Speedometer 3 is a new version benchmark most popular for testing the performance of browsers and web applications. As interesting as its features is that it was created after a an unusual collaborative effort from major web engine vendors: Google, Apple, Mozilla and others like Microsoft.

Browsing the web is a central task that every type of user performs on a daily basis, regardless of device, operating system, on-the-go or desktop. The main access is from web browsers, a type of application that has changed (and improved) over the years, just as the web itself has. Therefore, it is always interesting, both for users and developers, to have tools (benchmark) that Test apps and browsers.

Speedometer 3, website performance testing

BrowserBench.org, which is responsible for this development, appreciates that this is the first time that Speedometer or any other benchmark important for browsers, was developed based on cross-platform collaboration and is supported by each of the major web engines: Blink/V8, Gecko/SpiderMonkey, and WebKit/JavaScriptCore. Unfortunately, it is not common for Google, Apple, Mozilla and Microsoft to agree on these issues.

Unlike other benchmark apps that test raw CPU or GPU performance, Speedometer 3 maintains the approach of previous versions and is designed to measure response of web applications by simulating user actionssuch as clicking a button or opening a menu, using a different combination of standard web frameworks and libraries.

As we said above, the web and browsers have changed a lot since the previous version was released in 2018, and the developer promises that the version is a better way to measure performance and has a test suite more representative of the modern web.

Specifically, Speedometer 3.0 adds new tests based on render canvases and SVG graphics, code editing, text editing, and reading news sites. Many of the existing tests have been updated and more complex versions have been added that emulate the weight and structure of web pages, as well as more accurately measure browser rendering times.

Speedometer 3 is completely free and works from any browser. Simply go to your website and click the Start button. To get more representative results, try not to run other tasks at the same time and, if possible, suspend the use of browser extensions. There are no public ratings like in other benchmarks, but you can find places where you can see the scores of other users. And you can always compare different browsers on your PC or the same browser on several of your computers.

Google, the leader in web browsing, says this version is motivated create a reference point that represents the site. Apple and the rest of the major vendors commented on the launch along the same lines.