diff --git a/.github/actions/install-playwright/action.yml b/.github/actions/install-playwright/action.yml
index 30815292dea2..0c1d2702b759 100644
--- a/.github/actions/install-playwright/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/install-playwright/action.yml
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@ inputs:
       'The directory whose package.json declares the `@playwright/test` version to install. Nothing is installed if it
       does not depend on `@playwright/test`.'
     required: true
+  part:
+    description:
+      'What to install: `all`, `browsers` or `system-deps`. `browsers` and `system-deps` together install the same as
+      `all`, and can run as two background steps in parallel.'
+    default: 'all'
 
 runs:
   using: 'composite'
@@ -29,7 +34,7 @@ runs:
     - name: Restore cached playwright binaries
       uses: actions/cache/restore@v6.1.0
       id: playwright-cache
-      if: steps.playwright-version.outputs.version != ''
+      if: steps.playwright-version.outputs.version != '' && inputs.part != 'system-deps'
       with:
         path: |
           ~/.cache/ms-playwright
@@ -37,27 +42,38 @@ runs:
         key: playwright-${{ runner.os }}-iteration-1-${{ steps.playwright-version.outputs.version }}
 
     # We always install all browsers, if uncached
-    - name: Install Playwright dependencies (uncached)
+    - name: Install Playwright browsers (uncached)
       env:
+        PART: ${{ inputs.part }}
         PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION: ${{ steps.playwright-version.outputs.version }}
-      run: npx -y "playwright@$PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION" install chromium webkit firefox --with-deps
-      if: steps.playwright-version.outputs.version != '' && steps.playwright-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
+      run: |
+        if [ "$PART" = all ]; then
+          npx -y "playwright@$PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION" install chromium webkit firefox --with-deps
+        else
+          # A separate npm cache, so this `npx` doesn't race the one installing the system deps in parallel.
+          npm_config_cache="$RUNNER_TEMP/playwright-npm-cache" npx -y "playwright@$PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION" install chromium webkit firefox
+        fi
+      if:
+        steps.playwright-version.outputs.version != '' && inputs.part != 'system-deps' &&
+        steps.playwright-cache.outputs.cache-hit != 'true'
       shell: bash
 
-    - name: Install Playwright system dependencies only (cached)
+    - name: Install Playwright system dependencies
       env:
         PLAYWRIGHT_BROWSERS: ${{ inputs.browsers || 'chromium webkit firefox' }}
         PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION: ${{ steps.playwright-version.outputs.version }}
       run: npx -y "playwright@$PLAYWRIGHT_VERSION" install-deps "$PLAYWRIGHT_BROWSERS"
-      if: steps.playwright-version.outputs.version != '' && steps.playwright-cache.outputs.cache-hit == 'true'
+      if:
+        steps.playwright-version.outputs.version != '' && (inputs.part == 'system-deps' || (inputs.part == 'all' &&
+        steps.playwright-cache.outputs.cache-hit == 'true'))
       shell: bash
 
     # Only store cache on develop branch
     - name: Store cached playwright binaries
       uses: actions/cache/save@v6.1.0
       if:
-        steps.playwright-version.outputs.version != '' && github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref ==
-        'refs/heads/develop'
+        steps.playwright-version.outputs.version != '' && inputs.part != 'system-deps' && github.event_name == 'push' &&
+        github.ref == 'refs/heads/develop'
       with:
         path: |
           ~/.cache/ms-playwright
diff --git a/.github/actions/restore-cache/action.yml b/.github/actions/restore-cache/action.yml
index ce5c2abd676e..5f826594962e 100644
--- a/.github/actions/restore-cache/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/restore-cache/action.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@ inputs:
   dependency_cache_key:
     description: 'The dependency cache key'
     required: true
+  restore-build-output:
+    description:
+      'Whether to download the build output artifact. Disable it to download the artifact in a separate step.'
+    default: 'true'
 
 runs:
   using: 'composite'
@@ -17,6 +21,7 @@ runs:
         key: ${{ inputs.dependency_cache_key }}
 
