Benchmark Version#
Based on official version 8.12.1000.2402 (Chromium: 98.0.4758.139 Res: 2402.608) (64-bit)
Official Introduction#
The official introduction is too rough, so I'm posting a summary made by enthusiastic users on the official forum.
Original post address: https://bbs.twinkstar.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=1886&extra=page%3D1
It should be noted that compared to the forum post, the version has gone through many iterations and there may be changes in functionality.
Also, due to limited time and energy, I cannot guarantee testing and verification for each aspect. This evaluation article is not exhaustive, and actual usage should prevail.
Download Links#
Official website: https://www.twinkstar.com
General Performance Testing#
Memory Usage with Multiple Tabs#
Following my usual testing method, I opened 24 tabs of a specific folder at once. Then I confirmed that each tab finished loading, and finally checked the memory usage through the task manager.
From the screenshots, it can be seen that the memory usage is approximately 1.5GB. This is a moderate amount of usage.
4K Video Decoding Capability#
Mainly tested on YouTube and Bilibili, which are commonly used by me.
The test sample selected is "影视飓风：2023-2024 免费样片" (Movie Hurricane: 2023-2024 Free Sample)
Sample address: 【杜比视界】激发你设备的极限画质，影视飓风 2023-2024 免费样片_哔哩哔哩_bilibili
However, due to different encoding, bitrates, and formats on different websites, the test results are only for reference.
First is YouTube, which uses VP9 encoding. The CPU usage fluctuates between 4% and 10% during playback, and the GPU usage fluctuates between 10% and 50%, with no noticeable lag.
Next is Bilibili. Since my CPU is 7735hs, it supports AV1 encoding. The CPU usage during playback fluctuates around 8%, and the GPU usage is around 30%, with no noticeable lag.
Overall, it meets the requirements for streaming 4K content.
PDF Functionality#
Twinkstar's PDF functionality is basically the same as Chrome's native functionality, satisfying basic browsing needs, but lacks features such as annotation and editing.
Basemark Benchmark#
Basemark is a website that evaluates the overall quality of browsers, and its benchmark scores can generally reflect the basic quality of a browser.
Benchmark environment: After restarting the system, manually open the browser to be tested. The only installed extension is "safeincloud", and the only open tab is the Basemark test page.
In addition, in order to compare with Twinkstar's benchmark data, I also ran the benchmark on Chrome version 123.0.6312.86.
Chrome version number
Chrome benchmark scores
Twinkstar benchmark scores
As can be seen, Twinkstar's overall performance is very close to Chrome, with a difference of only about 10 points.
Advantages#
Highly Customizable New Tab Page#
Multi-Column Bookmarks#
Support for Direct Installation from Extension Store#
When testing this feature, I found that many commonly used extensions cannot be installed on Chrome but can be installed on Twinkstar. This is probably due to the lower kernel version of Twinkstar, which has restrictions imposed by Google.
However, this limitation only applies to the Google Web Store, and does not affect the installation of offline extensions and other third-party websites.
Native Screenshot Functionality#
Twinkstar's screenshot function is well-designed, with comprehensive features and a beautiful UI.
From left to right in the image: Reverse image search, Aspect ratio, Draw circle, Draw rectangle, Arrow, Pencil, Highlighter, Text, Mosaic, Save to file, Undo, Exit, Save to clipboard
Reverse Image Search#
Native Recently Closed Tabs#
Native Mouse Gestures and Super Drag#
Among them, mouse gestures support modifying the actions associated with gestures, but gestures cannot be customized. Super Drag cannot modify the actions after dragging.
Comprehensive Tab Management Settings#
Supports double-click to close tabs, etc.
Web Resource Sniffer#
I only tested YouTube, and the sniffer popup can be triggered.
For copyright websites within China, according to the developer's description, they have implemented a blacklist and cannot trigger the sniffer.
Native Multi-threaded Downloader#
The number of concurrent downloads can be adjusted in the settings.
Pre-installed Search Tools#
As shown in the image, it is very convenient to switch search engines without manually switching among multiple search engines.
Support for QQ and WeChat Login#
Comprehensive Account and Sync Functionality#
Multi-platform#
Active Official Forum#
Disadvantages#
Lower Kernel Version#
Due to the use of "Chromium: 98.0.4758.139 Res: 2402.608", there may be compatibility issues with certain webpages and the inability to use some new kernel features. For example, "renaming local files within the browser".
Lack of Small Profile Feature#
Originally, Chrome could use "Add User" to solve this, but due to conflicts with Twinkstar's built-in account system, only extensions can be used.
Lack of Split Screen Functionality#
Missing Search in Settings#
The settings interface of Twinkstar lacks a search function.
Actually, there aren't many settings to begin with
Lack of Maintenance for Manga Functionality#
Manga functionality was promoted as a special feature by the official website, but during testing, I found that it does not support major manga websites. Many manga websites cannot trigger the manga browsing mode through the built-in manga search. Additionally, it does not support popular copyright websites such as Tencent and NetEase. Overall, the experience is poor, and this feature is basically unusable.
Worth Mentioning#
Combined Address Bar and Title Bar#
In the image above, the left half is Vivaldi, and the right half is Twinkstar. As can be seen, although the title bar and address bar are combined, the height of necessary controls is still relatively large, occupying a significant amount of vertical screen space.
In addition, because the address bar and title bar are combined, if the address bar is in focus (as shown in the blue state in the image), the window cannot be moved. Only by clicking outside the address bar to unfocus it can the window be moved.
Sniffer Blacklist#
Due to copyright-related laws in mainland China, certain websites are on the sniffer blacklist and cannot trigger the sniffer.
UI Design is Subjective#
In my opinion, it's a bit ugly
Conclusion#
If you need a browser that is ready to use out of the box, and you don't frequently need to bypass internet censorship, and you can accept a relatively retro UI, then Twinkstar is quite suitable for you. Although its kernel is not the latest, it does not affect general web browsing needs.
Finally, I wish you all a happy Labor Day in advance.