For retail go with AVG Pro or Trend Micro's antivirus not the basic. Performance? With the free edition on here I haven't noticed any performance problems with anything due to AVG itself.
When loading up a bunch of gadgets that's when it stalls things at shutdown or simply a quick? restart. More like 5minutes and counting! Wait and wait and wait for each to close out.
I was referencing the paid suite and the AVG8 builds from late last year. For me it was the uncharacteristic long shutdowns. I'm sure they've corrected them by now but for the longest MSN wouldn't work with Web Shield/IM protection enabled and their firewall would never get the security zones right always prompting me with slightest change.
Then it got to the point where I finally unchecked everything during installation except their A/V resident protection and some other stuff which was akin to the free edition or reverting back to previous 7.5 version. I took the opportunity to check out other offerings and stuck with avast.
My Computer
At a glance
Windows Se7en Ultimate Beta x86 Build 70571.83Ghz Centrino Duo4GB 2x2GB 677Mhz256MB nVidia Gefroce Go7400
I've been running Kaspersky 2009 Internet Security without any problems on Windows 7 and have it on Vista too. It seems to do well in reviews and shopping around I found I could buy it for 17GBP which is about half the price of the average game (Like Left4Dead which is awesome!) but the BEST bit is that that was for a 3 PC licence.
What I personally like about Kaspersky is that it updates it's definitions every 2 hours, but actually rating antivirus programs is a very difficult thing. If they do their job, the best you can hope for is that you don't ever notice them and nothing ever happens..... it's hard to say what's the best at making nothing happen.
As mentioned by Nighthawk, most of them offer trials, go and have a play and see which one you like the most. Just don't download any trials from dodgy sites like www.hackintomypcandwreckit.com (I just made that up.)
My Computer
At a glance
Vista x64 and Windows 7i7 920Elixir PC3-10660 Tri Channel 3x2XFX 8800GT
OS
Vista x64 and Windows 7
CPU
i7 920
Motherboard
Asus P6T
Memory
Elixir PC3-10660 Tri Channel 3x2
Graphics Card(s)
XFX 8800GT
Sound Card
On-board
Monitor(s) Displays
Fujitsu Siemens 22" main monitor HP 17" side monitor
Screen Resolution
1650 x 1050 1280 x 1024
Hard Drives
2 x WD Raptor 1st gen 37GB, 1 x Seagate 500Gb on ICH10
2 x F1 Spinpoint 500Gb, 2 x Seagate 500Gb on Adapetc 14030SA (4x PCI Express)
The important thing to look at despite which one you go with is how it runs on your own system. If you start seeing problems then you move on to the next. The second person in line goes to run the same software and no issues are seen.
This is why the suggestion to look over the shareware/trial versions along with the free editions usually helps since each system will see a different software environment as well as hardware differences. When first seeing AVG on and running the first scan 7 locked solid. Since then it quietly sits in the background unless sounding an alert for something.
If either AVG or Avast were to start seeing problems then another program would be needed. The same could be applied to any other program through the hit or miss process of elimination. If it runs well after any initial ut ohs "hit"! run it! But if it trashes again and again it's a "miss"(see ya later!) and you dump it.
W7 Ultimate x64/W10 Pro x64/W11 Pro Triple Bo...AMD Phenom II X4 975 Deneb 3.6ghz - 965 2nd r...Kingston Hyper X DDR3 1600 1.5v 16gb - Hyper ...MSI HD Radeon 5750 1gb - MSI HD Radeon 6450 o...
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Custom builds = 2
OS
W7 Ultimate x64/W10 Pro x64/W11 Pro Triple Boot - Main PC W7 Remote PC Micro ATX W7 Pro x64/W11 Pro
CPU
AMD Phenom II X4 975 Deneb 3.6ghz - 965 2nd remote pc
Motherboard
Gigabyte GA-790XTA-UD4-Gigabyte GA-880GM-D2H remote pc
Memory
Kingston Hyper X DDR3 1600 1.5v 16gb - Hyper X Fury 8gb 2nd
Graphics Card(s)
MSI HD Radeon 5750 1gb - MSI HD Radeon 6450 on mini tower
Sound Card
Creative Labs X-Fi Xtreme Audio P - Realtek onooard 2nd case
Monitor(s) Displays
ASUS VW199T-P 19" HP 2082a Main-HP 2082a 20" remote pc
Screen Resolution
Asus 1440x900 - HP 1600x900
Hard Drives
WD Black 1TB HD per OS W7, W10, and pending W11 presently on 500gb OS Drive - Pending Triple 1TB HDs for Spanned Storage/backup volume
Single 2TB external USB enclosure, single 1TB System 7 Host/Boot drive, Pending 8TB external HD for system image b
PSU
Corsair 750TX - primary / Corsair CX600 - second
Case
Antec 900-2 - SSD compatible / NZXT Vulcan mini tower
AVG free for me. Never noticed it running compared to nortan or any others... doesn't bog down the system, very little popups unless there is a problem.
