Not a solution for most people, but if you didn't know, it's very easy to replace the new tab page with a custom one using a minimal, local extension. In your manifest.json include
"chrome_url_overrides": { "newtab": "ntp.html" }
and if you want it to work in incognito tabs
"incognito": "split"
(you will also need to go to your extensions's detail page and flip on "Allow in incognito").
Then create your ntp.html page (can be named whatever, just change the json to match), with CSS file(s) and image(s) as needed. I made a simple flexbox "speed dial" page with sites I specify rather than changing based on some kind of "frecency".
In chrome://extensions/, flip the "Developer mode" switch and then click "Load unpacked" and choose your extension's folder.
I wonder if one can rely on this working forever. I might have a product idea that relies on being able to change the new tab page, but I am kind of afraid Chrome forbids it one of these days.
It's quite a common extension use-case so I dobut it. It's also hard to abuse unlike certain tab related permissions, which is what they are mostly cracking down on.
Then create your ntp.html page (can be named whatever, just change the json to match), with CSS file(s) and image(s) as needed. I made a simple flexbox "speed dial" page with sites I specify rather than changing based on some kind of "frecency".
In chrome://extensions/, flip the "Developer mode" switch and then click "Load unpacked" and choose your extension's folder.