Apple’s Safari browser comes pre-installed on macOS, but some prefer to switch to alternative options for various reasons. However, for entertainment, you should stick to Safari because it has multiple built-in features that make it perfect.
1
Seamless Integration With Apple’s Ecosystem
The first, and perhaps the most obvious, reason to stick with Safari for entertainment is that it’s made by Apple. Hence, Safar is well integrated into the company’s ecosystem. One of the most impressive features available for entertainment is AirPlay support, which allows you to stream content from your Mac directly to AirPlay-compatible devices like Apple TV. If you own an AirPlay-compatible smart TV, you can also stream directly to it.
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That means if a particular video-on-demand app or site isn’t available on your smart TV platform or Apple TV, you can stream directly from Safari and then use the AirPlay feature to watch it on the big screen.
This integration makes media consumption on Safari a much more enjoyable experience than competing browsers, especially if you’re already invested in Apple’s ecosystem.
2
Has Picture-in-Picture Mode Built-In
Picture-in-Picture (PiP) mode allows you to watch videos in a small floating window on your screen while using a different app or tab than the one playing the video. It’s an indispensable multitasking feature, and Safari has it built in.
It’s common to associate PiP with YouTube, but it’s not just on YouTube; you can enable PiP on any site with a video in Safari (even if it’s an embedded video).
You can launch PiP in Safari by right-clicking or Control-clicking on the mute icon on the right side of the URL bar while a video is playing, then select Enter Picture in Picture. Besides this, there are other ways to launch PiP mode in Safari.
3
Supports 4K HDR Streaming on YouTube, Netflix, and Apple TV+
If none of the reasons we’ve covered has convinced you, this should be it. While it’s standard for streaming services to support 4K streaming, the catch is that you must also meet several requirements.
Safari is the king of 4K video streaming in the browser arena because it’s the only browser with built-in support for 4K HDR video playback on macOS. And even better, you can stream content in 4K across multiple streaming sites.
Currently, you can stream content in 4K on YouTube, Netflix, and Apple TV+. These are only a handful of sites because, unfortunately, even some of the best streaming sites with 4K content don’t support 4K on computer browsers.
To watch content in high resolution on these platforms in Safari, you’ll also need an iMac with a 4K display panel or an external monitor with at least 4K resolution if you have a MacBook (because no model has a 4K panel yet). Of course, you may need to meet other requirements, such as having the right Netflix subscription plan.
4
Safari Is More Power Efficient
Another reason Safari is the best browser for entertainment is that it is optimized, which makes it perform without sacrificing battery life. So, if you primarily consume content on your Mac, you should switch to Safari, as it’ll help improve your battery life.
According to Apple’s numbers, you can get up to four hours more watch time while streaming video in Safari than in Google’s Chrome browser. The company also says you can get up to 18 hours of video streaming, which is impressive.
Safari is the best browser for entertainment on macOS because it is power-efficient, supports 4K HDR, has PiP, and is well integrated into Apple’s ecosystem. For these reasons, Safari has been, and still is, the best browser for watching Netflix.
It may not have the fancy productivity or organization features you’ll get on competing browsers like Arc, but it’s the best option for media consumption.
