Opera browser beta

Fast data saving browser with smart tabs and curated news

Opera browser beta is a fresh take on a familiar name, built to help you browse more while using less data. The interface is clean and minimal, with a redesigned layout that puts key actions within easy reach. It is still in beta, but the feature set already feels thoughtfully arranged.

The start page centers on Speed Dial, where you pin your favorite sites as tiles for one-tap access. You can drag tiles to reorder them or drop them together to make folders, which keeps busy dashboards tidy. Note that this Speed Dial area doubles as your favorites system, since there is no classic star-to-bookmark action. Swipe right from Speed Dial to Discover, a curated feed of articles that you can filter by country and topics like technology, sports, food, and more. A swipe left reveals a clear, chronologically organized history view for quick retracing.

Data-conscious users will appreciate Off-Road mode, which compresses pages to load faster and cut data usage. An omnibar handles both addresses and searches with auto-complete, and the tab switcher shows large previews that make it easier to pick the right page. A small drop-down by the tab tray lets you open a private tab or close everything in a tap. Long-press actions are well covered too: hold a link to choose how it opens, or press an image to save it. Rounding things out are Find in Page, a download manager, and the option to save pages for offline reading. Opera Sync brings your bookmarks across from the desktop version and back again. Recent updates add improved text wrap, 64-bit support, and various stability and usability refinements.

Rendering is handled by a WebKit-based engine with solid standards support, and pages displayed correctly during testing. On the downside, there is no Flash support, and the lack of a progress bar can be felt on heavy pages. Even so, this is an attractive, capable beta that puts speed, data savings, and smart organization first.