Web browser resource usage.

[Dm4975]

Hey guys, i've been using firefox for quite sometime now, and it's taking about 214 Mb of ram.

So, i was wondering what web browser is good, and also uses the least resources. Give me some suggestions, thanks.

[Lant]

If you don't like FX's memory usage you could either:

1. Use Opera

2. Use no extenstions with FX and in the about:config disable the caching of previously viewed pages

[hjf288]

Opera rocks, i sometimes use it but mainly i use IE7

[night_stalker_z]

Firefox uses the most memory out of IE, Opera and Firefox but it has more extensions than other web browsers.

Opera: fastest and uses least memory, most features from plain install, customisable

Firefox: highest memory usage, has most extensions, customisable

IE: cannot customise and has only basic features

[Dm4975]

Thanks guys, lookin into Opera now. =]

[hjf288]

I dont wanna customise my IE - Even if i wanted to id just add BHO like IEPlus which adds session recovery, ad filtering and stuff..

I also dont want my browser full of millions of daft features or features ill never use, i just want it to load fast, browse the internet fast and work..

IE fulfils all these requirements for me.

I dont even know why i use Opera on occasion... I gotta admit its fast as lightning though... think its a throwback to when i used to use it on linux

[Dm4975]

Resource wise, i have a tie between Seamonkey and Opera.

But i like the features/looks of Opera better so i'll stick with it.

Thanks!

[markwolfe Veteran]

I still use firefox, even though it caches a lot (an awful lot) and sucks up my free RAM. I just close/restart it when it does (every few days, if I have left it open without ever closing it). It would be nice if you could set an upper limit on its usage.

[SacrificialSoldier]

I have 3GB of ram so FF dont bother me much in that respect. If you dont have the ram then look elsewhere but if you do then FF is THE way to go!

[Dm4975]

I do have the ram. It's just im very.. how do I say this? Picky on how much space something takes up.

[markwolfe Veteran]

I have 3GB of ram so FF dont bother me much in that respect. If you dont have the ram then look elsewhere but if you do then FF is THE way to go!

I have 512MB. That's why I do my periodic purges. If I had 2G+, I don't think I would care much.

[Dm4975]

I have 1GB -128MB for integrated video memory.

[Zmark]

At the moment in FF, I have 8 add-ons: Get Mail Plus, Hide Menubar, Paste and Go 2, Print/Print Preview, Secure Login, TinyURL Creator, toolbarmode, and Yahoo Mail Notifier.

I use Firetune with the 'Enable performance tweaks common to all configurations' checked......I also have checked 'Optimize Firefox memory usage'. Even with 1g of memory this set-up seems to make Firefox run smoother for longer periods of time. Firefox seems a bit faster (with the add-ons). I haven't noticed any far out memory usage. At the moment I have 8 tabs open to mostly news pages and the 'My Yahoo' beta page. They've been open for about 75 mins. According to the task manager (xp pro), Firefox is at 85,730k.........then it dropped to 83,332k when I clicked the Yahoo Mail Notifier to check for new mail.

When I clicked to 'close other tabs', leaving Neowin open, usage dropped to 75,120k. Then I minimized Firefox and usage dropped to 4,176k. I haven't had any problems on my machine running firefox with this set up............. *crosses fingers*

[primexx]

yea Fx has a lot of memory management issues, they're fixing them, just really slowly. Opera is excellent in that regard though.

[Tom Swiss]

If you like , you can use Maxthon 2.0 or IE7 with IE7Pro. Fast and a lot of feature there

[BryanChung]

But I must say that Maxthon 2 still uses high MEM too. If you really want light, go for Maxthon 1!

[Scorcho]

Opera's taking up ~180MB of memory in Vista right now, which is somewhat on par for me as with Firefox. This is under 'typical' usage for me - 2 hours of browsing where i visited several graphics-heavy sites, checked gmail, forums, work-related stuff, etc. with a max of 10 tabs open.

I closed half of them and it's still using the same amount.

[raskren]

I do have the ram. It's just im very.. how do I say this? Picky on how much space something takes up.

What's the point?

Is there something wrong with applications using the RAM you've provided for them? What applications are allowed to use memory?

[halcyoncmdr]

The thing about modern browsers is that they are optimized for performance, not for resource savings. Opera and Firefox both tend to keep the pages in memory in case you want to bring back the tab or window that you closed. If something else needs the memory, they will give it up. Being a resource nazi nowadays is a failing battle...

[Dm4975]

Yeah goood points.

[BryanChung]

Hardly you get browser running on low MEM usage with many tabs open. Maxthon2 nope. Firefox nope. Only Maxthon 1 for now. So that's why I am so not willing to switch.

[linx05]

But I must say that Maxthon 2 still uses high MEM too. If you really want light, go for Maxthon 1!

This will be addressed in a future version :)

[BryanChung]

This will be addressed in a future version :)

Is there official news on this?

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

What's the point?

Is there something wrong with applications using the RAM you've provided for them? What applications are allowed to use memory?

I don't understand why people put 1-2GB of memory in their systems, then complain when programs go and use it.

What did you buy it for, decoration?

[BryanChung]

But because some of us feels it kind of lag .... while using compared to lower sys usage.