Private browsers compared: what actually protects you
What a private browser can and cannot do
Browsers marketed as private mainly reduce cross-site tracking: fewer third-party cookies, fingerprinting resistance, and tracker blocking. They do not hide your IP address from websites, and private/incognito windows only affect what is stored on your own device.
Match the tool to the goal. If the goal is fewer targeted ads, a tracker-blocking browser is enough. If the goal is hiding your network location, that is a VPN's job. If the goal is strong isolation between identities, use separate browser profiles or containers.
Switching costs are the real decision factor
Extensions, saved passwords, and sync are what keep people on a browser. Before switching, check that the two or three extensions you rely on exist for the new browser, and export your passwords first.
You do not have to switch completely: many people keep a mainstream browser for work accounts and a hardened browser for everyday reading.