Why do people say IE is slow?

[Klaw117]

Title says it all. I've seen many people say this, but I've never had any speed-related problem with IE8. Then again, it could be because my computer is so fast.

 

[Dark Nova Gamer]

"Why do people say IE is slow?"

It is, well rather, it is in comparison to alternative browsers such as Chrome or Firefox.

 

[Anusha]

I think what you call slow and what other people call slow are different things.

From what I can understand, what you call slow is slow web page loading. Well, IE is pretty fast in that respect. I've seen it load sites faster than even Chrome at times.

But IE's interface is slow compared to other browsers. I'd say Chrome is best, then Opera, then Firefox and finally IE. Just look at how long it takes for IE to open up a new tab.

Also, the javascript performance is slow in IE compared to other browsers. Actually, it is VERY slow compared to Chrome and Opera.

I'm sure it runs better on your PC, but I'm also sure that Chrome or Opera would run even faster on your PC. Whether you notice it or not - that I can't really tell.

 

[Digerati]

"Why do people say IE is slow?"

Actually, there are several reasons but 4 common reasons are:

1. They hate Microsoft,
2. They heard from somebody who heard from somebody else that years ago it was slower,
3. They are Firefox (or Chrome - or basically anything not IE) fanatics,
4. They are biased, unprofessional IT media seeking and exploiting sensationalism.​

Radical? Perhaps. But in reality, for most people, the differences are negligible and you should go with the browser you like, and are comfortable with. I really like IE8 and have no issues with speed. Opening new tabs is practically instantaneous so I don't know where Anusha is coming from there. It takes less than 1 second on my slowest machine (Intel P4HT with 1Gb of RAM) to open new tabs that go to my home page Google, and they "pop" open on my E5300 and Corei7 systems - via cable broadband.

Note this PC World IE8 FF3.07 Showdown,

By and large, we found that Internet Explorer 8 performed well, and beat out Firefox 3.0.7 in the majority of our time trials.

IE 8 is Faster, But Will You Notice? In practical, everyday use, you likely won't notice much of a difference between IE 8 and Firefox 3.

Speed Test: Firefox 3 vs. IE 8 vs Opera 9.5,

The most astonishing values are two page loading times of Firefox 3. It tool 13.17 seconds to load Digg while Opera needed 5.59 seconds and Internet Explorer 8 only 5.28 seconds. The second huge difference was encountered on Facebook where Opera 9.5 was the fastest browser with a loading time of 1.95 seconds.

Internet Explorer 8 followed with 2.83 seconds and Firefox 3 needed 22.60 seconds to load the page. Firefox on the other hand was the fastest browser when loading my site with 1.9 seconds followed by Opera with 2.38 and Internet Explorer with 4.83 seconds.

Java? Yes, IE lags a bit there, but what's a "bit"?

Beta Browser Speed Tests: Which Is Fastest? - Performance - Lifehacker, (My BOLD UPPERCASE emphasis),

JavaScript continues to grow in importance as a browser benchmark, because it's the backbone of no-reload interfaces like Gmail, Facebook, and lots of other webapps. Once again I used Sean Patrick Kane's revised JavaScript speed tests and averaged out three results to measure the browsers: Firefox bests Chrome in this test by a handy lead, while IE 8 takes nearly twice as long (in MILLISECONDS, of course)

Just over 200ms, that's just over 2/10 of 1 second! Not a blink of the eye, but pretty darn close.

If you are unhappy with the way IE8 performs for YOU and YOUR computing habits, then by all means, try an alternative. FF is an excellent browser, and Chrome is showing great promise. Nearly every browser shines in one area or another. (Note: ALL users should be current and upgrade to IE8, even if not their default browser, as part of practicing safe computing - it is also faster than IE7)

Take with a grain of salt anyone who says one is cr@p and another is best. And totally ignore anyone who says you are unsafe if you use this one or that one. If you get infected, it's because you failed to keep your systems patched, updated, scanned and blocked, or because you participated in risky activities - illegal porn, gambling, or worst yet, filesharing of copyrighted materials (songs and videos) on P2P sites - not because you used this browser, or didn't use that one.

 

[Dark Nova Gamer]

"Why do people say IE is slow?"

Actually, there are several reasons but 4 common reasons are:

1. They hate Microsoft,
2. They heard from somebody who heard from somebody else that years ago it was slower,
3. They are Firefox (or Chrome - or basically anything not IE) fanatics,
4. They are biased, unprofessional IT media seeking and exploiting sensationalism.​

Well, I can say this now.

