Google's Chrome Browser Gets 'Highest Score Ever' on Speedometer Performance Test

Chrome Sets New Speed Record: Highest Ever Speedometer 3 Score

Google recently announced that its Chrome browser has achieved a record-breaking score on the Speedometer 3 benchmark test. This independent test, developed collaboratively by major tech players including Google, Apple, Intel, Microsoft, and Mozilla, measures how quickly and efficiently a web browser handles various tasks. The higher the score, the better the browser's performance.

What is Speedometer 3?

Speedometer 3 assesses browser performance by simulating real-world web usage scenarios. It throws a variety of tasks at the browser, including:

• HTML parsing: How quickly the browser interprets and displays web page code.
• JavaScript and JSON processing: How efficiently the browser handles interactive elements and data.
• Pixel rendering: How fast the browser displays images and graphics.
• CSS application: How effectively the browser applies styling to web pages.

By measuring the browser's speed in these areas, Speedometer 3 provides a comprehensive assessment of its overall responsiveness and efficiency.

Chrome's Performance Gains: A 10% Boost

Google attributes Chrome's impressive new high score to significant optimizations implemented over the past year. These optimizations have resulted in a remarkable 10% performance improvement since August 2024, leading to a noticeably smoother and faster browsing experience for users.

Inside the Optimizations: Memory Management and More

Google's engineering team focused heavily on improving memory management within the Chrome browser. They explained their approach:

The team heavily optimized memory layouts of many internal data structures across DOM, CSS, layout, and painting components. Blink now avoids a lot of useless churn on system memory by keeping state where it belongs with respect to access patterns, maximizing utilization of CPU caches. Where internal memory was already relying on garbage collection in Oilpan, e.g. DOM, the usage was expanded by converting types from using malloc to Oilpan. This generally speeds up the affected areas as it packs memory nicely in Oilpan's backend.

In simpler terms, Google significantly improved how Chrome handles and uses computer memory. By organizing data more efficiently and using a system called Oilpan for memory management, Chrome wastes less time and resources, resulting in faster performance.

Benchmark Results and Comparisons

On an M4 MacBook Pro running macOS 15, Chrome 139 achieved a Speedometer 3 score of 52.35. This represents the highest score ever recorded on this benchmark. More detailed information on the specific optimizations can be found in Google's official blog post.

It's important to note that while this is a significant achievement, a direct comparison with Apple's Safari browser isn't readily available, as Apple hasn't recently published its highest Speedometer 3 scores. Additionally, Google's testing appears to have used Speedometer 3 rather than the newer Speedometer 3.1 version, which could also affect direct comparisons.

What this Means for Users

The substantial performance improvements in Chrome translate to a better user experience. Users can expect faster page loading, smoother scrolling, improved responsiveness to interactions, and an overall more efficient browsing experience. These improvements are particularly noticeable on less powerful devices, where even minor performance boosts can significantly enhance usability.

Conclusion

Google's achievement of the highest-ever Speedometer 3 score for Chrome demonstrates a significant commitment to browser performance optimization. The detailed improvements in memory management and other internal processes are a testament to the ongoing efforts to enhance the user experience. While direct comparisons with other browsers may require further data, the results clearly showcase a substantial performance leap for Chrome.

This article, "Google's Chrome Browser Gets 'Highest Score Ever' on Speedometer Performance Test" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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