- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Windows XP/Vista
- Date added: November 11, 2009
- Total Downloads: 591,329
- Downloads last week: 5,553
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 535 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
- 74,629 downloads 1. Mozilla Firefox
- 55,037 downloads 2. Internet Explorer
- 42,764 downloads 3. Avant Browser
- 21,342 downloads 4. Google Chrome
- 14,538 downloads 5. Opera
- See all Web Browsers downloads
User reviews
- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 535 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 17 user reviewsSee all 17 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: Apple Safari 4.0.4
Pros: none so far
Cons: Continually encounters problems, causing it to close. Utterly useless.
Summary: It simply doesn't work. I just downloaded it and have been trying to browse with it to no avail. Every time I open it and begin browsing, after 1-2 minutes, it encounters a problem and closes. I can't believe that IE is that much better than an A... read more >>
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0 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Apple Safari 4.0.4
"same to me my ie could nt load properly - default it is"
Pros: PROS
Actual For Me On My Small Ram Notebook It Load Faster Rather Than Other Browser That I Have Here Like FireFox, Opera or Avant Browser But Could Nt Save IE8 4 Sure.. very pity to IE8 It's Getting Worser & Worser Since The Launch Of Window 7Cons: No Plugins For RealPlayer SP 4 Download Videos From Open Streaming Like YouTube & MetaCafe's...
Summary: Overall like it because safe time for me to only viewing web pages to finding resources for my programming work and the use of Safari Window Is Also Nice To Do WYSIWYG that before i rely on only to Opera But My Opinion Deferred From What I Belief.. ... read more >>
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Version: Apple Safari 4.0.4
Pros: Works OK withothers
Cons: Very Slooow
Summary: It's just not for me.
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Apple Safari 4.0.4
Pros: After it opens it is very good
Cons: When I log on to Safari it takes almost 3 minutes to open up.Is there a fix for this fault?
Summary: No complaints other than the slow opening
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1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Version: Apple Safari 4.0.4
Pros: Nice features, fast internet browser, private browsing ;), modern look
Cons: Not as much support.
- See all 17 user reviews Write review
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