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What I'd like to hear is why would anybody label Edge as "absolutely the best browser". I believe that @Kari could provide good insight to that. I'm open to such explanation.

CountMike said:

What I'd like to hear is why would anybody label Edge as "absolutely the best browser". I believe that @Kari could provide good insight to that. I'm open to such explanation.

If you just consider the most basic functions of a browser i.e. visiting web pages, downloading files, tabs for multiple pages, then comparing Edge with Chrome:-

1) Edge is slightly faster but definitely uses less resources.

2) Edge rendering of text is much clearer on my laptop.

3) Edge is a much better interface for tablets or touch devices

5) Edge is buggy doing right swipes instead of scrolling using mouse button on my non touch laptop. It was almoat unusable. I switched off a hover functions and then pretty much ok but once in a while swiped still. Allegedly this has now been fixed - yet to test.

4) Chrome is definitely superior in shortcuts and maintaining across multiple devices.

5) Occasionally Edge just does not play well with some web pages.

6) I have found sometimes if you download files and minimise the Edge page, the download halts until page is maximised again. Chrome always works fine.

So now, for basic use, I generally prefer Edge but still use Chrome for advanced stuff eg Chromecast.

So, imo, Edge has potential to be the best but still has a long way to go.

Problem is MS are continually tinkering with it adding features most of us do not really care about, so product never has a chance to mature and old irritations resolved (one could argue same about W10 itself).

IMO, Edge should really have been a more basic but very robust OS which would have satisfied majority of users, and left the sexy advanced stuff to 3rd party browsers.

cereberus said:

If you just consider the most basic functions of a browser i.e. visiting web pages, downloading files, tabs for multiple pages, then comparing Edge with Chrome:-

1) Edge is slightly faster but definitely uses less resources.

2) Edge rendering of text is much clearer on my laptop.

3) Edge is a much better interface for tablets or touch devices

5) Edge is buggy doing right swipes instead of scrolling using mouse button on my non touch laptop. It was almoat unusable. I switched off a hover functions and then pretty much ok but once in a while swiped still. Allegedly this has now been fixed - yet to test.

4) Chrome is definitely superior in shortcuts and maintaining across multiple devices.

5) Occasionally Edge just does not play well with some web pages.

So now, for basic use, I generally prefer Edge but still use Chrome for advanced stuff eg Chromecast.

Thanks, I use Edge on my Lumia 640 phone only and new update is just coming in, will see what it looks like once it's installed.

CountMike said:

Thanks, I use Edge on my Lumia 640 phone only and new update is just coming in, will see what it looks like once it's installed.

I prettty much only use Edge on my tablet where my browsing is mostly just visiting sites.

I'm afraid I really dislike 'Edge'..it works for general browsing, but to be honest with so many other browsers
that are so much better, why cannot we choose what we what to use & make it a proper default, rather than
the way Windows messes about. (Opera Developer is the best for me)

smactilactus said:

Wwwwwwwwwwwwwwhat????????????? You clearly are in the minority here, and probably the ONLY person I've EVER heard feel this way.

I guess you have your reasons for that kind of theatrical over-exaggeration.

slicendice said:

I've completely switched to Edge, and would not have done it unless it wasn't performing very well. I use it on Windows and Android and I don't think I'll go back to any other browser. Only 2 thing that annoys me is the poor bookmark manager and no official support for Samsung DeX (yet).

I am using free EdgeManage for bookmark management. Try it, it's excellent: w10g.eu/EdgeManage

Download links at the bottom of the page. After installation it will be found in Start > Emmet Brown > EdgeManage.

CountMike said:

What I'd like to hear is why would anybody label Edge as "absolutely the best browser". I believe that @Kari could provide good insight to that. I'm open to such explanation.

Edge on my machines is fully integrated with my main MS account, as well as main O365 / Azure AD account. It syncs my favourites and favorites bar fast and effortless across all devices. This, using an MS account to sync Edge might even be the reason why I don't have that much discussed issue about Edge importing double favourites; I do not have to import anything as everything will be synced.

Edge runs faster, opens pages faster than other browsers (subjective, personal opinion based on my own experience). It uses less system resources than for instance Chrome or Firefox. Visually it pleases my eye more than other browsers, especially when using Edge dark theme.

