WHEN GETTING A NEW system or finishing
a new PC build, one of the first tasks is
usually to change the default web browser.
Yes, Microsoft provides you with its Edge
browser. But for most people, it simply
doesn’t cut it. Beyond the simple task of
downloading Google Chrome, that tends to
be pretty much it for Edge. In the majority
of cases, you will probably find yourself
switching to the Google Chrome browser.
While there are many alternatives out
there, including Firefox, Opera, and Safari
(for those using macOS), Chrome remains
the most popular browser.
Google Chrome is built on the same
Chromium open-source browser used by
many other browsers, including Microsoft
Edge. This means some of the features that
make Chrome so popular can also be seen
on other browsers. One such browser is
the new(ish) kid on the block, Brave. This
puts the emphasis on privacy features and
has a few other tricks up its sleeve too. So,
how does this new Chromium browser
measure up to Google Chrome?
Browsers are like banks in that most
people choose one and then don’t tend to
switch over from one to the other. In a way,The battle of the desktop Chromium browsersit’s no surprise they inspire some degree of
loyalty—we spend much of our lives online
and browsers are one of the most accessed
pieces of software. When you become used
to one particular interface and its overall
feel, changing browsers can be daunting.
Part of the attraction of the Chrome
browser is its overall feel and design. It
allows for plenty of customization through
its appearance settings and themes from
the Chrome web store. Accent colors and
background images can easily be changed
and in just a few clicks, you can get a look
that is tweaked especially for you.
But with Brave being built on the same
Chromium platform, the same applies to
this browser too. As clean installs, both
layouts are similar—Google’s aesthetic
over the past decade has somewhat
followed Apple, with a sleek, minimalistic
design making the interface less cluttered
and easier to navigate. This contrasts
with browsers of the mid-2000s, such as
Internet Explorer, which were strewn with
bookmarks and extensions. These extra
features are now hidden away under drop-
down menus that can easily be hidden for a
cleaner experience.At first install, the default look of the
Brave browser just pips Google Chrome
and takes the win for the overall design.
Both have a similar layout, with tabs
starting at the top left of the screen.
Underneath that is the search bar and
to the left are back, forward, and reload
buttons. On the far right, you will find the
extensions and settings on both browsers.
The difference here is that Brave’s search
engine is centered and features two unique
options that we will touch on later.
Brave’s landing page gives you
the choice to add widgets and a more
personalized feel overall. You can add a
clock, news headlines, browsing stats,
cryptocurrency flashcards, and more.
This looks similar in design to Windows
11’s widgets panel and flows down the
center on frosted panels, but it manages to
squeeze all this in without looking bloated.
Chrome’s landing page is a Google
search engine bar with a list of shortcut
icons. It’s a timeless look, but Brave’s take
is both more exciting and modern looking,
whilst maintaining a clean minimal feel.
Brave also uses Chrome’s web store so
there are plenty of customization options.Google Chrome vs BraveThe benchmark
for browsers©^
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92 MAXIMUMPC JAN 2022
in the lab