Although everyone knows about the big names in the browser market, there are a lot of less known browsers out there that offer different things. SlimBrowser is one of them and it wants to provide a very sleek and fast experience.
Installation & Requirements
During the setup you will have the option of choosing through a variety of languages, creating shortcuts and making SlimBrowser your default browser. The supported operating systems are Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8. The application is also offered in a portable version.
Interface
The first time you run the browser you will be able to configure some quick settings like the behavior of the tabs. You can skip it and configure the options later through the settings menu if you want. Looking at the interface for the first time, one might think that it can get cluttered and that it might slow the browser down. However, that is far from the case with SlimBrowser. Although there are a lot of buttons and various icons in the toolbars, the browser is really quite fast. The intuitive design makes browsing a breeze and there is a certain elegance when opening new tabs and browsing through the interface.
As is the case with every browser out there, it is the little things that make the difference. For example, browsing with an ad blocker has become the norm for millions of users out there. In every other browser, however, you have to install a third party add-on or plugin to get an ad blocker. SlimBrowser has an integrated ad blocker that is constantly updated for improved performance and effectiveness. It is also fully customizable and you can choose the advertisements you want to see when you are surfing the internet.
As I said before, the browser is also quite fast. You will notice multiple links to popular websites like Amazon and eBay and clicking on them will take you to these websites extremely fast. Even opening a completely new tab opens the pages almost immediately. The autocomplete feature is also a very welcome addition. You can simply type a single word in the address bar and the browser will complete it with a “www” at the start and a “.com” at the end for fast results.
Although there are some plugins for the browser, that kind of customization is obviously not a priority for the developers. What you can really customize on your own is the interface and the behavior of the application. For example, if you do not want to have toolbars and the website links you can easily remove them. You can also modify the ad blocker, the pop up blocker and the tab viewer to suit your needs in any way you want.
Pros
-Fast installation and a portable version
-Intuitive design makes for fast browsing
-Seamless integration with various websites
-Blocks ads and pop-ups
Cons
-Lacks some more advanced features
Conclusion
If you are looking to change your browser to a non-mainstream one then SlimBrowser is a good place to start. Although it is not fundamentally different from most browsers, it still provides enough different features for it to be enjoyable.
