Everyone uses their PCs for a different workload; some use it for recreation, some for editing, some for gaming, and more. You can find several specialized software for each of these workflows, but isn’t it weird that a gamer and a corporate team member need to use the same browser? There is some good news as software companies have started making tailored browsers for gamers to begin with. There have been excellent gaming browser releases in recent times that will surely excite the gamer in you.
Why are Gaming Browsers necessary?
You know the pain of using a memory hog browser like Chrome, especially if you run a low-memory machine. Using mammoth amounts of system resources is a significant concern for every Chrome user. The gaming browsers on this list make sure to be light on system resources and give you great customization options. Other than being heavy, Chrome users frequently complain about the vigilant nature of the browser. Google tracks every online activity, and there’s no way to turn it off completely. Gaming browsers respect your privacy and give you options to stop the tracking of your online activities. So, let’s look at some of the best Gaming Browsers and some perks of using them.
Opera GX
Right from the moment you launch Opera GX, you are delighted with a classic gamey feel. The browser challenges every notion of a standard web browser with its feature set and customization options. Don’t worry! You won’t have any difficulty getting-used-toused to Opera GX as it still uses the same Chromium-based internals packed with great features. The browser is compatible with both popular computer operating systems; Windows and macOS. The gaming browser makes sure you don’t experience performance dips even during long browsing sessions on your PC. It is awe-inspiring when you realize how well-thought the browser is, despite using the same open-source Chromium project. Let’s look at some of the features that make gamers go gaga over Opera GX.
A Gamey User Interface
Opera GX has a red-black user interface by default, which looks impressive, but you can choose from many other theme options. The design elements on this gaming browser are way more advanced than other competitor browsers out there. You are in for a treat if you use Razer Chroma to manage the RGB on your gaming PC. Opera GX comes integrated with Razer Chroma that lets you seamlessly control your accessories and tune the RGB lighting on your PC. Usually, people only consider the visual elements to judge the user interface of an application, but the sound elements also contribute massively towards a good UI. Opera GX makes sure to nail the audio aspect of its UI by using amazing in-browser sound effects. Interestingly, these in-browser sounds have been composed by industry-leading artists, some of whom have won the BAFTA Games Awards. Be sure! The in-app feel of the Opera GX is the best a gamer can get from a gaming browser.
The Feature set is Unbeatable.
If you have ever used the original Opera browser, you will find many of its popular features in the Opera GX but be ready for the surprise. You will surely come across numerous new and advanced features in this gaming browser. You aren’t left with many options once your typical browser starts to malfunction. The user can either use your task manager to kill the browser entirely or wait unless the PC settles down. These methods are highly inconvenient as you don’t get to control your browser according to your requirements. Opera GX makes you feel like the actual owner of your hardware with its incredible hardware control capabilities. You get the CPU and the RAM limiter with GX Control which do precisely what they sound like. You can change the RAM usage and the CPU usage of the browser of respective tabs using the GX control, which is crucial for a lag-free browsing experience. Opera GX offers a powerful but valuable feature known as the Hot Tab Killer. The interestingly named feature kills the resource-hungry tabs before they become a problem for your machine. Although, you should be careful as it can kill tabs that are necessary for you.
Some other great features
Another great addition comes in the form of a quick access feature. Discord and Twitch are essential to every gamer for team discussions, receiving updates, watching streams, and more. Opera GX makes these platforms much more accessible with a dedicated quick access bar preloaded with plenty of good stuff. The quick access toolbar also comes with the option to add WhatsApp, Messenger, and Telegram. Most users add an ad-blocker extension to their default browser to avoid annoying ads, but these extensions make the browser heavier. So, every time you open the browser, it takes more resources than usual as the extension works like a side-loaded application. Opera GX takes care of this commonly faced dilemma by adding an in-built ad blocker. You also get the GX Cleaner feature with this gaming browser which cleans up system resources for a better internet browsing experience. You can clean Cache, Cookies, and Tab data through the Cleaner while keeping an eye on the real-time clean-up stats.
Opera GX respects your privacy.
Opera GX is the way to go if you are fed up with frequent activity tracking in popular browsers like Chrome and Edge. The extensive user tracking is another significant reason for the stutter-filled experience associated with these browsers. Opera GX, on the other hand, makes sure you feel secure while using the gaming browser. The browser comes with a built-in VPN that acts as a concierge to your online privacy. You can connect the VPN to popular servers like Asia, Europe, and America and come across lesser ads due to the VPN. The browser settings also let you change how websites interact with the browser; you can tweak the amount of information a website can access and send do-not-tracking requests.
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox lost a fair share of its user base to Google Chrome as Chrome was more advanced and faster. But Firefox has taken a giant leap since it last held the crown of the most popular web browser. There is a massive visual overhaul and significant under-the-hood changes making it faster and better. Here are some features you should check out as a gamer.
