start than both IE and Chrome, yet it is slightly faster than IE at rendering JS and a good match for Chrome on heavy js pages.

[Lumiseon]

soonerproud, no it doesn't. It takes a lot more time then Firefox, Opera, Chrome, or even Safari. It's also the most laggy of ANY web browser. There's a reason no one likes IE anymore, you dolt.

[soonerproud]

@Lumiseon:

You are absolutley wrong about IE8 on Win 7 being the slowest to open. I click thge icon on a cold started PC and it opens immediately. FF takes about 5 seconds to open the first time and Chrome is about as fast as IE8 to open. I use all three browsers frequently and calling me names does not make your post credible.

[mayo-on-a-bun]

Heres where I stand. I'm a big fan of Chrome, and was once an IE only kinda guy. But, the last time I used IE was... to download Chrome. My laptop might be an old timer, with its 1.6Ghz processer and 1gb of ram, but Chrome starts up within miliseconds of clicking the icon. As for IE, I could go cook a christmas dinner and all the fixins before starts up and loads my home page. So if you are running decent machines, you won't find much difference between the two. But if you are someone who is using an older machine (LIKE ME!!!) or if you are part of the netbook frenzy, then Chrome is the only way to go.

[roberpic]

I have tried to load and run Chrome twice. Both times it will work fine...for about 15 minutes then it causes by whole system to lock up. This was done about 2 weeks apart. I'll not be using it again until all the bugs are worked out. Long live Firefox!

[caschy_blog]

Portable Version: http://is.gd/C75N

[t8]

Chrome compared with other browsers is what Google Talk is compared with ICQ, Messenger, etc.
In other words a simple and clean interface, and it is fast and it is light.
Sure, no extensions yet, but it is lighter and faster to load as a result.
Hopefully future extension capability doesn't slow it down.

[ikramerica--2008]

So Google builds stripped down, feature poor applications and makes them fast, and that's an achievement? It's like when Porsche sells their 911 models that take out the radio, AC, etc. to shave a bit of weight and give you a slightly faster 0-60 time. Great, but it gets hot sometimes. Put the AC back in, the speed goes away...

[shellyle]

very funny - so I lose all the productivity without the extensions ;-) thanks but I'm sticking with the Fox and my beloved new tab king extension (http://www.newtabking) - it's not really enough for me to be able to remove thumbnails...
--shelly

[jake3373]

i think u meant http://www.newtabking.com not http://www.newtabking

[Jlmc727]

Personally I don't think I would want a browser from a company that their source of income comes from monitoring where I go on the internet.

[jumpjetta]

...or advertising.

[mjconver]

No Adblock == No Chrome

I don't care how fast it is.

[soonerproud]

There is Adblock for Chrome. It is called AdSweep and it works just as well as AdBlock does on FF.

[jake3373]

I wish popular browsers would add this automatically w/o add-ons

[keano12]

You know guys, rather than having fits about Microsoft and Mac again, why don't you think about the Monopoly of Google that's happening right in front of your ugly faces. Oh sorry didn't mean to hurt anyone. THEY ARE EVERYWHERE *Google that is* They are in browser, Cellphone Operating systems, THEY OWN OPERATING SYSTEM, Advertising firms, SEARCH ENGINE, THEIR OWN INSTANT MESSENGER AND EMAIL. Aren't you guys worried that maybe Google won't able to keep the face Corporate power Mantra or don't be evil speech? Think about that :)

[scorpio0]

sure, they are everywhere, and perhaps all the talk about their do-good mantras and sweet arse employee perks might be a bit inflated, but the truth is they spend billions and billions and billions of dollars on research and innovation each year to make products that are actually good.

the reason they built chrome is because they thought they could do a better job than the competition, and instead of just copying what everyone else did, they made a new kind of browser.

same goes with google search. and android. and gmail. because they are so big they can afford to risk failure on new and untested ideas, which no doubt results in a lot of wasted time and money, but also the occasional jackpot.

[thelemurking]

I can't wait until google takes over the government... I would love to live in the United States of Google :D

[ArsFragica]

Google Chrome is definitely faster based on Javascript tests from:

http://v8.googlecode.com/svn/data/benchmarks/v4/run.html

I ran Firefox 4.5B4 and it was inconsistent with scores of 217 and 166.
I ran Google Chrome v1+ and it had a score of 1400 something.
I updated Google Chrome to 2.0.1. and it had a amazing score of 2107!
I also tested IE 8 to see how much it sucks, it came up with a pop-up saying that this page's Javascript might make your system slow (fail much), and had a score of 67 when it finished.

[pcampagna]

Google makes stuff that i use everyday and like it. (Gmail, Igoogle, google docs, search etc.)Microsoft makes stuff I hate to use everyday. IE, outlook, Vista, MSN, should i go on?)

How many cringed as they read that last sentence??

[jake3373]

i did

i agree with it all

[queticomn]

Chrome == spyware. plain an simple. An speed is all relative to the internet connection the browser is on. Also at some point its barley noticeable the difference of speed between browsers as it seems to be coming down to a second or two between the different browsers, except for iE(vil)...

[jake3373]

Chrome is actually faster thsn FF on my system. And no spyware

[jake_n]

no flashblock no use it.

[n25philly]

still sucks