To test the memory scaling of browsers, I staged three different test runs for each browsers:

All tabs were opened in intervals of 5 seconds. The websites I used represent a multitude of content types, such as static HTML articles, search engines, video content, massive dynamic content and social media sites. I made sure that all websites are made up of mostly static content. For example, I did not use the start page of ITworld but rather the printer-friendly version of an article; I also used the Facebook profile of an inactive user rather than my front page. By doing so I eliminate drastic fluctuations in my memory tests.

I used Process Explorer to determine total memory consumption and to keep an eye on excessive utilization of Windows resources such as handles, CPU time, or threads. After each test, I rebooted the machine to restore all locked memory.

I tested the following browser versions, comparing IE 9 with not just the stable versions of competing browsers but some beta and developer versions as well:

So, how'd they do?