Avant Browser: Free Internet Explorer Alternative
Avant Browser: A Detailed Examination
While numerous alternative web browsers exist, sustained long-term support is a rarity. The Avant browser presents a unique situation, maintaining both a relatively low profile and considerable popularity among users.
Despite infrequent mentions in mainstream publications, Avant Browser boasts a user base exceeding that of browsers like Flock, LunaScape, and SlimBrowser.
Notably, it has been downloaded more than 26 million times from CNET, demonstrating significant user interest.
Evaluating Avant as a Mainstream Alternative
The core question remains: does Avant Browser genuinely offer a viable alternative to widely-used browsers like Internet Explorer, upon which it is fundamentally built?
A comprehensive assessment is necessary to determine its strengths and weaknesses.
Further investigation will reveal whether Avant Browser provides a compelling browsing experience.
User Interface
Individuals familiar with Internet Explorer will find the Avant browser interface readily accessible. The fundamental layout mirrors that of IE9, with key elements like the address bar, tab management, search functionality, and menu choices positioned in comparable locations.
Nevertheless, distinctions exist. The navigation buttons for history, going back, and the home page are situated differently. Furthermore, Avant retains a conventional text-based drop-down menu system, accessible from the browser’s upper right corner.
This design choice serves as a reminder of the reasons why major browsers have gradually moved away from such menus, as the extensive array of options can prove perplexing and overwhelming for some users.
Interface Details
Conversely, users who appreciate granular control may value the direct access to numerous browser settings without the need to navigate through sub-menu windows.
Theme customization is also streamlined; changes can be applied directly from a drop-down menu, and new themes load instantaneously, without requiring a browser restart or any disruptive visual effects.
Features
Avant is remarkably feature-rich. A particularly noteworthy aspect, especially for tech enthusiasts, is its availability with support for two distinct browsing engines: IE9 and Firefox. Utilizing Firefox rendering requires downloading the Ultimate edition of Avant, but rest assured, it remains a free offering.
Beyond this, several other useful additions are included. For instance, any browsing window can be divided into two sections, enabling simultaneous viewing of different websites. While functionally similar to Windows Aero Snap, this capability is integrated directly within the browser, eliminating the need for multiple browser windows.
The browser also incorporates a convenient video download function. When visiting a webpage containing video content, a prompt appears, offering the option to download the video. The browser demonstrates broad compatibility, successfully downloading videos from platforms like YouTube.
Downloaded videos can then be readily opened using VLC Player directly from the integrated download manager.
Velocity
A comprehensive browser evaluation necessitates an assessment of its operational speed.
From a user experience perspective, Avant delivers a highly responsive performance. Actions are executed without perceptible lag, and even with numerous tabs hosting YouTube videos and Flash games, seamless transitions between them were observed. While users with less robust hardware configurations may encounter differing results, testing was conducted on an older Core 2 Duo processor, demonstrating Avant’s resilience even with limited system resources.
A minor observation is a slight delay between the browser window's movement and the content within when dragging it across the screen. This issue is infrequent and subtle, yet it distinguishes Avant from other browsers that do not display this characteristic.
However, subjective evaluations have limitations. Let's examine Avant's performance using the Peacekeeper browser benchmark.
The benchmark results indicate that Avant achieves the lowest score, though the difference compared to Firefox 8 is not substantial. This outcome aligns with expectations, given Avant’s reliance on the Internet Explorer 9 rendering engine. As consistently observed, Chrome significantly surpasses both Avant and Firefox 8 in terms of speed.
Final Assessment
Throughout my experience, numerous alternative browsers have been tested, yet frequently, inherent shortcomings hindered their adoption as primary browsers.
With Avant Browser, however, such limitations are absent. Its performance is notably swift, its operation remarkably stable, and it boasts an extensive array of functionalities.
A Compelling Alternative
Avant Browser presents itself as an excellent option for individuals seeking a browsing experience built upon the Internet Explorer engine, without the constraints of Internet Explorer 9 itself.
Indeed, the advantages offered by Avant Browser – encompassing equivalent web compatibility alongside a wealth of supplementary features – render Internet Explorer 9 largely redundant.
Key benefits of choosing Avant Browser include:
- Enhanced speed and stability.
- A comprehensive feature set.
- Full compatibility with websites designed for Internet Explorer.
For users prioritizing a robust and feature-rich browsing experience, Avant Browser stands out as a superior choice.
Related Posts
Touchscreen on Windows PC: Do You Need It?
Find Lost Windows or Office Product Keys - Easy Guide
Windows 10 Resetting Settings: Why It Happens & How to Fix
Monitor FPS in UWP Games on Windows 10 - A Simple Guide
Remove 'Get Windows 10' Icon & Stop Upgrade Notifications
