Through the Lens of Google CrUX: Dissecting Web Browsing Experience Across Devices and Countries

TL;DR

This study analyzes Google CrUX data to evaluate web browsing experience across devices and countries, revealing performance disparities and trends in real-world user metrics.

Contribution

First comprehensive analysis of CrUX dataset focusing on device and country differences in web browsing experience using quantitative metrics.

Findings

Desktops outperform other devices in all metrics.

North European countries have higher 4G connection rates and better performance.

Significant performance gap between best and worst countries.

Abstract

User quality of experience in the context of Web browsing is being researched widely, with plenty of developments occurring alongside technological advances, not seldom driven by big industry players. With the huge reach and infrastructure of Google, the Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX) provides quantitative real-life measurement data of a vast magnitude. Analysis of this steadily expanding dataset aggregating different user experience metrics, yields tangible insights into actual trends and developments. Hence, this paper is the first to study the CrUX dataset from the viewpoint of relevant metrics by quantitative evaluation of users Web browsing experience across three device types and nine European countries. Analysis of data segmented by connection type in the device dimension shows desktops outperforming other device types for all metrics. Similar analysis in the country dimension, shows North European countries (Sweden, Finland) having maximum 4G connections (85.99%, 81.41% respectively) and steadily performing 25%-36% better at the 75th percentile across all metrics compared to the worst performing country. Such a high-level longitudinal analysis of real-life Web browsing experience provides an extensive base for future research.