UC Browser

Mobile browsers have never gotten quite the same amount of love that their desktop counterparts have. While Safari, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Chrome have risen to the top of the desktop hierarchy and essentially choked out any competition, the world of mobile browsers is a far more malleable place. It's hard to say that there's a definitive killer app in this market, and there's a lot more room for new contenders to find a place. The browser that comes with your phone is unlikely to be very powerful, meaning that users who want to make the most of their online experience will probably want to download a third party browser. Fortunately, UC Browser does a pretty impressive job of adapting modern browser features to the more limited demands of a phone, and it's completely free to use. Of course, a big pile of features don't matter much if performance isn't worthwhile, but UC Browser runs fast even when navigating multiple tabs and making use of various functions, creating a seamless experience when you're trying to browse the web on your mobile device. It sits near the top of the pack as far as performance goes, and it's a reliable alternative to the packed in browser even if you're simply using it for the most basic web browsing functions. It even offers hardware acceleration for users who can devote 2GB of RAM to it, though that's a fairly high benchmark that will generally require a more modern and higher end device. Perhaps even more interesting, UC Browser utilizes a smart method of prioritization where it automatically loads the version of a website that best suits your internet connection speed. That means you won't have to wait for an asset-heavy site to properly load just to get the information you want when you're working off of an inconsistent WiFi hot spot. As far as features go, UC Browser has been steadily expanding the options available to keep pace with their competition and more readily emulate the experience of browsing on a more traditional device. The download manager available is strong and more consistent than those you'll usually find on phone, making it easy to get granular control when you're trying to download multiple files at the same time. There are robust page sharing options as well, but to really get the most of it, you'll have to be signed in to all the relevant social media apps on your phone. This probably won't be a big deal for users who use social media frequently, but it can be a hassle if you're less connected to your social media accounts. All in all, UC Browser is a strong and robust mobile browser that combines effective speed with some smartly designed features.