Choosing the right Web browser is vitally important; after all, it's probably the piece of software you'll use the most. Your browser shapes the way you use the Web, affecting your methods of gathering information and the speed and ease with which you collect it. And since the top browsers are free, there's no reason not to shop around.

But what should you look for in a browser? That depends on your priorities. For instance, most people use Internet Explorer 6, which lets them view ActiveX pages. This is a positive, in that it makes the Web more interactive, but ActiveX support can also be used as a back door for spyware. Firefox and Opera don't support ActiveX, so they miss out on some functionality, but it makes for safer browsing. Netscape sidesteps the issue by offering both Firefox's and IE's rendering engines, so you can run ActiveX when you need to.

Do you prefer a busy interface with lots of info like Netscape's, or a clean, minimalist look like Firefox? Try out features like tabbed browsing (which lets you have multiple pages open in the same browser window), integrated RSS readers, pop-up blockers, and intelligent caching for faster page loading.

Find the right browser to suit your Web activities by clicking on the links below to go to the full reviews. And get a sneak peek at the next generation of Internet Explorer, available now as an early-stage beta.

In this roundup:

Firefox
In the space of a roughly a year, Firefox has gone from relative obscurity to being the second most popular browser in the world. And the recent 1.5 update makes the nimble browser even better. Firefox is slim but full-featured, and a lot of the features in IE7 clearly take their cues from the open-source browser.

Internet Explorer
We're guessing you're probably familiar already with the world's most popular Web browser. Love it or hate it, IE commands somewhere around 80 percent of the market. IE6 is becoming quite long in the tooth, however, and lacks some of the convenient features included in the other browsers.

Internet Explorer 7 (beta)
The first beta version of IE7 isn't intended—or ready—for the masses, so we don't recommend downloading it quite yet unless you're a developer. We're glad to (finally) see tabbed browsing in IE, and the integrated RSS reader, smooth printing and zooming, and redesigned interfaces are all welcome changes. IE7 certainly has potential, though it has a ways to go before being ready for prime time.

Netscape
Netscape is more than just a browser; it's an information platform. We love useful features like the Multibar and the ability to choose between two rendering engines. The UI can be cluttered and confusing, but overall, Netscape is a solid choice.

Opera
Opera 8.0 is a very capable browser that was first to market with some unique features, such as rearrangement of tabs and page zooming, and the next version of Opera will even include integrated BitTorrent support. Overall, it has a host of attractive and innovative features that make browsing easier.