Chrome Update Brings Up to 18 Hours of Web Browsing on a MacBook

Google's Chrome browser recently received some improvements that should extend battery life on MacBooks. A 13-inch MacBook Pro running Google's latest Chrome can now watch YouTube videos for up to 18 hours on a single charge, or browse the web for 17 hours, according to Google.

The new updates involve optimizing iframes to use less energy, fine-tuning JavaScript timers, streamlining data structures and eliminating needless redraws. These optimizations aim to extend battery life and enhance performance over the long term.

Battery life

Battery life is an important concern for MacBook users. It can vary depending on how you use your computer and the age of the battery, but there are steps you can take to extend its lifespan.

To maximize performance on your Mac, it is important to keep it running efficiently. This means minimizing the number of apps and files it manages. For instance, uninstall power-hungry applications like Turbo Boost Switcher and delete any unnecessary files from either Mac or external drive.

Another way to extend the battery life of your laptop is to turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when not in use. These connections use up a lot of energy even when not in use, so turning them off can significantly extend battery life.

Google recently unveiled several optimizations to its Chrome browser that aim to extend MacBook users' battery lives. These include tuning iframes for more energy efficiency, altering JavaScript timers to wake the CPU less often, streamlining data structures for optimal access and eliminating needless redraws.

Google has also updated the Energy Saver and Memory Saver features of Chrome browser to benefit all users, decreasing resource usage and improving battery life on both Windows and Mac devices. These upgrades are accessible to all users, providing a significant improvement to users' browsing experiences.

As a result, a 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro with an Apple M2 chip can now browse for 17 hours or watch YouTube videos for 18 hours without charging the device - an incredible improvement over previous Energy Saver mode which only extended web browsing times by 30 minutes.

To conserve your MacBook's battery, always keep the screen dim and avoid tasks that require intensive processing. For instance, watching a full-HD video with all of its brightness set to 100% isn't recommended, and it's best to stop using other background processes too.

This week, Google released an update to their Chrome browser that promises increased battery life for MacBooks. This release includes four optimizations which Google claims can allow users to browse the web for up to 18 hours and watch YouTube videos for 18 hours, as tested on a 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro. To achieve this feat, they optimized memory compression heuristics, garbage collection for iFrames, and JavaScript timers that control when Chrome starts up.

Performance

If you've ever used a MacBook to browse, you know how resource-demanding it can be. Chrome in particular can be particularly resource intensive; often taking up RAM and draining the battery quickly.

Good news: you can easily speed up Chrome to restore your browsing speed. All it takes is some patience and some effort - all that's required to optimize your Mac for improved performance.

One of the first steps you can take to improve your Mac's performance is closing any memory-hogging tabs that aren't essential for the task at hand. Doing this will free up some space in your RAM and make the browser more responsive.

Another way to increase your Mac's speed is by clearing out all the cache, cookies and site data that has built up in your system. These files not only help the browser load pages faster but they can take up a lot of space on your Mac as well.

You can also try updating your Mac's operating system, which should fix any security or compatibility issues it may have. This can be done by launching the Apple menu and clicking Software Update from within Mac OS X.

Once you click Download Now, any available updates for your OS should be installed automatically. Doing this should help address any underlying Google Chrome application problems that are causing slowness or crashing problems you're encountering.

Finally, you can enable hardware acceleration by going to Chrome Settings -> Show Advanced Settings -> System and checking or unchecking the line that says Use hardware acceleration when available. While this is not always necessary, it may prove beneficial for some users.

Google Chrome for Mac, version 99, has been the fastest version yet. In testing, it scored 300 points on Apple's Speedometer benchmark - making it 7 percent faster overall and 15 percent faster in graphics performance compared to Safari. This improvement can be attributed to ThinLTO, a build optimization technique that prioritizes code focused on browser speed.

Security

Google recently released an update for Chrome web browser on Mac that resolves a major security flaw. Without this patch, your device could be vulnerable to exploits and other risks; thus, it's essential that you apply this fix promptly.

CVE-2022-3075 was caused by inadequate data validation in the Mojo runtime library, but fortunately this issue was rectified quickly.

In addition to patching the security vulnerability, the update includes features designed to improve performance for both laptops and desktops alike. These include Memory Saver mode which reduces background processing in the browser, as well as Energy Saver mode which limits how much power is consumed during browsing sessions.

Specifically, Energy Saver mode limits how often Javascript timers are fired in the browser, helping reduce CPU workload. This should improve battery life for users with low-power devices like MacBooks which may struggle to keep up with an extended web browsing session.

On top of that, Google's Enhanced Safe Browsing feature has been added to Chrome 3.4, along with support for setting Google's password manager as your autofill provider and an improved language identification model on iOS that makes it simpler for the browser to correctly recognize websites in different languages.

To guarantee you're running the latest Chrome, head to your browser settings and enable automatic update. This will guarantee your device always has the most recent version of the browser installed and is protected against any recent vulnerabilities.

Another way to ensure you're up-to-date is by checking the status of your Chrome installation by logging into your account and visiting the About Chrome tab in the Help menu. This will notify you if an update is available and how long it took for it to download.

Finally, make sure to regularly scan your computer for malware and spyware. These threats can access personal information including financial details and monitor online activity. The most effective defense against these attacks is installing an effective antivirus program and making sure you use a reliable firewall.

Privacy

Google is on a mission to make Chrome more energy-efficient. They've optimized iframes and Javascript timers in an effort to reduce short-term energy use, while now using less of your system's resources as well.

Recently, Google unveiled two features designed to increase browser efficiency on Windows, MacOS and ChromeOS: Energy Saver and Memory Saver. These have now become available globally and will be enabled by default for all users.

These optimizations should help reduce the browser's overall usage, which is often an issue on laptops where it tends to consume processor resources and drain your battery quickly. With the latest version, a 2022 13-inch MacBook Pro with an M2 chip can now support up to 18 hours of web browsing and 30 minutes of YouTube playback without draining its batteries, according to Google.

Google recently upgraded their Password Manager with biometric support to verify users' identities. When the system detects compromised passwords, a warning will appear in the Password Manager with links to websites using those credentials. By clicking on these links, users are taken directly to a page where they can change those passwords.

Though these changes are welcome, they don't address the most pressing privacy issue: Chrome being a prime target for malware and attacks. Therefore, updating the browser regularly - even if you think it's up-to-date - is essential in order to stay protected.

One of the quickest ways to determine if an update is available is by checking for updates in your Chrome menu on your browser toolbar. When it displays a small arrow, that indicates an available update.

It is best to apply updates as soon as they become available, since they often contain fixes for critical vulnerabilities and bugs that could be exploited by hackers. Unfortunately, Chrome updates often come in stages, meaning it could take days or even weeks before your device receives the update.

Restarting your browser after each update is recommended to keep it protected against malicious activity. This step may be overlooked, but it's essential for keeping your computer secure.