What's the Best Browsers for Battery Life? [Research Piece With Results]
Better battery life = more device autonomy = more freedom
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Looking for a browser that uses less battery? We’ve got you covered. We tested the most battery-friendly browsers and will share the results, explaining what affects battery usage.
Before we dive in, remember that, while the numbers are important, it’s not just about the math. Consider the features each browser offers.
Sometimes, a bit more battery use is worth the extra tools and extensions.
Which browser uses the least battery? Test Results
â–¶ TLDR: our general conclusion is:
- Opera One: Best all-around choice with great speed and performance without compromising on features.
- Microsoft Edge: Ideal for situations where every minute counts, but with fewer features.
Now, let’s check out the test.
- Test Type: Battery consumption with multiple browser tabs
- Device Used: ASUS TUF Gaming F17 laptop
- Screen Brightness: 200 nits
- Testing Process: Varied web workloads, repeated until battery depletion
- Measurement: Minutes of operation (higher is better)
| Browser | Test score in minutes |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Edge | 529 |
| Opera One | 521 |
| UR Browser | 496 |
| Brave Browser | 485 |
| Firefox | 471 |
| Chrome | 452 |
As you can see from the table presented above, at the top of the list, we have Microsoft Edge with a score of 529, followed closely by Opera One, which scored 521.
Since the difference between the first 2 is quite small (8 minutes) and even the gap between Edge and Chrome isn’t huge, we suggest you consider the following factors when you decide which one to use:
- Edge is objectively faster, but has far fewer features than Opera One
- UR Browser is not that far away from Opera One either, and what might slow it down are its more rigorous (and adjustable) security and privacy features
- Close behind we have Brave Browser, which focuses on speed and privacy with aggressive ad-blocking and Tor integration
- Firefox is quite down the line but it’s still a great choice if you want privacy
- Chrome was the least performant, losing 77 minutes to Edge, but it has a lot more features than Edge and much more room for integrating productivity and work tools
Now, let’s discuss the features and benefits each of these browsers includes.
Which browser is best for battery life?
Opera One – The most battery-efficient browser
Developed by Opera Software AS, the Opera One browser is known for its integrated ad-blocking feature and VPN.
That adds to its speed and performance while still being secure and private.
Not to mention, none of the above-mentioned features take up more resources of your device, since the browser has minimal impact on battery power.
Whether it’s streaming games or video, the browser can keep you going for a really long time.
It enforces security by protecting it from fraudulent sites, malware, and phishing attacks. The built-in ad blocker limits the ads which, in turn, leads to a really fast browsing experience.
Opera One
Whether you’re working, web-playing, or browsing, keep battery life as good as new with this sleek browser.UR Browser – Optimized for privacy and low impact on resources
UR browser is among the safest and most secure browsers out there though it’s also one that sips little battery juice, making it one of the best browsers for laptop battery life.
This is applicable even if you have multiple tabs open or when doing things that can be taxing on the CPU, such as watching a video or listening to music.
UR browser comes with a simple user interface that is easily customizable as well. You’ll get used to the UR browser easily given that it’s based on Chromium, the Google open-source platform that we already know.
Among other features, UR Browser has an integrated download tool that automatically identifies multimedia files on a webpage and can download those for offline viewing.
It also comes with a media center to help organize all the stuff that you have downloaded. What’s more, UR Browser also comes with built-in games that you can make the best use of while away some time.
UR Browser
Open as many tabs as you like in this browser. It won’t slow down your device, nor will it eat up much battery life.Microsoft Edge – Fastest browser with a low amount of features
The default browser from Microsoft for the Windows 10 platform also happens to be one of the best when it comes to battery life. Even though it is not the most energy-efficient browser, Edge is better than its predecessor.
Fortunately, that does not come at the cost of performance as the Edge is also one of the fastest browsers you can have in a Windows environment.
It is safe and secure too, having enough protection and privacy features onboard for you to carry on sensitive tasks such as banking operations with complete peace of mind.
It can ward off phishing or malware attacks and has the least likelihood of being hacked.
Edge is also constantly being upgraded to offer its users a smart experience. Developers too will find it easy to test their websites and online apps, besides allowing for a consistent experience across the board.
Brave Browser – Stable browser that doesn’t affect your CPU that much
Brave is a free web browser with ad-blocking being its biggest USP, something that naturally translates to better browsing speeds.