Generally speaking I have never used any extensions or add-ons in browsers, their availability being not important to me and not affecting my decision about what browser to use. For instance, at the moment I am only using a total of two extensions on all five browsers I have installed, O365 extension in Edge to work with my docs directly from Edge, and Rebrandly extension in Chrome to shorten links with my own short URL w10g.eu.

I also use Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Maxthon but only because I want to remain automatically signed in to all my MS and Azure AD accounts, Edge being always signed in to main accounts and other browsers to secondary ones.

For me, Edge is the best browser I have ever used, doing extremely well what it is designed to do, to let me browse the web.

Kari

Kari said:

I guess you have your reasons for that kind of theatrical over-exaggeration.




I am using free EdgeManage for bookmark management. Try it, it's excellent: w10g.eu/EdgeManage

Download links at the bottom of the page. After installation it will be found in Start > Emmet Brown > EdgeManage.




Edge on my machines is fully integrated with my main MS account, as well as main O365 / Azure AD account. It syncs my favourites and favorites bar fast and effortless across all devices. This, using an MS account to sync Edge might even be the reason why I don't have that much discussed issue about Edge importing double favourites; I do not have to import anything as everything will be synced.

Edge runs faster, opens pages faster than other browsers (subjective, personal opinion based on my own experience). It uses less system resources than for instance Chrome or Firefox. Visually it pleases my eye more than other browsers, especially when using Edge dark theme.

Generally speaking I have never used any extensions or add-ons in browsers, their availability being not important to me and not affecting my decision about what browser to use. For instance, at the moment I am only using a total of two extensions on all five browsers I have installed, O365 extension in Edge to work with my docs directly from Edge, and Rebrandly extension in Chrome to shorten links with my own short URL w10g.eu.

I also use Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Maxthon but only because I want to remain automatically signed in to all my MS and Azure AD accounts, Edge being always signed in to main accounts and other browsers to secondary ones.

For me, Edge is the best browser I have ever used, doing extremely well what it is designed to do, to browse web.

Kari

Tnx for explanation Kari, now I see why you feel that way. My browsing is much more basic, my computer has an abundance of resources so it can take anything a browser can throw at it. So for me, it's only down to usability and that includes few addons while most of them are used and activated on demand. Wonder why Edge abandoned using and opening .mht files, now only IE is capable of it. Any other format that can work similarly ? I have tons of those that only IE can use.

Kari said:

I guess you have your reasons for that kind of theatrical over-exaggeration.




I am using free EdgeManage for bookmark management. Try it, it's excellent: w10g.eu/EdgeManage

Download links at the bottom of the page. After installation it will be found in Start > Emmet Brown > EdgeManage.




Edge on my machines is fully integrated with my main MS account, as well as main O365 / Azure AD account. It syncs my favourites and favorites bar fast and effortless across all devices. This, using an MS account to sync Edge might even be the reason why I don't have that much discussed issue about Edge importing double favourites; I do not have to import anything as everything will be synced.

Edge runs faster, opens pages faster than other browsers (subjective, personal opinion based on my own experience). It uses less system resources than for instance Chrome or Firefox. Visually it pleases my eye more than other browsers, especially when using Edge dark theme.

Generally speaking I have never used any extensions or add-ons in browsers, their availability being not important to me and not affecting my decision about what browser to use. For instance, at the moment I am only using a total of two extensions on all five browsers I have installed, O365 extension in Edge to work with my docs directly from Edge, and Rebrandly extension in Chrome to shorten links with my own short URL w10g.eu.

I also use Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Maxthon but only because I want to remain automatically signed in to all my MS and Azure AD accounts, Edge being always signed in to main accounts and other browsers to secondary ones.

For me, Edge is the best browser I have ever used, doing extremely well what it is designed to do, to let me browse the web.

Kari

In a way, this kind of sums up Edge ie it has some great features for users like @Kari, but rather fails for average users due to its bugginess, or heavy handedness for easy stuff.

To me, it seems to be a bit schizophrenic trying to satisfy all users and rather failing e.g. it is great for touch devices but mediocre for non touch devices.

It's curious on the latest Insider Preview that Microsoft has put a yellow banner on the Edge icon that says BETA, certainly suggests to me it is still a work in progress..