Help me pick an anti virus!

[Synth Salazzle]

I'd prefer something free, but I'm willing to drop some cash if it offers some serious security benefits, and one I can close out of if I don't need it on without it spazzing out and keep trying to force itself back open... Looking at you mcafee.

I don't want to hear that I don't need one either. I really need one.

My pc isn't infected but if something does happen I want to be prepared.

[Bat]

I've generally had good experiences with AVG ([Only registered and activated users can see links]). They offer a free antivirus solution that isn't too obnoxious with resource usage, and it only pleads for you to use the paid version a little bit.

[j03]

The default Microsoft antivirus.. I think it's called Windows Defender these days...

Most likely uses the most up to date virus definitions and is made by the Windows team.

Any commercial antivirus is a big no from me.


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[Synth Salazzle]

The default Microsoft antivirus.. I think it's called Windows Defender these days...

Most likely uses the most up to date virus definitions and is made by the Windows team.

Any commercial antivirus is a big no from me.


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Why is that a no? Is something wrong with them?

[j03]

Why is that a no? Is something wrong with them?

Do you want your computer to be unnecessarily slowed down? Full of antivirus ads and deals to upgrade to new versions every year or 6 months? Blocking some safe programs from being run or connecting to your network because their unfamiliar to your AC? Not to mention the initial payment which can be well over $100-$200+

And who knows what else it's doing. I'd stick with a "native" antivirus client.


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[Byte]

ESET is light weight when looking at commercial alternatives to Windows Defender. I also don't think Windows Defender is as lightweight as it used to be, as when I do the occasional format of my computer and am waiting to install chrome or some other executable before I end up using group policy settings to disable it, Windows Antimalware Service is using up 49% of my CPU, though this is probably an active scan of files being downloaded, but you can definitely feel it hang. Another issue I have with it is that after you've told it to exclude the same file/folder for the 4th/5th time and a windows update overrides your settings I moved on from it personally.

ESET comes off the back of NOD32 Antivirus which led the way for a very long time in being the most comprehensive and accurate in virus definitions without raising false positives like Avast and AVG which I haven't used in the past 3-4 years, but even in the last decade were really notorious for throwing false positives on keygen/cracked software. ESET doesn't do this and it's got the standard license fee pretty much any commercial AV/Security Suite is gonna have $49/annual. I imagine if you did top 5 antivirus/security suites you'd see it. Honorable mention to BitDefender, but I'm too old to switch and ESET does what I need it to do. Main cons with ESET is it likes to overprotect, especially blocking you from sites as it has a web protection feature and if the page you are about to visit has any dodgy js/adware on it, you won't be allowed to access it at all unless you turn the web protection off. For the most part, I'm fine with that out of the box, but sometimes there are sites I have to visit and then I will follow up later and do a scan to see if anything was actually downloaded and generally speaking there wasn't.

You get what you pay for at the end of the day imo. WinDef is a great free option, probably best free option. Beyond that look towards BitDef/Eset.

[GetJinxed]

Bitdefender Internet/Total Security. You can easily find 90/180 days trials and keep requesting new ones them to renew your license :D It's a solid product and I don't even notice it running most of the times :D

[j03]

ESET is light weight when looking at commercial alternatives to Windows Defender. I also don't think Windows Defender is as lightweight as it used to be, as when I do the occasional format of my computer and am waiting to install chrome or some other executable before I end up using group policy settings to disable it, Windows Antimalware Service is using up 49% of my CPU, though this is probably an active scan of files being downloaded, but you can definitely feel it hang. Another issue I have with it is that after you've told it to exclude the same file/folder for the 4th/5th time and a windows update overrides your settings I moved on from it personally.

ESET comes off the back of NOD32 Antivirus which led the way for a very long time in being the most comprehensive and accurate in virus definitions without raising false positives like Avast and AVG which I haven't used in the past 3-4 years, but even in the last decade were really notorious for throwing false positives on keygen/cracked software. ESET doesn't do this and it's got the standard license fee pretty much any commercial AV/Security Suite is gonna have $49/annual. I imagine if you did top 5 antivirus/security suites you'd see it. Honorable mention to BitDefender, but I'm too old to switch and ESET does what I need it to do. Main cons with ESET is it likes to overprotect, especially blocking you from sites as it has a web protection feature and if the page you are about to visit has any dodgy js/adware on it, you won't be allowed to access it at all unless you turn the web protection off. For the most part, I'm fine with that out of the box, but sometimes there are sites I have to visit and then I will follow up later and do a scan to see if anything was actually downloaded and generally speaking there wasn't.

You get what you pay for at the end of the day imo. WinDef is a great free option, probably best free option. Beyond that look towards BitDef/Eset.

Good point about WinDef not being as great with CPU. I'm pretty sure you can remove it and get Microsoft Security Essentials (Microsoft might be calling it something else these days) as a free download from MS. This one was originally designed for WinXP.