I was one of the rare few willing users of Microsoft Edge — even on a Mac. It’s the first thing I’d install on a new laptop. Sure, Microsoft’s aggressive persuasion tactics aren’t exactly agreeable, but I switched to Edge because I wanted a Chrome alternative that wouldn’t disrupt my workflow (with all my extensions) or experience, so it had to be Chromium-based. After sticking with Edge for years, I finally gave in last year and decided to try out the Arc browser. I have to admit that it successfully lured me in with its modern design. It feels refreshingly different from most web browsers, which look identical, with their homepage recommendations (read: ads) being the only differentiator.

Using Arc for several months now has been a pleasant experience overall. The one significant downside? It’s been a battery killer. Where my MacBook Air used to last about eight hours with Microsoft Edge — running Slack and Word alongside it — Arc has cut that down to 5 to 6 hours. That’s a substantial drop, the kind that forces me to carry a power bank or charger, which I absolutely hate. Yet, the smart features Arc offers are so compelling that I can’t bring myself to switch to anything else. Here’s everything that has me hooked: