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Opera 10.50 released, claims world's fastest title
Opera has cut loose the final build of 10.50, and it's eagerly awaiting your download. While Opera may only hold a few percentage points in the browser market, it isn't shy about claiming to be the world's fastest browser -- and it is very quick.
"Opera 10.50 is the fastest browser in almost all speed tests," said Opera CEO Lars Boilesen. "But, more important than any speed test is the real-world speed during use. We designed Opera 10.50 to be easy to use, while making our unique features stand out, so you can get more out of the Web."
Among the most noteworthy features of Opera 10.50 is the new JavaScript engine (Carakan) and rendering engine (Presto 2.5). It also sports a redesigned user interface, better integration with Windows 7 and Vista, an enhanced private browsing mode, visual tabs, and improved support for CSS3 and HTML5.
Not so coincidentally, the latest version of Opera has been released just as Microsoft is deploying a browser ballot to millions of Europeans. Grab your download of Opera 10.50 for Windows here. Mac and Linux versions are on their way.
"Opera 10.50 is the fastest browser in almost all speed tests," said Opera CEO Lars Boilesen. "But, more important than any speed test is the real-world speed during use. We designed Opera 10.50 to be easy to use, while making our unique features stand out, so you can get more out of the Web."
Among the most noteworthy features of Opera 10.50 is the new JavaScript engine (Carakan) and rendering engine (Presto 2.5). It also sports a redesigned user interface, better integration with Windows 7 and Vista, an enhanced private browsing mode, visual tabs, and improved support for CSS3 and HTML5.
Not so coincidentally, the latest version of Opera has been released just as Microsoft is deploying a browser ballot to millions of Europeans. Grab your download of Opera 10.50 for Windows here. Mac and Linux versions are on their way.
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User Comments (35)
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clrabbit on March 2, 2010 4:35 PM |
Updated to 10.5 and so far I like it, I've been using Opera sense well... the Netscape days when it was pay-ware. The one MAJOR flaw I have run into, which may force me to move back to 10.1 is when using a Black-BG White/yellow text layout in Gmail when scrolling it causes vertical white lines.... which actually makes for the 1st time I have ever had Opera render a page wrong/Glitch. |
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Guest on March 2, 2010 4:50 PM |
I really love Opera. Its ultra-fast and the interface is nice and easy to use. I really cant understand why its market share is sow low. I gess its about trends as usual. For developing and debugging its not as complete as a Firefox installation with all the available tools, but for browsing its surelly the best option for me. About a year ago I got tired of Firefox crashes and changed to Opera. I want go back for worst. |
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foreverzero89 on March 2, 2010 5:16 PM |
i just dl'd this i was running v 10.1 it is faster. i recommend it! |
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slh28 on March 2, 2010 5:17 PM |
I think the thing about Opera is that it takes a while to get started - e.g. in Chrome it automatically imports your bookmarks from IE/FF and they will be on a bookmarks bar, and to a first time user things in Opera generally look a different to other browsers. Not saying that Opera is bad (because 10.5 is actually really fast), but I think most people just download it to give it a try, only to find that it's not what they're used to and end up uninstalling it. There are little niggles I have about Chrome (the "Other bookmarks" folder is useless and takes up way too much space) and Opera (lack of bookmarks bar & I can't be bothered to move all my bookmarks to the personal bar...) At the end of the day, I can have any of the features in Chrome or Opera via add-ons in Firefox, with the ability to also customize them to my liking, e.g. Tab Mix Plus, Fire Gestures, iGoogle tab remover (lol), etc. And with FF preloader and a relatively fast computer, speed isn't really an issue. |
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Guest on March 2, 2010 5:58 PM |
Firefox is much faster in a corporate enviroment with a proxy server. |
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Guest on March 2, 2010 6:33 PM |
Could you give some details? I use Opera behind a proxy, and Firefox doesn't really seem any faster if any thing it always feels slower. |
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foreverzero89 on March 2, 2010 6:53 PM |
firefox has too much overhead to be faster than opera. even in benchmark testing is scored lower. |
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Deathstar17 on March 2, 2010 9:02 PM |
No thanks. I'd rather keep using Firefox for functionality and chrome for speed + a little bit less functionality. And the alpha build of Firefox 3.7 is blazing fast, so I'm excited for when that is finalized. |
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foreverzero89 on March 2, 2010 9:05 PM |
opera has more functionality than FF plus some stuff that FF can't do. opera unite, for one. |
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captaincranky on March 2, 2010 10:29 PM |
opera has more functionality than FF plus some stuff that FF can't do. opera unite, for one. Opera doesn't have a privacy mode, nor does it have "NoScript", my favorite security tool. I won't leave "home" without them. So, "it would do anything for love, but it won't do that". I hope you'll forgive the bad "Meatloaf" song lyric pinch.
