Definitive Best Antivirus 2011

[goretsky Supervisor]

[NB: Quick edit to fix typo in title as pointed out by the eagle-eyed SuperKid! AG]

Hello,

I have not seen a replacement for the Definitive Best Antivirus 2010 message thread, so thought I would create one.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

[REBOOTME]

Microsoft Security Essentials does the job for me.

[gahbmwM5]

Hello,

Not sure if this has been posted (did a thread search)...However I 'was' utilizing MS Security Essentials 2.0.657.0-Malware ver: 3.0.8107.0 (which was according to Microsoft Upgrade) the latest version...Has been having a challenge with getting 'Scheduled Scan' to run....Believe me thoroughy reviewed the MS Security Essential Forums (tons of the same issues)...

Have sent a support ticket to the proper channels, then found a 'thread on'......dated July 8th... 'Had been running 2.0....but was notified by colleagues that there was a new 2.1 version'...Why was I not notified by software....bla. bla...

So I went to the official download site, and low-behold now have:

MS Security Essentials: 2.1.116.0

Anti-Malware version: 3.0.8402

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/protect_start/version-upgrade-notification/4d8b05ee-89c4-40c7-92f6-4f7d4ebf5a31

[Kyle A]

I'm using Sophos Endpoint Security and Control just because I have a license from my workplace; otherwise, I'd be using MSE.

[guenis]

I would go for no antivirus software and frequent Windows re-installments :p

[Jojo81]

I am using the new NIS 2012 and it is lightening fast. I have been a fan of no security suite because I use my pc mostly for gaming but with this little difference in system performance it might be worth leaving installed.

[dSquared]

I've used AVG, Symantec, Panda, Avira, Mcafee, Comodo, NOD, Security essentials through the years but definitely found the best free AV to be avast! - light on system resources and stays silent without much disruption :)

[ShareShiz]

Comodo Internet Security.. AV/FW/sandbox AIO :)

[bjoswald]

Just get MSE, set it and forget it. No point in making it more difficult than it is. ;)

[kslogan]

nod32, MSE, Mcafee are all good ones, currently i use MSE.

[slysy]

Doesn't MSE tend to score relatively badly on detection tests though? Like here for example - http://www.virusbtn.com/vb100/RAP/RAP-quadrant-Apr-Oct11-850.jpg (the ones towards the top-right did best)

[goretsky Supervisor]

Hello,

I think a lot of people will choose and recommend a free solution over a paid one. I think maybe for next year we might try separate free and paid AV solution threads to help winnow out the requests for people who have a preferences for both.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

Doesn't MSE tend to score relatively badly on detection tests though? Like here for example - http://www.virusbtn....r-Oct11-850.jpg (the ones towards the top-right did best)

[slysy]

Hello,

I think a lot of people will choose and recommend a free solution over a paid one. I think maybe for next year we might try separate free and paid AV solution threads to help winnow out the requests for people who have a preferences for both.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

Looking at that link though, I can see several free products that scored a lot better than MSE in terms of detection rates - Avira, AVG and Avast for example. Just curious why most people have rated MSE above these...

[goretsky Supervisor]

Hello,

I think Microsoft is more well-known. Perhaps it is considered a more trustworthy? Or maybe it is the lack of advertisements that other free-for-personal use antivirus programs have.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

Looking at that link though, I can see several free products that scored a lot better than MSE in terms of detection rates - Avira, AVG and Avast for example. Just curious why most people have rated MSE above these...

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

@goretsky...it's both what's known, and what works for people...I've installed MSSE on several pc's, and NONE have come back with a problem....it's when they try to purchase a full blown suite that starts the problem for them. It does do a pretty good job, though, on an average joe's PC....and they do (home users/average joe's) make up a pretty good majority of the PC population...but in the end, I know, from personal experience, if you pretty much, as was described above, "set it and forget it", it actually works quite well out of the box....for noobs or for experienced users as well. I'm no fanboy or anything, I just believe if it works for you, then by all means, go for it....but at least educate people in the freeware world as well, as there's always something like clamwin or something....it's not a personal attack in any way/shape/form, but I'm glad we can all find what works best for us, as a global community. ;) It's nice to have other options/opinions....at least I think. (especially since there's different platforms)

[goretsky Supervisor]

Hello,

Happy 2012 New Year, Neowin!

Per request, separate message threads have been created for free and commercial antivirus programs for 2012:

• Definitive Best *Free* Antivirus 2012
  
• Definitive Best *Paid* Antivirus 2012
  

Please continue to discussions there. Thank you.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

[Lee G. Veteran]

Thread closed.