     - name: Restore build artifacts
+      if: inputs.restore-build-output == 'true'
       uses: actions/download-artifact@v7
       with:
         name: build-output
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index 143a6144852d..24df658f3a8a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -671,10 +671,10 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-node@v7
         with:
           node-version-file: 'package.json'
-      - name: Restore caches
-        uses: ./.github/actions/restore-cache
+      - name: Restore build artifacts
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v8
         with:
-          dependency_cache_key: ${{ needs.job_build.outputs.dependency_cache_key }}
+          name: build-output
 
       - name: Restore build bundle artifacts
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v8
@@ -682,11 +682,31 @@ jobs:
           name: build-bundle-output
           path: ${{ env.BUNDLE_ARTIFACT_DOWNLOAD_PATH }}
 
-      - name: Install Playwright
+      # Started after the artifact downloads: starting next to them made `download-artifact` fail to read the event file.
+      - name: Install Playwright browsers
+        id: install-playwright-browsers
+        background: true
+        uses: ./.github/actions/install-playwright
+        with:
+          cwd: dev-packages/browser-integration-tests
+          part: browsers
+
+      - name: Install Playwright system dependencies
+        id: install-playwright-deps
+        background: true
         uses: ./.github/actions/install-playwright
         with:
           browsers: ${{ matrix.project }}
           cwd: dev-packages/browser-integration-tests
+          part: system-deps
+
+      - name: Restore caches
+        uses: ./.github/actions/restore-cache
+        with:
+          dependency_cache_key: ${{ needs.job_build.outputs.dependency_cache_key }}
+          restore-build-output: 'false'
+
+      - wait: [install-playwright-browsers, install-playwright-deps]
 
       - name: Run Playwright tests
         env:
@@ -734,10 +754,10 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/setup-node@v7
         with:
           node-version-file: 'package.json'
-      - name: Restore caches
-        uses: ./.github/actions/restore-cache
+      - name: Restore build artifacts
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v8
         with:
-          dependency_cache_key: ${{ needs.job_build.outputs.dependency_cache_key }}
+          name: build-output
 
       - name: Restore build bundle artifacts
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v8
@@ -745,11 +765,31 @@ jobs:
           name: build-bundle-output
           path: ${{ env.BUNDLE_ARTIFACT_DOWNLOAD_PATH }}
 
-      - name: Install Playwright
+      # Started after the artifact downloads: starting next to them made `download-artifact` fail to read the event file.
+      - name: Install Playwright browsers
+        id: install-playwright-browsers
+        background: true
+        uses: ./.github/actions/install-playwright
+        with:
+          cwd: dev-packages/browser-integration-tests
+          part: browsers
+
+      - name: Install Playwright system dependencies
+        id: install-playwright-deps
+        background: true
         uses: ./.github/actions/install-playwright
         with:
           browsers: chromium
           cwd: dev-packages/browser-integration-tests
+          part: system-deps
+
+      - name: Restore caches
+        uses: ./.github/actions/restore-cache
+        with:
+          dependency_cache_key: ${{ needs.job_build.outputs.dependency_cache_key }}
+          restore-build-output: 'false'
+
+      - wait: [install-playwright-browsers, install-playwright-deps]
 
