CNET Editors' review
Opera 9.5 maintains the program's tradition of striving for the fastest, smallest, and most full-featured browser available. 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.
Opera's extras push it to the top of the class. Integrated theme support previews themes from within the interface, and the new version sports a default redo that's an attractive balance between "dark" and "light" themes. Opera's desktop widgets can appear anywhere while Opera is running. The Wand utility combines autofill with saved passwords, and it's hard to ignore the addition of torrent support and real-time fraud protection. The latest version includes reasonable anti-malware protection courtesy Haute Secure.
The expanded features in 9.50 should make any non-believer do a double-take. Opera Link enables Bookmarks, the Personal bar, Speed Dial, and Notes synchronization across all other Opera instances. Quick Find improves the search tool, allowing for full text searching from the address field, the history panel, and opera:historysearch. The Status bar has been restored as a default, the Wand now lets users confirm a successful login before saving credentials, and spatial navigation--similar to Opera Mini and the Wii browser--has been introduced.
The new version is faster, has multiple back-end changes to handle code better, and overall we think Opera has what it takes to unseat even the biggest-name browsers. You just need to hear it sing.
Watch the CNET video review of Opera:
Publisher's Description
From Opera Software:
Opera aims to product the fastest and most powerful Web browser available and make the most of your time online. The latest release is even faster with better support for Web standards. Opera 9.5 is quicker to start, faster at loading Web pages and better at running your favorite Web applications. New features include Quick Find, which remembers not only the titles and addresses, but the actual content of the Web pages you visit, and Opera Link, which lets you access your favorite Web sites everywhere you go on all your computers and cell phones. Version 9.5 also adds a redesigned Address bar drop-down menu, and includes new storage and indexing formats for Opera Mail. Opera 9.52 is a security and stability upgrade.
What's new in this version: Opera 9.52 is a security and stability upgrade.
More Popular Web Browsers downloads
- Google Chrome
311,282 downloads
- Mozilla Firefox
108,611 downloads
- Internet Explorer
24,334 downloads
- Internet Explorer
13,433 downloads
- Opera
13,336 downloads
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All versions:
4.4 starsout of 3,573 votes
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Current version:
4.5 starsout of 37 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Awesome Browser"
Version: Opera 9.52
Pros
It's relatively fast, feels secure, and has some great features.
Cons
I can hardly think of any.
Summary
I think this is overall a great browser, and it hasn't been getting any attention for all the great features and improvements that have been put into this browser.
But to be honest, I'm a huge Firefox fan/user, and I don't think I'll be switching anytime soon, but IF I was to switch, I'd DEFINITELY consider Opera. -
"Overall I am very pleased with Opera."
Version: Opera 9.52
Pros
This is a very fast browser. Which is what I was looking for. It also has all the bells and whistles. Love the speed dial and personal toolbar and auto complete. Much faster and lighter than FireFox.
Cons
Some features and tweeks were a little hard to figure out for a non-geek.
Summary
Great product. I would recommend it to anyone looking for speed and function.
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"Opera I choose you!"
Version: Opera 9.52
Pros
This is my 3rd review of the best browser! also my first in 3 months.
Since day 1, I have used Opera on a regular basis. It's extremely fast. Everytime I use it, I say in my mind (WOW!)..From young to old, opera is the way to go.Cons
I recommend this browser to everyone, I even tell my friends about it.. Once you try it, you will never go back! Just install it, then bam! Opera is very customizeable, very easy to use, very fast, not bloated and very safe
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"NO where close to firefox 3."
Version: Opera 9.52
Pros
SPEED MIGHT BE CLOSE TO INTERNET EXPLORER I DOUBT THAT. FAST WITH SITES WITH HARDLY ANY PICTURES.YOUTUBE OUT OF THE QUESTION.
Cons
SO SLOW.IT MADE IE LOOK REAL GOOD.
Summary
I WANTED TO SEE IF SOMETHING COULD BE CLOSE TO FIREFOX 3 BUT THE ANSWER RIGHT NOW IS NO.FIREFOX IS THE KING OF WEB BROWSERS RIGHT NOW . THE PERFORMANCE OF OPERA WAS NO WHERE CLOSE TO FIREFOX BUT MORE CLOSE TO IE 7 BUT STILL BELOW IT. SOMETIMES CURIOSITY KILLS THE CAT LOL.
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"Best browser today."
Version: Opera 9.52
Pros
Fast, responsive. Doesn't get bogged down as much as Gecko based browsers running the latest engine. The only browser that is comparable to Opera, if not better at fast web rendering is perhaps Google's Chrome Beta.
Cons
None. Opera is doing well.
Summary
Overall this is the best full featured browser. I been impressed with Opera on their latest browser versions. It has speed, and handles websites better without choking as much mainly due to CPU usage than say K-Meleon comparing latest versions respectively. My opinion, you want performance, and stability. This is the best of the best right now.
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"Why Drive a Chevy When You Can Roll A Lexus?"
Version: Opera 9.52
Pros
Fast, secure, great mouse gestures, the passowrd wand, fit to width button, widgets, one button zoom control +/-, highlight/search, paste and go, mouse gestures, the passowrd wand, one button zoom control +/-, highlight/search, paste and go
Cons
Occasionally (rarely) has trouble with webpages but masking as IE usually solves that. Other than that there isn't much negative about Opera.
Summary
This is the most enjoyable browser I have ever used. Features like "paste and go" and one button zoom saves the user clicks. The password wand and speed dial make checking my accounts super fast, easy and secure. A left click on the page you are on will take you back to the previous page, click back 6 times and go back 6 pages. A right click will take you to the next page if you are reading a multipage article.
Fully skinable and configurable with tons of widgets available. Opera Mail pciks up Gmail with no problem at all. Easy management for RSS feeds. Great security and site check. Installs in under a minute (ungraded IE lately?)
Quite simply, Opera makes cruising the Net about as easy as it can get. With Opera, its the little things that enhance the experience by increasinig efficiency and convenience. If you like slow surfing, looking for buttons on the toolbar and using twice as many clicks as you need to, stay away from Opera but if you like stuff that is technologically advanced, designed with the user in mind and on the cutting edge, take it for a spin -
"Good product but not the best"
Version: Opera 9.52
Pros
Fast, superb password manager called wand
Cons
update is not like firefox. have to download a new file all over again
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"beats ie@firefox hands down"
Version: Opera 9.52
Pros
does a great job with out a ton of add ons
Cons
NO CONS I LOVE IT
Summary
its light fast and works every time cant wait for vers.10 will be my one and only browser GO GO OPERA
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"Spectacular"
Version: Opera 9.52
Pros
Widgets, Speed, Downloads
Cons
A little heavy...
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"Great, Fast, Easy to use"
Version: Opera 9.52
Pros
Opera is very fast, similar in speed to Firefox and sometimes is even faster. One of Opera's best features is the mouse Gestures, which make browsing even easier. And all toolbars are fully customizable.
Cons
There are some compatibility issues with several sites, including CNET, YouTube, and MetaCafe (nothing too big, though). Other than that, there really weren't a whole lot of problems.
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