Definitive Best Antivirus 2007

[kinetix63 Veteran]

A fresh "Best Antivirus" poll for 2007. Please use this as a reference when researching antivirus utilities. As time goes on, the poll can be updated to add further options.

Due to limitations of IPB - this will be seen as 2 polls. Select the Antivirus program you wish to vote for, and choose N/A in the other poll.

Happy voting!

Poll choices are links to the software pages.

Edited January 17, 2007 by Joel

[Stephen Riley]

I previously used Norton and my PC was sooo slow. It is a low end PC atm but now with the latest version of Nod32 installed I can run a virus scan while surfing with no lag at all on 256MB of RAM! . Automatic updates are seamless. Did a full system scan with Norton before I got rid of it and said my PC was clean, switched to Nod32 and found and removed 2 infections. Nod32 ftw!

[PaulCabby]

Which antivirus has the best "live" protection?

[HoodiBoY]

i would vote for ESET NOD32....!!!!

itz Really Gud man......!!!!

[Master^IT]

No fanboys pls..

I voted for AVG but I really like 3-5 more of them aswell..

[Knife Party]

Kaspersky makes the other AV;s look like monkeys. :)

its my choice because, when properly configured ---

1.low resources usage- when properly configured

2. the best detection

3. updated regularly

4. simple

5. more mature and actaully fits its purpose

[Janitor]

BitDefender. Scores above NOD32 and Kaspersky, however good you think they are ;)

[El Carbonite]

I just switched from Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition to Kaspersky Anti-Virus 7.0 - it's so much better and I can see why so many people use it over the typical makers of antivirus software.

[Evolution]

Well I tried McAffee VirusScan Enterprise and I can say without doubt that it's an aweful program.... it slowed down my computer by a bit :/ Although I'm currently using Avira AntiVir 7 Classic Edition, which I do recommend, I'll have no choice but to switch soon since Cisco Clean Access Agent doesn't recognize it...

Has the latest version of Nod32 been released yet? I'm thinking about buying a 2 year subscription.

[nautiqueskier]

I use Symantec Endpoint Security 11 (The replacement for Symantec Antivirus Corporate) but I run my own corporate domain

[Viper_Maniac]

Has the latest version of Nod32 been released yet? I'm thinking about buying a 2 year subscription.

Yes V3 was released few weeks ago.

[alsheron]

NOD32? Is it just me or do users of NOD32 seem to be about 12 years old and have a zealous obsession with it for some reason? How about reading, considering and evaluating some ACTUAL research/testing of Anti virus programs? Or does NOD32 "just rule" so much that despite it's lacklustre performance at actually catching/preventing viruses, it's the No. 1 pre-pubescent Antivirus solution. :wacko:

As a matter of fact, Kaspersky AV heads the table in its ability to detect and prevent virus infections, followed closely by AntiVir (both the completely free and paid for versions). i.e. If you're paying for Anti Virus software and have any sense, you'd seriously consider, if not choose Kaspersky AV. If you want a free AV solution you should choose AntiVir unless there are specific reasons not to do so. Neither of these programs has a discernible effect of system performance and their UI's are clean and easy to use. What more do you want?

[Vettetech]

BitDefender. Scores above NOD32 and Kaspersky, however good you think they are ;)

Oh really................guess you didnt do your homework. NOD32 3.0 rules. Extemely light. I tried KAV for week and my whole system was slower.

http://www.av-comparatives.org/

[Rifter]

Norton is a system resource hog. I stopped using it a year ago when my subscription ran out.

I tried Kaspersky Internet Security 7.0 and hated it. It takes way too long for the program to "learn" what to allow and disallow, scan times were absolutely horrendous, and there were constant pop-ups giving warnings and asking what to do (as it learns what to allow and disallow).

For the last few months I have been using Avast free antivirus and love it. It's not a resource hog like Norton, and it is much more user friendly than Kaspersky, with quicker scan times.

[schaggo]

NOD32? Is it just me or do users of NOD32 seem to be about 12 years old and have a zealous obsession with it for some reason? How about reading, considering and evaluating some ACTUAL research/testing of Anti virus programs? Or does NOD32 "just rule" so much that despite it's lacklustre performance at actually catching/preventing viruses, it's the No. 1 pre-pubescent Antivirus solution. :wacko:

As a matter of fact, Kaspersky AV heads the table in its ability to detect and prevent virus infections, followed closely by AntiVir (both the completely free and paid for versions). i.e. If you're paying for Anti Virus software and have any sense, you'd seriously consider, if not choose Kaspersky AV. If you want a free AV solution you should choose AntiVir unless there are specific reasons not to do so. Neither of these programs has a discernible effect of system performance and their UI's are clean and easy to use. What more do you want?

