10 Best Browsers for Windows 11: Safe, Fast & Gaming-Friendly
Make sure to choose a browser with great customization options
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Finding the best browser for Windows 11 can be tricky, even for those who try out lots of options. Finding the perfect browser for Windows 11 isn’t just about speed. Privacy, security, and unique features matter too.
Whether you’re a gamer, a multitasker, or just want simplicity, we’ve tested the top contenders to bring you clear answers.
Best Windows 11 browser: a quick overview
Now let’s take a closer look at each of them so you can easily pick your best choice:
What is the best browser for Windows 11?
Opera One – Modular navigation for Windows 11
Opera One is a standout choice for users seeking speed and customization. It’s a lightweight browser, perfect for preserving system memory and battery life.
The modular design keeps things neat while enhancing productivity with unique features like tab islands for better organization.
The sidebar offers quick access to social media, messengers, and tools, boosting your workflow efficiency. We love its built-in VPN and ad blocker, which provide added security without needing extra installations.
Additional features:
- Modular design with AI improvements
- Free VPN usage
- Data browsing importing
- Sidebar tools with ChatGPT and social media
Opera
Get optimized, fast and highly customizable modular navigation, quick integrations, and great speeds!UR browser – 3 customizable security levels
UR Browser is all about keeping you safe while browsing quickly. It automatically scans downloads for malware and redirects users to encrypted versions of unsafe sites.
It’s fast, removing trackers and third-party cookies for a streamlined experience.
We’re impressed by its performance improvements, particularly with the download manager that boasts 4x faster speeds. For anyone serious about privacy, UR is a solid pick.
Additional features:
- Customizable
- Download manager
- 4x faster download speed
- News filter
- Easier access to your favorite sites
UR browser
Give a try to a web browser dedicated to keeping you safe and your data private.Opera GX – Quick access to RAM and CPU limiter
Opera GX is is a dedicated gaming browser and the first and most prominent name in this niche. Like its sister browser, it is loaded with features that are magnified by the robustness of the Windows 11 OS.
We love it because of the easy integration it offers for platforms like Twitch and Discord. You will not have to leave a tab to send quick chats or view a video stream.
Like the Opera One browser, it offers synchronization for all your devices, making it easy to carry on wherever you left off on another device.
Lastly, if you like cool sound effects, then Opera GX is for you. There are nice effects for launching the browser and keystrokes. But, again, it immerses you in a gaming universe.
Additional features:
- RAM limiter
- Workspaces
- Ad blocker and VPN
Microsoft Edge – fast browsing speeds
Microsoft Edge is the bigger brother of Internet Explorer, with an overhauled interface, new functions, and more excellent performance than its predecessor.
Many of Edge’s extensions have been spotted on the latest Microsoft Store on Windows 11, making customization more straightforward and accessible.
This is part of the company’s effort to add value to the Microsoft Store. In the store, you can also find other popular apps such as WinZip, Canva, and Grammarly.
You don’t need to download the browser since it is already part of Windows. It’s just a matter of choosing to make it the default browser or not.
Additional features:
- Vertical tabs to work efficiently
- Smart copy feature to save time
- Tracking prevention for privacy
- Password monitor to keep track of credentials
- Enhanced InPrivate mode
⇒ Get Edge
Google Chrome – wide range of add-ons & extensions
Google Chrome is the father of all Chromium-based web browsers and one of the most popular ones among users, and rightfully so.
You will find a vast library of extensions for it, and even if it doesn’t natively come with a built-in VPN or Adblock, those are just two clicks away from being installed.
However, one other thing that Google Chrome is known for—is consuming vast amounts of RAM. Seriously! This Chrome uses much of your memory, especially when opening multiple tabs.
You’re not exposed to online threats while you’re using the browser. As we mentioned, you can customize many options, including privacy and security features.
Key features:
- Fast browsing
- Sync across devices
- Extensive extensions
- Built-in security
- Regular updates
- Customizable interface
Mozilla Firefox – great customization options
Firefox boasts new protection measures, such as the DNS instead of HTTPS, that will keep internet providers from tracking and using your browsing data.
This leads to faster load times, less consumed data, and a more enjoyable experience without being nagged by ads constantly.
