Why Opera Next?
We are excited to show off our latest innovations and get feedback on our work. With our new Opera Next releases, we have made it simple for you to be among the first to experience upcoming evolution and new features in the Opera browser. Check out the FAQ.
Easier than ever to try
Opera Next installs a separate pre-release version with a distinct white icon. No changes are made to your original Opera installation. Opera Next also updates itself to the latest alpha or beta so you can experience our newest technology.
Let’s hear from you!
We love receiving feedback from our users. If you discover a problem or you have an idea about how to make the Opera browser even better, we would appreciate you reporting this via our Bug Report Wizard, or by using the forums.
What’s new in Opera 12.00 alpha
Opera 12 alpha features a completely redesigned browser engine aimed at running web applications and games more quickly and smoothly than ever. New features include:
Faster graphics with hardware acceleration
Although Opera’s unique Vega graphics engine is already lightning fast, Opera is now using your computer’s graphics card for extra processing power. This supercharged boost is called hardware acceleration and makes intensive web applications and games run even better.
To utilize hardware acceleration, Opera 12 alpha currently requires a graphics card, as well as OpenGL (Open Graphics Library). Further support, including DirectX, will come later.
To check whether your Opera 12 alpha installation supports hardware acceleration, type “opera:gpu” in Opera’s address field.
WebGL support for games and 3D content
Until now, viewing games and 3D content meant installing various plug-ins. With WebGL (Web-based Graphics Library), Opera 12 can now generate interactive 3D graphics.
New themes
Themes, previously known as skins, have been improved, allowing any user to change the background image for the whole browser. Designers can also create new themes of their own more easily.