http://lifehacker.com/#!5784396/browser-speed-tests-firefox-4-internet-explorer-9-chrome-11-and-more So, apparently Opera and Chrome 10 are the fastest options overall, but I wouldn't be too fussed about speed personally as all the latest browsers are plenty fast enough for my needs; out of interest why do you ask?
I agree with all but IE. Sometimes you just need IE because of decisions taken by websites or web services. It has abilities that other browsers don't. Now, why... that's a different matter, and we can thank microsoft for that.
I was originally told opera was quick when i switched, I now use it all the time and can't complain, certainly seems faster than FF hen I gave it another go last week.
for real speed links is the sh!t. you don't have all of those pesky images, javascript and flash nonsense to slow you down. no i'm not really serious. i prefer firefox latest for best all arounder. just have to keep away from all of the extensions to keep it fast.
I used to use chrome exclusively, but i've found it's become buggy on my system, so i flirt between firefox 4 and chrome. I like chrome, but sometimes firefox just seems snappier.
FF 4 is the best.. Chrome is a lot faster though.. It's just a matter of choice, try and experiment and then decide later. Good Luck.
Chrome. I have FF4 and IE9 installed in case someone didn't bother to test their page properly though.
I personally prefer Chrome; was fastest on my slow laptop and still most usable on my quick rig. Firefox for web development, IE9 may be good but Microsoft lost me a few years ago & Opera I've never needed.
I think Opera is the best. What is so much better about FF, apart from it being open source? I have no problem with people having a preference for FF, they don't even need to have a reason in fact so long as they are happy, but I find a lot of people saying FF is better than Opera when that person has never actually tried Opera. I can't think of anything that Opera is missing compared to other browsers, and yet it is so unpopular.
TheStockBroker, didn't Microsoft invent the whole concept of incompatibility on the web? But really, I don't know of a self-respecting designer that would code an application to work in IE but not Firefox. Just in terms of speed: Chrome. I agree Instagib, Chrome is essential on my less powerful machines with the smallest footprint. But on my newer machine, I find it to be maybe 3x as unstable as before. That still means less than 20 crashes a year, but it used to be about 6 tops.