While most internet users use Chrome as the default browser ( IE and Edge being the prime download tool for it) some users have also checked out the Chromium browser.
Launched by Google as an open source project, Chromium is an experimental browser that is continuously improved by the community. While Chrome itself is based on Chromium, it is a more simplified and user-friendly browser.
In the light of the data privacy controversies, some people prefer Chromium as an alternative to Chrome, citing personal privacy as the main reason.
The Pro and Contra
- Aside from the color of the logo which is blue in the case of Chromium there are no major differences regarding the user-interface.
- Chromium never reports crashes while Chrome reports them only if the option is turned on
- Chrome reports users metrics if allowed, Chromium never reports user metrics.
- Both programs offer support for modern codecs: Opus, Theora, Vorbis, VP8 and VP9 and WAV by default. Chrome offers additional default video codecs :AAC, H.264, and MP3 for audio.
- In Chrome sandbox mode is on by default and can only be turned off by manual override. His grants an extra layer of security against malicious sites In most Linux distributions it can be easily disabled.
Is Chromium safer?
Well not really. While it may not offer as many reports and metrics to Google, Chromium will still track your activity if you decide to log-in with a Google Account. Chrome is also released only in stable builds while Chromium receives several unstable builds daily. The added layer of security is thin, as even if you do not log in Google will still track your IP.
Conclusions
While Chromium sends less data towards Google it is not much better than Chrome. Both are great for browsing the Internet and if you really need the added security, I would rather suggest a trusted VPN solution.
Henry Lares is still early into his career as tech reporter but has already had his work published in many major publications including Tech Crunch and the Huffington Post. In regards to academics, Henry earned an engineering degree from Apex Technical School. Henry has a passion for emerging technology and covers upcoming products and breakthroughs in science and tech.