1. I love Microsoft.
2. I hear it from everyone but I don't let others cloud my decisions or opinions. I do take them into account though.
3. I love Chrome, but if IE was really better I would have stuck with it.
4. I cannot really reply to this one due to the fact that I'm not IT.

-

Digerati you make great, informative posts. Keep that up.

 

[windows7fun]

IE8, the best

I use IE8 and I love it. It satisfies all my browsing needs and the loading is fast. I hear chrome is pretty fast, haven't compared the two yet.
I had Firefox and Chrome, but in the end I chose to stick with IE8.

 

[dave1812]

To each his own--I DETEST using IE and only use it in the very rare instance when it's required. Otherwise, I do my browsing in FF. I've tried all the browsers and always end up with FF. I usually have a Portable Version of FF in either a Beta or RC version, along with the official version, so I can see what's new in the upcoming release.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Digerati has it.

In the last 5 years or so, the browser choice has been subject to a lot of zealotry, fueled by a lot of anti-Microsoft sentiment reminiscent of the PC/Mac wars, Ford versus Chevy, and my dad can whip your dad.

At one time I used Netscape, then went to IE for over 10 years. Over the last 3 or 4 years, I read a lot about how terrible IE was and how magnificent Brand F was. I had no particular issues with IE, but got drunk on the propaganda (honest opinions if you prefer) and succumbed--I now use Brand F.

Brand F has its issues as did IE, but you aren't likely to hear a lot about them from the zealots. You could read the Brand F forums to get a good whiff.

I don't notice any speed differences. The primary difference in ordinary usage is the fewer choices in the configuration for Brand F.

 

[dave1812]

Digerati has it.

In the last 5 years or so, the browser choice has been subject to a lot of zealotry, fueled by a lot of anti-Microsoft sentiment reminiscent of the PC/Mac wars, Ford versus Chevy, and my dad can whip your dad.

At one time I used Netscape, then went to IE for over 10 years. Over the last 3 or 4 years, I read a lot about how terrible IE was and how magnificent Brand F was. I had no particular issues with IE, but got drunk on the propaganda (honest opinions if you prefer) and succumbed--I now use Brand F.

Brand F has its issues as did IE, but you aren't likely to hear a lot about them from the zealots. You could read the Brand F forums to get a good whiff.

I don't notice any speed differences. The primary difference in ordinary usage is the fewer choices in the configuration for Brand F.

So, you have chosen to characterize the millions of Firefox users as "zealots". I guess I should then claim you are a MS fanboi. Sheesh. Name-calling over which browser someone likes is so childish. Who CARES which browser someone else uses?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Dave:

Uh, I guess you missed the point of my post.

I use Firefox. Call me a zealot if you must. Some of my best friends are zealots.

I used to use IE.

If I were a "fanboi", I'd still be using IE.

Both browsers have issues.

Both brands have their zealots or fanbois or insert the synonym of your choice.

Parmee while I go study up on how to write more lucidly.

 

[dave1812]

Dave:

Uh, I guess you missed the point of my post.

I use Firefox. Call me a zealot if you must.

I used to use IE.

If I were a "fanboi", I'd still be using IE.

Both browsers have issues.

Both brands have their zealots or fanbois or insert the synonym of your choice.

Parmee while I go study up on how to write more lucidly.

I wasn't calling anyone names, but rather made the point that you were, and quite needlessly, IMO. The fanboi comment I wrote was meant to illustrate the idiocy of name calling. ie, I was being ironic.

 

[Digerati]

4. I cannot really reply to this one due to the fact that I'm not IT.

Not IT, but the IT media that I complain about. Here's a perfect, though a bit old now, example.

Note this headline from PCWorld: XP SP3 Bug Makes Some AMD PCs Crash. SP3 bug? You have to read the article to learn the problem is not with SP3, but HP not conforming to standards! How is that an SP3 bug? It's not. But the biased, unprofessional IT media uses sensationalism, and as seen here, lies to exploit the biases of MS bashers. That's not reporting the facts. And PC World is considered a reputable source. Note my comment, and their response to it. Oh wait. They did not bother to reply for they know they don't have a foot to stand on.

To each his own

Exactly!

So, you have chosen to characterize the millions of Firefox users as "zealots".

No! Don't be so defensive. You have fallen into the same trap. You took his comments out of context and you twisted the facts to read as though he was talking about ALL FF users. That is not what he said, and that is NOT true!

