Windows 7: E9 Preview 4 vs. Firefox 4.0 Beta, Chrome 6.0 Dev, Opera 10.6, Safari

Only milliseconds separate Internet Explorer 9 from the fastest-browser-in-the-world spot. Microsoft released the final Platform Preview Build of IE9 yesterday, with v1.9.7.9.16.6000 now available for download for testers around the world. With the advent of Platform Preview 4, Internet Explorer 9 has suffered massive JavaScript-related improvements, with the new Chakra engine now a part of the browser’s core, but also with a boost in terms of JS performance. IE9 Platform Preview 4 1.9.7.9.16.6000 is now faster than the same of the recent Firefox 4.0 Beta 2 releases, and also faster than Safari 5.0. In fact, the latest development milestone of Internet Explorer 9 is the fourth fastest browser in the world, according to the scores in the Webkit Sunspider JavaScript benchmark.
http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com/...4sunspider.jpg



IE9 Preview 4 vs. Firefox 4.0 Beta, Chrome 6.0 Dev, Opera 10.6, Safari 5.0 - IE9 just milliseconds away from the fastest-browser-in-the-world spot - Softpedia

IMO, once you get down to ~500 milliseconds, you're not going to see a real difference between browsers. For example, 450 and 550 ms are almost indistinguishable to typical human senses, as far as I know. But kudos to IE for finally getting in that range!

If IE 9 continues down the road it has been going, it's poised to become a very good browser and should be solid competition to other current browsers. It will finally allow me to say "I use Internet Explorer" without immediately following it with an almost apologetic "I know, I know." Kudos to Microsoft.

I'm really looking forward to IE9 Beta, it's gonna be a very solid browser.

I hope they make it more customizable. Imagine having addons for IE9, Firefox and Extensions for Chrome. Then we would have a true browser battle. Speed doesn't mean everything. I have always thought Chrome was faster than Firefox when I tested it, but until it got extensions I still used Firefox. Now that Chrome has extensions I use it exclusively(although I am excited to see the FF 4 final).

But you also have to remember, IE9 Preview isn't a total browser, and until it is fully loaded, saying it's so fast is a little misleading.
I'll definitely try it, but It's still IE.
Who knows, maybe they are putting enough work into it to make it on par with some of the other browsers. If so, more power to them, and kudos for the work.

Interesting comment since IE8 already can make that claim. Though not the fastest, IE8 has proven repeatedly to be the most secure browser - which many, including yours truely, believe to be a more significant criteria when determining "the best" browser. Especially, as noted here, the speed differences are typically less than a second. And I note, speeds are also affected by server uptimes, network traffic, ISP loads, and all sorts of other variables besides the browser itself.

http://nsslabs.com/test-reports/NSSL...rSEM_FINAL.pdf
Help - Is Internet Explorer 8 the Safest Browser? Tips, Solutions & How Tos | PCMag.com - This link is significant even though it points back to the NSS Labs because PCMag has a solid reputation for bashing MS whenever they can - but they didn't here.

Of course, there are other tests that show this browser is best or that browser is best. But NSS Labs is an independant testing facility with a trusted reputation.

BTW, I've been saying I use IE since IE6 without ever feeling the need to add, "I know, I know". Why? Because "I KNOW" if I ever got infected, it was not my browser's fault, but MY FAULT for failing to keep my computer updated, patched, scanned and blocked with an able real-time anti-malware solution, active firewall (and Windows Firewall is perfectly fine for that), or I failed in my discipline to avoid risky practices like clicking on unsolicited links, or using P2P sites for illegal filesharing.

Browsing habits ALWAYS trumps what browser you're using. I've been saying that forever too. I haven't been infected in years, no matter which browser i'm using. Being smart is always the first step in keeping clean.

Or said another way, "the user is always the weakest link!"

That works too.

....and it's true