There were four major benefits that were immediately appealing to users: 1. Significantly faster Javascript execution engine (V8) than MSIE and Firefox 2. Pro

There were four major benefits that were immediately appealing to users: 1. Significantly faster Javascript execution engine (V8) than MSIE and Firefox 2. Process isolation model improved security posture 3. Multi-platform compatibility (Windows/Mac/Linux) very soon after launch 4. Improved usability: browser history search, autocomplete in address bar, etc. Here's the original announcement (featuring Sundar Pichai, then VP of Product, now CEO): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRmrMiOWdfc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRmrMiOWdfc