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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOrion brings together two things many Mac users want: Apple’s WebKit engine, also used by Safari, and support for Chrome and Firefox extensions. But it does not guarantee Safari-level speed or universal Chrome-extension compatibility. Kagi describes extension support as experimental, and its published benchmark is not a like-for-like comparison against Safari with the same extensions enabled.
Can Orion run Chrome extensions?
Yes. Orion supports Chrome and Firefox extensions through WebExtensions APIs, which are also used by those browsers. Kagi’s Help documentation calls the support experimental, so an extension’s availability does not guarantee that every feature will work as expected. Kagi’s extension documentation explains that developers may implement one browser version more fully than another; a Chrome extension and its Firefox counterpart can therefore behave differently in Orion.
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Kagi’s FAQ has described Orion as supporting “about 70% of Web Extensions APIs.” That is an undated statement about API coverage, not a claim that 70% of Chrome extensions work, and it should not be read as a current compatibility rate. Kagi’s FAQ
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How to enable extensions on macOS
On Mac, Orion provides settings for allowing third-party Chrome or Firefox extensions. The precise steps can vary with the Orion release, so use Kagi’s current macOS extension instructions rather than assuming that an extension installed in Chrome will transfer automatically. Check the extension’s available versions and permissions, then test the specific features you rely on.
#1 Best Overall
- AN AMAZING MAC AT A SURPRISING PRICE — With an incredibly portable and durable aluminum design, up to 16 hours of battery life,* and the A18 Pro chip, MacBook Neo is ready to go wherever school takes you.
- FOUR STUNNING COLORS. ONE DURABLE DESIGN — Choose from four beautiful colors — Silver, Blush, Citrus, or Indigo — each with a color-coordinated keyboard. And MacBook Neo is made with a durable recycled aluminum enclosure that helps it reach 60 percent recycled content by weight — the most ever in any Apple product.*
- FLY THROUGH EVERYDAY ASSIGNMENTS — Whether you’re cramming for finals, using Apple Intelligence* to summarize class notes, creating presentations, or even playing the latest Apple Arcade game,* MacBook Neo delivers the performance and AI capabilities you need to get things done.
- UP TO 16 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Neo delivers all day battery life, so you can power through from early morning classes to late night study sessions without worrying about plugging in.
- A VIBRANT 13-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Neo supports 1 billion colors, so photos and videos pop and text is crisp for easy reading.
If an extension breaks a site
Orion’s Compatibility mode applies safer settings for a site, including disabling extensions. If a page stops loading or behaves incorrectly, try the site in Compatibility mode to determine whether an extension is involved. If that resolves the problem, re-enable extensions selectively to identify the cause. This is a troubleshooting step, not proof that every extension will work after changing the mode. Kagi describes the setting in its extension guidance.
Does Orion match Safari’s performance?
Orion is built around WebKit, the browser engine Safari uses. That gives the two browsers an important technology in common, but it does not establish equal speed: browser performance depends on the device, operating system, websites, workload, settings, and enabled extensions. Kagi calls Orion lightweight and describes it as the fastest Mac browser on its Safari comparison page; those are the company’s claims, not an independent, same-conditions comparison.
Rank #2
- BUILT FOR COLLEGE. AND BEYOND — MacBook Air with the M5 chip packs blazing speed and powerful AI capabilities into an incredibly portable design. And with up to 18 hours of battery life,* this thin and light powerhouse is ready to take on almost any major, just about anywhere.
- TEAR THROUGH TOUGH ASSIGNMENTS — With its faster CPU and unified memory, the M5 chip delivers even more performance and fluidity across apps, making multitasking and creative workflows smooth and responsive. A powerful Neural Engine and next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators give you a powerful platform for AI.
- MAKE QUICK WORK OF YOUR TO-DO LIST — Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly — whether it’s for school or everyday life. With groundbreaking privacy protections, it gives you peace of mind that no one else can access your data — not even Apple.*
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Air delivers incredible battery life with amazing performance, so you can power through a full day of classes without worrying about plugging in.
- A BRILLIANT 13.6-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Air supports 1 billion colors, making photos and videos pop with rich contrast and sharp detail, and text appears supercrisp. So everything — from class presentations to movies to games — looks truly stunning.
Kagi reports a Speedometer 2.1 score of 605 on an M3 MacBook Pro with Compatibility mode enabled. The page does not state when the result was recorded. Because Compatibility mode can disable extensions, the score should not be treated as a measurement of Orion with a reader’s usual extension set, or as proof that Orion is faster than Safari. Speedometer 2.1 measures browser responsiveness in a benchmark workload; real-world results may differ. Kagi’s result and configuration are on its Speed page.
