Why Chrome is still my default in 2025 (and the settings that fix its biggest annoyances)
There are tons of browsers out there. A lot. And really, I could go for any. I’ve thought about my options in the past and gauged whether any other browser is a better fit for me.
Yet, every time I’ve tried a different browser, I’ve kept landing back on Google Chrome. Here’s why.
Why Chrome is still my favorite
Currently, Google Chrome remains the default portal to the internet for the vast majority of users, myself included. There’s a reason for that. While I’m sure a lot of it is brand recognition, the primary reason for this continued dominance is not necessarily raw speed or aesthetic superiority. But rather, in my opinion, it’s the unparalleled lack of friction in the Google ecosystem. For anyone knee-deep in Google Workspace—using Docs, Drive, and Gmail daily—Chrome acts less like an app and more like an operating system layer. The synchronization capabilities remain its “killer app”; opening a laptop, tablet, or phone and having immediate access to the same open tabs, history, and passwords is a convenience that few competitors have matched with the same level of reliability.
The Chromium rendering engine has effectively become the standard for the modern web. Not only for Chrome itself, but a good chunk of browsers out there actually use the Chromium engine underneath—making browsers like Edge share a lot of the same DNA with Chrome. In 2025, web developers prioritize Chrome compatibility above all else, meaning that while other browsers like Safari or Firefox are excellent, Chrome is probably the only one that guarantees 100% of websites will render and function exactly as intended without tweaking.
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This reliability extends to the browser’s immense extension library, which remains the most robust in the world. Even with the controversial transition to Manifest V3 (more on that later), the sheer volume of developer support for Chrome means that if a tool exists to improve productivity, write code, or clip content, it exists first and best on Chrome.
And since it’s probably the most popular browser out there, it’s available on a bunch of platforms, including the venerable Windows 10, where it’s about to be retired.
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It does have downsides
Now, I’m not saying Chrome is perfect. Far from it. The most persistent complaint remains its appetite for RAM. While modern hardware has more memory than ever, Chrome’s multi-process architecture—which isolates every tab and extension into its own process—can still bring even high-end machines to a crawl if user discipline creates a backlog of dozens of open tabs. Sure, this is a problem on all Chromium browsers as they all have an innate hunger for RAM, but a number of other browsers actually have built-in tools to cut down on RAM usage that Chrome doesn’t have.
My other bone to pick with Chrome is probably the transition to Manifest V3, which has fundamentally changed how content blockers operate, limiting the ability of extensions to dynamically filter network requests. For power users who relied on granular control over web scripts to block tracking and advertisements, the browser now feels more restrictive, prioritizing Google’s ad-supported business model over user autonomy.
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Additionally, while third-party cookies have largely been phased out, they have been replaced by the Privacy Sandbox and Topics API. This system moves user profiling directly into the browser itself, categorizing browsing history into interest groups to share with advertisers. While technically more private than third-party cookies, it still represents a surveillance capability built into the very tool used to access private information.
The interface has also become increasingly cluttered with features that many users do not request, such as shopping insights and visual search overlays, which can make the browsing experience feel bloated compared to the minimalist design Chrome was originally famous for. We even have AI features as well.
How do I fix them?
The good part is that you can actually go around some of these issues. To address the notorious RAM usage, the first step is to aggressively configure the “Performance” menu.
You should enable “Memory Saver” and set it to “Moderate” or “Maximum” depending on their workflow; this forces the browser to freeze inactive tabs much faster, freeing up gigabytes of memory for active tasks. In the same menu, “Energy Saver” should be toggled to turn on immediately when a laptop is unplugged, rather than waiting for the battery to hit 20%, which significantly extends session time away from a charger.
For the privacy and ad-blocking issues, you have a couple of options. First, you must navigate to the “Privacy and security” settings and enter the “Ad privacy” section. Here, it is vital to manually disable “Ad topics,” “Site-suggested ads,” and “Ad measurement” to stop the browser from generating an advertising profile based on local browsing history.
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Second, to counter the limitations of Manifest V3, users should switch to “Lite” versions of ad blockers, such as uBlock Origin Lite, which are optimized for the new declarative API standards. While slightly less powerful than their predecessors, they remain effective for general blocking without slowing down the browser. For those needing stricter control, implementing a DNS-level blocker like NextDNS at the operating system level can filter out ads and trackers before they even reach Chrome, bypassing the browser’s extension restrictions entirely.
Finally, to de-clutter the interface, users should right-click the toolbar to unpin unnecessary side-panel icons and disable stuff like “Shopping lists” and “Price tracking” within the sync and Google services settings to return the browser to a cleaner, more utility-focused state.
There’s a reason why it’s the most used browser, and you can keep it neat and tidy too.
