Microsoft's New Edge Browser Revealed: Is the Chrome Killer Here?

We've known for a while that Microsoft is working on a new, Chromium-based version of its Edge browser, and now we've finally gotten our first look at how it'll look and perform in the real world. The Verge's Tom Warren scored an exclusive look at the new browser from an anonymous source, and based on his early hands-on impressions, this could be the version of Edge that finally gets you to ditch Chrome.

Based on The Verge's screenshots, the new Edge has a clean, familiar look that seems to blend the design languages of both Edge and Chrome. Warren notes that you'll be able to import things like bookmarks and passwords from either Edge or Chrome to the new version of Edge, though features such as dark mode or the ability to mark up websites with a stylus are still missing.

The speed and polish of Microsoft's new browser seem promising, according to The Verge's impressions.

"If Microsoft can keep up this good work and keep Edge optimized in the future, I can’t see a reason to need to use Chrome on Windows anymore," said Warren.

Warren also notes that you'll be able to install Chrome extensions from the Google store with a quick toggle in the settings menu, and that Chrome extensions such as 1Password and Ghostery worked just fine with the new Edge.

There's still no release date for Microsoft's revamped version of Edge, but based on these early reports, we're eager to get our hands on it and see if the Chrome-killer is truly here.

Michael Andronico
Editor
A devout gamer and tech enthusiast, Mike Andronico joined the Laptop team in July 2013. With a B.A. in Journalism from Purchase College and experience at GameNGuide, Examiner and 2D-X, Mike tackles everything from iPhone rumors to in-depth hardware reviews.