Firefox 72 vs. Chrome 80 Browser Performance On Ubuntu Linux With AMD Ryzen

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Firefox 72 vs. Chrome 80 Browser Performance On Ubuntu Linux With AMD Ryzen

Given this week's release of Google Chrome 80, here are fresh benchmarks of Chrome 80 against Firefox 72 on Linux plus also a run with Firefox's WebRender option being enabled. This round of tests was under an Ubuntu 20.04 snapshot with AMD Ryzen processor and AMD Radeon VII graphics.

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=28850

[treba]

For interested parties, here are some current developments in Firefox to be exited about:
- experimental DMABUF support for WebGL (should bring it on par with Chrome) (ff74 https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1586696)
- experimental HW video decoding (74/75 https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1610199)
- work on partial damage (required for webrender rollout on battery powered devices) https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1484812
- as the above things all rely on EGL:
- ongoing work to make the EGL backend support OGL (not only GLES) https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1474281
- use the EGL backend on X11, too (currently only on Wayland) https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=788319

So expect FF to make a huge jump in 2020

[kenjitamura]

I still need to make the jump from Chrome to Firefox, been too lazy to do it. Even if Chrome is faster and you can get improved privacy with the Vanilla Cooke Manager addon it's worthwhile to support Firefox who already implements fairly aggressive default privacy settings. It also helps for as many users as possible to be using Firefox to balance out web browser market share and prevent Google from unilaterally deciding web standards.

[amehaye]

I still wonder if there is some build of Firefox with V8 rather than SpiderMonkey. Such a build would go a long way towards isolating performance problems - at least with regards to JavaScript related ones.

[perpetually high]

I still need to make the jump from Chrome to Firefox, been too lazy to do it. Even if Chrome is faster and you can get improved privacy with the Vanilla Cooke Manager addon it's worthwhile to support Firefox who already implements fairly aggressive default privacy settings. It also helps for as many users as possible to be using Firefox to balance out web browser market share and prevent Google from unilaterally deciding web standards.

Ok, let me be the one to finally encourage you to make the jump. Do it. You won't look back, I promise.

First things first, export your bookmarks from Chrome, import into Firefox, and set up Sync. Next, see which extensions you'll need.

I only use three extensions at the moment.

Vimium for moving around with vim shortcuts
Imagus for quickly hovering over links to view images (whitelisted to only allow reddit)
Lastpass for password manager

I have a raspberry pi running pi-hole so haven't needed to enable uBlock Origin on my home network. In fact, I found uBlock to really slow down the app startup time which is too bad. Of course, better that than ads (don't kill me, Michael - whitelist phoronix, folks!), but still worth mentioning. Mozilla also offers the Firefox Private Network addon, so check that out also.

That's pretty much it, you've converted to Firefox.

Now, a couple other settings I enable:

1. WebRender - set the environment variable MOZ_WEBRENDER=1 system-wide, or enable it in about:config by toggling gfx.webrender.all to true
2. If you're on a 144hz screen or similar, set the refresh rate accordingly: in about:config, set layout.frame_rate to 144

You can use about:support to verify your changes.

That's it off the top of my head. Oh, and be sure to set default search engine to DuckDuckGo. Enjoy your new enhanced browsing experience

[TemplarGR]

I think Firefox is a better all around browser than Chrome, all things considered. The speed difference is significant but in real world usage is barely noticeable, while Firefox offers higher privacy, functionality, and a better add-on ecosystem. Plus we get to support the "underdog", like we used to do with Mozilla 20 years ago.

[Scellow]

lot of blabla from mozilla, but again reality check and firefox is WAY behind chrome

[cynical]

Vimium for moving around with vim shortcuts

Awesome, definitely checking this out.

[Guest]

- experimental HW video decoding (74/75 https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1610199)

I don't think it is real HW (= using GPU integrated decoder) decoding, as for Chrome/ium.

[treba]

I don't think it is real HW (= using GPU integrated decoder) decoding, as for Chrome/ium.

It is, that's the point. It's actually pretty much the same what chromium (not chrome, as we're talking about out of tree patches) does. The big step is to get buffer sharing via DMABUF to work, then ffmpeg can basicly do what it wants (that is using VAAPI to decode the stuff). You are right that for that to work accelerated rendering is a requirement - that's what Webrender is for. So the point here is that now both is falling in place.