When comparing Edge vs Microsoft Edge (Chromium), the Slant community recommends Microsoft Edge (Chromium) for most people. In the question“What are the best browsers for low spec laptops?” Microsoft Edge (Chromium) is ranked 2nd while Edge is ranked 3rd.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Better performance
The performance of Microsoft Edge not just outperforms Microsoft's previous browser known as Internet Explorer, but due to the better technologies used, it also performs faster than other browsers such as Chrome.
Pro Supports web notes (annotations, drawing and highlighting)
Microsoft Edge supports annotations, drawing and highlighting that can allow users to add annotations into the website as a reference, highlight the notes on the website and also draw anything on the website.
Pro Very efficient
Less battery draining than any other browser.
Pro Reading mode
Reading mode is a feature that can allow users to read an article in a reader mode, removing distractive elements such as ads and other elements, leaving only the main article and images, similar to Safari's reader mode and Firefox's recent addition of Reader View.
Pro No longer support legacy elements from Internet Explorer
Microsoft Edge drops supports of legacy elements that are previously available in Internet Explorer such as ActiveX, Browsers Helper Objects (BHOS) and VBScript in favor with JavaScript and HTML5.
Pro Reading list
Reading list is a read-it-later feature that can allow users to add article to this section and read the article later on similar to Pocket and Safari's Reading List
Pro Stacked Tabs
With the new Creators Update, tabs can now be stacked for later use.
Pro Works with Windows Defender - real time protection.
Edge has real-time protection from malicious websites and identity thefts by Windows Defender.
Pro Comes with Cortana
Cortana is a personal assistant and AI by Microsoft inside the Edge browser that can allow users to perform recommendation search, hints, highlights, answers and assistant based on the highlighted keywords user wish to perform and Cortana will give the results on the right side of the sidebar.
Pro Gorgeous new tab page
Users who launch a new tab will see a Google Now-like page where it shows the latest news, sports scores, weather, recommended apps, most visited sites, etc.
Pro Fast
Pro Supports Chrome extensions
As it is built on Chromium.
Pro Better web compatibility
Uses the same engine as Chromium so web pages render better.
Pro More private
During the launch of Chromium-based Microsoft Edge, the company claimed to have removed more than 50 services intended to collect user data. The improvement in this aspect does not come only from the hand of privacy, but also from optimization. The privacy settings are also a lot simpler to understand, more robust, and better than Chrome. There are three modes, basic, balanced and strict.
Pro Faster than Chrome and other browsers
It uses less RAM, has tracking prevention and accelerates the hardware when possible.
Pro Built on Chromium
Microsoft are contributing to Chromium.
Pro Great UI
It will soon get a new UI codenamed Phoenix. Very cool.
Pro Consumes much less battery than Chrome and other alternatives
Pro Preinstalled in most Windows 10 devices
Most Windows 10 devices have Microsoft Edge preinstalled.
Pro Has built-in ad blocking features
If you select the "strict" option in the Microsoft Edge settings, it practically becomes an ad blocker.
Pro Fast enough, fair privacy protection and compatible with chrome extensions
Pro Has its own built-in plugin web store
Microsoft edge support both, microsoft edge add-ons and chrome web store
Pro Replaces the old pre-installed Edge
Since the old Edge isn't removable on most PCs.
Pro You can earn money with this Browser
with microsoft rewards and Edge you can earn money
Pro Free integrated VPN
Pro Good features for teams to work together, like workspaces
free Office integrated
Pro Lots of features
Pro Sidebar with AI features and new Edge Drop
Edge drop is a good way to integrate your phone into windows
Pro Useful features like the reader mode
Cons
Con Proprietary
While Microsoft Edge is currently available for Windows 10 without additional monetary charge (free as in price), it is currently not free as in freedom (meaning that it does not allow users to view the source code used to create, to modify that code, or to redistribute modifications) and is therefore neither free nor open-source software.
Con Only for Windows 10
On desktops, Edge is only available on Windows 10. However, it is cross-platform on tablets.
Con Making Googles Blink monopoly even stronger
The new Edge uses Googles Blink engine, essentially turning Edge into a reskinned Chromium.
Con Flash embedded
The "security bug once a week" software flash is standard embedded and enabled in Edge.
Con Poor HTML5 support
Edge is considerably worse at rendering pages than Chrome or Firefox, or other leading competitors, and often encounters rendering issues where it doesn't render the page as the web designer expects.
Con Microsoft sends all your browsing history to Microsoft and tracks you by default
Microsoft Edge collects less information than Chrome, but still is collecting data about you and your interests.
Con Synchronization between PC and phone is weak
Although synchronization between computers is similar to Chrome, synchronization between PCs - phone is weak.
Con Unlike the legacy version, it doesn't have the option to set aside tabs which was a very useful feature
It does give you the option to give feedback for people who want setting tabs aside back, but it's not likely they're going to add it.
Con (Integration with) Windows designed by Microsoft so that deinstall/ install of browser of user choice is extremely elaborate
Let's just wait to see history repeat itself, and Micorsoft being fined for it. (Again!)