Microsoft’s new web browser doesn’t have much going for it, and at the moment, there isn’t a reason to use it instead of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. However, the company claimed on Wednesday that Microsoft Edge is the only browser out there at the moment that’s capable of playing 1080p content on Netflix, which tests show is actually true. If watching true HD content on Netflix is more important than better performance or access to a massive catalog of extensions, then maybe it’s time to make the switch.
If you want to watch true 1080p content on Netflix over your PC, you need to use Microsoft’s Edge browser. On Wednesday, Microsoft claimed that its Edge browser was the only one of the big four browsers—which also includes Chrome, Firefox, and Opera—to offer 1080p resolution while playing Netflix content. A quick test of all four browsers by PCWorld proved this claim to be true, with the other three browsers capped at 720p. Microsoft’s been busy trying to rehabilitate the reputation of Edge, which suffered after the browser initially offered slower performance than its competitors, while also lacking the plugins and extensions that other browsers, particularly Firefox, have offered for years. Performance in Edge has since improved, and it has began offering a few plugins for public use. These are important steps for Microsoft if Edge is to avoid the fate of Internet Explorer, which became known as the browser users loved to hate.