       - name: Run Playwright Loader tests
         env:
@@ -1068,37 +1108,6 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v7
         with:
           ref: ${{ env.HEAD_COMMIT }}
-      - name: Set up Node
-        uses: actions/setup-node@v7
-        with:
-          node-version-file: 'dev-packages/e2e-tests/test-applications/${{ matrix.test-application }}/package.json'
-      - name: Set up Bun
-        if:
-          matrix.test-application == 'node-exports-test-app' || contains(matrix.test-application, 'bun') ||
-          matrix.runtime == 'bun'
-        uses: oven-sh/setup-bun@v2
-        with:
-          bun-version: '1.3.14'
-      - name: Set up AWS SAM
-        if: matrix.test-application == 'aws-serverless' || matrix.test-application == 'aws-serverless-layer'
-        uses: aws-actions/setup-sam@v3
-        with:
-          use-installer: true
-          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-      - name: Set up Deno
-        if: contains(matrix.test-application, 'deno') || matrix.runtime == 'deno'
-        uses: denoland/setup-deno@v2.0.5
-        with:
-          deno-version: ${{ matrix.deno-version || 'v2.8.3' }}
-      # Not `install-pnpm`: it takes pnpm from the root node_modules, which this job doesn't restore.
-      - name: Resolve pnpm version
-        id: pnpm-version
-        run: echo "version=$(jq -er '.devDependencies.pnpm' package.json)" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-      - name: Install pnpm
-        uses: pnpm/action-setup@ea17c68df8912ef543352723c149a84f56e3d413 # v6.1.0
-        with:
-          version: ${{ steps.pnpm-version.outputs.version }}
-
       - name: Restore tarball artifacts
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v8
         with:
@@ -1125,15 +1134,55 @@ jobs:
         with:
           name: build-output
 
-      # Installs Playwright while the app builds.
+      # Installs Playwright while the job sets up and the app builds.
       # Started after the artifact downloads: starting next to them made `download-artifact` fail to read the event file.
-      - name: Install Playwright
-        id: install-playwright
+      - name: Install Playwright browsers
+        id: install-playwright-browsers
+        background: true
+        uses: ./.github/actions/install-playwright
+        with:
+          cwd: dev-packages/e2e-tests/test-applications/${{ matrix.test-application }}
+          part: browsers
+
+      - name: Install Playwright system dependencies
+        id: install-playwright-deps
         background: true
         uses: ./.github/actions/install-playwright
         with:
           browsers: chromium
           cwd: dev-packages/e2e-tests/test-applications/${{ matrix.test-application }}
+          part: system-deps
+
+      # Not `install-pnpm`: it takes pnpm from the root node_modules, which this job doesn't restore.
+      - name: Resolve pnpm version
+        id: pnpm-version
+        run: echo "version=$(jq -er '.devDependencies.pnpm' package.json)" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+      - name: Install pnpm
+        uses: pnpm/action-setup@ea17c68df8912ef543352723c149a84f56e3d413 # v6.1.0
+        with:
+          version: ${{ steps.pnpm-version.outputs.version }}
+      - name: Set up Node
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v7
+        with:
+          node-version-file: 'dev-packages/e2e-tests/test-applications/${{ matrix.test-application }}/package.json'
+      - name: Set up Bun
+        if:
+          matrix.test-application == 'node-exports-test-app' || contains(matrix.test-application, 'bun') ||
+          matrix.runtime == 'bun'
+        uses: oven-sh/setup-bun@v2
+        with:
+          bun-version: '1.3.14'
+      - name: Set up AWS SAM
+        if: matrix.test-application == 'aws-serverless' || matrix.test-application == 'aws-serverless-layer'
+        uses: aws-actions/setup-sam@v3
+        with:
+          use-installer: true
+          token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+      - name: Set up Deno
+        if: contains(matrix.test-application, 'deno') || matrix.runtime == 'deno'
+        uses: denoland/setup-deno@v2.0.5
+        with:
+          deno-version: ${{ matrix.deno-version || 'v2.8.3' }}
 
       - name: Prepare e2e tests
         run: yarn test:prepare
@@ -1160,7 +1209,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           SENTRY_E2E_WORKSPACE_ROOT: ${{ github.workspace }}
 
-      - wait: [install-playwright]
+      - wait: [install-playwright-browsers, install-playwright-deps]
 
