Best Browser for both Desktop and Tablet use.

[TunaSurface]

So ever since I found out Chrome eats the Surface's battery like a mad man, I started looking around for the second best possible option. The thing is, I use my Surface both as a tablet and as a regular PC, I switch around constantly. There's plenty of browsers out there, and I don't have time to check them all out.
Here's what I know.

CHROME: Fast, works okay with touch. Great with desktop.

IE: Feels extremely slow, touch is okay, takes some practice.
Needs to be set as the default browser to work as the tablet version (Deal breaker)
No way to install adblock?


That's all I have, if there's a middle ground, please.
I don't want to use IE as my default browser.

PS. If there's a way to trick IE into believing it's the default browser, that would be great.

 

[DeltaXray]

I'm not a fan of Chrome on Surface. It does chew through battery, and they've changed the MUI version to have the same UI as the desktop version, which is not touch friendly. So they've basically got a Window inside a MUI window, which is really bizarre.

Firefox would have been a good alternative, but they canned their 'metro' version earlier this year.

So it leaves us with just IE which can serve both roles. Which is somewhat slow and has font rendering issues in at least the MUI version, and the odd CPU spike issue as well. Not great.

I haven't tried Opera or Safari on here yet but I don't think they have MUI versions.

 

[Morgan]

For me IE Metro/Modern works great. I use all the time. I particularly appreciate it for READING mode. If I could run Hangouts inside IE Modern, I'd never use anything else.

 

[HarnessTech]

Aside from the battery issues with Chrome, I prefer the metro version of Chrome. If you aren't aware of this feature, click the menu icon in Chrome, then click "Relaunch Chrome in Windows 8 mode". I like the icon bar at the bottom of the browsing screen, as I use Chrome's bookmark bar quite extensively.

That said, word has it that Google has fixed the battery-eating issue in Chrome and will be released in Chrome Canary soon (this coming week, supposedly). We are probably a few weeks away from seeing it in the stable version, but it's good to know it's being addressed.

 

[TunaSurface]

Let's hope for the best, either Chrome fixes it's shucks or im bailin'.

 

[hd94]

just curious, how do u guys know that chrome eats up the battery?

 

[malberttoo]

just curious, how do u guys know that chrome eats up the battery?

It is a known issue from a long time ago. Basically if you have IE open, and you're just browsing, then your processor is snoozing most of the time. But Chrome has some super old code it in that forces the processor to stay awake and running. More processor wakefulness = more battery usage. Even if you have Chrome minimized it is still not letting the proc sleep much.

They are supposedly working on a fix...

 

[DeltaXray]

It is a known issue from a long time ago. Basically if you have IE open, and you're just browsing, then your processor is snoozing most of the time. But Chrome has some super old code it in that forces the processor to stay awake and running. More processor wakefulness = more battery usage. Even if you have Chrome minimized it is still not letting the proc sleep much.

They are supposedly working on a fix...

IE isn't perfect though. I have occasions where IE (only MUI version) will kick processor up to 30-50% usage for no reason. The only thing which will stop it is to fully kill IE and reopen.

It used to happen every single time I opened MUI IE. But I did a refresh and now it only happens around 3 times a day, but that is still 3 times too many for what is come buggy code :/

 

[malberttoo]

IE isn't perfect though. I have occasions where IE (only MUI version) will kick processor up to 30-50% usage for no reason. The only thing which will stop it is to fully kill IE and reopen.

It used to happen every single time I opened MUI IE. But I did a refresh and now it only happens around 3 times a day, but that is still 3 times too many for what is come buggy code :/

I definitely wouldn't say IE is perfect.

And in fact before my SP3, I was strictly, and heavily, a Chrome user. I still am on my workstation at work. I just have found that IE on the SP3 seems to be the best browser on that device.

That my educated opinion anyways....

 

[Geneo]

You can use Adblock with IE. But you have to go to the desktop and use the IE there. That one will load addons and plugins. (Like my Lastpass).
The IE from Start ('Modern' IE?) doesn't load any addons or plugins, nor can you make it.

 

[Moonsurface]

I'm finding i'm loving usine metro IE, but I don't like the desktop version of IE... so if I'm on the desktop I usually go to metro to use IE there... not sure why I just prefer the simpler interface I guess! But that does mean I can't use an adblocker which is really irritating..... I used to be a heavy chrome user... well I still am I use it on my desktop PC and work PC.

 

[VickiFL]

Can you import all your favorite places to the SP3 IE from other browsers (i.e.-Chrome, Firefox) on a different laptop? TIA