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red1776 on March 2, 2010 10:39 PM |
Opera doesn't have a privacy mode, nor does it have "NoScript", my favorite security tool. I won't leave "home" without them. So, "it would do anything for love, but it won't do that". I hope you'll forgive the bad "Meatloaf" song lyric pinch. My browser's a lemon ..and I- want -my -money -baacckk.and what do you need privacy mode for?.......nevermind |
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SNGX1275 on March 2, 2010 11:12 PM |
Opera doesn't have a privacy mode, nor does it have "NoScript", my favorite security tool. I won't leave "home" without them. So, "it would do anything for love, but it won't do that". I hope you'll forgive the bad "Meatloaf" song lyric pinch. Close, but no cigar."For security while browsing, Opera 10.50 offers Fraud Protection and Extended Validation certificates. Opera also brings a Private browsing option with this version of the web browser wherein users get an option to open up a private Tab or Private window. " Opera 10.50 has it, you can check it out on their page, or if you want to see where I got the quote from: [link] |
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captaincranky on March 2, 2010 11:39 PM |
Close, but no cigar. This is the first version with this option?
"For security while browsing, Opera 10.50 offers Fraud Protection and Extended Validation certificates. Opera also brings a Private browsing option with this version of the web browser wherein users get an option to open up a private Tab or Private window. " Opera 10.50 has it, you can check it out on their page, or if you want to see where I got the quote from: [link] |
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clrabbit on March 2, 2010 11:41 PM |
"Opera doesn't have a privacy mode, nor does it have "NoScript", my favorite security tool. I won't leave "home" without them. So, "it would do anything for love, but it won't do that"" You can easily disable scrips in Opera and have been able to do so sense as long as I can remember, you can even turn them on and off by site or all at once. Privacy Mode Yes we do have it in 10.5, and you can easily tweak different settings to make it a lot better then FF, ever thought of being. |
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clrabbit on March 2, 2010 11:56 PM |
I should re-phase that "Better then FF ever thought of being by it's self" in order to get FF to were you can get Opera you have to grab a half dozen plugs. |
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Guest on March 3, 2010 12:10 AM |
I must admit, I am very impressed with this release. The browser itself its just better then ever. However, Opera still lacks, it just does... so sad with such a fine piece of software. Only if they were Open-Source (I see you Fox). Gecko is and will always be the fastest,most stable, and the most complete browser engine. Other engines have to sacrifice compatibility and/or stability in order to improve speed or vice-versa (I see you Chrome). On Opera, you cannot scroll down smoothly if you are watching a 1080p video in YT, for example. I assume Java-heavy websites should run a bit slower compared to other java script engines such as V8 or Tracemonkey. And even if it is faster than these, it will have processing(I tried it in sites like Grooveshark). I do wish other browsers could use libvega as their graphic library, I'll give Opera that. Benchmarks really mean nothing. The CEO himself knows it, that's why he said that they had to see real-world performance. I see that opera is trying to do everything at the same time. I wonder if its working... I guess those market share percentages really say something. Note: I'm writing this from Opera. |
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captaincranky on March 3, 2010 12:18 AM |
and what do you need privacy mode for?.......nevermind I'm actually trying to stay one step ahead of Google- Analytics.While Opera may only hold a few percentage points in the browser market....[ ].... Yes, yes, small in number but rather rabid in approach.To who it may concern, however unenlightened it may seem, I'm going to stick with FF. This for two distinct reasons; 1, Opera, no matter which version, crashes my internet computer's graphics, after a protracted download. 2. It always goes where I point it, thus allowing me to remain disdainfully entertained at all the "boo-hoo, my browser goes everywhere OTHER than where I point it", hard luck stories in our "malware removal forum" "redirecting..........." |
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Punkid on March 3, 2010 1:16 AM |
fastest browser in the world? i dont think so, i downloaded it and compared it with my firefox 3.6, firefox loads faster |
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Guest on March 3, 2010 1:25 AM |
