Browser Decision: Dolphin, Chrome or ICS+

I have been going over this since I got this phone and still haven't come to a decision after weeks of trying them all. I like the functionality of Dolphin and the mirrored bookmarks of Chrome and they pretty much all are fast enough. I just can't decide which I like best.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of each in everyone's opinion?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk

 

Well, I've used Dolphin ever since I can remember and I've never had a problem with it. Much better than stock. I've only had a little bit to play with Chrome, but I can still tell it's a great browser. The main advantage I can see for Chrome, would be the fact that if you use Chrome Desktop, then everything you have on your desktop like bookmarks, open tabs, etc. are on the mobile version. I LOVE Dolphin, but since you're on ICS/JB, I would go with Chrome. Hope this helps.

 

Love Chrome!! I used Dolphin for awhile and it was good enough till I tried Chrome. The stock browser suuuuccckks!! :biggrin:

 

No advantages to using ICS+ (the souped-up version of the stock browser) from the collective body here?

 

Haha, I've never used it so I can't give an opinion on it. Sorry.

 

There's no better browser than the stock one except for the fact that when you're reading something the stock browser cannot wood wrap so if you zoom in to make it easier on your eyes, it won't for the words on the screen. WHICH IS WHY I often use OPERA browser when I know I'll be reading articles because it is the best browser for zooming in on text because it automatically fits all the text in the view

 

I tried Chrome for a while, and came from using Dolphin....but I honestly liked the stock one the best, which I think is really unusual. Might shop around at a later date, but for now, I like stock the best

 

On my OG Droid the stock browser sucked so I used Dolphin. On the S3 I am so far sticking with stock.

 

I like the add ons for Dolphin, some are quite good (switching to Desktop View at any time, Night Mode, etc) but wish there were some way to sync bookmarks with my laptop that didn't involve multiple steps. I have been using Chrome for a few months after years spent with Firefox but am not sure about losing Flash functionality or whether it's a PITA to switch to desktop view, which I do most of the time.

 

ICS+ does resize the text to fit the screen. I never tried Chrome but I have tried quite a few including Dolphin and I love ICS+. The quick tab feature is sweet and it's fast. I've never had a problem with it.

Sent from my HTC Rezound using Droid Forums

 

This describes me to a T! I loved dolphin and it was my default browser since I was introduced to android. However, I never did understand why they had so many versions.

Sent from my SCH-I535

 

Did you use the stock browser? If so, what did you not like about it?

I've tried them all. Well...most of them. At least 5 or 6 different browsers. I used each one for AT LEAST a month. All of them before I even touched the stock browser on the GS3. Just started testing stock overall (tested speed before, not bad). I have to say....I really like it. Easily the best stock browser I've ever used, word wrap issue aside, which does seem to work occasionally, which leads me to believe it will be fixed in an update. Here's the summary, feel free to ask questions...

If you really don't want stock, then I highly suggest Maxthon BY FAR. It is loaded with features and add ons, themes and gesture settings. It's the fastest, hands down. I have extensively tested this and somehow it always comes out on top, even with multiple browsers opened and compared at once. It can also pre-load the next page you'll click on automatically, to make it load instantly. The gestures, unless turned off, can be customized to just about everything. They can be done on the page itself too instead of opening a new window like Dolphin. Chrome has limited functionality and is only useful if you use Chrome on your desktop, it's also probably the slowest one I tried. Dolphin, which I used for about a year and a half on my X2/Bionic/Rezound, is LOADED with features...but a lot of them have to be downloaded from the market and I can almost guarantee you won't use most of them. Not because you'll forget or not need, but because a lot of them are just too....complicated. They show up on your app page, are another update that'll appear, and really they just clutter things up and aren't worth the hassle IMO, and most of the time you do forget them. I used them mostly for novelty value when I remembered and most of those features are on other browsers now BECAUSE dolphin made them. I also got tired of trying to move a page to the left/right and bringing open one of the slide out side menus. If you aren't consciously thinking about it and use regular strength, it'll happen each time. Just kind of frustrating. The stock browser one definitely requires MORE strength. Firefox was ok, but like Chrome just a little basic for me. Get's the job done, but isn't any faster than Dolphin or Skyfire or Boat. Skyfire and Boat are both good too, but didn't fit me as well. I liked them both equally, but I liked Maxthon and stock more. Opera I haven't used in awhile, but I hear it's still fast (has to be equal to Maxthon though) and has improved a lot. Though the ratings are hit and miss.

Just recently have I started using stock for the first time. Wow, I actually really like it. Lot's of features, pretty fast, and it's also the only browser that'll take advantage of stock functions, such as the pop out window. So, moral of the story, if you simply do not want to try stock, I cannot recommend Maxthon enough. If you really only want to use one of the 3 you mentioned, I suggest dolphin. A bit cluttered and takes time to organize and use, but it can have a lot of features and is decently fast.

Hope this helps at all.

 

Chrome drains my battery much faster than Opera and this problem has been noted in other Google Play reviews

 

I can agree with that, Chrome does seem to drain battery a bit faster than Maxthon or stock. But, if you use Chrome on your PC as well, there are some nifty features, like sharing bookmarks.

 

Chrome is great. I use it on my SIII, nexus 7, and my VAIO laptop and I can sync up my tabs from all of them together. I open up chrome on my SIII and can bring up tabs i just had open on the nexus or laptop if I want.