Video summary

I Tried The Internet's Favorite Browser... I Get It Now.

Main summary

Key takeaways

Technology

Overview

The video is a first-hand, “try-to-find-the-best” review of Zen Browser, framed around the idea that there may not be a single objectively “best” browser.

Context: Searching for a “Best Browser”

  • The speaker says they’ve tried multiple mainstream browsers (e.g., Brave, Firefox) and found the biggest differences to be:
    • Privacy level
    • Tinkerable settings
  • They reference a Reddit “browser battle royale” vote where Zen beat Firefox by about 2,500 votes, which motivated the speaker to test Zen themselves.

Initial UX Differences (What Stands Out)

  • Left-side tabs instead of the conventional top tab bar, requiring “brain rewiring.”
  • The search bar isn’t at the top:
    • It appears in the sidebar initially.
  • New tab experience is presented as “calmer”:
    • Search is shown immediately
    • The new tab page avoids clutter like news feeds/sponsors/ads (unlike some browsers such as Edge/Opera).

Key Built-in Tab / Pinning Features

  • Essentials / pinned tabs area
    • Tabs can be pinned so frequently used sites become “single click away.”
    • An additional section (called Spaces) supports other pinned categories (e.g., later-needed pages / bookmark-like behavior).
  • Drag-and-drop into sidebar to pin.
  • Compact mode toggle
    • Sidebar slides away to reclaim space
    • Sidebar reappears on hover.
  • Sidebar media controls
    • Includes a media player area for playback controls (e.g., YouTube/background music).

Navigation / Workflow Enhancements: “Glance View”

  • Clicking certain links (e.g., tracking/order links) opens a new window overlay instead of spawning a new tab.
  • Zen calls this “Glance view” for pages you only need to quickly check.
  • The Glance UI includes:
    • Close
    • Expand (open as a tab)
    • An additional feature discovered by the speaker.

Split View / Tiling Inside the Browser

  • The “unknown” Glance button triggers split view:
    • The browser can show up to four tabs in a single window.
    • Tabs are arranged like tiling window managers.
  • Result: less chaotic tab management—no need to drag tabs into separate windows just to keep multiple pages visible.

Privacy / Security Review (Firefox-based, but Different)

  • Zen is described as based on Firefox’s codebase, but with notable privacy changes:
    1. No hidden data collection/telemetry section (unlike Firefox).
    2. Zen’s privacy policy reportedly indicates it removed telemetry built into Firefox.
  • “Do Not Track” is enabled by default.
    • The speaker discusses fingerprinting concerns: sites can identify users via signals beyond cookies.
    • fingerprint.com is referenced as an example of what can be collected (e.g., IP/location/VPN-aware signals and even the DNT preference).
  • Speaker’s conclusion: Zen appears less interested in collecting user data than Firefox.

Streaming Limitation (Major Deal-breaker Analysis)

  • Zen cannot stream DRM-protected media on services like:
    • Netflix
    • Spotify
  • Explanation provided:
    • Streaming DRM licenses are tied to platforms:
      • Widevine (Google)
      • PlayReady (Microsoft)
      • FairPlay (Apple)
    • Zen lacks the needed DRM component on non-Linux platforms (speaker claims it doesn’t have Widevine).
  • Possible workaround:
    • On Linux, the issue may be bypassed because Widevine is included/built into Linux code via Google’s components.
  • Verdict shift:
    • On Windows/macOS: Netflix/Spotify failure is framed as a deal-breaker for many.
    • On Linux: the speaker calls Zen a strong candidate for a daily browser.

Mods / Customization (Tutorial-style Highlights)

  • Zen supports “mods” (similar spirit to extensions, but described as mod packages) from a community.
  • Mods are described as:
    • One-click installation
    • Customizable visuals and functionality via themes and CSS-like changes
  • Example functional mods:
    • Better find bar
      • Shorter and centered (instead of full width).
    • Unload indicator
      • Unloaded tabs grey out, making it clear which tabs consume resources and can be manually unloaded.
    • Superpins (favorite)
      • Custom pinned tabs layout (“Essentials”) with options like size, spacing, and centered text.
      • Keeps pinned areas stable while scrolling through many tabs.

Overall Conclusion

  • The speaker’s praise is described as “near crystal clear”:
    • Zen is a meaningful evolution in both visuals and workflow, especially:
      • Sidebar-first UI
      • Pinned essentials
      • Compact mode
      • Glance view
      • Split view
  • The catch:
    • DRM streaming on Netflix/Spotify fails on Windows/macOS, reducing viability for many users unless they use Linux.

Main Speakers / Sources

  • Main speaker: the video creator/reviewer (unnamed in subtitles).
  • External sources referenced:
    • r/browser (Reddit “browser battle royale” voting for Firefox vs Zen)
    • Zen official website (installer and product page)
    • Firefox privacy/telemetry behavior (contrasted with Zen)
    • Make (sponsor): referenced as an example visual automation platform
    • fingerprint.com: referenced for fingerprinting/tracking capability claims
    • DRM providers: Widevine (Google), PlayReady (Microsoft), FairPlay (Apple)

Original video