Google, Apple, Mozilla, and Microsoft launch Speedometer 3.0, a benchmark to “create a shared understanding of web performance”; Speedometer 2.0 debuted in 2018
Speedometer has long been Google's preferred benchmark, previously noting how it's the “most reflective of the real world” …
The launch also extends a broader vendor-led approach to web quality: the same four companies had created Interop 2022 to target developer-identified compatibility gaps. A shared performance test complements that work by giving browser teams a common way to discuss responsiveness rather than relying on vendor-specific comparisons.
First-order effects
Google, Apple, Mozilla, and Microsoft now have a jointly backed reference point for measuring browser responsiveness, making their performance claims more directly comparable.
Browser-engine teams can use the same benchmark when prioritizing responsiveness work, while developers gain a clearer signal for evaluating browser performance across platforms.
Second-order effects
Competitive browser marketing is likely to shift from citing isolated benchmark wins toward explaining performance against a shared test, reducing the advantage of selecting a favorable metric.
A common target can focus engineering attention on workloads represented in Speedometer 3.0; its usefulness will depend on whether those workloads continue to track the applications developers and users actually encounter.
Third-order effects
The release reinforces joint benchmarking as part of browser-platform governance: vendors are coordinating not only on compatibility but also on how performance is defined and evaluated.
It also reflects the lesson behind Google’s retirement of the Octane benchmark: benchmarks can shape implementation priorities, so industry credibility depends on resisting score-chasing that diverges from real-world responsiveness.
The trend: Major browser vendors are increasingly setting shared tests for the web platform, using common measurement to steer both interoperability and user-perceived performance.
Apple, Google, Mozilla, and Microsoft launched a new browser benchmark- Speedometer 3.0... Surprisingly, my S24 scores 11.2 😅 What's your score??? [image]
Check out the contribution from the Microsoft Edge team to Speedometer 3.0! Our new “Complex DOM” tests represent the scalability challenges faced by modern web applications. Read our blog for more info, and try out Speedometer 3.0 today https://blogs.windows.com/...
Today we're excited to announce Speedometer 3 in collaboration with @googlechrome, @Firefox, & @MicrosoftEdge. This benchmark measures speed & guides browser teams as they make websites & web apps run faster than ever — now with a new generation of tests. https://webkit.org/... […
“Speedometer 3.0's release is a result of the collaboration among browser developers to improve the Web as a whole together. ..., Speedometer 3.0 is a joint effort to test and improve browser performance.” #webperf #benchmark https://webkit.org/...
Building a better web is all about teamwork 🤝 We teamed up with other browser vendors to build Speedometer 3, an improved benchmarking tool that measures web performance and helps spot opportunities for improvement. Here's how it works: https://blog.chromium.org/... [image]
Mozilla is thrilled to be shipping Speedometer 3 today alongside other browser engine developers. This is the most realistic browser benchmark to date and has been pushing all the engines to up their game throughout the last year. 🌬️ https://hacks.mozilla.org/...
Speedometer 3 includes Lit and vanilla web components implementations! This should be great for measuring and improving custom elements, shadow DOM, and template performance across all browsers. 📈