What extensions can cost in performance
Extensions can add work for a browser, so a setup that is fast without extensions may behave differently once several are active. A study of Chrome found that extensions could negatively affect performance, including in some unintended-use circumstances, and identified implementation complexity and privacy practices as relevant factors. That study did not test Orion, so it cannot predict which Orion extensions will have a noticeable effect. The study’s abstract
Rank #3
- AN AMAZING MAC AT A SURPRISING PRICE — With an incredibly portable and durable aluminum design, up to 16 hours of battery life,* and the A18 Pro chip, MacBook Neo is ready to go wherever school takes you.
- FOUR STUNNING COLORS. ONE DURABLE DESIGN — Choose from four beautiful colors — Silver, Blush, Citrus, or Indigo — each with a color-coordinated keyboard. And MacBook Neo is made with a durable recycled aluminum enclosure that helps it reach 60 percent recycled content by weight — the most ever in any Apple product.*
- FLY THROUGH EVERYDAY ASSIGNMENTS — Whether you’re cramming for finals, using Apple Intelligence* to summarize class notes, creating presentations, or even playing the latest Apple Arcade game,* MacBook Neo delivers the performance and AI capabilities you need to get things done.
- UP TO 16 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Neo delivers all day battery life, so you can power through from early morning classes to late night study sessions without worrying about plugging in.
- A VIBRANT 13-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Neo supports 1 billion colors, so photos and videos pop and text is crisp for easy reading.
For a useful personal comparison, test the same sites and actions with your extensions disabled and enabled. Kagi’s FAQ also recommends comparing Speedometer 2.0 results with and without extensions; treat that as a way to assess your own setup, not as a published result for every Orion user. Kagi’s FAQ
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What changes on iPhone and iPad?
Do not assume that a Chrome extension working in Orion on a Mac will work on iPhone or iPad. Kagi’s iOS and iPadOS guidance says extension availability and support are more limited on those platforms, and warns that extensions may cause site or performance problems. If one causes trouble, Kagi recommends disabling or uninstalling it. Kagi’s mobile extension guidance
Quick Recap
Best Value
- FAST RUNS IN THE FAMILY — The 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro or M5 Max chip brings next-generation speed and powerful on-device AI to personal, professional, and creative tasks. With all-day battery life, double the starting storage,* and a breathtaking Liquid Retina XDR display, it’s pro in every way.*
- BUCKLE UP — Along with a next-generation CPU, faster unified memory, and up to 2x faster SSD storage,* M5 Pro and M5 Max feature a more powerful GPU with a Neural Accelerator built into each core, delivering faster AI performance and on-device training capabilities. So you can blaze through demanding workloads at mind-bending speeds.
- BUILT FOR AI — Apple silicon, and every major component that powers it, is designed to run demanding on-device AI workloads like LLM inference and training. And Apple Intelligence helps you write, express yourself, and get things done effortlessly with groundbreaking privacy protections at every step.*
- ALL-DAY BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Pro delivers the same exceptional performance whether it’s running on battery or plugged in.*
- MACOS RUNS APPS FAST — All your go-to apps run lightning fast in macOS, including built-in apps like FaceTime and Messages. Plus, built-in virus protection and free software updates help keep your Mac running smoothly and securely.
Rank #4
- AN AMAZING MAC AT A SURPRISING PRICE — With an incredibly portable and durable aluminum design, up to 16 hours of battery life,* and the A18 Pro chip, MacBook Neo is ready to go wherever school takes you.
- FOUR STUNNING COLORS. ONE DURABLE DESIGN — Choose from four beautiful colors — Silver, Blush, Citrus, or Indigo — each with a color-coordinated keyboard. And MacBook Neo is made with a durable recycled aluminum enclosure that helps it reach 60 percent recycled content by weight — the most ever in any Apple product.*
- FLY THROUGH EVERYDAY ASSIGNMENTS — Whether you’re cramming for finals, using Apple Intelligence* to summarize class notes, creating presentations, or even playing the latest Apple Arcade game,* MacBook Neo delivers the performance and AI capabilities you need to get things done.
- UP TO 16 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — MacBook Neo delivers all day battery life, so you can power through from early morning classes to late night study sessions without worrying about plugging in.
- A VIBRANT 13-INCH DISPLAY* — The gorgeous Liquid Retina display on MacBook Neo supports 1 billion colors, so photos and videos pop and text is crisp for easy reading.
Who should try Orion?
- Try it if you want a WebKit-based Mac browser and need to test particular Chrome or Firefox extensions outside their usual browser.
- Keep a fallback if a specific extension is essential to work. Support is experimental, and a feature that works in Chrome is not assured to work in Orion.
- Compare performance on your own setup if speed is the deciding factor. Use the same device, sites, tasks, and extension configuration in each browser; Kagi’s published score does not provide that direct comparison.
- Check platform-specific support before relying on extensions on iOS or iPadOS.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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