Opera GX Gaming Browser looks a bit strange at first glance. After all, do gamers need a dedicated browser? After spending some time with it, the answer is yes.
Opera GX Gaming Browser uses much less resources than other browsers and allows games to focus on the center and not the browser.
Opera GX Gaming Browser is full of features. It allows for complete customization of resource usage and appearance, personalization, etc. While it certainly has a “gaming” aesthetic, it makes style choices that question the utility of the game. it.
Easy, user-focused setup
When you launch Opera GX for the first time, you’ll have to go through a series of five steps to set up the browser. From the very beginning, bright colors will attract the eye. Depending on your preferences, this can be a plus or minus. After all, not everyone loves a gamer’s aesthetic.
You can choose from 12 different themes for your browser as well as dozens of wallpapers. Opera GX provides you with a large number of different backgrounds initially, but you can also upload and add your own after the initial setup phase. There are even tile animation options to choose from. After this first step, the setup is just a matter of simply switching and choosing other options.
One cool feature of Opera is that you can choose sound effects to go with your typing. It provides the user with two options for audio typing. It also includes five options for background music that plays while the browser is in use. But the main feature is that this background music changes according to your browser.
You can also choose to include Twitch in your browser’s sidebar. This way you are always connected. You’ll know who’s online, what streams are currently airing, and stay on top of your notifications.
You can keep all your favorite talk shows close at hand. Opera GX offers Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter and several others by default – just select those during setup.
The final stage of the setup process includes choosing whether to enable GX Control, which limits the amount of RAM, CPU Resources, and even the network bandwidth the browser can use. You can also choose to use GX Cleaner, which deletes unnecessary files to improve browser performance.
Most impressive is the built-in VPN and ad blocker. The ad blocker can be enabled during setup, but the VPN is hidden in the settings menu. You can choose to use the VPN all the time or skip it when using the default search engines. However, Opera GX warns you that it can affect your performance.
Features, features and more
For all of Opera GX’s early strengths, the most striking thing about this browser is just how many features it includes. After initial setup, a homepage called Speed Dial will appear whenever you create a new tab.
By default, the Speed Dial page includes links to Twitch, Discord, Reddit, YouTube, and Changelog. You can also easily add a website to this list. There are also quick links on the sidebar to Amazon, eBay, AliExpress, GOG, Steam, and Epic Games.
Opera GX displays the local weather conditions in your area in the top left corner. However, there is another icon that looks like a controller. Selecting this icon opens what might be the best feature of the entire browser: GX Corner.
GX Corner is what really makes this a “gaming” browser. It centralizes all game related information in a single place. At the top of the screen is a banner advertising upcoming major game events.
The release schedule makes it easy to get a quick look at upcoming games, while the header below shows every title currently available for free across the various stores. Click on any of these games to open their website to learn more about them. You can narrow these results down based on whether or not you want to see the title only available in WindowsVR Store, PlayStation or Xbox.
The title “New, Coming, and Exciting” is similar in that it shows the cover art of upcoming games, along with small icons that describe the platform they’re releasing on. Scrolling further down reveals a deal aggregator showing the current best saves on the game, as well as a section devoted to new game trailers.
Finally, there is a section displaying daily news stories. You can sort these stories by Entertainment, Technology or Games. Fittingly enough, Opera GX defaults to Games as the selection filter.
The left sidebar gives easy access to powerful tools like GX Control, GX Cleaner, Twitch, the media player list, as well as your history, extensions, and settings. GX Control is a feature that allows you to limit your browser’s resource usage.
You can choose to limit the network bandwidth, amount of RAM usedand CPU usage. Don’t worry – if you choose a setting that’s too low, a warning will let you know the browser impact.
On the other hand, if you’re playing a game that requires almost every ounce of water your system has (especially poorly optimized games like Microsoft Flight Simulator or Age of Empires III), these tools very useful and can help you solve the problem a few percentage points more performance.
Think of GX Cleaner a bit like CCleaner for your browser. It can be used to clear cache, cookies, downloads, browsing history and more. It’s an easy way to cut through the digital clutter. Twitch is self-explanatory; if you enabled it during setup you can subscribe to your favorite transmitters and channels with one click.
The last feature to jump out is the player list. You can set up Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music. If you want to listen to music while browsing, you don’t need to open another application on your system. You can access all your favorite tunes right from Opera GX.
Is Opera GX worth checking out?
Opera GX is one of the best browsers to hit the market in recent years. It quickly became my default browser, replacing a decades-long loyalty to Chrome. The sheer customization that Opera GX offers is amazing, with features that go beyond many of the ones mentioned in this review.
The easy access to game news and information makes it a gaming browser, so it’s not the best choice for casual users. However, the resource limits, built-in adblock and VPN, and other security features make it worthwhile for anyone who spends any time on the internet, not just gamers.
If Firefox, Chrome and Safari no longer cut it, check out Opera GX. Its Available for download from Opera’s website, and looks poised to make a significant difference in the browser wars. Oh, and there’s also a mobile version.