Hmm... ok, I am going to accept what you said if you can bring up any evidence/can base your utterances regarding NOD32.

I'm genuinely interested in facts since I'm a quite loyal NOD32 user but I would switch in the blink of an eye if I would see my system at risk. So...?

[Vettetech]

I tried them all. My first PC had Norton. Which was a joke and always will be. Then Comcast offered free Mcafee but that pup thing was stupid and it slowed my pc as much Norton. Then I got Zone Alarm ISS................big joke. Then I got fed up with spending money on an anti virus so I switched to free. Started with AVG then to Avast since Avast had a better detection rate. Then I heard hype about KAV so I tried it. Slowed my pc down. I wanted to try BitDefender but heard that was a system hog. So I tried NOD32 2.7 and wow...............was impressed. my pc never ran better. You dont know its there. Even updates without bugging you. Now with NOD32 3.0 its even better. Each virus scan has its pros and cons. If your a gamer like me stick with NOD32. Comodo firewall compliments it well by the way.

[alsheron]

Hmm... ok, I am going to accept what you said if you can bring up any evidence/can base your utterances regarding NOD32.

I'm genuinely interested in facts since I'm a quite loyal NOD32 user but I would switch in the blink of an eye if I would see my system at risk. So...?

Have a look here. Click the headings to read each article in full. The results are actually quite representative of most of the real testing i've seen done on AV software. Note that firewall software is not included in the testing for the most part.

Enjoy. It's very interesting reading but at the end of the day, the leaders are very clear: Kaspersky and Antivir. If you decide to use a particular AV program for reasons other than actual detection rates/effectiveness than that of course is your choice, or one's choice, as you prefer. I'm just trying to cut through the crap and simplify this mess of confusion.

Edited November 23, 2007 by alsheron

[Vettetech]

Have a look here. Click the headings to read each article in full. The results are actually quite representative of most of the real testing i've seen done on AV software. Note that firewall software is not included in the testing for the most part.

Enjoy. It's very interesting reading but at the end of the day, the leaders are very clear: Kaspersky and Antivir. If you decide to use a particular AV program for reasons other than actual detection rates/effectiveness than that of course is your choice, or one's choice, as you prefer. I'm just trying to cut through the crap and simplify this mess of confusion.

AVG free better then NOD32 ...............I think not. That site is false. AV Comparatives is what everyone goes off of.

[schaggo]

Have a look here. Click the headings to read each article in full. The results are actually quite representative of most of the real testing i've seen done on AV software. Note that firewall software is not included in the testing for the most part.

Yesterday I quickly went for Kaspersky 7 to just test my system. Indeed KAV found a (speaking of one) trojan NOD32 (V3, not V2.x) missed.

Altho this test looks ok, I question why in all other test to be found on the internet (not those amateurish ones) NOD32 is more or less on par with KAV but being lighter on the system. That would make it a better choice, wouldn't it?

Another thing about this test which already got pointed out: AVG Free is - and I think this is a well known fact - a rather bad AntiVirus and in no way comparable to NOD32. So...?

Quick edit: just saw the system specs. They noticed, for example, Norton slowing down the system on Vista. Applause, you guys got 512MB of RAM which I'm sorry to say, just isn't enough for Vista alone so how can it be for Vista with Norton on top? Doesn't sound that professional. And it's not real life either: Vista is delivered on new PC's only with at least 1GB or more. And guys which go out and actually buy Vista, I guess we're safe assuming they got more than 512MB as well...

A second edit: I never suffered from NOD32 pop-unders, so where does that come from? But I admit, the modules were (V2.x not so V3) named stupidly. Never had a problem figuring my way out tho so it's a question of the targeted audience, isn't it?

Edited November 24, 2007 by schaggo

[alsheron]

AVG free better then NOD32 ...............I think not. That site is false. AV Comparatives is what everyone goes off of.

I you want to walk with a blind man, be my guest. NOD32 simply isn't good enough. It makes no difference to me though if people are determined to use it. I find determination an odd thing to feel when using software.

[Vettetech]

I you want to walk with a blind man, be my guest. NOD32 simply isn't good enough. It makes no difference to me though if people are determined to use it. I find determination an odd thing to feel when using software.

