Top five web browsers

There are so many browsers available that it can be difficult to select just one. Successful web browsing software requires a careful balance of performance, security, usability and added features. This is a list of the top five browsers as of 2011, along with a short summary of what you can expect from each.

Introduction

There are many browsers available for free download, each with their own unique features and applications. Some are more focused on performance, whilst others are more user-oriented. Below are the top five browsers, along with what makes them so popular.

Top five

1. Mozilla Firefox - As the most popular browser since 2009, Firefox has much to offer. Its trademark “awesome bar” combines search and address bar to great effect. Most visited websites can be pinned to the top of the browser, making them permanently visible. Third party applications can even be installed to increase security or improve browsing experience. 2. Google Chrome - The number of Chrome users is increasing steadily, with most users attracted by its promise of speed and performance. Google has mastered the browsing experience by stripping out any unnecessary features to optimise speed and decrease loading times. 3. Safari - With its impressive visual display, Safari is definitely for the user who enjoys their browsing experience. The home screen consists of thumbnails of favourite websites, and the “Reader” application can even filter out the adverts. Safari's unconventional layouts will be more familiar to those accustomed to Apple products 4. Opera - Optimised for slower connections, Opera provides a careful balance of simplicity and keeping the user informed. Protection is paramount and a concise display of security level is always visible. Once again, third party software can be installed, as well as add-ons from Opera itself. Even the slowest connections can be improved by the “Opera Turbo” application. 5. Internet Explorer - As the most used web browser of all time, Internet Explorer has evolved over 15 years to provide a truly refined browsing experience. Recent updates have seen a huge increase in performance, but exclusivity to Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating system. Tabs have also been improved to optimise space usage within the window.