Google rolls out 64-bit Chrome browser

Published June 4, 2014 11:28am

Google has started rolling out a new 64-bit version of its Chrome browser, which it said promises greater speed, security and stability.

Software engineer Will Harris said the new versions are initially available for computers running Microsoft's Windows 7 and 8.

"The new version replaces the existing version while preserving all your settings and bookmarks, so there’s no need to uninstall a current installation of Chrome," Harris said in a blog post.

Chrome 64 is initially available in the Canary and Dev channels, meaning they are still under testing.

He noted most users of Windows 7 or higher now have systems that can run 64-bit applications, and Chrome 64-bit can take advantage of those "newer capabilities," such as:

Speed: 64-bit allows Chrome to handle graphics and multimedia content faster by an average of 25 percent.
Security: Chrome can take advantage of features such as High Entropy ASLR on Windows 8, thus improving security, and defend better against exploitation techniques such as JIT spraying.
Stability: Crash rates for the the web content process are almost half that of 32-bit Chrome, Harris said.

However, a separate report on The Next Web said it could be August before the 64-bit Chrome beta or Chrome stable is rolled out.

"Given that Google didn’t offer a timeline though, it could very well be longer – likely depending on how testing goes," it added. — Joel Locsin/TJD, GMA News

Tags: google, googlechrome, internet