What is true that some very vocal FF users are very biased - even many of my colleagues who I otherwise have great respect for. Many frequently would suggest all IE users should switch to FF for no apparent reason, or to fix their connection problems, or worse yet, to be safe.

My favorite comeback to those few but very vocal FF users who are zealots is to ask this, "Who STOPPED getting infected simply by, and only by, switching to Firefox?" Of course none did. Why? Because they were not getting infected! They already were disciplined and kept their systems patched, updated, scanned with current anti-malware tools and blocked behind a firewall and usually a router too. The weakest link is never the browser of choice - it's the user and his lack of discipline.

Note I also said FF is an excellent browser.

 

[dave1812]

4. I cannot really reply to this one due to the fact that I'm not IT.

Not IT, but the IT media that I complain about. Here's a perfect, though a bit old now, example.

Note this headline from PCWorld: XP SP3 Bug Makes Some AMD PCs Crash. SP3 bug? You have to read the article to learn the problem is not with SP3, but HP not conforming to standards! How is that an SP3 bug? It's not. But the biased, unprofessional IT media uses sensationalism, and as seen here, lies to exploit the biases of MS bashers. That's not reporting the facts. And PC World is considered a reputable source. Note my comment, and their response to it. Oh wait. They did not bother to reply for they know they don't have a foot to stand on.

To each his own

Exactly!

So, you have chosen to characterize the millions of Firefox users as "zealots".

No! Don't be so defensive. You have fallen into the same trap. You took his comments out of context and you twisted the facts to read as though he was talking about ALL FF users. That is not what he said, and that is NOT true!

What is true that some very vocal FF users are very biased - even many of my colleagues who I otherwise have great respect for. Many frequently would suggest all IE users should switch to FF for no apparent reason, or to fix their connection problems, or worse yet, to be safe.

My favorite comeback to those few but very vocal FF users who are zealots is to ask this, "Who STOPPED getting infected simply by, and only by, switching to Firefox?" Of course none did. Why? Because they were not getting infected! They already were disciplined and kept their systems patched, updated, scanned with current anti-malware tools and blocked behind a firewall and usually a router too. The weakest link is never the browser of choice - it's the user and his lack of discipline.

Note I also said FF is an excellent browser.

The more basic question to ask is,"who cares what someone else is using?". I don't care what car, phone, browser, or toothpaste someone uses. It's all a waste of time to debate, especially from a defensive standpoint, what's "best", unless one happens to be the maker or seller of said products, in which case they have a vested interest in convincing folks that their product is superior.

 

[zigzag3143]

Again with the holy wars.

IE vs FF, vs, chrome

Mac vs PC

Ati vs Nvidia

etc, etc, etc

We all have our favorites. We all have seen these thread again and again, and again. I think some valid points were raised here just that no changed their browser just now.

Jump

Ken J

 

[Dark Nova Gamer]

Again with the holy wars.

IE vs FF, vs, chrome

Mac vs PC

Ati vs Nvidia

etc, etc, etc

We all have our favorites. We all have seen these thread again and again, and again. I think some valid points were raised here just that no changed their browser just now.

Jump

Ken J

You forgot AMD vs Intel

 

[dave1812]

Again with the holy wars.

IE vs FF, vs, chrome

Mac vs PC

Ati vs Nvidia

etc, etc, etc

We all have our favorites. We all have seen these thread again and again, and again. I think some valid points were raised here just that no changed their browser just now.

Jump

Ken J

You forgot AMD vs Intel

And let's not forget that there "must" be only one best brand of router. sigh.

 

[Digerati]

That's true - but there can only be one brand of PC - mine!

 

[Qdos]

On some sites iE7 and iE8 hang badly where there's java, it's not knocking iE to say this is the case... it's simply a fact (and I was a devout iE person til' this laggy behaviour and freezing got so annoying I was forced to move onto a new browser...)

There's no point anyone going to war over this however...

 

[Digerati]

It would be interesting to revisit those sites in compatibility mode and see if they still hang. Since Microsoft has finally seen the light and are now complying with Web Standards, instead of MS IE6 standards, it is interesting to see what sites tweaked their code to make IE6 perform better, that now break under IE8.

Since IE8 seems to work perfectly, and very quickly here, it makes you wonder where the problem actually was.

 

[Qdos]

Since IE8 seems to work perfectly, and very quickly here, it makes you wonder where the problem actually was.

How does it make out here though?