Microsoft Edge

Pros

• It's a MacOS tuned web browser
• Tailored to incorporate Mac keyboard shortcuts
• A privacy and security augmented browser

Cons

• Troubled by occasional performance hiccups
• Updates are slow to be issued

Microsoft Edge is the default Internet browser on the opposition's operating system, but the program can't lay claim to that title on MacOS systems. To stand out on Apple computers, to gain a competitive edge, this web browser needs a standout feature or two. Performance-wise, the gains are there. Sure, this program did at one time have a bad reputation. It was slow, not as secure as its competitors, but the browser has come a long since those initial reviews were posted. At any rate, the idea that one browser might be a split-second faster than an alternative software package might seem strange. Computer owners rarely worry about a half-second productivity drop when using a word processor, after all.

It's true, web browsers need to be fast, unlike that word processor. As long as a letter or document is written and saved relatively quickly, most office software users don't care too much about an additional half-second added to their workflow. On the other hand, with software like Microsoft Edge, speed is everything. A lost split-second won't count for much on one website, but that period will accumulate as you skip over to other websites. At some point, perhaps with a dozen tabs open, your whole internet browsing experience will become bogged down by browser engine slowdown. No problem, Microsoft Edge is fast, even with all of those extra tabs open. Its web browsing software is as fast as any of its competitors, although it does suffer from an occasional performance hiccup.

It's also secure, which is the next most important feature. With website cookies targeting ads at your computer, pop-ups open to display your location. Hackers, ISP providers, and who knows who else, they're all spying on your viewing habits. Designed with enhanced security in mind, you'll open an InPrivate window when privacy matters come to the fore. Admittedly, malware problems and identity theft issues aren't such a worry on Mac systems, not the way they are on Windows computers, but as long as there's a chance of a security breach, you should have a security-aware web browser like Microsoft Edge to protect your website journeys.

There are other popular web browsers. Again, this is a competitive market, with no more than four major browsers dominating the entire World Wide Web. And they're all free to install, plus they're always being updated, perhaps as soon as a software vulnerability is discovered. If one doesn't satisfy your browsing demands, then you'll uninstall it and switch over to an alternative platform. Keeping this in mind, the software engineers who built this program know they need something special to make it stand out. That's not too big a problem, not when you're part of the company that updates Windows. Consequently, this browser integrates well with the Microsoft OS. However, can the same be said for MacOS?

Although originally conceived as a Windows program, the Mac edition of Microsoft Edge isn't a straightforward software port. On the contrary, this version has been coded to take advantage of MacOS keyboard shortcuts and button locations. Dark Mode is also fully incorporated, so the application feels like it's part of the Mac environment. This is not an ill-conceived Windows port. Fonts, touch bar settings, dropdown menus, Apple conventions, indeed every Mac flavored feature is carefully and cleverly included.

Pros

• It's a MacOS tuned web browser
• Tailored to incorporate Mac keyboard shortcuts
• A privacy and security augmented browser

Cons

• Troubled by occasional performance hiccups
• Updates are slow to be issued