Understand the main differences and similarities between Microsoft Edge and Opera, two attractive alternatives to Chrome
You’ve decided to ditch Chrome and opt for an alternative browser. In this, Edge and the Opera has drawn your attention for having presented slightly different proposals, but not too far from what the navigator of the Google offers. In the end, the question remains: which program to choose?
With more time on the go, Opera is a much more mature solution than Microsoft🇧🇷 The program has existed since 1995, but has undergone several transformations until it reaches its current stage, built on Chromium and full of features.
Edge, on the other hand, is an “heir” to the legacy of Internet Explorer and, although it has only existed in the Chromium structure since 2020, it proves to be an interesting solution for everyday life, with a good flow of updates, native functions that they go too far beyond the basics and tight integration with the Microsoft ecosystem.
Shedding light on this dilemma, the canaltech I’ve tried both browsers for a while and now highlight some of the most important points of each to help you decide which to adopt.
Interface
Despite the structural similarities, Opera and Edge are quite different visually. While Microsoft’s browser inherits many of Chrome’s more sober visual philosophies, Opera bets on a more robust user interface full of features accessible with the mouse.
The navigator of Opera software it’s still quite clean visually, but the added appeal of providing shortcuts and complementary features makes the browser take up more screen real estate. An example of this is the sidebar, one of the most important features of the program which, by default, allows you to quickly access social networks (recently, the Tick tock), streaming platforms and instant messaging.
There’s nothing wrong with either approach — each caters to a specific type of usage, and Edge even recently rolled out its own version of the sidebar. It is up to the user to decide whether he prefers to have more space for the content he accesses or whether it is more important to have shortcuts and complementary features available by default.
Learn to use Opera
For those coming from Chrome, however, using Opera takes time to adjust to. Most of the browser’s menus and tools behave differently than they do in Google’s program, while Edge manages to smooth this transition with an (almost) identical look and button layout.
However, it’s not that Opera is a difficult browser to use. The program is quite intuitive in many aspects, including tweaking and customizing settings. The only caveat is that the migration process isn’t the smoothest, but it’s also not close to being impossible or very tiring.
Work: a Swiss army knife
In an effort to differentiate itself from the rest, Opera tries to offer a solid and complete experience right out of the box. The browser is packed with native features, shortcuts, add-ons, and other extras to make it a unique app that’s easy to use right out of the box.
Complementary features of Opera include native adblock, tracker blocker, VPN service and the Crypto wallet🇧🇷 All these features can be downloaded and used in Edge through third-party extensions, but Opera saves the user the trouble of installing everything manually.
Sober Edge Experience (for now)
However, having a feature-rich browser can be a drawback. Some users prefer a more streamlined experience, without so many frills and additional features that are often not so important for everyday life. In that sense, the Microsoft Edge stands out, at least for now.
So far, the MS Browser has proved to be a very efficient and straightforward alternative: it is used for convenient access to the Internet, in an intuitive and easy-to-understand interface, with broad support for extensions and tight integration with the ecosystem of the agency. However, it’s evident in the latest updates that the program will follow a similar path to Opera in terms of resources.
Such complementary additions have even been the subject of controversy. On Reddit, the Microsoft has been criticized for implementing a hire purchase mechanism natively in Edge, a feature that not all users need. Add that to the fact that Edge is the default browser on Windows, and an entire community feels overrun with unwanted advertising.
In 2022 the The MS browser has received its own sidebar with utilities from the Microsoft ecosystem🇧🇷 The function is particularly useful for those who exploit the company’s ecosystem, but it is far from pleasant for those who just want an application to access the Internet. Fortunately, displaying the feature is completely optional.
Advantages of chromium
Both Opera and Microsoft Edge are based on Chromium, Google’s open source project that also powers Chrome, the world’s most popular web browser. While this similarity removes variety in the market, it provides a major benefit for the end consumer: broad extension compatibility.
Opera has the Opera Addons store, Edge has Edge Addons, and both can use the Chrome Web Store to download extensions without any workarounds. Interoperability between programs ensures a smooth transition for those who try the three browsers to choose their favorite, or for those who want to step outside the traditional a bit and use Opera as their main application.
Satisfaction with each store’s catalog obviously varies from user to user. On both the Opera and Edge platforms, there are additional options to make your day-to-day browsing easier, and themes to change the look of the app.
It’s worth bearing in mind that not all extensions built for Edge work in Opera and vice versa, nor do tools built for Chrome run smoothly in smaller browsers. There is a possibility that features may have problems installing in different applications, so watch out for any hitches.
Opera and Edge on mobile devices
Just like on PC, Edge and Opera are also quite different on mobile. Each of the browsers has a different interface imprint, both without giving up an intuitive, fluid and practical experience for daily use.
Again, Opera tries to distinguish itself with the widest range of features. The VPN service, the Crypto Wallet and the adblock are present in the program directly from the installation (including the latter being activated by default). It’s easy enough to integrate it into your browsing routine, especially if you already know the purposes of each tool.
The Edge, on the other hand, is significantly more understated. The browser also offers some extra features natively and the tight integration with the company’s ecosystem is certainly an advantage for those within these services.
Otherwise both very similar: strong appeal for continuity of navigation between PC and mobile phone, with synchronized tabs between applications, automatic filling of passwords and tabs, infinite customization possibilities (wider in Opera, by the way) and most .
market dispute
In popularity, it goes without saying that Microsoft Edge has a large lead over Opera. Its native presence on Windows computers makes any user of the system a potential consumer just a click away, while the process of using Opera requires installation via the web (usually from Edge itself).
The site’s market share chart from StatCounter highlights this dispute: Among the major browsers, Opera appears in the torch, even behind Firefox. This difference has become even more relevant since April 2022, when the MS app overtook Safari and took the position of the second leading desktop browser, behind only Chrome.
Edge’s increased prominence grants the browser more attention from extension developers, for example, by providing it with a wider catalog of complementary tools. The Opera community is still strong, but the fact is that a larger user base attracts far more eyes than developers.
Opera GX: the little brother
An alternative to Opera Software for the gaming crowd and refined performance control is Opera GX, the company’s browser for gamers. It is an application very similar to Opera in functionality and structure, but a little more “modern” and “different” in appearance.
Opera GX appeals to an interface aimed at the gaming public, with well-detailed and customizable borders and outlines, refined control of resource consumption (processor and RAM) and other features, such as GX Corner (gaming news center) and GX Cleaner (native data cleaner), which promise to improve the experience with the program.
Opera and Edge: Which is Better?
With all this information in mind, you still have to ask yourself which browser is better, Opera or Edge? The answer, as in analysis between “Chrome vs Edge” is: it depends. In terms of quality, both have well-defined stability, functionality and advantages.
Edge is Microsoft’s browser, one of the company’s ecosystem products, tightly integrated with the Windows operating system (installed by default, by the way), with a Chrome-like interface and its own functions that slightly enhance browsing daily. Opera on the other hand is almost a “Swiss army knife”, with a series of integrated functions to really improve daily use and save the installation of extensions, but still with a sober and intuitive interface, despite being a bit different from been determined by the Google app.
The same answer goes for each of the mobile apps, and ideally the user should be using the desktop and mobile app together to take full advantage of cross-device syncing. The choice of each of the programs depends on the user’s taste for each of the built-in interfaces and features.
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Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
