Which Web Browser is the Fastest in Mac OS X?

Using our 400 MHz PowerBook 2000 (FireWire), we timed four different actions for the following web browsers in Mac OS X: Netscape 4.77 (Classic), Internet Explorer 5.1 (Carbon), iCab 2.5 (Carbon) and OmniWeb 4.0cf3 (Cocoa). Here are the results:

Average Time in Full Seconds

Action	NC	IE	iCab	OmniWeb
Launch/Load Macs Only!	8	23	12	35
Scroll Macs Only!	3	5	8	5
Load SiteLink.net	4	12	9	13
Back to Macs Only!	2	<1	2	<1

Launch time was measured from clicking on the browsers icon until the home page (Macs Only! of course) was fully loaded. Scrolling time was calculated with the window fully open using the lower arrow button. Loading the home page of SiteLink.net was timed from clicking on its URL in the sidebar of Macs Only! until the page was fully loaded. Back to Macs Only! was measured by clicking the back arrow after the previous action. All actions were repeated 3 times.

Netscape Communicator 4.77 running in classic mode is the clear winner. Of the two Carbonized browsers, iCab 2.5 splits with Internet Explorer 5.1. OmniWeb is the slowest by far in launch time but does well in the other actions.

In other comparisons, OmniWeb renders web pages the best of the four, in our opinion. On the down side OmniWeb currently does not remember the window size after being quit and relaunched while the other three browsers do. [Update: Many readers pointed out that this is accomplished by selecting the "Save Window Size" command under the "Browser" menu. We regret our error.] Our 450 MHz G4 Cube launches OmniWeb in 13 seconds and our Power Mac G4 533 DP launches OmniWeb in 9 seconds, showing the power of the G4 chip with Cocoa applications. However, with Mac OS X's stability and sleep mode, applications used all the time should be left open which lessens the issue of launch time. In fact, applications left open with their window closed use little RAM and little CPU time in Mac OS X--clicking their icon in the dock quickly opens a new window.