Key takeaways:
- Google Chrome's performance issues can be attributed to the use of resource-intensive extensions, not the browser itself.
- Not all extensions are equal in terms of resource usage; some can significantly reduce performance while others have little to no impact.
- Good browsing habits, such as limiting the number of open tabs, can help mitigate performance issues.
Impact of extensions on Chrome's performance #
The video explains that Chrome's reputation for being a lightweight and fast browser is not a lie, but its performance can be affected by the use of too many extensions.
"Chrome was a revolution it was lightweight fast as I'll get out and it brought great features... but is Google the one who installed all those extensions I mean I don't have that many... as it turns out yes I need to make some Chang but not every extension is made equal."
The video mentions some extensions that the author has installed, such as Zotero, LanguageTool, Teleparty, and an ad blocker.
To investigate the impact of extensions on Chrome's performance, the video's authors conducted a series of tests. They found that while some extensions had no effect on browser performance, others such as LastPass, reduced performance by as much as 12%. This effect can stack across a library of resource-sucking add-ons.
Measuring browser performance #
The authors explain that measuring browser performance is challenging because browsers are complex programs that need to support a wide range of functionality, from 28-year-old Geocities pages to full-blown Photoshop clones.
"The thing is modern browsers need to be able to support pretty much everything."
To measure the impact of extensions on memory usage, they used a machine based on the most common specifications from a recent Steam hardware survey. They opened up Chrome to a set of common web pages and measured idle RAM usage at around 1.1GB, which increased to 1.25GB when streaming 4K video.
They found that the impact of extensions on memory usage varied widely, with some using considerably more RAM than others. For example, the password manager LastPass and the third-party spell checker Grammarly used more RAM than the coupon code collector Honey. Interestingly, the ad blocker uBlock Origin reduced overall RAM usage, while the more popular AdBlock extension did not have the same effect, which led them to question its effectiveness.
Browser benchmarks #
The authors ran several benchmarks to gauge the performance of their browsers, including MotionMark, which measures graphics performance, Speedometer, which simulates user experiences such as working with a to-do list or editing rich text, and JetStream 2, which focuses on smooth operation.
They found that the impact of extensions on these benchmarks varied widely, with some extensions having no effect, and others such as ad blockers or LastPass, causing significant slowdowns. They noted that in the real world, these slowdowns might be masked by other speed benefits, but they found the observations interesting nonetheless.
Conclusion #
The authors concluded that extensions could significantly impact Chrome's performance, especially as the number of open tabs increases. They suggest that users should review their installed extensions and remove any that are not essential or are using too many resources. Additionally, users can use Chrome's task manager to monitor the resource usage of their extensions and tabs.
While the authors mention Google's Manifest V3, which is set to change the capabilities of Chrome extensions, they do not go into detail about its potential impact on the situation. They also mention the sponsor, Odoo, which offers an all-in-one business software platform, but this is not relevant to the topic of the video.
Summary for: Youtube