Some links that maybe of interest for other users claiming about Opera not using NoScript nor Adblock etc.: http://my.opera.com/Tamil/blog/ad-block A thread here: http://dev.opera.com/forums/topic/197789 For reference I run Opera with scripts, plug-ins and Java off by default and enable on a per site basis. I've been using Opera for a decade and Firefox for 5-6 years, out of the two browsers I prefer Opera as it's been far more secure (according to Secunia) than Firefox plus renders graphics with embedded profiles correctly. People love extensions but don't realise they are a major security risk as they allow unfettered access to the browser. Widgets whilst on the surface appear to be the same are more than that. They are moving to a Opera 'desktop', as recently demonstrated with the Orange Tabee. Opera can go anywhere. I can use it on Linux, OS X and my mobile phone with all my Notes, bookmarks and Speed Dials. When you use a lot of machines like I do this is indespensible. This is also the reason it's closed source, trying to control over 40-50 different source codes and preventing forking would be an absolute nightmare, and has Firefox has shown doens't necessarily show that it's a more secure model. The amount of times that people will claim that Opera can't do this or that but it can is amusing it's shows that they've only taking a very superficial look at it. In many ways I see Opera as the researchers browser. The fact I can get it to dictate to me a page so I can write notes, apply shortcuts to common bookmarks, save sessions, speed dial and have a far superior tabbed bar (I can peel away a tab and move it to another display as a seperate window) shows a lot of the functionality is hidden. Firefox is the peoples browser, it's captured the peoples imagination with a clever mix of marketting, product placement and also riding the 'Open Source' movement. It's a good browser, until the v3 branch where QC and security has slipped. It's still the most extendable browser on the market. Whilst this may seem a positive aspect it's also a liability, as Firefox has little or no control over quality of that extension, the security or even what resources it consumes. I'm also curious why Firefox hasn't got full Windows 7 integration yet? |
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ET3D on March 3, 2010 2:37 AM |
Firefox's been annoying me lately. Sometimes some tabs would take 100% CPU (33%, that is, for a 3 core CPU) and would cause Windows to respond slowly. I checked out Chrome, and it's okay, but it's missing my favourite feature, recently closed tabs. Since Opera invented this features, that's one thing I certainly won't miss by moving to it. I haven't been a serious Opera user since the Opera 6 days, but maybe it's worth trying it again as my main browser. |
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ET3D on March 3, 2010 3:39 AM |
Just to correct myself, Chrome does support this feature (just shows how easy it is to slam browsers just because you're not familiar enough with them). Still, I don't really "connect" with it, so will try Opera anyway. |
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Archean on March 3, 2010 4:45 AM |
Usually we don't use the term x-factor about something tech related; but frankly at times one inadvertently sticks to a piece of software e.g. browser just because of this; and I think Firefox has that because of extendability through extensions etc.; chrome is trying to imitate it but its just that as it is a compilation of ideas stolen from various other places (which many software companies do anyway e.g. MS/Apple etc  ), hence it has no soul or x-factor. Opera has improve hell lot more since the earlier incarnations and right now I would say its, as good as others are; and praise don't come any better than this IMHO keeping in mind what little resources these guys have when compared to the likes of MS/google.Lastly, I have used IE/FF/Opera/Chrome; and the only one i uninstalled after a year or so was chrome 
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thatguyandrew92 on March 3, 2010 5:28 AM |
FireFox devs need to get working. FireFox is becoming the next IE! :''''''''''''( |
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elroacho72 on March 4, 2010 8:34 AM |
Opera has is it all! But that 's allot for most users. but I like it and think most advanced users will keep using it. |
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buendia on March 4, 2010 3:38 PM |
Opera has many great built-in features, ad clearly shows a lot of potential, especially with their latest version. They've managed to get working Windows 7 integration, while we need to wait almost a year from now on for Firefox to implement the same. Opera deserves bigger market share I'll help to achieve it, altough my primary browser is FF. |
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