If you have been using your Raspberry Pi for browsing you should already have noticed that the provided browsers sometimes run slow or very slow. It is also an impediment to the general functioning of the Raspberry Pi.
The provided browser is Chromium. You might sometimes find Epiphany or Midori as provided browser but they tend to show less often in installations nowadays.
While Chromium claims itself to be lightweight, it isn't really the case from a Raspberry Pi point of view. Hereafter we will see the alternative fast browsers you can use.
Category #1: the real lightweight browsers
Netsurf is very basic but also very fast |
Summary: pros and cons
Dillo
Lynx is a bit off this list: it is a full text-based browser. However it stays in the race and is surprisingly easy to use. In the vast world of text-based internet browsers (grand total of text-based internet browsers = 2). Lynx could be labelled as the most basic. It does not offer menus and is keyboard reactive only, a bit like Luakit. Lynx is definately a good lightweight browser especially if you don't want LXDE on your installation. Graphical browsers are however still easier to use.
Lynx on Raspberry Pi: a summary of commands at the bottom edge and arrow keys are used to scroll. |
😞 Not very good in page formatting
Elinks
Elinks approach differs from Lynx. Although it is also text-based, the look and feel has been carefully thought. Using Elinks you will almost feel that you are using a graphical internet browser. There are menus, more responsive keys, and it is more user-friendly. The drawback is that it brings more bloatware (it is actually bigger than Netsurf) but there is nothing really to worry about. Links are well responsive and general surfing is ensured.
Javascript download links usually work in Elinks |
😊 Better page layout than Lynx
Category #2: browsers with more features
Epiphany and Midori
I put Epiphany and Midori in the same topic. If you try both, you will notice that Epiphany is just a Midori with a better Raspberry Pi optimization. It means that if you like those browsers you will rather pick Epiphany over Midori: less lags, same features, same look and feel.
Epiphany has the best speed of this category and it is not so much of a bloatware. It is serviceable for everyday use (Gmail and Youtube)
Epiphany, one of the fastest versatile browsers on Raspberry Pi |
Summary: pros and cons
😞 Vivaldi, Chromium and Firefox have a better support
Vivaldi
Vivaldi is an interesting alternative: although its speed is comparable to Firefox's or Chromium's it will be tinier on your SD card and help you free disk space compared to the latter two. The support is sufficient and although the customization options are succint, it offers almost as much website support as Firefox and Chromium.
Vivaldi offers a beautiful and disk space cheap alternative to Firefox and Chromium |
Summary: pros and cons
😞 Speed is average
😞 Package has to be installed manually
Firefox (or Iceweasel) and Chromium
I don't really know how I could decide between Firefox and Chromium: both have an almost full internet site support, both are easy to install, both are bloatware. In addition you will sometimes encounter a problem specific to Firefox or another one specific to Chromium. Firefox has a better RPGMaker MV support but those games are so slow and unplayable that I wouldn't make an argument out of that. Chromium and Iceweasel are both open-source. The interface is very different and it is more a matter if you are familiar with Firefox or Chrome.
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😞 Worst bloatware
Conclusion
Depending on your power and on what you want from your Pi you will choose one or another. A high memory Pi 4 with a good voltage support will be able to run Vivaldi, Firefox and Chrome wihtout any issue while the earlier models would rather be more modest and rather target the first category of browser.
Of course you can always go the performance route even with a late model and prefer Lynx just in order to solve download links.
Personally, I rest my case: learn keyboard and use Luakit. I love this browser.
The pi gamer
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