Most web browsers are notorious for hogging precious computer resources and when you’re a gamer who’s already running graphic-intensive, high-end games, that can be a cause for distress. At E3 earlier this year, Opera set out to put an end to that dilemma with a new, special gaming browser called Opera GX, and after being a Windows-exclusive for several months, it’s launching today for macOS.
Unlike what it may seem like, Opera GX isn’t a browser designed for cloud gaming. Instead, it seeks to improve your desktop video gaming experience by giving you control of what and how much the browser can access. On Opera GX, you can specifically define the amount of memory, bandwidth, and processing power it’s allowed to consume. That way, you can be rest assured the game you’re playing has all the resources it needs to function smoothly.
So for instance, if you have Opera GX opened on a second monitor for monitoring your gaming live stream’s comments, you can simply set a lower RAM, network, and CPU limit. On top of that, the browser offers a handful of more features that come in handy to gamers. It comes integrated with Twitch letting you quickly check on the channels you follow, respond to notifications, and more.
Opera GX can also surface gaming deals, recommendations, and news right on its home page. Plus, it has the looks to go with it all as well and similar to most gaming laptops, features sharp lines, red accents, and a dark theme by default. However, you do have the option to tweak its appearance and pick from a wide range of other themes.
In addition, Opera GX inherits a bunch of nifty tools from the standard Opera browser. There’s a built-in free VPN, ad-blocker, the ability to pin as well as check messaging apps like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp from the sidebar, picture-in-picture for YouTube and Twitch videos, support for Google Chrome extensions, and more.
Opera GX is a free download without any hidden charges or subscriptions. It’s available today for macOS in beta and you can grab it from this link.