UC Browser is an old player in the browsing competition. Native ad-blocker, night mode, image compression, smart download manager, video pop-out, and video downloader make the UC browser packed with superpowers.
The privacy and security of the UC browser are not reported to be rock solid. But there are no issues or real complaints other than rumors. If you are very, very conscious about privacy and security, consider the credibility of the UC browser on other platforms (mobile, etc.). Its fame is enough to ensure its claims.
UC is based on the Chromium engine, just like Google Chrome, Opera, and many other browsers. The design and user interface is neat and easy to use.
The menu looks like basic Chromium but is simplified to simplify things. For instance, there is an option to check for the latest version of the UC browser right in the menu pane. While in Chrome, there is no direct option to check for updates until an automatically updated version is installed, or you have to navigate to the About section of the web browser.
UC Browser has a shortcut key (Ctrl+T) to open Tab Viewer. This makes multitasking even easier after tabbed browsing.
If we compare the browsing speed of UC to Chrome and Firefox, it is nearly the same. However, browsing on UC is not smooth. That is why browsing on the UC browser for a long time might feel like traveling in a local bus or a cheap government train. Nice but uncomfortable.
A lot of people complain about outdated versions. That is laziness (sort of) or lack of interest of developers in the desktop version of the UC browser. The mobile version is regularly updated for all variants (UC browser, UC mini, etc.). Too slow updates make UC less trustworthy.
One of the most favorite features of the UC browser is its video downloader. Suppose you are fond of downloading videos from YouTube, DailyMotion, Vimeo, or any other video-sharing site and do not have IDM (Internet Download Manager). In that case, the UC browser is the best alternative to IDM. You can download as many videos as you want without registration of any paid software. It is fast and free.