Brave puts
control in the
hands of the user
Features are one of Brave’s strongest
points. It takes the formula of Chrome and
adds to it, providing the user with a lighter
browser that feels speedier and more
focused. We mentioned earlier how many
people tend to stick with their browser
and, in part, that’s because making the
transition to a new one can be difficult.
But with both browsers underpinned by
Chromium, switching between Chrome
and Brave is a breeze. Brave supports
all Chrome bookmarks and extensions.
So, when you download it, you can import
your previous settings, including history,
bookmarks/favorites, saved passwords,
and extensions. Switching is quick and
easy, and you will soon feel at home again.
BRAVE NEW WORLD
In Brave, some of the most important
extensions to improve Chrome, such as
ad-blockers, are already pre-installed.
Called Brave Shield, you will find its lion
icon to the right of Brave’s search bar.
Brave Shield has plenty of options to
tweak the ad-blocker. You can change the
severity to aggressive, standard, or turn
it off altogether. You can block scripts,
cookies, and fingerprinting and see how
many trackers have been blocked. This
data can also be viewed on Brave’s landing
page. We spend much of our lives on the
internet, so keeping your data secure is
vital but, unfortunately, Chrome doesn’t
offer this added security feature as default.
Another standout feature of Brave is
its crypto reward scheme, which aims to
give users more control over their adverts
and actually pays you to keep them turned
on. Brave’s Private Ads system rewards
users through its crypto-asset BAT (Basic
Attention Token). The best thing about this
is that it’s completely optional, like the ad-
blocker, they are just there if you wish to
use them. You can continue to earn more
BAT or gift it to content publishers you like,
similar to any other crypto asset. Brave
also features a built-in wallet, called Brave
Wallet, which offers you a secure way to
store your BAT or other crypto assets.
Unlike Chrome, Brave applies the
modern touches to a browser whilst
keeping the user secure and in control.
For simply searching the web, Chrome is
ideal—it’s a dependable browser that has
been more than enough for many users
over the years. However, if you like the
way Chrome feels and performs but care
about where your data is going and how it is
being used, Brave is the better choice. The
tracker on the landing page shows you how
many trackers and ads have been blocked
as well as how much time you have saved
without using ads
Brave offers a similar experience to
Chrome but has more features and loads
pages times three to six times faster. So,
not only do you get a smoother browsing
experience, but you also get peace of mind
with an ad-blocker and pop-ups disabled.
Chrome has paved the way for modern
web browsers and has proved a popular
choice for a long time. However, in times
of heightened online security fears, maybe
it’s time for a new browser that offers a
better and quicker package? – SAM LEWIS
©^
BR
AV
E
Brave
BRAVE NEW APPROACH
Dependable Chromium platform;
new modern look; feature packed; great
security; speedy browser
LITTLE SHY Not quite original, still
nowhere near as large as Chrome...
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 7, Windows
8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 or later. CPU,
Intel Pentium 4 processor or later that’s
SSE2 capable
$Free, http://www.brave.com
Google Chrome
SHINY Reliable; sets standards
for browsers; quick and tidy
SCUFFED Bland from default; no built
in ad-blocking; lacking proper security
features
OPERATING SYSTEM Windows 7, Windows
8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 or later. CPU,
Intel Pentium 4 processor or later that’s
SSE3 capable
$Free, http://www.google.com
9
8
VERDICT
VERDICT
JAN 2022 MAXIMUMPC 93
