Internet Explorer 9 saves more power than the competition

Microsoft: IE9 is the power-saving emperor

Browser puts less strain on notebook batteries than the competition

According to Microsoft, Internet Explorer 9 is currently the most energy-efficient browser. The group has published the results of a series of tests in the official IEBlog, examining the effects of surfing on the energy consumption of a Windows 7 notebook. The result: IE9 with its hardware acceleration, especially with HTML5 apps, loads the battery noticeably less than the four most important competitors Chrome 10, Firefox 4, Opera 11 and Safari 5.

Microsoft has two HTML5 apps from its demo site IE Test Drive for the investigation http://ie.microsoft.com/testdrive/ used, not the examples from other browser manufacturers. When asked by pressetext, Microsoft spokesman Herbert Koczera admits that this could produce slightly different results due to the sometimes different implementations of the as yet unfinished HTML5 standard. "Microsoft works closely with the standardization bodies and has already made numerous tests available," he emphasizes, however.


Lasts significantly longer
The Microsoft team explains in the IEBlog that modern hardware is designed to save electricity, for example by sleeping components that are not in use. In order for this to work when surfing, browsers must also support these options in a meaningful way. Then the battery will last longer in a notebook. At least when displaying a blank page, most browsers do their job well, according to the test. Opera, however, is out of line. According to Microsoft, the browser prevents the CPU from being able to sensibly switch to a sleep mode.
There are clearer differences when you visit "one of the most popular news sites in the world", where Chrome is particularly noticeable due to consumption peaks in the graphics processor. In Microsoft's HTML5 aquarium "FishIE Tank", Chrome draws ten watts and Opera nine watts more than IE9. Firefox 4, on the other hand, only falls somewhat behind in "Galactic". The HTML5 app, in which a view of the solar system rotates in the browser, is also Apple's Achilles heel. According to the test, a 56-watt-hour battery would last almost four hours under IE9 and an hour and a half less with Safari.


Efficiency for everyone?
The Microsoft testers say they want to show how important it is to keep the browser's power consumption in mind. "We encourage industry and other browser vendors to follow us on the path to a more energy-efficient web," they write. That is certainly in the interests of the user, because not everyone benefits from Microsoft's efforts. Because IE9 is closely interlinked with Windows Vista and 7. According to StatCounter Global Stats, more than 47 percent of global users still use XP. Just like OS X and Linux users, you are forced to use Microsoft alternatives if you want a truly modern browser.

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