       - name: Run E2E test
         working-directory: ${{ runner.temp }}/test-application
@@ -1219,31 +1268,6 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v7
         with:
           ref: ${{ env.HEAD_COMMIT }}
-      - name: Set up Node
-        uses: actions/setup-node@v7
-        with:
-          node-version-file: 'dev-packages/e2e-tests/test-applications/${{ matrix.test-application }}/package.json'
-      - name: Set up Bun
-        if:
-          matrix.test-application == 'node-exports-test-app' || contains(matrix.test-application, 'bun') ||
-          matrix.runtime == 'bun'
-        uses: oven-sh/setup-bun@v2
-        with:
-          bun-version: '1.3.14'
-      - name: Set up Deno
-        if: contains(matrix.test-application, 'deno') || matrix.runtime == 'deno'
-        uses: denoland/setup-deno@v2.0.5
-        with:
-          deno-version: ${{ matrix.deno-version || 'v2.8.3' }}
-      # Not `install-pnpm`: it takes pnpm from the root node_modules, which this job doesn't restore.
-      - name: Resolve pnpm version
-        id: pnpm-version
-        run: echo "version=$(jq -er '.devDependencies.pnpm' package.json)" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-      - name: Install pnpm
-        uses: pnpm/action-setup@ea17c68df8912ef543352723c149a84f56e3d413 # v6.1.0
-        with:
-          version: ${{ steps.pnpm-version.outputs.version }}
-
       - name: Restore tarball artifacts
         uses: actions/download-artifact@v8
         with:
@@ -1256,15 +1280,49 @@ jobs:
           name: build-test-utils-tarball-output
           path: dev-packages/test-utils
 
-      # Installs Playwright while the app builds.
+      # Installs Playwright while the job sets up and the app builds.
       # Started after the artifact downloads: starting next to them made `download-artifact` fail to read the event file.
-      - name: Install Playwright
-        id: install-playwright
+      - name: Install Playwright browsers
+        id: install-playwright-browsers
+        background: true
+        uses: ./.github/actions/install-playwright
+        with:
+          cwd: dev-packages/e2e-tests/test-applications/${{ matrix.test-application }}
+          part: browsers
+
+      - name: Install Playwright system dependencies
+        id: install-playwright-deps
         background: true
         uses: ./.github/actions/install-playwright
         with:
           browsers: chromium
           cwd: dev-packages/e2e-tests/test-applications/${{ matrix.test-application }}
+          part: system-deps
+
+      # Not `install-pnpm`: it takes pnpm from the root node_modules, which this job doesn't restore.
+      - name: Resolve pnpm version
+        id: pnpm-version
+        run: echo "version=$(jq -er '.devDependencies.pnpm' package.json)" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+      - name: Install pnpm
+        uses: pnpm/action-setup@ea17c68df8912ef543352723c149a84f56e3d413 # v6.1.0
+        with:
+          version: ${{ steps.pnpm-version.outputs.version }}
+      - name: Set up Node
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v7
+        with:
+          node-version-file: 'dev-packages/e2e-tests/test-applications/${{ matrix.test-application }}/package.json'
+      - name: Set up Bun
+        if:
+          matrix.test-application == 'node-exports-test-app' || contains(matrix.test-application, 'bun') ||
+          matrix.runtime == 'bun'
+        uses: oven-sh/setup-bun@v2
+        with:
+          bun-version: '1.3.14'
+      - name: Set up Deno
+        if: contains(matrix.test-application, 'deno') || matrix.runtime == 'deno'
+        uses: denoland/setup-deno@v2.0.5
+        with:
+          deno-version: ${{ matrix.deno-version || 'v2.8.3' }}
 
       - name: Prepare E2E tests
         run: yarn test:prepare
@@ -1289,7 +1347,7 @@ jobs:
         timeout-minutes: 7
         run: ${{ matrix.build-command || 'pnpm test:build' }}
 
-      - wait: [install-playwright]
+      - wait: [install-playwright-browsers, install-playwright-deps]
 
       - name: Run E2E test
         working-directory: ${{ runner.temp }}/test-application