1. What is it?
There’s no shortage of choice when it comes to mobile
browsers, but Opera Mini might just be one of the most useful. This browser
features a number of data-saving features which allow you to traverse the net
without worrying about exceeding your data allowance. A recent update also
added a nifty ad blocker to further improve the online experience.
2. What’s good?
Obviously, the standout feature of Opera Mini is the
data-saving aspect. What’s really nice about this browser is that it gives you
a certain level of control over how scaled-down you want each website to be.
That means you can find the perfect balance between conserving your precious
data and maintaining a decent web experience.
There’s essentially two data-saving modes to choose between.
‘High’ will keep the web experience looking similar to how it would without
data-saving turned on, while still managing to save you a load of Megabytes. I
regularly managed to get around a 55% saving, meaning the browser managed to
load most sites by only receiving 45% of the megabytes needed to load it.
‘Extreme’ is for when you’re on your last bit of 4G. It severely limits the
amount of data whichever website you’re visiting sends to your handset. Text
will be displayed in a simple font and pictures will be compressed. I found
that Extreme usually saved me an impressive 89% of the data needed to load a
site.
3. Opera Mini SS
Switching between the two settings is incredibly easy. You
can just hit the Opera logo in the bottom right and tap the ‘Savings Mode’
section to make a quick change. If you want to make further tweaks you can head
into settings, where there a few more options such as the ability to change the
resolution of images.
It’s all very straightforward and a great way to save your
data when you’re approaching your limit for the month. Even if you have
unlimited data, Opera Mini is great for when you need to get online but your
signal isn’t very strong.
And it’s not all about conserving data. Other features
include the ability to receive Facebook notifications through the browser, and
a handy Night Mode that filters out blue light to save your eyes before you
sleep.
4. What’s bad?
Not a lot really. Using Opera Mini, I never encountered any
crashes, got to grips with the data-saving settings very quickly, and generally
found it to be a useful and easy to use app. However, if you’re using Extreme
settings, you may find some websites don’t load properly. Text and images will
overlap and some websites are unreadable on this setting. It’s a rare
occurrence, though.
5. Verdict
Opera Mini is the perfect browser for those who often find
themselves exceeding their monthly data allowance. Its various settings make it
easy to tailor the data-saving features, and the clean interface is very easy
to use. Give it a go if you’re looking to save some Gigabytes.
Ratings: 9/10 | Price: Free | In-app purchases? No |
Download Opera Mini Browser
Source: Trusted Reviews
Source: Trusted Reviews
