Antivirus

[Death123141]

I have been using Avira yet I've been getting some virus's is there a better or recommended antivirus available for free?

[Vulxai]

How are you getting viruses?

[Cowman_133]

Microsoft Security Essentials is pretty good.

[Sy_Accursed]

Of the free game:

 

Microsoft Security Essentials can't really be faulted though they can be a little slow on blocking new ones though only the crud ones tht dont do alot.

AVG Free is pretty much the best you can get on the free market. (AVG paid is even better but the free one still outclasses most paid ones in terms of what it catches)

[Hegelstad]

Of the free game:

 

Microsoft Security Essentials can't really be faulted though they can be a little slow on blocking new ones though only the crud ones tht dont do alot.

AVG Free is pretty much the best you can get on the free market. (AVG paid is even better but the free one still outclasses most paid ones in terms of what it catches)

 

This is wrong, Avg was best before, now its just worse than ever (alot of false reporting). Third party reviewers have given Microsoft Security Essentials the top score lately. MSE isn't slow on blocking the newer viruses either, just as fast as everyone else. I would even say Avira is better than AVG.

 

tl;dr

MSE>AVAST>AVIRA>AVG (according to 3rd party testers, on the web and in PC World Norway)

 

Also make sure you dont have two antivirus installed at the same time, it clogs up the quarantine folder.

 

Its also proven that you dont need any paid antiviruses, they're just memory hogs.

[Death123141]

Of the free game:

 

Microsoft Security Essentials can't really be faulted though they can be a little slow on blocking new ones though only the crud ones tht dont do alot.

AVG Free is pretty much the best you can get on the free market. (AVG paid is even better but the free one still outclasses most paid ones in terms of what it catches)

 

This is wrong, Avg was best before, now its just worse than ever (alot of false reporting). Third party reviewers have given Microsoft Security Essentials the top score lately. MSE isn't slow on blocking the newer viruses either, just as fast as everyone else. I would even say Avira is better than AVG.

 

tl;dr

MSE>AVAST>AVIRA>AVG (according to 3rd party testers, on the web and in PC World Norway)

 

Also make sure you dont have two antivirus installed at the same time, it clogs up the quarantine folder.

 

Its also proven that you dont need any paid antiviruses, they're just memory hogs.

Okay I'll try out MSE thanks everyone.

[Sy_Accursed]

AVG is not bad AT ALL False reporting is bs. I've got the full latest AVG I get no false reports.

It is the best according to all reviews, heck pretty much all decently qualified independent computer service people recommend it

[Sbrideau]

AVG is not bad AT ALL False reporting is bs. I've got the full latest AVG I get no false reports.

It is the best according to all reviews, heck pretty much all decently qualified independent computer service people recommend it

 

AVG was best 2 years ago, now it has fallen to be one of the worst antiviruses as far as my experience and what I see goes.

[Jernlov]

Avast 5 is pretty nice. Switched to it after some issue with MSE using 50% of my CPU cycles and it does fine for me.

[indy500fan]

Avast 5 is pretty nice. Switched to it after some issue with MSE using 50% of my CPU cycles and it does fine for me.

 

XP, Vista or 7? Sometimes it can clash with Windows Defender and screw up if it wasn't able to shut it down properly on install, mostly only on XP.

[Sy_Accursed]

Avast 5 is pretty nice. Switched to it after some issue with MSE using 50% of my CPU cycles and it does fine for me.

 

XP, Vista or 7? Sometimes it can clash with Windows Defender and screw up if it wasn't able to shut it down properly on install, mostly only on XP.

 

If your installiing an anti-virus you shuldnt have windows defender turned on...

[Sbrideau]

Avast 5 is pretty nice. Switched to it after some issue with MSE using 50% of my CPU cycles and it does fine for me.

 

XP, Vista or 7? Sometimes it can clash with Windows Defender and screw up if it wasn't able to shut it down properly on install, mostly only on XP.

 

If your installiing an anti-virus you shuldnt have windows defender turned on...

 

That's exactly what indy500fan was saying, antiviruses usually shut windows defender down when they are installed, but apparently with MSE on Windows XP it doesn't always do that.

[Jernlov]

I never have Windows Defender turned on so that's why it was weird. Also it had a habit of using quite a bit of memory, which matters when 2GB is getting stretched now.

[Guest Melvinkooi]

I'm using COMODO, it's a nice free antivirus.

[indy500fan]

Avast 5 is pretty nice. Switched to it after some issue with MSE using 50% of my CPU cycles and it does fine for me.

 

XP, Vista or 7? Sometimes it can clash with Windows Defender and screw up if it wasn't able to shut it down properly on install, mostly only on XP.

 

If your installiing an anti-virus you shuldnt have windows defender turned on...

 

lol.

[jasignhagj]

AVG is my personal favourite, with resident shield turned off it idles at 5mb. Unless you are doing stupid things, you really only need to scan once a week, you don't need anything running 24/7.

[Maze]

MSE is pretty good for a free AV.

 

But free AVs simply do not compare to ones you have to pay for.

[jasignhagj]

Unless you download tonnes of crap, or are mentally slow, regular viruses shouldn't be a problem.

[Will H]

But free AVs simply do not compare to ones you have to pay for.

 

 

That's generalising a lot, and that's not really true. Paid AVs are often more complex and they're more likely to be CPU hogs, and all of those extra processes probably won't be necessary if the users are known to have good browsing and downloading habits, with a pinch of common sense. They'd be necessary if it's a public computer or ones which connect to important networks normally seen at workplaces, but for private ones you're usually better off getting a good free one like MSE.