Opera is one of the oldest browsers in the industry, and it is one of the best as well. It has features such as a built-in VPN, ads-blocker, etc. However, the company also makes Opera GX which they refer to as a Gaming Browser. In this article, we are going to see Opera GX vs Opera and see which you should use and why.
Is Opera GX and Opera the same?
Opera GX, according to the company is a more advanced or special version of the Opera browser that we all love. It got features such as Network, CPU, GPU limiter that is a must-have for some enthusiasts, and for some it is overkill. So, yes, Opera and Opera GX are different browsers built by the same game to target different crowds.
However, there are a ton of similarities between the two, and that’s expected as they are made by the same company. They both use similar privacy policies, same VPN, and are Chromium-based. They are a lot of other similarities that we will talk about in this article.
Is Google GX faster than Opera?
Gaming Browser is a marketing gimmick that just adds a few gaming features to the browser. It does not increase your computer’s gaming performance in any shape or form. The performance of both is more or less the same.
What is Opera GX and is it a gaming Browser?
Opera GX is not a particularly a Gaming Browser, that the company wants you to believe, it just has some features that can add features such as the ability to set limits on CPU, RAM, and Network. Or the fact that Discord and Twitch are integrated perfectly. These features make the browser suitable for gaming but not to an extent that each and every gamer should download and use it.
Opera GX Browser is not new and definitely not built from scratch. The interface looks reminiscent of the Opera Browser and can sometimes look like a theme installed on Opera. However, it is a tear above Opera and all most all the other major browser that’s on the market, such as Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.
Opera GX vs Opera – Comparison
Now, let us dig a little deeper into the battle of two soldiers of the same nation. These are the parameters on which we are going to compare these two browsers.
- Interface
- VPN
- Privacy & Security
- Additional Features
Let us talk more about Opera GX vs Opera.
1] Interface
Let us first talk about the first screen that appears when you open both the browsers.
Opera has a clean and intuitive interface with a focus on simplicity. It has a sidebar that allows the user to access some of their favorite sites such as Instagram, Facebook, etc. Along with it, you get a ton of customization options that you can use to make the UI look the way you want. You can choose Dark Mode or Light Mode, you can select the wallpaper you want, change favorite tabs and websites, etc. Also, the UI is not very heavy on the GPU, making the experience smoother.
Opera GX on the other hand is a bit more inspired by the gaming world. And if you are not acquainted with their use of RGB, dark themes (you can choose a light theme if you want), and the excessive use of neons then it can become a bit overwhelming.
However, you can change the look and feel of both of the browsers, it’s just that, you can not change their core look.
2] VPN
Both the browsers have a built-in VPN that you can use to connect to a different server. There is nothing to compare here as both the Browsers have the same VPN. You can enable VPN in both these browsers from Settings > Advanced > Features > Enable VPN.
3] Privacy & Security
Both Opera and Opera GX have similar privacy features. They both have Ad-blocker and Block trackers. You can also enable VPN if you want added security. So, there is no difference here and if privacy is what you are looking for then you will be secure while using either of the browsers.
4] Additional Features
Both of them have their own special features that we are going to see some of those features in this section.
Best features of Opera
- Workspace: It is one of the most useful features of Opera as it allows you to create multiple separate workspaces, customize them and adjust them the way you want.
- Music Players: Opera browser is integrated with many well-known music players such as Spotify, YouTube music, etc. So, if you like listening to music while working then Opera makes it a lot easier.
- Social Media: Opera is well integrated with major Social Media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook Messenger. So, if you want to be connected with your friends or followers you can access these sites from the Sidebar.
Best features of Opera GX
Opera GX has all the features of Opera and a few exclusive to it:
- GX Corner: GX Corner is available in Opera GX and is meant to show all the available information related to gaming. You will have a gaming calendar and more stuff that a gamer will enjoy.
- GX Control: This is the main feature of Opera GX Browser that makes this a gaming browser. It has tools such as RAM Limiter that allow you to limit the amount of memory the browser can use, Network Limiter to limit download and upload speeds, and CPU Limiter to control the amount of CPU you want to spend on the Opera GX browser.
- GX Cleaner: GX Cleaner is a tool to clean your browsing data that is available in all the browsers but Opera GX has made the task easier by adding the tool to the sidebar and adding some cool animations.
- Music Player: Just like Opera, its GX variant comes with a built-in Music Player that can be accessed from the sidebar.
Those were the features based on which you can make your decision.
Is Opera GX Safe?
With the growing security threats and news of big corporations stealing your data, no browser is completely safe in this world of the Internet. Opera GX is built on top of Chromium, so, at its core, it is similar to most of the major browsers out there such as Chrome or Edge. However, Opera has tried tackling this issue, unlike most other browsers. As mentioned earlier, both Opera and Opera GX have built-in VPN that you can use to create a virtual tunnel if you are serious about preserving your identity on the web, and block trackers for extra security. But at its core Opera is just like any other major tech corporation. It collects user data and shares them with third-party gaming services such as Twitch or Discord. So, you can’t escape from this muddle.
Opera Software was founded as an independent company in Norway. The company, later on, changed ownership when a group of Chinese investors purchased the web browser, consumer business, and brand of Opera Software ASA. Opera founder Jon Stephenson von Tetzchnern went on to launch Vivaldi.
Final Verdict
It is pretty evident from the Additional Features section, Opera GX has a lot more going for it. It packs some really cool and useful features but for a very specific niche. If you fall under that bracket of Gamers then Opera GX is what you need. However, over-the-top animation and very gamey aesthetics are not everybody’s cup of tea. So, you need to make a decision based on your needs.
Read Next: Opera browser tips and tricks.
