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Group test: what's the best antivirus?

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Group test: what's the best antivirus?

The top 5 antivirus programs you can buy or download

By PC Advisor staff | PC Advisor | 26 April 13

PC Advisor reviews the top 5 antivirus programs you can buy or download in the UK right now.

See also: Antivirus software reviews

Internet security suites

Firewall reviews

5. Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security

Reviewed on: 1 February 13
RRP: £60 for 1 year/3 PCs
Rating:

Overall, Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security is a great choice. This security suite boasts excellent performance, a quick installation process, a user-friendly interface, and speedy scans. Its settings pane is a tad confusing, but that’s a minor issue considering the protection you’ll be getting.

4. Kaspersky Internet Security 2013

Reviewed on: 4 September 12
RRP: £105 (5-device, 2-year licence), £50 (3-device, 1-year licence)
Rating:

Kaspersky Internet Security 2013 covers all the bases well. With a full complement of protection modules at its disposal, it adds in some useful extras. In particular, it guards against the possibility of drive-by malware lifting financial passwords or details when you're dealing with your accounts. Rated highly for its core protection and repair capabilities, it's a little expensive, but may well be discounted, now it's widely available.

3. G Data InternetSecurity 2013

Reviewed on: 30 January 13
RRP: £34
Rating:

G Data InternetSecurity 2013 is an effective antimalware suite, but it suffers from an annoying installation process and a settings panel that is better suited to advanced users.

2. Bitdefender Internet Security 2013

Reviewed on: 31 January 13
RRP: £39
Rating:

Overall, Bitdefender's 2013 Internet security suite is an excellent, user-friendly program. It does have some mild scanning-speed issues, but otherwise it's an easy-to-use suite that gives you several nice extra services.

1. Symantec Norton Internet Security 2013

Reviewed on: 18 October 12
RRP: £50 (3-device, 1-year); £80 (5-device, 1-year)
Rating:

As we've now come to expect from Symantec, Norton Internet Security is a solid, professional piece of software, doing what it does thoroughly and with a minimum of interruption. There doesn't seem a whole lot new in the 2013 version and there are other products which include extra modules for the same money, but the core requirements of an IS product are well covered here.

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Comments

Matt Egan said: Didnt come in the top 5 on test

Kobe said: what about webroot

Matt Egan said: Oh and we like comments of all kinds

Matt Egan said: What independent test The one we commissioned gave the results we published Or should we publish hearsay

Roy Vassie said: Matt with respect in order not to attract comments like Pauls review the products on their merits NOD32 the only AV never to have let one through inindependenttesting but is not even mentioned

Matt Egan said: The test is based on objective benchmarked lab testing

Ian Wood said: I noticed Microsoftsecurity essentialswasnt mentioned Why is this Because I used trend micro last year which I had to buy and norton the year before which I also had to buy And both seemed to take longer to start its protection than microsoft essentials Which by the way is totally free

Ccats704 said: I was wondering why it rated so high also I had them and they are at the very bottom of the list from my on personal experience Im trying out eset nowIve heard really great reviews about it Hopefully they are as great as people been saying -

Mai Katayama said: Why didnt you mention Unthreat Antivirus Its one of the better antiviruses even though its not that well known Ive been using it for a while and have not been disappointed

Sarah Moore said: I dont see why we should pay for our antiviruses I use a free AV called Unthreat and Im very satisfied with it I dont have any viruses and from reviews Ive watched it looks like it has a pretty good detection rate

Matt Egan said: Im not dismissing his experience and im certainly not suggesting that anyones opinion is any more or less valuable than mine On the contrary Im simply pointing out that finding more malware is not necessarily a sign of a better product

Mtlawless said: Why does Paul Rs experience prove nothing You are simply being dismissive of his opinion because it is not in accord with yours or that is how your remarks come acrossYour reference to false positives is a clumsy attempt to dismiss Pauls experience without knowing the issues to which he is referring You appear to expect readers to accept your opinion simply because you are Matt Egan Why not let us have a few facts to support your views

Grandpa-Pete said: What about McAfee Internet Security Ive used it for years with few issues - these being only with how McAfee operates its website to encourage you to renew it directly I buy mine each year from Amazon and save s compared with from McAfee directHad Norton on the my Windows XP computer when I bought it in 2004 but quickly removed this as it was awful using McAfee every year sinceNot tried these others preferring to stick with that which you know and have confidence in

Matt Egan said: Cnet Ive heard of that other site not so much No matter I know the testing procedures employed by our Test Centre and Av-Testorg and I am confident in our results

Matt Egan said: Weve tested Avast It didnt perform as well as these programs

Matt Egan said: Im not a Norton promoter I personally use SE as it goes but your experience proves nothing False positives are as big a problem as issues not found

Matt Egan said: Paul with respect this comment is juvenile and - yes - defamatory For the record to the best of my knowledge Symantec hasnt advertised with us for years The products you mentioned simply didnt perform as well in independent tests carried out by an internationally renowned testing organisation Id thank you to keep your ill-informed comments to yourself

Gordonhay33 said: Not just my view Matt but that of Cnet Make Use Of etc any site I have read has avast and AVG at or near the top except here

Still a Reader said: If you write articles like this you will start to lose credibilityTo be honest it looks like you are being paid to promote certain companies irrespective of whether they are good or notDid you exclude Avast intentionally

Paul R said: As a comp tech I regularily see PCs loaded with Nortons telling me they are free of viruss When Nortons is removed amp replacedand scanned with MSSE infections are found by the dozen One of my policies is now to recommend the complete removal amp replacement of Nortons

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