Changing the browser is complicated. You get used to a series of shortcuts, how the different elements of its interface, specific usability options and even its extensions are shown and you are not able to try other options. Although, sometimes, it does not hurt to do it in case at any time you need another browser. Our current recommendation Microsoft Edge.
Microsoft Edge and its evolution as a browser
Years ago Microsoft launched Edge, a browser that had the mission of being the Internet Explorer replacement. To do this, they created a new rendering method and opted for a series of changes, but it did not curdle. Thus, in 2018 they decided to “kill him” or almost. Now comes the final version of the new Microsoft Edge based on Chromium.
Seeing that the first proposal did not work, Microsoft decided to pivot and start using the Chromiun open source rendering engine. Exactly, the same that other browsers use and that many know thanks to Chrome, the Google browser.
This in an engine that offers good performance and that for Edge also adds an important advantage and reason to make the jump from another browser cost less: support for Chrome extensions. Yes, it may seem interesting for only a few but it is not. The most advanced users are certain that they depend more on them to improve their use with certain services and applications, but the average user is also discovering more and more the advantages of these plugins or add-ons.
Even so, returning to the browser itself, this new Microsoft Edge offers a very nice interface and it is very easy to get used to the browser you come from. Another of its advantages, at least our impression, is that even being based on the same Chromiun engine seems to be very well optimized in terms of resource consumption.
If you add that it is available for the main platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS and Android, it is logical that it does not seem to be a bad idea. And if by any chance it has crossed your mind, Chrome’s jump to Edge is the easiest of all . Because as soon as you start, he asks you if you give him access to synchronize information and bookmarks. Also, that the extensions are compatible.
A walk through Microsoft Edge
If you have not seen anything from Microsoft Edge or do not want to install it until you know something else, let’s take a walk through the interface and the first configuration steps. And then you decide if you are interested or not to try it.
When you start the browser you have the option to choose the view. You can change this whenever you want, but select if you prefer: inspiration, information or specific. Depending on which one you choose, you will have more or less information on the home screen. In this case you see the information view, where at the bottom you see a series of tabs with selected news accesses for you, entertainment, Spain, international, Sports, etc. We could say that it is something similar to Google Discover.
In the upper right corner you will have access to your user account. When you log in with a Microsoft account you can take advantage of advantages such as synchronization of data between browsers of different devices that have started with the same user account.
Right next to the icon to access the settings that allow you to manage applications, extensions, activate incognito mode, view history, bookmarks or even access browser settings. There the most interesting are the security and privacy options.
Microsoft Edge is committed to privacy and offers three predetermined levels of prevention: Basic, Balanced and Strict. As you can imagine, which will allow activity trackers, etc. , varies between one and the other. It is worth taking a look at each and every option to know which one to choose.
The other important section is the one that affects the permissions of a site. If you want to be asked or not before you can access the microphone, sensors, webcam, etc., from there you can configure everything.
In summary, after a few days of testing with this stable version the sensations are very good. While it is true that abandoning one browser for another is not easy because of a matter of customs, if you wanted to have an alternative or gradually migrate because you believe that your current option consumes too many resources, it does not provide advantages due to extensions, etc. , you could try Microsoft Edge and rate. Welcome, again, to the war of the navigators.