Is the Gmail Website Twice as Fast in Google Chrome Than IE 8

24 dec 2008

Google suggests using Google Chrome or Firefox Browser to experience Gmail twice as fast.

fast gmail

If you open the Gmail website in Internet Explorer, you’ll see a link at the top that says "Get Faster Gmail" – it’s placed next to your Gmail user name and highlighted in bold red so you won’t miss it for sure.

I was expecting to see some tips on how to make Gmail faster but that link transported me to this page that suggests downloading Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Here’s a screenshot:

fast-browser

Google has been advertising Chrome aggressively across all their web properties but what surprised me here was this bit – "In order to get the best experience possible and make Google Mail run an average of twice as fast, we suggest that you upgrade your browser to one of the fastest Google Mail supported browsers that work on Windows."

Is the Gmail website really that fast on Chrome or is this just an indirection promotion of Google Chrome for IE users? The message is displayed only inside Gmail and not in Google Docs, Google Maps or Google Calendar though these services too use "browser technology to its limits". Thoughts?

Also see: Running Out of Space on Gmail?

http://www.praval.com Praval Singh

The browser war started to exist eversince Firefox was born. The special addon/extension feature made it a life savor for many.

Google Chrome dived in only to make the war intense! But this kind of direct and provoking advertorials is something that doesn’t fit in the google jeans.

That’s not the way Larry :p
Nagaraj Hubli

when I opened gmail in IE6, and clicked on “Get Faster Gmail”, it suggested me to upgrade to IE7. I have seen the message saying to use FF or Chrome before this.

http://tinyurl.com/9gyrte
http://www.akgoyal.com Amit

I am not sure about the exact speed, but GMail does run faster on Chrome and Firefox. Also, Google is not just advertising Chrome but also FF on this page.

I am not sure why it is not present on Google Docs, Google Maps or Google Calendar.
Transcontinental

The promotional content I guess is the natural trend of monopolization. Concerning the speed ratio, I haven’t the faintest idea, since I use but Firefox and IE for MS updates.
Howard

I’ve used Chrome since it first came out and, on my slow dial-up (one of the few places in America where DSL is not available – thank you, Verizon), Chrome greatly out-performs both IE7 and Firefox in terms of speed. I’m satisfied with most features of Chrome but would like them to add some of the add-on’s I find useful in Firefox.
http://jcargoo.org JCargoo

I don’t see it with IE6,IE7 ,IE8 Beta 2
JCargoo
Atashbahar

Gmail is much faster in FireFox compared to IE. It is slow in both IE6 and IE7.
I have not tried IE8 yet but Microsoft claims the JavaScript engine is faster than IE7!
michael

I had the same thought you did when i first saw that message. By the way, it appears in firefox too. i haven’t conducted any benchmark testing to substantiate their claims, but it certainly does *seem* a lot faster in chrome than it does in firefox
SteveW

Why did you leave out the line under the images of FF3 & Chrome, which says “Note: A faster version of Internet Explorer, IE8, is in development and available in a beta release.”
http://www.labnol.org/ Amit

Steve – I saw the “Get faster gmail” message in Internet Explorer 8 itself.
http://mrintech.com/ mrintech

Gmail is quite faster in Chrome and Firefox. I don’t use IE at all.
Dave

I have also noticed that the normal Gmail is faster (in Firefox) vs. Google Apps Gmail. Anyone else witness this?
http://www.gigglecomputer.com Phao Loo

I never touch Gmail in a web browsers for months. I use Thunderbird to access gmail pop3.

I install Chrome the first day it released. Once, I uninstall after not over five mins. Now I’m stick with Firefox and Opera.
MeOhMy

Gmail is pretty fast. Google Apps is getting more and more slow. Takes up to 200% longer to load than “normal” Gmail :(
guts

Amit, you gotta move on from Internet Explorer! I agree you endorse and support Microsoft products a lot because you were a MS MVP before, but you should realize that IE is the least standards compliant browser out there. I hope IE8 atleast improves something because I am sick designing a special version of my website so that it works in IE.
http://www.michaelaulia.com/blogs Michael Aulia

It is much faster in Chrome. I’d say that’s because of the Javascript engine that Chrome has
http://thescitechjournal.blogspot.com/ Darshan Chande

I can not tell the exact speed difference but Gmail surely runs fater in Chrome. I love Chrome as it is very light and fast. Only thing it misses out on is add-ons, for which I still use FF. As for IE I have stopped using it since two years, and only use it for testing my blog appearance as whether it looks alright on it.
Shane

The difference in gmail speed between Internet Explorer and Chrome is like night and day.. I can’t imagine using Internet Explorer any more than I can imagine using dial-up – they’re both archaic and slow as hell.
http://techcreeze.blogspot.com Techcreeze

Get Faster Gmail doesnot come with IE7.