The browser works for multiple platforms and devices, including Linux, iOS, macOS, Windows, and more. Also, it’s available in over 90 languages!
The newly added picture-in-picture feature allows you to pop windows out of the browser window so you can multitask easier.
Key features:
- Enhanced Tracking Protection
- Lightweight and efficient
- Reader Mode
- Open-source platform
- Private Browsing mode
- Screenshot tool
Brave Browser – lightweight and compact
Brave is another privacy-oriented browser that blocks online ads and other tracking methods automatically by default.
What’s unique about Brave is that it allows users to access Tor, the most secure and private browser engine, all inside its tabs.
The Brave Browser is also more memory efficient, consuming up to 33% fewer resources than Google Chrome.
Fewer resources and less energy are required to run them as well. As a result, laptop and mobile users will also notice an increase in battery life of over 33%!
Key features:
- Built-in ad blocker
- Privacy-focused with tracker blocking
- Faster browsing speed
- Rewards system for viewing ads
- Tor integration for anonymous browsing
- Battery and data optimization
Vivaldi – highly customizable
Nothing beats deploying a very customizable browser on a highly customizable OS. In this regard, the Vivaldi browser and Windows 11 are two peas in a pod.
While it has many excellent features, we love it because almost everything is customizable, making it a browser you can truly own.
You can have multiple users on a single Vivaldi account, which means you can customize profiles with specific themes to fit the work you need.
And finally, despite the many readily available features, the devs have managed to keep the design neat and user-friendly.
Additional features:
- Bookmark management
- Tab management and browser window
- User-friendly mobile version
⇒ Get Vivaldi
SlimBrowser – very low impact on resources
The SlimBrowser is not the most feature-rich on this list, but if you are looking for a lightning-fast Windows 11 browser, it may be one to try.
With this browser, you can create separate profiles or groups for specific websites and launch them all at once.
You will enjoy a distraction-free surfing session by enabling its ad blogger. Additionally, creatives will love to use its spell check, which means you can send emails without shocking recipients with grammatical howlers.
The downside is that you may find the interface cluttered at first glance.
Additional features:
- Efficient Download Manager
- Single-click Facebook integration
- Text and webpage translation
⇒ Get SlimBrowser
WaterFox – Lower system requirements than Firefox
If the name rings a bell, it’s because it should. The browser is a fork of Mozilla Firefox and, in this regard, has a few similar features.
If you ever used Chrome and thought it was a resource hog, the WaterFox browser will be a breath of fresh air; it is very light on the operating system.
It comes preinstalled with uBlock Origin, which is famous for being a very configurable tracker blocker; it is the privacy gold standard.
We love it because even though it carries a lot of features from its mother browser, it is stripped of Mozilla’s telemetry.
Also, since it is a privacy-focused browser, it boasts of not gathering its user’s data.
Additional features:
- Disabled encrypted media extensions
- Zero Startup profiling
- Support for 64-bit NPAPI plugins
⇒ Get WaterFox
Which is the fastest browser for Windows 11?
Based on our tests, the fastest browser on the market for Windows 11 is Microsoft Edge, with a score of 165 runs per minute, followed by Brave Browser with 161 runs per minute.
On the 3rd position in this top, we have UR Browser with a 145 runs per minute score.
To create an easy-to-understand table with conclusive information about the speed of your favorite browser, we have used the Speedometer 2.0 tool from BrowserBench on a Windows 11 PC.
This helpful tool allows us to take all the browsers presented in this guide and put them to the test to get a good set of results, which can help you make an informed decision.
Here are the results:
| Browsers | Speedometer 2.0 Benchmark score |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Edge | 165 runs/minute |
| Brave Browser | 161 runs/minute |
| UR Browser | 145 runs/minute |
| Opera GX | 141 runs/minute |
| Google Chrome | 133 runs/minute |
| Mozilla Firefox | 119 runs/minute |
| Vivaldi | 115.8 runs/minute |
| Opera One | 110 runs/minute |
| SlimBrowser | 88.98 runs/minute |
| WaterFox | 85.2 runs/minute |
As we previously discussed, speed is not the only element to consider when choosing a browser, but knowing that you have the fastest on the market will surely be helpful.