Firefox is light on System Memory.
Firefox is not a Chromium-based browser which means it is fundamentally different from Chrome, Edge, and other popular browsers. Chromium-based browsers add a significant number of individual processes whenever you perform a task; the browser may add 15 processes or more if you open 15 tabs. Each tab and extension act like a separate program which adds to the burden on system resources. Firefox only uses four processes irrespective of the number of tabs or extensions you launch within the gaming browser. You should consider Firefox if you are annoyed with the memory-hog nature of your default browser.
Firefox is privacy-centric
Visiting a website may seem like a simple process; you visit a website, the contents get displayed, you interact with the contents, and you end the process. Your browser downloads the website’s contents and saves it to your RAM until you don’t close the tab. Plenty of websites on the internet make your browser download tracking cookies, crypto miners, social media trackers, and more. Are you sure your browser doesn’t download these malicious files every time you visit a website? Firefox makes sure you never have to worry about the malicious intents of the online world. The gaming browser comes with an in-built tracker-blocking feature that blocks any such suspicious piece of code. You also get plenty of customization options to tweak your privacy settings with Firefox.
Firefox has a Large Extension Library.
Firefox has worked intensively on growing its Extension Library which has now turned into an absolute gamechanger. There are plenty of Firefox-exclusive extensions which are hard to find on other competitive browsers. Some of these extensions are handy in real-life scenarios. One such extension is the Multi-Account Container feature that lets you use different accounts on the same platform. The feature saves you from the hassle of going into an incognito tab and signing into a new account every time you want to use different accounts.
Firefox is Open-Source
Do you know the biggest reason why most popular browsers use the same Chromium project under the hood? The project’s open-source nature attracts developers from around the world to make advancements to the already excellent Chromium project and make a unique project out of it. Opera GX, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and numerous popular browsers use the same project. Firefox follows the same route by making its code available for anyone who wants to tweak it to make a better product. The open-source nature is a boon for the user as well as the developers. The user can expect constant feature updates to Firefox while developers can contribute to making Firefox better.
Avast Secure Browser
Avast Secure Browser is a browsing utility from the famous antivirus maker, Avast. As expected from Avast, you get a browser that is security-centric while being swift and efficient. The best part about the Avast Secure Browser is that you will find many similarities with Google Chrome but with all the negatives eliminated. Let’s look at the perks of using this gaming browser.
Advanced Security Features
Avast has done most of its tweaking on the Privacy and Security department in the original Chromium project. You get a plethora of highly advanced security features that you access from the Security and Privacy Center. Some of these features include: Avast Antivirus integration The Antivirus integration features connect the browser to the Avast Antivirus installed on your computer. This leads to the browser and the Antivirus working in unison while you browse the internet. Bank Mode The Bank Mode feature is a must-have if you frequently access Bank websites on your browser. The handy feature opens a separate browsing session on a virtual desktop while encrypting the contents of your session. This extra layer of security is essential to avoid confidential data leaks. Avast SecureLine VPN The SecureLine VPN integration lets you access your VPN directly from your browser. Although you only get a 7-day free trial with the free version, you can always upgrade to enjoy unlimited VPN support. Anti-Fingerprint The Anti-Fingerprint feature makes sure no website tracks your online fingerprint while you visit them. The feature also blocks personalized ads as websites can no longer track you. Adblock The Adblock feature eliminates the ads while you enjoy your internet browsing session. It also blocks ad-creating scripts that run in the background to make sure your session remains absolutely ad-free. Anti-Phishing The feature prevents Phishing websites and malicious content in a phishing email. Avast will immediately close the connection between you and the website if you click on a malicious link. Stealth Mode Stealth Mode is the way to go If you want a browsing session where no one can track you or create a browsing history. It is the equivalent of Chrome’s incognito mode but with better privacy.
Other security features
Other essential security features with Avast Secure browser include HTTPS encryption, Password Managers, Extension guarding, and more. You also get the Hard Check feature which shows you a warning when you log your email on any suspicious website. Another interesting feature associated with the Hard Check is the manual checking of emails. As soon as you enter an email on the search bar, it shows a list of all possible places that could have compromised your credentials. If your email gets marked as compromised, you should consider switching to a different address as soon as possible.
Final Note 👩💻
Gaming browsers are a must-have if you are a gamer or you love a feature-packed browsing experience. The gaming browsers listed in this article are perfect for better performance, unique customizations, and maintaining online privacy. You should consider using Opera GX for an overall gamey browsing experience, while you can use Firefox to get rid of the Chromium-based browsers. Avast Secure Browser, on the other hand, offers the most significant number of privacy-centric features. Next, you may check out some of the best game boosters for Android and PC.
