The best Windows apps for your new PC. Also check out our Security Starter Kit.
Web browsers
Competitive and diverse, this most essential of software categories has seen tremendous growth in the past year. Although we recommend Mozilla Firefox overall, check out why Opera and Chrome are strong alternatives.
Mozilla Firefox
- CNET editors' rating: 5.0 stars
Mozilla Firefox made tabbed browsing mainstream and redefined the browser wars. The easiest browser on the market to customize, the huge user-developed plug-in database makes it supremely powerful, but that's not the only reason to use it. Specialized versions like Flock and Songbird emphasize social networking and music obsessions, but that's not why you need it, either. A JavaScript debugger is standard, and Firefox displays the page-source code in a new window, using indents and color-coded tags like an HTML editor. Again, not enough--on its own.
Even the built-in pop-up blocker, antiphishing protections, and enhanced extension security aren't enough of a reason for using Firefox. Being one of the fastest browsers on the market? Aren't they all? But add together all those things under one roof, and you've got a full-featured, safe browsing experience with a nearly infinite level of customization.
Opera
- CNET editors' rating: 5.0 stars
Although not as popular as Firefox, Opera is nothing less than an excellent alternative. The program is known for striving to be the fastest, smallest, and most full-featured browser available. Even if sometimes it doesn't hit all of those marks, Opera has developed a dedicated following of both desktop and mobile users. Of course, Opera covers the basics with tabbed browsing, mouse-over previews, a customizable search bar, advanced bookmarking tools, and simple integration with e-mail and chat clients. Mouse-gesture support, keyboard shortcuts, and drag-and-drop functionality round out the essentials.
Out of the box, Opera has just about all you need, and its extras are equally strong. Integrated theme support, desktop widgets, the Wand autofill/saved password utility, torrent support, and antimalware protection courtesy of Haute Secure make it our favorite alternative to Firefox. Throw in always-on access to your bookmarks and other personal settings via Opera Link, and Opera has what it takes to unseat even the biggest-name browsers. You just need to hear it sing.
Google Chrome
- CNET editors' rating: 4.5 stars
Still in beta, Google Chrome barely squeaks onto this year's list as an alternative for the alternative. If you use Web apps more than 90 percent of the time, Chrome's fast and unique. Users can rip tabs off into their own stand-alone windows and save them to their desktops, turning Web apps into virtual desktop apps, because each tab runs under a different system process.
Chrome could be the future of browsing, but no support for extensions and other beta issues keep it down--for now. Nevertheless, it's a must-try, if not a must-have, and a solid backup browser.
