Anti-virus Software

Hi, I'm debating on which anti-virus software to buy for my sager 8150. Right now it's between Norton and bitdefender. What do you use and like best?

Mitch

 

I would avoid anything made my Symantec/Norton. Their antivirus is just aweful. I would recommend just using Microsoft security essentials, and a free scanner like Malware Bytes.

No madder what you do, the best antivirus is simply not clicking suspicious links, and having your OS, browser, and flash completely up to date.

 

Avast! is a good one that i personally use on all my computers, and its free! I also have malwarebytes and cryophilous mentioned.

 

Completely forgot about avast. It is really nice. It provides real-time protection and from what I remember, it updated it's definitions automatically and frequently.

 

+1 for avast!. I've been using the free version for about 2 years now and all it takes is an annual registration where they simply ask for your e-mail. I don't even think I've ever gotten an e-mail from them with spam or ads.

Some people feel that their constant updates to new virus definitions can be annoying but I for one welcome it. Plus, it really only does it once, maybe twice a day.

 

the voice thing that tells you its been updated can be turned off too. It was annoying until I did that. Just set it to silent/gaming mode and it wont tell you when it updates anymore.

 

This thread might help you in your search for an antivirus solution.

I personally use Eset and absolutely love it for a few reasons. It updates ~hourly, is fairly light on resources and fast but the same could probably be said about many others as well . Of course as cryophilous mentioned, the best antivirus is your own judgement.

Hope this helps,

Michael

 

microsoft security essnetials + lavasoft adaware is what I use.

 

+ 1 for avast

post will most probably get moved even though its for you sager but discussing anti virus.

all the advice you need is on this nbr page Security and Anti-Virus Software

 

Lightweight but powerful, don't even know its there. I install it on all our laptops.

 

Avast plus Malwarebytes and Superantispyware for me

 

I would recommend the following:
Avast!
AVG
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (used as a companion with another anti-virus, even AVG and Avast!)
AdAware (added with AVG, not sure if it plays nice with Avast!)

Also, I always like to add more defenses against viruses via web browser add-ons.
I run NoScript, AdBlock Plus, and HTTPS everywhere on Mozilla Firefox.

 

Thank you for all the replies! Very appreciated. I went ahead and installed Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes. Would Avast run properly in addition to these?

 

Never install 2 antivirus programs at once, they will each think the other is a virus and cause your computer to crash. When I was helping my bro (who is a tech n00b) set up his new computer, he didn't listen to me and jumped the gun, installing his new anti-virus before uninstalling the pre-installed McAfee bloatware. When I caught his mistake, instaid of properly uninstalling McAfee he panicked and did a windows search for everything with McAfee in it's name and deleted it all. Including the uninstaller file. That means that McAfee toolbars were still lying around all over the place... It was a mess.
Now, I would have recommended avast except one of the automatic updates seemed to want to lock me out of my computer, as windows wouldn't load once I got it. No way to roll back without uninstalling first, so I booted into safe mode, uninstalled it, and left it that way. Never trusted anti-virus since. Now, what I do love is firefox+NoScript+AdBlockPlus+smart browsing habits. With all that, the only thing that can get me is an infected flash drive or some hacker who is specifically targeting my computer. I never use other peoples flash drives, and if I was being specifically targeted I doubt there's much an anti-virus could do to help me.

 

do you guys run these apps while your gaming? If so, does it slow down game performance?

 

If you're gaming online you should always have them on. I guess it would be no problem to disable them if playing games that dont connect online.

As long as you have recent hardware like at least dual core CPU's and a decent amount of RAM 4-8GB+ having the anti virus running all the time wont hurt at all.

 

That was an issue maybe a decade ago on ancient hardware, but most (good) AV takes up less resources now than a tab open in a browser. It's definitely not something to worry about.

 

Norton is what I use and have for a few years. It is not the resource hog it once was. It has some nice features like performing mini-virus scans when the PC is not being used which suspends the second you start to use the PC. The license covers 3 PCs (I have multiple computers) and has some nice online family controls that come packaged with the software (If you care about that kind of thing.) I'm not sure what the issue is that people have with Norton except that they are the big kid on the block.

I suggest you do your own research and look at reviews online.

 

I personally use zone alarm have been for quite some time. Also heard a lot of good things about kaspersky.

 

I swear by Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2012. I have tried their more feature-rich offerings and they slow down the PC too much with the extra crap. Keep it simple.

 

Agree with Heihachi here.

Avast! and AVG are the ones you should use for secure defence.

NoScript and AdBlock Plus is used here too might want to consider Disconnect as a viable app too.

 

Hey, so I have no idea which internet browser your using but I've found that at least with google chrome adding on apps like Adblock and stuff literally clog your CPU usage, just me or is anyone else getting that?

 

Yes the normal build is currently struggling with that. But I'm using the chrome nightly build (updating to the most stable versions) currently everything runs fine and considering I'm on a XPS m1530 with a sucky CPU, my max CPU usage is 12%, I only have 4 - 5 apps installed... so yeah

It's only when you start to adding all of these tweaking apps and then they stack up and after a while it starts adding up and eating your CPU usage

 

Just saying a little testimony for how good adblockplus is, it can even defeat the notorious pop-ups and animated loops that plague flash game sites like miniclip, ninjakiwi, all those ones.