Google Says It's Working to Improve Chrome's Battery Efficiency on Mac

Google recently announced that it would pause all Flash content on Chrome browser's webpage to help save laptop battery life. The company now seems to have acknowledged several complaints from Mac users to make the browser as efficient as Safari on OS X.

Google's Senior Software Engineer, Chrome UI team, Peter Kasting in a Google+ post confirmed that the company is working to address all issues reported by Mac users on Chrome. "One of the big complaints about Chrome currently is that it's a battery hog, especially on Mac where Safari seems to do better," said Kasting. The changes are expected to first arrive in Chromium before being made live for OS X users.

He listed several cases where the team was working to improve the Chrome user experience for OS X users. Some major changes include renderers for background tabs now get a lower priority which earlier had same priority as foreground tabs.

On a Google search results page, earlier Chrome suffered 390 wakes over 30s and used 0.3 percent CPU usage compared to Safari's 120 wakes over 30s and just 0.1 percent CPU usage. Now, Kasting claims that there have been 66 percent reduction in both timer firings and CPU use. Chrome is claimed to incur now 120 wakes over 30s and 0.1 percent CPU usage.

While searching on Amazon.com, Chromium incurred 768 wakeups over 30s and consumed 0.7 percent CPU while Safari saw 312 wakes over 30s and saw just 0.1% CPU. Now, Kasting notes that Chrome has 59 percent reductions in timer firings and 70 percent reduction in CPU usage. "Chrome is now incurring 316 wakeups over 30s, and 0.2 percent CPU use, on par with Safari at 312 wakes, and 0.1 percent CPU use," added Kasting.

http://crbug.com/460102

Before: Renderers for background tabs had the same priority as for foreground tabs.

Now: Renderers for background tabs get a lower priority, reducing idle wakeups on various perf test, in some cases by significant amounts (e.g. 50% on one test).

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http://crbug.com/485371

Before: On a Google search results page, using Safari's user agent to get the same content that Safari would, Chrome incurs 390 wakes over 30s and 0.3% CPU usage vs. Safari's 120 wakes over 30s and 0.1% CPU usage.

Now: 66% reduction in both timer firings and CPU use. Chrome is now incurring 120 wakes over 30s and 0.1% CPU use, on par with Safari.

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http://crbug.com/489936

Before: On capitalone.com, Chromium incurs 1010 wakeups over 30s vs. Safari's 490 wakes.

Now: 30% reduction in timer firings. Chrome is now incurring 721 wakeups over 30s.

http://crbug.com/493350

Before: On amazon.com, Chromium incurs 768 wakups over 30s and consumes 0.7% CPU vs. Safari's 312 wakes over 30s and 0.1% CPU.

Now: 59% reduction in timer firings and 70% reduction in CPU use. Chrome is now incurring 316 wakeups over 30s, and 0.2% CPU use, on par with Safari at 312 wakes, and 0.1% CPU use.