Microsoft Chromium Edge Browser Hands-on: Big upgrade with one problem

Microsoft's Chromium-based Edge browser for Windows 10 is finally here, and we found a practical time with it with Microsoft Consulting firm.

The software giant today made available the first Canary and Developer builds for download on Windows 10 machines. Canary build is a first version that will be updated daily, while Developer build is more stable and will receive weekly updates. A beta version, which should look a lot like the final product, will be released in the future. MacOS Canary versions are also available so you can install Microsoft Edge on a Mac.

I opened the Alienware m17 laptop development program and was immediately asked if I wanted to sync my favorites, autofill data and history or start over. From there, I continued the setup process by choosing from three different homepage formats: an "Inspirational" theme with a photo background, an "informative" look with heavy text, and a simplified "Focused" option.

Looking for inspiration, I chose the heavy image option, which featured a graphic mountain range behind the icons for my most recent web pages. Like the current Edge browser, the homepage also displays a tabbed news feed for certain categories (news, sports, entertainment, etc.).

The overall interface is clear and displays relevant information only when I want to see it. But that brings us to the elephant that found its way back into the room: Bing. The first thing most on the Edge will do is make Chrome the default search engine, which unfortunately is not an option in this year's build. But do not worry about Google fans, this will probably change in future releases.

The overall interface of the new Edge browser has not changed much. The tabs are still strongly rectangular and the settings menu combines the modern font with simple logos. Edge and Chrome have always looked rather alike, but some tweaks bring Microsoft's browser even closer to par with its tough rival. For example, a new profile logo in the upper right corner of the Edge mimics the Chrome layout. Also missing is the developing tab preview in this early build.

In terms of usability, the new Edge browser felt surprisingly stable during my testing. Edge has always been a lightweight, fast browser, and it does not look like a change in Chromium is going to change that. I jumped from one webpage to another without the slightest hint of delay and watched YouTube videos without any anomalies (admittedly, the Alienware laptop I used was equipped with some specifications).

One of the major benefits of switching to Chromium is that the new Edge will support third-party extensions. At this time, you can only download add-ons from the Microsoft Store. We took our first look at the store's consistent range of offers a few weeks ago. If your required extension is not already on this list, then you will finally be able to download applications from the Chrome Web Store. I used Honey, the automatic coupon finder, without any problems.

I'm quite happy with the new Edge, even in its early stages. In fact, I would have no problem switching from Chrome once Microsoft added the option to change the default web browser (sorry, Bing). However, I do not see exactly how Microsoft will persuade users to return to their browser. Google has been holding the web browser tightly since Microsoft's Internet Explorer fell off a cliff early in the decade. While a Chromium-based Edge brings some nice benefits to users, it does not have a killer feature in its current form.

But we must not count on the Edge yet. Many changes will be made before (and after) it becomes widely available. Joe Belfiore, the corporate vice president of Windows, reassured us of these changes in a blog post today.

"In these early constructions we are very focused on the basics and we have not yet included a wide range of features and language support that will come later," Belfiore wrote. "You'll start to see differences from your current Microsoft Edge, such as fine design finishes, support for a wider choice of extensions, and the ability to manage your login profile."