Google Chrome is the world’s most popular web browser according to StatCounter, with over 40 percent of the market. This comes as no surprise since the big G has put a lot of work Chrome over the past few years, making it more attractive to users than any other modern browser today.

With Chrome on top of the world, Internet Explorer has no chance but to play second fiddle with little over 30 percent share of the market, followed by Firefox with 20 percent and Safari under 9 percent. It’s still quite a shocker to see the once powerful Firefox so far behind after changing the browser landscape in the past. In fact, it was Firefox that paved the way for Google Chrome to dominate.

The big question that needs answering is if Google Chrome deserves to be on top in its current form. Well, I haven’t conducted any scientific tests, so you can take this with a grain of salt if you wish, but I feel Chrome has become more and more bloated over the past year or so. Arguably, the best web browser at the moment is Opera Next. The new Blink rendering engine by Google, which powers Chrome, is the same that powers Opera Next. Yet for some strange reason, Opera Next is faster and more responsive than Chrome in almost every test thrown at it. Give Opera Next a spin if you’re finding it difficult to believe.

Let us know in the comments below which browser is your favorite, and why.

[via StatCounter]