Twitch is the best site for watching live streams of video games and game-related broadcasts. To access the website, you need a web browser that works well on the platform.
While you can use any HTML5 web browser to access Twitch, the platform requires more resources to stream video games seamlessly.
You can adjust specific settings such as the quality of streams to limit Twitch’s resource hog. However, it is best to use a browser that will be light on system resources.
Best browsers for watching Twitch live streams
These browsers won’t lag when watching videos on Twitch:
1. Vivaldi
Vivaldi is a customizable open-source web browser. It has a slick interface that is clean, modern, and designed to augment your computer’s screen space.
The browser is more flexible and comes with many features that make it attractive for streaming videos on Twitch TV.
Pros
- Customizable: You can tweak or hide almost every visual element of the browser. The browser allows you to set your custom keyboard shortcuts and add the number of search engines you want. Also, you can view multiple tabs on Vivaldi simultaneously.
- Better Performance: Vivaldi does not take much of your computer resources when streaming videos. There are no choppy animations, high RAM, or high CPU usage. When you launch the browser, expect it to load within seconds.
- Allows Tab Stacking: If you have opened several tabs at the same time, you can stack them on top of each other. Tab stacking helps to minimize interface clutter.
- Supports video streams of up to 720p.
Cons
- Unfamiliar interface: It can be challenging to navigate the interface if you are a beginner.
- Unnecessary features: Some features such as mouse gestures may be unnecessary.
- Sync issues: The browser is yet to offer a way of syncing bookmarks, settings, and passwords.
Although Vivaldi has many features, its CPU and memory utilization makes it a good browser for streaming on Twitch TV.
Download: Vivaldi
2. Edge
After Microsoft launched Windows 10, they included a built-in web browser called Microsoft Edge.
The Edge browser is a replacement for Internet Explorer and is based on Chromium, the same engine that powers Google Chrome.
Although Internet Explorer still comes as default with the Windows OS, Edge is more preferred for improved features and faster performance.
Pros
- Fast: The Edge browser is fast. It has better JavaScript performance and memory optimization.
- Supports HTML5: Having HTML5 means you do not need flash to stream videos on Twitch TV.
- It supports video streams of up to 1080p.
- Supports multiple extensions: The browser can support extensions that allow you to stream videos well such as adblocker.
Cons
- Microsoft Edge does not have interface customization options.
- It suffers from periodic pages that crash randomly and won’t load.
- The browser does not have tab groups and handles dragged tabs poorly.
The Edge browser can offer a great user experience when streaming on Twitch. It is fast and works well on many websites.
Download: Edge
3. Waterfox
WaterFox is a web browser based on Firefox. The features and looks are the same when you compare it to Firefox. It is one of the best browsers for Twitch videos.
If you are looking for an alternative to Firefox that will help you stream games seamlessly, WaterFox is your browser.
Pros
- It supports the traditional NPAPI plug-ins like Silverlight and Java and XUL Firefox extensions.
- Allows for better customization to add more personalized features.
- It uses less system memory. You can use it to stream videos on Twitch TV without straining your computer resources.
- Supports video streams of up to 720p.
- You can save passwords, block ads, and enjoy private browsing.
Cons
- WaterFox is not the fastest browser out there for streaming videos online.
- It requires a 64-bit system to run. If your computer is 32-bit, you will experience performance issues.
- It has the same features as that of Firefox. You may not need the browser if you already have Firefox.
WaterFox and Firefox may have some similarities. But the difference is that WaterFox has more security features than Firefox.
Download: Waterfox
4. Opera
Opera is arguably one of the best browsers for video streams since it is fast, secure, and feature-rich.
You can use the same browser on several devices and it is compatible with many smartphones. The browser is well designed and has tools that are easy to use.
Pros
- Opera is a fast, secure, and feature-rich internet browser.
- It has a fast launch and page load times. The browser can navigate between multiple web pages at an average speed.
- It has a clean and intuitive interface that is different from other browsers.
- It has various security features that check sites for phishing and malware schemes. The security features are customizable.
- Supports video streams of up to 720p.
Cons
- Being an advanced browser with many features, Opera requires more CPU and memory resources to run optimally.
- It is not compatible with older websites that use HTML.
Opera is not the most popular browser out there. But it has tons of features and security options that make it ideal for streaming videos on Twitch TV.
Download: Opera
5. Firefox
Firefox has a great architecture that allows easy streaming of videos on Twitch TV. The browser dispatches individual processes for every tab you open.
Dispatching them as such helps to ensure better performance when streaming.
Pros
- Firefox does not hog memory or computer resources.
- Its features are updated from time to time to prevent frequent crashes.
- It has a clean and simple user interface.
- It is a good browser for streaming videos of up to 720p.
Cons
- Firefox has fewer security features compared to other browsers.
- Failure to update the browser will lead to frequent crashes
Firefox is a feature-rich and versatile web browser. It is the best browser for both casual browsing and online streaming.
Download: Firefox
Determining the best browsers for Twitch streaming can be challenging. All browsers use almost the same technologies. Furthermore, your internet speed will mostly determine how well your browser will perform.
However, you should pay more attention to memory and CPU usage, speed, compatibility, features, and security when choosing a browser. Also, determine the number of extensions and video quality supported.
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