
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:
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?
Find this article at: http://www.labnol.org/internet/gmail-fast-in-google-chrome-than-ie/6208/
web: http://www.labnol.org/ email: amit@labnol.org


Reader Comments
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
Written by Praval Singh on 12.24.08
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.
link
Written by Nagaraj Hubli on 12.24.08
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.
Written by Amit on 12.24.08
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.
Written by Transcontinental on 12.24.08
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.
Written by Howard on 12.24.08
I don’t see it with IE6,IE7 ,IE8 Beta 2
JCargoo
Written by JCargoo on 12.24.08
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!
Written by Atashbahar on 12.24.08
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
Written by michael on 12.24.08
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.”
Written by SteveW on 12.24.08
Steve - I saw the “Get faster gmail” message in Internet Explorer 8 itself.
Written by Amit on 12.24.08
Gmail is quite faster in Chrome and Firefox. I don’t use IE at all.
Written by mrintech on 12.24.08
I have also noticed that the normal Gmail is faster (in Firefox) vs. Google Apps Gmail. Anyone else witness this?
Written by Dave on 12.24.08
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.
Written by Phao Loo on 12.24.08
Gmail is pretty fast. Google Apps is getting more and more slow. Takes up to 200% longer to load than “normal” Gmail :(
Written by MeOhMy on 12.24.08
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.
Written by guts on 12.24.08
It is much faster in Chrome. I’d say that’s because of the Javascript engine that Chrome has
Written by Michael Aulia on 12.24.08
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.
Written by Darshan Chande on 12.24.08
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.
Written by Shane on 12.24.08
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.
Written by Techcreeze on 12.24.08
@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.
Written by Amit on 12.24.08
Gmail is definitely slower in Chrome in comparison to IE and Firefox, and specially when I am using my GPRS connection.
Written by Anmol on 12.25.08
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!
Written by kannan on 12.25.08
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.
Written by Dutt on 12.26.08
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.
Written by Ken Hnanscom on 12.26.08
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.
Written by Mathew Ballard on 12.26.08
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 link
Written by Ganesh on 12.27.08
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.
Written by Mathew Ballard on 12.27.08
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.
Written by Rose on 12.27.08
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.
Written by Mumbai on 12.28.08
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.
Written by Mathew Ballard on 12.28.08
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
Written by Manoj on 12.28.08
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.
Written by Shane on 12.29.08
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.
Written by Platfuse on 01.03.09