Why are the M1 versions of some popular web browsers so bloated?

[DekuBleep]

I compared the install size of several different popular web browsers on my M1 2020 MBP vs on my Intel 2016 MPB13, listed by size in the applications folder:

M1 Safari (25.6MB - misleading because using WebKit and IDK the size of WebKit in Library)
Intel Safari (25.6 MB - MacOS)

M1 Opera (220.5MB - uses Chromium)
Intel Opera (229.2 MB - uses Chromium)

M1 Firefox (374.4MB - uses their own rendering engine)
Intel Firefox (374.4 MB - uses their own rendering engine)

This is when things start to get crazy...

M1 Vivaldi (499.7MB - uses Chromium)
Intel Vivaldi (193.9 MB - uses Chromium)

M1 Brave Browser (505.5MB - uses Chromium)
Intel Brave Browser (271.4 MB - uses Chromium)

M1 Microsoft Edge (655.4.5 - uses Chromium)
Intel Microsoft Edge (335.4 MB - uses Chromium)

M1 Google Chrome (907MB - uses Chromium)
Intel Google Chrome (493.7 MB - uses Chromium)

Does anyone know why the M1 versions of Vivaldi, Brace, Edge, and Chrome are so bloated? Thanks!

 

[mcdreamer]

I suspect they are universal binaries, and as such you would expect them to be around double the size. Opera and Firefox must ship platform specific builds.

 

[chrfr]

I compared the install size of several different popular web browsers on my M1 2020 MBP vs on my Intel 2016 MPB13, listed by size in the applications folder:

M1 Safari (25.6MB - misleading because using WebKit and IDK the size of WebKit in Library)
Intel Safari (25.6 MB - MacOS)

M1 Opera (220.5MB - uses Chromium)
Intel Opera (229.2 MB - uses Chromium)

M1 Firefox (374.4MB - uses their own rendering engine)
Intel Firefox (374.4 MB - uses their own rendering engine)

This is when things start to get crazy...

M1 Vivaldi (499.7MB - uses Chromium)
Intel Vivaldi (193.9 MB - uses Chromium)

M1 Brave Browser (505.5MB - uses Chromium)
Intel Brave Browser (271.4 MB - uses Chromium)

M1 Microsoft Edge (655.4.5 - uses Chromium)
Intel Microsoft Edge (335.4 MB - uses Chromium)

M1 Google Chrome (907MB - uses Chromium)
Intel Google Chrome (493.7 MB - uses Chromium)

Does anyone know why the M1 versions of Vivaldi, Brace, Edge, and Chrome are so bloated? Thanks!

Chrome and Edge are universal in the "Apple Silicon" version while the Intel version is Intel-only. I assume the others are the same.

 

[leman]

As others have said, universal binaries ship both the Intel and the ARM version of the code. That said, there is absolutely no excuse for a browser software to occupy half a gig of space. What are they hiding in there? Feature-length movies?

 

[jdb8167]

I compared the install size of several different popular web browsers on my M1 2020 MBP vs on my Intel 2016 MPB13, listed by size in the applications folder:

M1 Safari (25.6MB - misleading because using WebKit and IDK the size of WebKit in Library)
Intel Safari (25.6 MB - MacOS)

M1 Opera (220.5MB - uses Chromium)
Intel Opera (229.2 MB - uses Chromium)

M1 Firefox (374.4MB - uses their own rendering engine)
Intel Firefox (374.4 MB - uses their own rendering engine)

This is when things start to get crazy...

M1 Vivaldi (499.7MB - uses Chromium)
Intel Vivaldi (193.9 MB - uses Chromium)

M1 Brave Browser (505.5MB - uses Chromium)
Intel Brave Browser (271.4 MB - uses Chromium)

M1 Microsoft Edge (655.4.5 - uses Chromium)
Intel Microsoft Edge (335.4 MB - uses Chromium)

M1 Google Chrome (907MB - uses Chromium)
Intel Google Chrome (493.7 MB - uses Chromium)

Does anyone know why the M1 versions of Vivaldi, Brace, Edge, and Chrome are so bloated? Thanks!

You can open the app bundle and look to see what is taking up all the space. It might not be the actual binaries.

 

[DekuBleep]

But why does the M1 version have to have universal binaries that remain after install?

 

[jdb8167]

But why does the M1 version have to have universal binaries that remain after install?

It isn’t required but it is usually a good idea since universal binaries don’t have to be labeled for a specific architecture.

 

[xraydoc]

But why does the M1 version have to have universal binaries that remain after install?

It's a compile - the Intel and ARM code is merged into a single file; no easy way to separate them unless they're compiled intependently for ARM and Intel. The question is why are some developers separating Intel-only versions from the Universal versions. I guess their thinking is that the Intel versions will also work on M1 (via Rosetta) while an ARM-only version won't work on Intel at all. If they don't want to confuse their users, just release a single Universal version and not any separated versions.

 

[DekuBleep]

It's a compile - the Intel and ARM code is merged into a single file; no easy way to separate them unless they're compiled intependently for ARM and Intel. The question is why are some developers separating Intel-only versions from the Universal versions. I guess their thinking is that the Intel versions will also work on M1 (via Rosetta) while an ARM-only version won't work on Intel at all. If they don't want to confuse their users, just release a single Universal version and not any separated versions.

Oh that makes sense. So even if the users messes up which version to download, they will still always download a version that will run on their computer.

 

[dmccloud]

The other reason to ship a universal binary instead of an M1-specific build could be third-party plugin support. With a universal binary, it would be possible (albeit complicated) to run the browser tabs themselves natively while also taking advantage of Rosetta to run any third-party plugins or addons that require x86 code for some odd reason. This is all theoretical, and I've seen nothing indicating that this is the case in practice. But this is also the type of practice that could open up the use of older plugins for apps such as Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, etc. if they have not (or will not be) updated for Apple Silicon.

 

[Leon1das]

Reason for them being big are universal binaries (containing ARM and Intel code)

You can use CleanMyMac (paid app) to clean up Intel component of universal binaries and remove unnecessary language files.

This cuts the installation size of browsers to half.

I run CleanMyMac after each new software installation to remove the "junk".

 

[excelsior.ink]

Reason for them being big are universal binaries (containing ARM and Intel code)

You can use CleanMyMac (paid app) to clean up Intel component of universal binaries and remove unnecessary language files.

This cuts the installation size of browsers to half.

I run CleanMyMac after each new software installation to remove the "junk".

How can this be done from the CLI? There is a utility for that: lipo but how can this be used to cleanup some bloat? Anyone knows?

 

[Leon1das]

How can this be done from the CLI? There is a utility for that: lipo but how can this be used to cleanup some bloat? Anyone knows?

Not sure. I accidentally discovered this option in CleanMyMac.

App itself looks like ad-bloated scam - but combined feature of removing unneeded binaries and languages makes it really handy for me...

 

[MysticCow]

Universal binaries will have loads of extra crap for the other series of processor (Intel code for M1 Macs and M1 code for Intel Macs).

Back in the day of the original UB's (PowerPC and Intel), we would use an app like TrimTheFat to get rid of the extra lines of code. Not sure if one exists for the Intel and M1 UB's.

 

[excelsior.ink]

Apps on the ultimate diet: beyond stripping Universals

Can you strip all Intel executables from a Universal App to make it even smaller? What benefits might there be in building an app for Big Sur only?

eclecticlight.co

 

[newadventure]

Wait until you find out how big xcode is