Opera Browser Update Boosts Battery Life for Longer Web Sessions
Key Takeaways
- New power-saving mode extends battery life up to 49% longer than previous Opera versions and 54% longer than Chrome
- Features include simplified web pages, reduced animations, lower frame rates, and an integrated ad blocker
- Best suited for users needing extended battery performance during power outages
Opera Browser Update Extends Battery Life
While Chrome and Firefox dominate desktop browsing, Opera Browser has introduced an update that tackles a major issue: battery drain. The new power-saving mode in the Opera Developers version claims to extend laptop battery life by up to 49% compared to earlier Opera releases and 54% longer than Chrome.
During tests on a Lenovo X250 laptop with 16GB RAM and Windows 10, Opera’s power-saving mode kept the system running three hours longer than Chrome. The test involved opening 11 tabs, scrolling each page five times, and repeating until the battery died.
The power-saving mode activates automatically when the charger is unplugged or when the browser detects low battery. It works by minimizing loaded content, simplifying code, reducing animations and themes, limiting background tasks, and capping frame rates at 30fps. An integrated ad blocker also removes advertisements and their distracting animations and pop-ups. The Developers version also includes a built-in VPN.
While the mode slightly affects browsing quality with simplified pages and lower frame rates, it offers a practical solution for users needing to extend device runtime during power shortages.
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