- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows Vista, Windows XP
- Date added: November 11, 2009
- Total Downloads: 567,417
- Downloads last week: 7,457
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 521 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on June 09, 2009
Initially met with some skepticism, the Windows version of Apple's Safari browser has developed into a strong Web-surfing candidate. Previous versions felt unfinished, but Safari 4 can stand should to shoulder with the other major Windows Web browsers--depending on what kind of experience you want.
Safari lacks most customization features. Skins and other aesthetic tweaks exist in the Mac version, but not here. Just about the only thing you can alter is the font. However, the new version represents a radical departure in look and feel, and the changes are for the better. Safari now looks much more like Google Chrome, although the tabs are placed below the navigation bar, not above it. The status bar and menu bar do exist, but they're hidden by default. You can make toolbar changes and customizations by clicking on the gear icon--another similarity to Chrome.
Both browsers are built on the open-source Webkit rendering engine, although they use different JavaScript engines. Safari's Nitro is definitely fast, although Apple's claims that it's the fastest browser on the market might depend more on your hardware than anything else. In our testing, it ran a bit slowly after heavy tab and video playback, and still consumed more RAM in general than Firefox. You can also opt out of automatic updates when you install Safari.
Features unique to Safari 4 include Cover Flow, for visually searching your history and bookmarks, and Top Sites. This presents a "speed dial"-style list of favorites on blank tabs, melded with the visual flair of Cover Flow. There's a decent built-in roboform, too. Overall, this Safari is the best one yet, and graduates from mere Windows-based developers' tool to a reasonable choice for average users.
Watch the CNET video review of Apple Safari:
Publisher's description
From Apple :With a simple, elegant interface, the Safari browser gets out of your way and lets you enjoy the Web. Features include: fast performance; an elegant user interface, easy bookmarks, pop-up Blocking, inline find, tabbed browsing, SnapBack, automatic form filling, built-in RSS, resizable text fields, private browsing, and security.
What's new in this version:
- Improved JavaScript performance
- Improved Full History Search performance for users with a large number of history items
- Stability improvements for 3rd-party plug-ins, the search field and Yahoo! Mail
More popular Web Browsers downloads
- 77,505 downloads 1. Mozilla Firefox
- 52,549 downloads 2. Internet Explorer
- 41,579 downloads 3. Avant Browser
- 21,246 downloads 4. Google Chrome
- 13,811 downloads 5. Opera
- See all Web Browsers downloads
User reviews
- Average user rating: 0 stars Not yet available
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
-
Showing 3 of 3 user reviewsSee all 3 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: Apple Safari 4.0.4
Pros: Loads pages fast, Acid 3 compliant.
Cons: Top site? Who needs it. Big file for a browser. Renders some sites improperly.
Summary: I have used Mac's for several years and have always found Safari to be a good browser. I also use Windows machines but never longed for Safari on a PC. Firefox is my choice with occasional use of IE 8. The problem with Safari is that for a browser i... read more >>
-
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Apple Safari 4.0.4
"its beautiful and fast . but .........."
Pros: its beautiful
Cons: it doen' t open midia player audio and video , doesn't have media player plug in.
-
Version: Apple Safari 4.0.4
"It's an APPLE Ad. Not a Browser Did Not like it at all"
Pros: Opens Almost as quick as IE 6
Cons: It's an APPLE Ad. Not a Browser Did Not like it at all. Not up to date with other browsers
It's apples way of working an Ad into the world of Microsoft. Not enough control over preferences. Could not adjust to my preferences. Needs More user control - See all 3 user reviews Write review
Submit your review
- See more CNET content tagged:
- Apple Computer,
- Apple Macintosh,
- Microsoft Windows,
- Web browser
Previous Versions:
