Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Chrome browser does the 64-bit dance at last on Mac OS X

Google brings Chrome browser to the 21st century with 64-bit Mac OS X support

Adrian Diaconescu
By

chrome browser updated with 64 bit mac os x support for
Image used with permission by copyright holder
It’s a big month for a few of the world’s most popular desktop browsers. Firefox recently scored a security- and privacy-boosting update, and now Chrome takes a huge leap forward by finally adding 64-bit Mac support to a stable release.

Your move, Internet Explorer.

Recommended Videos

Of course, IE’s usage supremacy is unlikely to be threatened anytime soon, even if Chrome is starting to seem a very strong Safari alternative on Mac OS X. The added 64-bit compatibility means Google’s Chrome 39 loads a lot faster and regulates memory handling better than before; throw in some enhanced security and we’ve got a winner.

Related

It’s only been a little over a month since Chrome 38.0.2125 saw daylight, and version 39.0.2171 is ready for show time. As always, you can patch the build over existing Chrome installs using automatic silent updates, or grab Chrome 39 directly from Google’s servers. It’s not all wine and roses, however. What may enrage a few Mac fans is the fact that new iteration of Chrome ditches 32-bit capabilities. So while Google doesn’t spell it out in its latest blog post, we’re afraid owners of aging 32-bit iSystems are stuck with Chrome 38.

Google will continue to offer Windows options for both 32- and 64-bit computers, and the changelog also includes 42 very particular security fixes. Bug bounties totaled $41,500, according to Mac Rumors, and four community helpers were singled out for aiding in ironing out kinks during the development cycle.

A big thank you from us to Atte Kettunen, Christian Holler, cloudfuzzer and mmaliskiewicz as well, and if any of our readers notice anything wrong after bringing their Chrome copies up to date, feel free to file a report here. If no one else caught the glitch first, that is.

Speaking of developer support, Google introduced a bundle of tools and features in Chrome 39 Beta last month, including JavaScript Generators, Web Animation Playback Control, and Web Application Manifest.

As for the latest stable release, “lots of under the hood changes for stability and performance” are also highlighted, without many specifics or details. Go on, try the browser out and let us know if it’s noticeably zippier or steadier. Especially on Mac OS X.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Adrian Diaconescu
Adrian Diaconescu
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Adrian is a mobile aficionado since the days of the Nokia 3310, and a PC enthusiast since Windows 98. Later, he discovered…
This Google Chrome feature may save you from malware
Google Chrome app on s8 screen.

There are probably hundreds of thousands of Google Chrome extensions out there, and with so many options to choose from, it can be hard to know whether the plugin you want to install is hiding malware nasties.

That could become a thing of the past, though, as Google is testing a feature that will warn you if an extension you installed has been removed from its Chrome Web Store.

Read more
Google Chrome’s latest update solves the browser’s biggest problem
Google Chrome icon in mac dock.

Google Chrome is one of the best browsers around, but it's always had a big problem with memory usage. It's finally addressing the issue in a new Chrome 110 update that promises to reduce RAM usage by up to 30% and make the browser for efficient.

Chrome has a reputation for its speed, security, and feature drops, as well as a penchant for hanging on to your precious RAM like an episode of Hoarders. Granted, Google has made strides in improving Chrome's memory efficiency by hibernating tabs in the background, but it still struggles with it compared to Microsoft Edge or Mozilla Firefox.

Read more
Google may have just fixed Chrome’s most annoying problem
A Macbook with Google Chrome opened to a Gmail inbox.

While Google Chrome is one of the best web browsers, over the years it has gained a reputation for being something of a resource hog, gobbling up your PC’s memory like it’s going out of style. That can be a problem if you’re running other resource-heavy tasks and don’t want things to slow down. Now, Chrome has been updated with two new features that cut down on memory usage and extend your laptop’s battery life, according to Google. The changes are set to roll out today with the latest release of Chrome on desktop (version m108).The first new feature, dubbed Memory Saver, is designed to reduce the amount of memory Chrome’s tabs use. It does this by freeing up memory from inactive tabs, and putting them to sleep so they can’t monopolize your system’s resources. When you need to access the tabs again, they will be reloaded and become active. The goal of Energy Saver, meanwhile, is fairly self-explanatory -- helping your laptop battery last longer -- but it does so in a somewhat interesting way. When your battery drops to 20%, Chrome will try to prolong your battery life by “limiting background activity and visual effects for websites with animations and videos.”Presumably, this means Chrome will limit the kind of flashy effects that have made a comeback in web design in recent years. Google says that when these new features launch, users will still be able to customize them to their liking. You can disable either Memory Saver or Energy Saver (or both), and mark certain websites as exempt in Chrome’s settings. The changes could turn out to be important. While Chrome has managed to become the dominant Windows web browser and one of the best browsers for Mac, it has been plagued by poor memory management for years. If Memory Saver and Energy Saver are able to help ameliorate that -- and make your battery last longer too -- then Google might have gone some way to fixing Chrome’s biggest problem. Both Memory Saver and Energy Saver will be launched globally over the next few weeks. The features are coming to Chrome on Windows, macOS, and ChromeOS.

Read more