Yes, I also feel that gmail is faster in Chrome.
Anyways, my experience is at least “Switch to Basic HTML” is not usually required with Chrome.
http://www.labnol.org/ Amit

@guts – I am not sure why you are connecting my MVP status with IE? Firefox is the default browser on my system but I do use IE frequently as well for a simple reason – 47% of the people coming to this site are on IE.
http://www.logbase100.org Anmol

Gmail is definitely slower in Chrome in comparison to IE and Firefox, and specially when I am using my GPRS connection.
kannan

I thought this post will give info about stats for gmail loading in diff browsers.

Disappointed. I thought this was a tech site now its just a ENGLISH WORDS!
http://msdotnetsupport.blogspot.com Dutt

I do not think so google plays this kind of silly tricks to make their products popular like Microsoft does.

Generally Microsoft does give support their products only in windows ex: .NET Framework.

But Google is saying very clearly that faster gmail works for chrome and firefox. and A faster version of Internet Explorer, IE8, is in development and available in a beta release.
http://www.somelifeblog.com Ken Hnanscom

The Chrome experience is a much quicker one for me in Gmail. In fact, I mainly use Chrome for Google applications. The main detractor for me is that there is not a Google Toolbar for Chrome yet…odd.
http://mathewballard.com Mathew Ballard

No, it really is that much faster. Almost everything on the web is faster in Chrome then it is in any other browser out there. But, as far as Gmail goes, Firefox would be my second choice.
Ganesh

Not at all!!! The only thing with Chrome that bugs me day after day is slower gmail (& Google Reader & Google Docs). I found that the Google Talk Plugin, Shockwave Plugin, Flash Plugin, Google Gears Plugins i.e. virtually any type of plugin freezes Chrome.
Check this snapshot http://twitpic.com/wyju
http://mathewballard.com Mathew Ballard

You people having problems must being doing something different then me. I’ve only had a tab or freeze up on me a couple of times. And as I said before almost everything I’ve done in Chrome has been faster in Chrome then any other browser.
http://www.work-from-home-job.com/blog/ Rose

I downloaded Firefox a few months ago. As soon as I did, my internet started closing out/stopping working. When I deleted the Firefox, it took away my ability to utilize hyperlinks inside any Microsoft program. I finally got it fixed, but I don’t plan to download Firefox again.
http://www.kyakare.com Mumbai

It’s the same speed. The only difference is that Chrome loads up quickly.

I found Chrome quite useless. It just keeps hanging all the time. I havent had a single instance when the browser hasnt crashed. Firefox is by far the best.
http://mathewballard.com Mathew Ballard

Once again I say, you people must have done something wrong, because there are millions of people out there that have not had the issues that you had. And I have to disagree Chrome is faster, its also been proven in many speed test.
http://thedotnetgame.blogspot.com Manoj

In my google chrome its always says check ur mail in HTML version but in IE 7 i am able to see in standard GMAIL format so i disagree GMAIL is faster in Chrome

IE rocks
Shane

I agree with Ballard.. if you’re having problems seeing HTML in your gmail while running Chrome, you need to check your computer because something is very wrong. IE does not rock. It’s an archaic joke. When I’m forced to be on it in at work or a friend’s house it’s like stepping back in time to 1998.
http://www.platfuse.com Platfuse

Well, I did not find much difference. Why Google wants to get into Browsers? They are doing pretty well with their search engines and other lab apps that they come up with. I personally do not feel it of much importance installing Chrome just to navigate Google application. Just a small thought.

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Is the Gmail Website Twice as Fast in Google Chrome Than IE 8

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