Microsoft's Chromium-based Edge browser leaks online, can be downloaded

midian182

Posts: 9,632   +120
Staff member
Something to look forward to: More details of Microsoft’s new Chromium-based Edge browser have arrived. As we saw before, it bears a striking resemblance to Chrome—which is no bad thing. You can even download the browser yourself and give it a try.

Back in December last year, Microsoft confirmed it would be moving the default Windows 10 browser’s rendering engine from EdgeHTML to the open source Chromium base used by the likes of Google Chrome, Opera and Vivaldi.

We saw the first screenshots of the new Edge, codenamed Anaheim, earlier this month. Now, an experimental build of the browser has leaked for anyone to download and install. You can grab it from the PCBeta forum but remember that you do so at your own risk.

For those who’d rather wait, a full, official release of the preview build is expected to arrive soon, perhaps as early as this week.

Some sites have published screenshots and first impressions of the Edge browser in its current state. The Verge reports that when first installed, users are prompted to import favorites, passwords, and browsing history from Chrome or Edge.

We already knew that in addition to coming with its own dedicated extensions page, add-ons from Google’s online store can also be installed through a settings toggle. There’s a dark mode that’s currently being tested, and eventual compatibility with Macs is another feature.

Even in this early stage, the browser is said to feel very polished. But with Chrome boasting 65 percent of the browser market and the current version of Edge holding just 4.3 percent, it’ll be interesting to see how much this new incarnation shakes things up.

Images: Tom Warren / The Verge - Brad Sams / Thurrott

Permalink to story.

 
Ironically, the old Edge was the absolute best at HW accelerating those high resolution movies on YT, even better than Google's own. Just watch an 8k 60 fps clip on both and you'll see what I mean.

I guess that's out the window now, with them switching to Chrome-based...
 
Can this be installed on Windows 8.1 just like Chrome?
or Windows 7 or Linux

I checked and apparently Microsoft is working on Chromium Edge on all three Windows OS (10, 8.1 and 7). It is not clear if all three come in one download or Win 7 and 8.1 will have a separate download at a later date...

Right now I am using all four major browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Opera) for different functions. Hopefully, this Chromium Edge would replace all of them as the only one!
 
I checked and apparently Microsoft is working on Chromium Edge on all three Windows OS (10, 8.1 and 7). It is not clear if all three come in one download or Win 7 and 8.1 will have a separate download at a later date...

Right now I am using all four major browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Opera) for different functions. Hopefully, this Chromium Edge would replace all of them as the only one!

netman, can you share how or why you use the different browsers?
 
Unifying the web is great and all, but.. Chromium is absolutely terrible to anyone who can't look at DirectWrite rendered fonts (like me).

The more Chromium browsers used, the less choice there is for users.. and there's barely any choice as is.

The future looks bleak.
 
I stay away from Chrome and from Micro$lop. I don't need Google to get my info or for M$ to mess everything up....

I am a FireFox lover and also Opera user....
 
Wow this is awesome! About time that the two merged. Perfection at best! This will sure draw more use from Windows based browser as Edge. This is the edge. Thank you!
 
Hey Microsoft! Guess what? We already have Chrome and FF, we don't need your browser. Frankly, I don't care whether or not we end up just having Chrome or FF, just decide!
 
Back