No wonder the company claims to have up to 8-times the speed advantage over contemporary browsers such as Chrome. That said, the browser is also known to provide an extended battery experience as well.
Whether playing online games or streaming video, the Brave browser is one that won’t let you down in terms of battery life.
Another key feature of Brave is the secured environment it provides for you to carry on with your browsing. Apart from ads, Brave also blocks the tens of trackers that are often present on even the most popular of sites.
The company takes pride in the ad-blocking and data optimization abilities of the browser which it claims can help save a lot of data and hence money in the process.
Mozilla Firefox – Expanded customization with a large number of addons
Firefox, developed by Mozilla Foundation and Mozilla Corp., is among the most popular browsers today.
Much of that has to do with its ability to perform with very little battery power while still being extremely secure and fast.
The browser also supports a host of plugins that further adds to the browser’s appeal.
It is also less intensive on the PC’s resources, with the company claiming it to be 30% lighter on the RAM than Chrome.
The company has also launched the Firefox Quantum, which claims to be the epitome of security, privacy, and speed while also being incredibly light on the battery.
It also offers several themes that allow you to personalize your browsing experience, while the thousands of extensions it supports only adds to the browser’s appeal.
What is the best browser for battery life on Windows 11?
The best browser that can extend your Windows 11 device’s battery life is Microsoft Edge, which was capable of running our benchmark tests for 529 minutes. Close behind, we have Opera One with 521 minutes of operating time for the same test.
Even though Edge scored better running times than its competitor, when considering all aspects of what the browsers offer, we suggest you use Opera One for better results. In addition, the built-in VPN and adblocker ensure your online security is respected at all times.
What is the best browser for battery life on Mac?
Our testers have concluded that the best browser to use on Mac regarding battery life is Opera One, followed close behind by Safari.
Their recommendation is based on the amount of incredibly-useful features that it has, making the Mac experience more immersive and readily customized.
If you don’t want to optimize your online experience, Safari is still an excellent native browser for Mac devices.
What is the best browser for battery life on Android?
To answer this question, we must first clarify what you will use your phone for, as this significantly influences the result.
To understand what parameters need to be considered when figuring out how will you predominantly use your Android device, please read on:
| Browser type | Suggestions | Functions and features | Utility |
| Normal | – Opera One – Brave | A more significant number of features | Pro: Usage versatility is considerably extended Con: Larger impact on system resources |
| Lightweight | – Opera Mini | Fewer functions and features | Pro: Faster processing speed and lower resource impact Con: Functionality is reduced but still great |
Looking at the table above, try and figure out what needs you want to cover with your choice of browser.
If you are interested in versatility, customization, and a variety of useful features, then going for a so-called normal browser is the best option.
If you are only interested in speed and longer battery life, then going for a lightweight browser will ensure that will happen.
For more detailed information regarding this topic, don’t hesitate to explore some of the best browsers with low-system resource consumption.
Does Firefox use less battery than Chrome?
To answer this question with confidence, our team of testers has taken both of these browsers through rigorous benchmark tests and will present the results to you.
Their tests were performed in the same exact OS conditions, on a separate system, with a fresh installation of the respective browser being used.
Each browser was tested with 10 identical tabs open, and here are the results:
| Browsers | CPU | RAM |
| Chrome | 5 – 13 % | 1783MB |
| Firefox | 3.1 – 4% | 847MB |
As you can see, Firefox uses 3.1 to 4% of the CPU, and 847MB of RAM, thus clearly taking the lead when it comes to resource consumption.
Chrome uses 5 to 13% of the CPU in the test and a whopping 1783MB of RAM, making it too resource-intensive if your goal is to save battery.
So, if you’ve been looking for the most power-efficient browser, give it a shot with one of these.
What is the best browser for battery life on iOS?
Regarding iOS devices, the best browser for battery life is Safari. This native browser ensures your device can browse the internet efficiently and doesn’t affect your battery levels.
As an alternative to that, you could also try downloading Dolphin Browser. Even though some users have complained about stability issues, some are very happy with their choice.
This makes for a list of browsers that are among the most energy-efficient. We hope that you’ve found the best one for your needs.
If your device is discharging fast, here’s how to fix Windows 11 battery drain issues and get your device to run better.
What’s your weapon of choice for browsing? Tell us in the comments section below.
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