I've tried Chromium for Linux on Wine, mind you that's not exactly the same as Google Chrome. Chromium is the FOSS project which Chrome is based on. However the installation on Wine didn't live up to the hype of it's counterpart on Windows. It was much slower (perhaps too slow) as you said and I found it a bit crashy too.
Then again,... I'm not particularly excited to see a Linux version of Google Chrome.
- Firefox is a FOSS project which even Google support. Why not bring those exciting new things there or try to develop alternatives. After all Fx is faring well in the browser war and lived up to it's expectations.
- Although I'm a happy customer of Google and is very grateful and happy in many ways, I can't help to notice that Chrome is moving in a direction I'd rather not follow. Competition is one thing. But I'm a Fx user.
- Chrome gives the impression that it's a reaction and a possible attack on that prominent software company in Redmond :P As much as I find it good, the way Chrome tries to bind you to Google,... well sort of,.... makes it feel a lot uncomfortable. After all who wants another MS? *+
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Disclaimer: I'm not anti-MS software, tech or anything. I just don't find some of their strategies and business practices healthy or amusing for that matter. No hard feelings. I just don't buy them (both literally and metaphorically)
+ Apple seems to be on a good to start for that :P
I guess that does not help you much to improve the speed.
It's just my 2 cents since you asked.