Microsoft releases Internet Explorer 11 browser for Windows 7 personal computers

EtchMark is a new test drive demo from Microsoft that's an entertaining HTML5 retro-drawing experience. (Microsoft Corp.)

REDMOND, Wash. – Microsoft said Thursday that it has made its latest browser, Internet Explorer 11, available to users of Windows 7 machines.

The new browser had already been part of the Windows 8.1 upgrade the company released last month.

The browser, available as a free download, improves the performance of websites that use JavaScript. Microsoft says the browser is 9 percent faster than Internet Explorer 10.

It also enables better 3-D graphics rendering in websites, allowing users to manipulate 3-D objects on-screen.