6 browsers that can make your old, sluggish PC feel like new again

2 hours ago 3

The best lightweight browser for slow connections

For many people, network and PC speed are easily taken for granted. Most modern computers are powerful, and network speeds far surpass those in the late 1990s and early 2000s. However, that is not always the case.

Upgrading to a more powerful computer can be expensive. And in some rural locations, there is little competition for internet connectivity, and the available options tend to be slower.

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If that sounds like your daily web experience, a few web browsers can help alleviate your issues. Some of these browsers are lightweight, but more importantly, they also work well with slower network connections. Let's take a look at these browsers.

1. Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge does a great job of managing memory. In fact, the approximate memory usage of this browser (with 10 open tabs) is around 790 MB.

It's no surprise that Edge makes this list, as it is built using the Blink rendering engine (think Chromium). However, given Microsoft's record of building slow, resource-consuming apps, its inclusion may come as a surprise to those who have battled Microsoft apps on their systems for decades.

Even so, Edge does a wonderful job of keeping resource usage down while still performing at a high level. The way Edge handles resources makes it a great candidate for slower network connections. Edge also includes several features to help with slow connections, such as data throttling, resource limiting, web rendering, ad blocking, webpage compression, and fast tab switching.

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You can download and use Microsoft Edge for free on Linux, MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS.

2. Opera

Another Chromium-based browser, Opera consumes roughly 899 MB of memory for 10 tabs.

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Although Opera includes more features than Edge, it performs more like a browser built for lower-powered machines. Even with performance comparable to a stripped-down browser, Opera delivers on features and customizability. You can tweak the browser's appearance and use Workspaces for improved tab management.

Opera is also faster on slower connections, thanks to features like turbo mode, a built-in ad blocker, page load acceleration, content compression, fast tab switching, and DNS preloading.

You can download and use Opera for free on Linux, MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS.

3. Opera GX

As we're discussing Opera, we can't ignore Opera GX, which includes RAM, CPU, and network limiters. Opera GX is a gaming browser that includes an ad blocker and even a free VPN for MacOS and Windows users.

While Opera GX is a gaming browser (which might lead you to assume it's only for modern, quick hardware), the limiters in this browser mean you are in control of how many system resources the browser is allowed to access. Let's say your aging PC has only 8GB of RAM. Instead of allowing Opera to consume a majority of that RAM, you can limit how much it can use. That capability alone makes this browser worth trying.

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Did I mention that Opera GX is also one of the coolest, most highly customizable browsers on the market? Even better, it's free.

4. Brave

Brave is yet another Chromium-based browser, but one with slightly less efficient memory usage (approximately 920 MB for 10 tabs). However, Brave seriously raises the bar on security. Brave offers strong privacy, blocking ads and trackers automatically -- yet still performs well.

Although Brave may not be light on system resources, the browser includes features like page load acceleration, content compression, fast tab switching, quick resume, and DNS preload. These features help Brave perform well on slower networks.

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If you're looking for a browser that can handle slower machines and networks while also offering high-level security, Brave is a great choice. You can download and install Brave for free on Linux, MacOS, Windows, Android, and iOS.

5. K-Meleon

K-Meleon is an open-source browser developed by the K Foundation in India based on Gecko.

As network speeds can be very slow in India, a browser built specifically to help overcome that issue was necessary. K-Meleon uses very few resources (approximately 200 MB for 10 tabs). This browser's speed can be attributed to features such as a lightweight architecture, ad and tracker blocking, built-in VPN, minimal interface, no JavaScript, Java, or Adobe Flash support, built-in caching, and a customizable user agent string.

However, there are a couple of things to keep in mind with K-Meleon. First, the browser offers an old-school UI. Even so, if you're looking for a web browser that can meet the challenge of old hardware and slow network connectivity, K-Meleon might be the right fit.

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Second, K-Meleon's development is rather slow. The last major update was nearly four years ago, but you can still download the Windows installer and use it for free. K-Meleon is only available for Windows.

The K-Meleon browser running on Windows 11.

6. QuteBrowser

QuteBrowser differs from the other options on this list, as the browser is designed specifically for text-based input. Think of QuteBrowser as a command-line web browser that also happens to have a minimal UI. Because of that approach, you must be comfortable typing commands instead of clicking buttons, which means QuteBrowser will appeal to a limited audience.

Even so, QuteBrowser is very fast because modern features and bloat don't weigh it down. QuteBrowser features customizable keyboard shortcuts, support for multiple protocols (HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SFTP, SSH, and more), a built-in search capability, and a robust bookmarking tool. It also lacks JavaScript support and includes a customizable user agent string.

When you first start QuteBrowser, a help page opens to guide you through using the browser. For example, to open a new page, type "o," hit Enter, type the URL, and hit Enter again. Sites load in the blink of an eye with QuteBrowser.

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The best thing about QuteBrowser is that it uses approximately 4MB of RAM per tab. That's incredibly low. QuteBrowser can be installed and used for free on Linux, MacOS, and Windows. Learn more from the official installation instructions.