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You have to try Arc — the world’s new best browser

Chrome is out. Arc is in.

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I’m a Safari user and, while you may think that’s gross, I have never had a real reason to use another browser. Safari works fine. It’s quick, has a clean interface and layout, and it isn’t Google Chrome. There’s something that feels beneficial about using a browser that isn’t owned by a company that makes its money by selling user data.

Most other browsers have the mindset that their browsers are, well, fine. There’s no reason why the developers should really try adding anything revolutionary. The biggest new feature Safari added in the last five years is a redesigned layout.

Google Chrome has looked the same for years. It uses two gigabytes of memory for no actual reason. And let’s be honest, I’m not using Mozilla’s Firefox, Microsoft Edge or Opera.

If you haven’t been paying attention, browsers are having an exciting moment. Microsoft Edge is not the Internet Explorer successor it once was; Brave gained some traction starting a few years ago; Vivaldi has some really interesting new additions. It doesn’t stop there.

Meet Arc: the browser that is revolutionizing how I use the internet.

The layout on Arc.

Reinventing tabs

Unlike most browsers, Arc’s sidebar fits on the left-hand side of the screen. “Pinned” tabs fit at the top (where I keep Google Drive, Bluesky, YouTube, and others). Users can then create “Spaces” that work much like focus tabs.

The two Spaces I’ve created are titled “Daily stuff” and “MSU” for school. Under my daily rotation I’ve created folders for my workplace, a documentary series I’m filming, and some other news items. The items pinned in these Spaces are akin to a typical browser’s “favorites” tab. You can add as many as eight.

I began using Arc two years ago, but I was a little less than impressed. While the organizational structure of the browser felt great, the execution wasn’t there yet. But it is now, and it feels like a complete browser that functions exactly how you wanted.

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Brad LaPlante
Brad LaPlante

Written by Brad LaPlante

I write about gadgets and video games.

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