Facebook Messenger Beta review: Catching up with iOS and Android

Messenger Beta Windows 10 Source: Windows Fundamental

Facebook first shipped a Messenger app on Windows 10 years ago, but it rarely receives meaningful updates and quickly fell behind its counterparts on iOS and Android. The new Facebook Messenger Beta recently became available to select users and bridges the gap between Messenger on Windows 10 and other platforms. It has an attractive dark mode, back up for modern Messenger features, and will continue to receive updates going forward.

Messenger (Beta) for Windows 10 nonetheless lacks a few features, like searching for content inside messages, simply provides the best Facebook Messaging experience on Windows 10. The app is still in beta, so I'll skip the star review, but here are my thoughts after using it.

Feature parity

Messenger (Beta)

Free

Bottom line: Messenger (Beta) is the best Facebook Messenger experience on Windows ten. Information technology has a night mode, support for new features, and a fresh, make clean wait.

Pros:

Fresh, clean wait
Has an attractive dark mode
Virtually feature parity with iOS and Android versions
Volition go on to get updates

Cons:

Scaling feels janky
Doesn't support searching content within messages yet

What you'll love about Messenger (Beta)

Source: Windows Key

Messenger (Beta) on Windows 10 feels similar a modern port of the iOS and Android versions of Messenger, and that comes with a lot of good and a little bad. The app is powered by Electron, meaning that when Facebook updates Messenger, the updates push across dissimilar operating systems. For example, Messenger (Beta) on Windows ten benefits from updates to the macOS version of Messenger (Beta). As a upshot, this app feels much more than mod than the erstwhile Messenger app. For example, this version of Messenger can permanently delete messages, can send files, and has updated emoticons. While the older app was likewise a port, information technology felt similar it was ported once and abandoned. This new Messenger app non only feels better, simply it also seems similar it will receive meaningful updates in the future.

In terms of actually using the app, it'southward fine. I don't know how much you lot tin actually say nearly a Messenger app when information technology does its job. My messages sent well and got delivered apace. Information technology just feels similar I'm using an upwards to date version of Facebook Messenger. I like the look of Messenger (Beta) and love that information technology has options for light, nighttime, and grey modes.

What yous may dislike about Messenger (Beta)

Source: Windows Central

Some people hate Electron. I don't detest it, but it does accept some drawbacks. Messenger (Beta) takes up a surprisingly large amount of RAM, which is a normal consequence for Electron apps. When I was messaging i person, or fifty-fifty when the app was idling, it took upwards 500-612MB of RAM at any given fourth dimension. My system has a off-white amount of RAM, and so it doesn't really affect things, simply I'd love to see that number go down.

Another noticeable deviation is that resizing Messenger's window feels janky. Elements jump, rather than moving smoothly or appearing fluidly every bit more than room becomes available for the app. I can't say for certain if this outcome is connected to Electron, just other Electron apps on Windows present a like problem. In comparison, native UWP apps calibration and resize fluidly and feel as polish as silk.

A few features are missing in Messenger (Beta) right now, like searching for contents within messages, but I think these will come in fourth dimension. The nature of this app makes it seem much more than likely that characteristic gaps will shut in the future.

On the Windows side of things, notifications are not actionable, which is disappointing. It's odd that this feature isn't available since Facebook Messenger supports it on other platforms.

Should you use Messenger (Beta)?

Source: Windows Cardinal

If you lot employ Facebook Messenger, I think information technology'due south worth grabbing Messenger (Beta). Information technology looks nice, works well, and has features that the older version of Messenger for Windows x doesn't. I likewise recollect it will go better over time, then you probably aren't investing time in a dying app.

I'd love to run into resizing the app's windows go smoother, and some features are still missing, but I think this is the best overall Facebook Messenger experience on Windows 10.

Feature parity

Messenger (Beta)

Attractive and characteristic-rich

Messenger (Beta) is the best Facebook Messenger feel on Windows 10. Information technology has a night mode, back up for new features, and a fresh, clean expect.

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