And just how fast is YOUR browser?

EB and I argue all the time about Internet Explorer. I say it’s junk; she says it’s great. It’s a matter of personal taste. Or is it? Does your browser make a difference? As with all things on the Internet, misinformation abounds. There’s only one sure way of testing how fast a browser is — that is by testing it and putting it through its paces.

Just this morning I discovered a site that lets you test your default browser against any another browser. Let us say that you, like EB, have Internet Explorer as your default browser, but you also have Chrome (or Firefox, Opera or Safari) installed. Do you have ten to fifteen minutes to spare? If so then test your default browser against another browser. At the end of the test you might be surprised. If your default browser is slower than your secondary browser — maybe it’s time to stop clinging to what you’re used to and go for the best and fastest possible Web experience. I’m just sayin’.

The sight is called Peacekeeper ( http://peacekeeper.futuremark.com/ ) and it was created specifically to test your browser’s speed. Facts are facts. This site gives you just the facts, ma’am (or sir). They also offer a battery tester – in case you want to test your laptop, phone or table battery. We didn’t do the battery test, so you’re on your own.

Here’s what the people of Peacemaker have to say. They can explain what they do and why they do it better than I can (yes you can laugh now):

“Which is the fastest browser? Which is the best browser for you? Find out with Peacekeeper, the free universal browser test from Futuremark.

If you’re interested in how Peacekeeper works read our FAQ, or to get started, click on the “Test your Browser” button now. To test your devices battery life, try our run battery test.”

I tested three of my five browsers (yes I’m crazy – I have IE9, Chrome –my default, Firefox, Opera and Safari). The proof is in the pudding. Look EB! Chrome is twice as fast as IE9. IE9 doesn’t do well with HTML5. Why is that important? Because HTML5 is the latest and greatest Web standard. And when more and more sites adopt it – Flash and Java will be seen less and less. HTML5 allows for many of the same functions that were provided by Java and Flash — without the plugins — and without the crashes. Flash and Java will still be around but they’ll be used a lot more sparingly in the future.

You’re waiting to see my test results aren’t you? Here they are – in all their glory. (Note, EB, that IE9 finished last.)

Above: Google Chrome test results.

Internet Explorer 9 test results

Firefox test results.

Go test your browser now. If you have two or three, test them all. Use the fastest one. It only makes sense, right? Testing a single browser takes about five or six minutes. Ready? Set? Test!http://peacekeeper.futuremark.com/ . The test works for all browsers – on PCs, laptops, netbooks, tablets, and smartphones.