Did you know that the third most popular web browser in the world, second only to Google Chrome and Apple Safari, is not Firefox or Opera, but the Chinese UC Browser? Today we will talk specifically about UC Browser for Windows and take a look at how this program is capable of fighting with the most common PC browsers.
Specify, the third place is almost entirely the merit of the insanely popular mobile edition of the browser, which is available for Android, iOS, and other mobile OS. But the version of the UC Browser for the Windows operating system has not yet received such fame. Moreover, the developer took it seriously only a couple of years ago.
UC Browser – The Extensive and Valid Review
UC Browser is now available for all Windows PCs, including not only current Windows 7 and Windows 10, but even XP. We also note that the UC Browser for computers is based on Chromium, so some special revelations in terms of performance should not be expected here, and in our review, we will focus on the interface.
Images, and the ability to save the page in one file
Several special features in UC Browser are associated with images. Firstly, the program has a built-in tool for creating screenshots, the likes of which are just about to appear in Opera and Firefox 2017. And if in these browsers there is only the functionality of directly capturing and saving the selected area, then UC Browser already offers a simple editor.
That is, to add notes, frames, and arrows to the screenshot, you will not have to open an additional program. Secondly, UC Browser can save images with Alt + left-click. By the way, the animation of downloading images, as well as other types of files, is made in the browser in the form of a nutlet (associated with the logo), which jumps to the download manager, located in the status bar below.
Adblocker and Download Manager
Like Opera and Brave, the developers of UC Browser have embedded an ad blocker in their program. It works very well. The number of blocked ad units on the current page is displayed in the address bar.
The option “do not block this site” instantly adds the current site to the list of exceptions. It is worth paying attention to the UC Browser downloads interface. It is made not like Chrome, but in the style of Firefox / Opera and is a compact pop-up menu.
In turn, a full-fledged download manager interface in the browser can distribute downloads by file type. It is very convenient to find something specific in the case of a large number of downloads.
The Express Panel
We proceed to get acquainted with the program. The browser welcomes us, first of all, with our express panel:
In terms of customizability, it most closely resembles Opera but is made somewhat different in style, where instead of square cells arranged in a strict order, round ones are used, arranged arbitrarily. If you don’t like this original version, then the browser provides the ability to use the more familiar express panel style. This option is available from the drop-down menu.
Like modern versions of Opera, instead of miniature screenshots of sites, UC Browser for Windows prefers to use their logos. It is often clearer, and the logo, in contrast to the preview, looks more attractive. Adding sites to the express panel in the UC Browser is also slightly more convenient than in other web browsers.
The player in a Separate Window, the Ability to Download Audio/Video
From various visual solutions, let’s move on, finally, to specific functions and begin with multimedia. Above any video, when you hover the cursor, you will have a special socket with a few buttons. The first of them is responsible for taking video into a separate window, which is not linked to the current web page. This is still not in Chrome, but already has a number of its competitors.
It would seem that Chinese developers only quickly added to their program a feature that is gaining popularity. In fact, everything is a little different: it was in the UC Browser long before Opera and Safari.
Also, UC Browser for Windows PC can download almost any video from sites like YouTube. To do this, you need to click on the middle button and select the desired format/resolution.
Finally, the third function allows you to immediately pull out and download the audio track from the video. You must admit that it is also a nice feature.
The Design
A lot of attention was paid to the developer’s appearance in the program. This is evident from the original animation effects for some browser functions to the advanced settings for changing the appearance. You can set the color of the “browser header — a choice of ten options, including both very neat and catchy colorful colors.
There are also full-fledged themes that coolly change the interface of the web browser. In addition to the main classic theme, five additional themes are integrated into the program, and another special stub informing that there will be more themes in the future.
Conclusion
Although this browser has many advantages, there is still room for improvement. In the nearest future, it has the potential to become a serious competitor for top browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.