diff --git a/cloud/playwright_browser.py b/cloud/playwright_browser.py
index f106b0c..0877092 100644
--- a/cloud/playwright_browser.py
+++ b/cloud/playwright_browser.py
@@ -83,9 +83,23 @@ class Browser:
             else:
                 from playwright.sync_api import sync_playwright
                 pw = sync_playwright().start()
+            # Extra flags skip first-run/setup work only; they
+            # change nothing about page rendering or tool
+            # behaviour. Measured 2026-10-30 (runsc container,
+            # launch + new_page, 3 runs each, alternating):
+            # old median 0.889s, new median 0.819s -- ~70ms,
+            # inside run-to-run noise (0.70-0.99s either way).
+            # Kept anyway: zero cost, directionally faster.
             launch = {"args": ["--no-sandbox",
                                "--disable-dev-shm-usage",
-                               "--disable-gpu"]}
+                               "--disable-gpu",
+                               "--no-first-run",
+                               "--no-default-browser-check",
+                               "--disable-default-apps",
+                               "--disable-extensions",
+                               "--disable-background-networking",
+                               "--disable-sync",
+                               "--disable-translate"]}
             if self.proxy:
                 launch["proxy"] = {"server": self.proxy}
             browser = pw.chromium.launch(**launch)
@@ -318,8 +332,13 @@ class Browser:
             # bytes), so dropping the frame-skip buys
             # responsiveness exactly when it matters -- scrolling,
             # dragging, animation -- without a static-page tax.
+            # quality 50 (was 60): measured 2026-10-30 on a
+            # text+gradient page, 62068 -> 56428 bytes (-9%).
+            # Less than the 30% rule of thumb, but free: same
+            # 1280x800 pixels, so click coordinates are
+            # unaffected. Revert to 60 if text looks soft.
             cdp.send("Page.startScreencast",
-                     {"format": "jpeg", "quality": 60,
+                     {"format": "jpeg", "quality": 50,
                       "maxWidth": 1280, "maxHeight": 800,
                       "everyNthFrame": 1})
             self._cdp = cdp
@@ -343,7 +362,7 @@ class Browser:
         try:
             result = self._cdp.send(
                 "Page.captureScreenshot",
-                {"format": "jpeg", "quality": 60})
+                {"format": "jpeg", "quality": 50})
             data = result.get("data") if isinstance(result, dict) \
                 else None
             if data:
diff --git a/cloud/tests/test_playwright.py b/cloud/tests/test_playwright.py
index e9706d3..9f579dd 100644
--- a/cloud/tests/test_playwright.py
+++ b/cloud/tests/test_playwright.py
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ class BrowserTest(unittest.TestCase):
                          {"server": "http://proxy:8888"})
         self.assertIn("--no-sandbox",
                       self.browser._pw.launch_kwargs["args"])
+        for flag in ("--no-first-run", "--no-default-browser-check",
+                     "--disable-default-apps", "--disable-extensions",
+                     "--disable-background-networking", "--disable-sync",
+                     "--disable-translate"):
+            self.assertIn(flag, self.browser._pw.launch_kwargs["args"])
 
     def test_snapshot_truncates_with_flag(self):
         self.browser.navigate("https://example.com")
@@ -254,7 +259,7 @@ class BrowserTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.browser.set_frame_sink(sink)
         self.browser.navigate("https://example.com")
         self.assertIn(("Page.startScreencast",
-                       {"format": "jpeg", "quality": 60,
+                       {"format": "jpeg", "quality": 50,
                         "maxWidth": 1280, "maxHeight": 800,
                         "everyNthFrame": 1}),
                       [(m, p) for m, p in self.page.cdp.sent])
@@ -272,7 +277,7 @@ class BrowserTest(unittest.TestCase):
         result = self.browser.navigate("https://example.com")
         self.assertTrue(result["ok"])
         self.assertIn(("Page.captureScreenshot",
-                       {"format": "jpeg", "quality": 60}),
+                       {"format": "jpeg", "quality": 50}),
                       [(m, p) for m, p in self.page.cdp.sent])
         frame = self.browser.pump_screencast()
         self.assertEqual(frame, "EAGERDATA")