What did Safari do to you to deserve such a fate?
I'm using Safari now and while it's very strict about random things like audio MIME types, but the killer feature for me is how clean and customizable the top bar is.
There is a bit of history with me and the app, most of my rage being directed at the PowerPC versions. The one issue I used to have with it was that it would load maybe 90% of a page and then just hang. In the meantime the CPU would spike.
I largely skipped using it on Intel Macs unless I had to. But I don't recall it being much better.
Now, I'm running Sonoma on my 2009 Mac Pro (which is Intel) and it seems it has improved. However, here we now run into preference issues.
I can't modify Safari. Oh sure, it's got extensions, but unlike Opera, Vivaldi, Chrome, Firefox, etc, if I want to customize things, that isn't happening.
Here's an example (my Vivaldi browser app):
Note that I have the tab bar, the address bar and the bookmarks bar sitting on the bottom of the app. You can't do that on Safari. It takes mods with Firefox and other browsers (but can still be done).
And finally…I just do not like how Safari works. I get that most people use it, but I'm the type of user that when I get a new Mac I'm installing Microsoft Office and Adobe CC, so I don't have to use Apple's apps. On devices, I will install the browser I use.
In short, because Apple refuses to allow me to bend Safari to my will and make it look and function the way I want it to - I don't care for the app. So, I use a browser that WILL allow me to do this. I spend a LOT of time in a web browser each day. I want it to be 'comfortable' and work the way I want it to.
Fortunately on both iOS and Mac, I can install other apps.