The browser’s latest update comes with new settings that respond to low batteries and when your tab count gets out of control.
Andrew Blok Associate Editor
Andrew Blok has been an associate editor at CNET covering HVAC and home energy, with a focus on solar since October 2021. As an environmental journalist, he navigates the changing energy landscape to help people make smart energy decisions. He’s a graduate of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism at Michigan State and wrote for several publications in the Great Lakes region, including Great Lakes Now and Environmental Health News since 2019. You can find him in western Michigan watching birds.
Chrome’s getting faster and less energy intensive on desktops.
Angela Lang/CNET
Browsing with Google Chrome on desktop should be a bit smoother and more battery efficient with two new features rolling out with its latest update, Google said in a blog post Thursday. New to the browser are energy saver and memory saver tools.
When the memory saver setting is engaged, Chrome will free up memory from open but unused tabs and reload them when you need them. With the new settings, Chrome will use up to 30% less memory while maintaining a smooth browsing experience, the search giant noted.
The energy saver setting will reduce energy use when a computer’s battery falls to 20% “by limiting background activity and visual effects for websites with animations and videos,” according to the blog post.
Both settings can be accessed and toggled in Chrome’s three-dot menu.