Which is the safest browser for Windows 11?
Online security and privacy became even more critical a few years ago, so choosing the best private browser for Windows 11 can be tricky.
To compare all the browsers from this guide, we used the BrowserAudit website benchmark.
This tool analyses the respective browser capabilities with more than 400 tests, each measuring if the browser can protect your privacy and online identity.
Here are the results:
| Browser | Privacy & Security - Browser |
|---|---|
| Mozilla Firefox | - 375 tests passed - 9 warnings - 0 critical - 20 skipped |
| SlimBrowser | - 375 tests passed - 9 warnings - 0 critical - 20 skipped |
| WaterFox | - 374 tests passed - 9 warnings - 0 critical - 20 skipped |
| Google Chrome | - 368 tests passed - 15 warnings - 1 critical - 20 skipped |
| Opera One | - 367 tests passed - 16 warnings - 1 critical - 20 skipped |
| Opera GX | - 367 tests passed - 16 warnings - 1 critical - 20 skipped |
| UR Browser | - 367 tests passed - 16 warnings - 1 critical - 20 skipped |
| Vivaldi | - 367 tests passed - 16 warnings - 1 critical - 20 skipped |
| Microsoft Edge | - 365 tests passed - 18 warnings - 1 critical - 20 skipped |
| Brave Browser | - 364 tests passed - 18 warnings - 1 critical - 21 skipped |
As you can see from the table presented above, Mozilla Firefox seems to have the most significant number of passed tests and is matched by SlimBrowser exactly.
Close behind, we have WaterFox with 374 passed tests, followed by Chrome, Opera One, and Opera GX.
That being said, if we consider all aspects of these options, the number of features, customization options, etc., Opera One still comes on top.
Does Windows 11 force you to use Edge?
Even though back in August of 2021, Microsoft was making it harder for users to change the default browser settings on Windows 11, the backlash from users has made the Redmont giant reconsider its position on this topic.
The Windows 11 build 22509 was the first version of this OS that allowed users to switch to a different default browser other than Edge with just a click of the mouse.
Is Microsoft Edge the same as Internet Explorer 11?
Even though most people were not fans of the Internet Explorer browser, it does have some nostalgic value for some people.
While Microsoft recommends that nobody uses Internet Explorer anymore, there are a few ways to continue using IE on Windows 11.
Now, Edge has an IE mode closed environment for people who still need to use it or for those who encounter issues when making the transition.
But it’s much faster than Internet Explorer, offers better security and privacy, and provides a redesigned UI.
Is Chrome or Edge better for Windows 11?
To answer the question about choosing Chrome or Edge for Windows 11, our team of testers has used the Basemark Web 3.0 benchmark.
This great online tool allows you to test browsing speed, possible data bottlenecks, and other web-performance markers.
To test the CPU and RAM usage for both these browsers, we reset them first, and then five identical tabs were opened in each browser to check what CPU and RAM consumption data were recorded.
Regarding the browser’s security and privacy capabilities, our team of testers has used the BrowserAudit test to ensure an in-depth analysis of this topic, as it is a crucial one.
This online tool checks if the browser uses a wide variety of security standards and features and if it’s doing so correctly.
Here are the results:
| Browser | Basemark Web 3.0 Score | Engine | RAM Usage | CPU | Privacy & Security score - BrowserAudit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Chrome | 1051.94 | Chromium | 1250MB | 1.2 - 1.8% | - 364 tests passed - 19 warnings - 1 critical - 20 skipped |
| Microsoft Edge | 1079.04 | Chromium | 638MB | 1.0 - 1.4 % | - 365 tests passed - 18 warnings - 1 critical - 20 skipped |
As you can see from the results table, choosing between Edge and Chrome will come down to personal preference, as both are built on a Chromium architecture and thus have very similar results across the board.
No matter which option you choose, you can rest assured that you will have a great overall experience.
Summary
Did you know that there are still browsers that support Windows XP? That’s true, and we have an entire article on that subject.
If you would like to get the speed of Internet Explorer 11 and combine it with an immersive UI, great customization options, and a built-in VPN and adblocker, then Opera One is the best choice for you.
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