Explain this then and many other sites that have NOD32 and KAV on top. My system does not slow down what so ever with NOD32. KAV slowed my pc down and so did Avast.

http://www.av-comparatives.org/

[alsheron]

Explain this then and many other sites that have NOD32 and KAV on top. My system does not slow down what so ever with NOD32. KAV slowed my pc down and so did Avast.

http://www.av-comparatives.org/

There's nothing to explain, although I will admit that av-comparatives doesn't strike me as being a reliable source of info, perhaps that's almost entirely because of the shoddy look of their website i'm thinking it reflects on their ability to conduct proper review.

My point is this: As far as I am aware, NOD32 simply doesn't detect enough viruses (it's job) to make anyone with sense want to use it in my opinion. The impact of most AV software is minimal with rare exception. Even Norton have lessened considerably the impact on system resources these days. Choosing an AV because it is marginally less resource intensive is, again in my opinion, illogical. I find NOD32 odd and innefective so it makes no difference to me if it uses little or no system resources, I would still choose an AV program that provided me the MOST protection against - you guessed it - viruses.

I will say that KAV has one flaw that isn't a bug as such but a feature that does severely affect performance that if they were "smart" as those from the US put it, they would turn off and keep only as an opt-in feature: that is the system scan at boot up.

When I first installed KAV I found my computer VERY slow when it first booted up and SEVERELY lacking in the performance I had previously. I even uninstalled it and considered.......wait for it...... AntiVir Free. :D

Later I found out that by simply turning off the unnecessary full scan for viruses on EVERY BOOT that is the default, I had thereby "enabled" a VERY lightweight VERY effective AV program that I could simply forget about and know it was doing its job.

Maybe that's where Kaspersky is going wrong. Maybe they need to "fix" this "feature". Maybe that's why people have mixed experiences with KAV where otherwise they may rave about it more. All I know is that despite my now fully resolved issues with KAV, had I not resolved them and it had been a bug, I would never have considered NOD32, never ever. Because I don't like it? No! Because it doesn't do a very good job according to what I consider to be reliable, trustworthy and COMPETENT sources. Difference of opinion is fine and dandy, but difference of opinion because of some bizarre reverence of the "NOD" is just strange to me, and for whatever reason (supposed performance benefits - i think) NOD32 has gained a zealous and blinkered following. And that, my friends, I struggle to understand.

All I want is peace in the Middle East. I don't want to argue about AV programs.

[sonicspike41]

I used to use NAV (around the 2000-2001 release) and didn't even think of anything else since I didn't know enough about computers then. After awhile I lost the internet and didn't have a reliable PC to use so I never used any AV programs for a few years. After getting myself a new computer in 2006 I started off with Norton again (silly me) but started seeing other AV programs advertised more often, so I decided to do some "research" (mostly just googling "best antivirus program").

From what I saw it seemed that everyone agreed, the best AV was Kaspersky, then NOD32, then all the rest, then NAV in last place. So what did I do? I got myself a copy of KAV, then soon found out about KIS, which I switched to when my short KAV subscribtion ran dry. First thing I did with KIS was toy around the settings a bit to see what was on and what should be off.

Since getting KIS I have never looked back. I've heard that a lot of other programs can get false positives more often, and have even witnessed this first hand with the program IMVU coming up as a virus for several programs (when in fact it's just a chat software). Kaspersky never once gave me a problem with that program, and has only caused me one error to date. It's a conflict between Logitech cam software and KIS, and the file causing the conflict with the webcam isn't all that imprtant for the cam's usage anyways.

I voted for Kaspersky naturally, but I was wondering about another AV program and how good people say it is. A friend of mine has a dad who has worked for various big name computer companies doing things such as fixing them, checking their current printers and software and recommending alternatives to increase function and save money for other companies and it seems his computer is "a horse". He uses McAfee and nothing else because "you don't need all that other stuff, it's just for people who don't know as much about computers, McAfee is for people who can dig into their computer to find out what is wrong with it". I tried to tell my friend that Kaspersky and NOD32 are well known because of their high detection rates, which is what matters, but since their father works for computer companies they keep saying McAfee is the best.

What's your personal/professional opinion on the current version of McAfee and what do you think is better, McAfee or KIS/NOD32?

[BryanChung]

So Nod32 .. even their v3 ... standard is far off compared to Kaspersky?

[+Elі Subscriber²]

Love OneCare have it running on my three computers! Kaspersky is very good though, that's what I used before.

[ThaCrip]

well from what i hear NOD32 (which is what i prefer) and Kaspersky are generally rated pretty high in general ;) ... for liteness and effectiveness