Fast response to infected files.
My Computer
At a glance
Windows 7 Ultimate 64bitIntel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0ghz WolfdaleOCZ Gold XTC PC2-6400 4GBBFG Geforce 8800GT OC
The AVG free editions have been used here for a long time at this point. Even some of the older builds would catch a trojan or spyware on occasion while the IT pros advice of seeing multiple layers of protection outweighs any one particular program no matter how good you find it.
The one common question persistently asked is which is the absolute best while the facts show that each one has it's own capabilities while none are 100% fool proof. As for Norton by Symantecs many utter about the bloat seen with the software there.
W7 Ultimate x64/W10 Pro x64/W11 Pro Triple Bo...AMD Phenom II X4 975 Deneb 3.6ghz - 965 2nd r...Kingston Hyper X DDR3 1600 1.5v 16gb - Hyper ...MSI HD Radeon 5750 1gb - MSI HD Radeon 6450 o...
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Custom builds = 2
OS
W7 Ultimate x64/W10 Pro x64/W11 Pro Triple Boot - Main PC W7 Remote PC Micro ATX W7 Pro x64/W11 Pro
CPU
AMD Phenom II X4 975 Deneb 3.6ghz - 965 2nd remote pc
Motherboard
Gigabyte GA-790XTA-UD4-Gigabyte GA-880GM-D2H remote pc
Memory
Kingston Hyper X DDR3 1600 1.5v 16gb - Hyper X Fury 8gb 2nd
Graphics Card(s)
MSI HD Radeon 5750 1gb - MSI HD Radeon 6450 on mini tower
Sound Card
Creative Labs X-Fi Xtreme Audio P - Realtek onooard 2nd case
Monitor(s) Displays
ASUS VW199T-P 19" HP 2082a Main-HP 2082a 20" remote pc
Screen Resolution
Asus 1440x900 - HP 1600x900
Hard Drives
WD Black 1TB HD per OS W7, W10, and pending W11 presently on 500gb OS Drive - Pending Triple 1TB HDs for Spanned Storage/backup volume
Single 2TB external USB enclosure, single 1TB System 7 Host/Boot drive, Pending 8TB external HD for system image b
PSU
Corsair 750TX - primary / Corsair CX600 - second
Case
Antec 900-2 - SSD compatible / NZXT Vulcan mini tower
it works, the only bug that i have found on it is it will say its not up to date when it really is, but thats happened to me only once. a simple re boot fixed that
My Computer
At a glance
Windows 7 Ultimate x64AMD Athlon II X4 640 3.0GHz8.0 GB 1600MHz DDR3ATI Radeon HD 5770 x2
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Custom Built
OS
Windows 7 Ultimate x64
CPU
AMD Athlon II X4 640 3.0GHz
Motherboard
GA-990FXA-UD5
Memory
8.0 GB 1600MHz DDR3
Graphics Card(s)
ATI Radeon HD 5770 x2
Monitor(s) Displays
Acer p221w x2
Screen Resolution
1680x1050 x3
Hard Drives
OCZ Agility 3 60gb SSD
(3)Western Digital Caviar Black 7200RPM 500gb
When going to install any and that plainly refers to "any" antivirus program while another is present you first have to remove the one currently installed. One blocks the new program's installer right away.
W7 Ultimate x64/W10 Pro x64/W11 Pro Triple Bo...AMD Phenom II X4 975 Deneb 3.6ghz - 965 2nd r...Kingston Hyper X DDR3 1600 1.5v 16gb - Hyper ...MSI HD Radeon 5750 1gb - MSI HD Radeon 6450 o...
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number
Custom builds = 2
OS
W7 Ultimate x64/W10 Pro x64/W11 Pro Triple Boot - Main PC W7 Remote PC Micro ATX W7 Pro x64/W11 Pro
CPU
AMD Phenom II X4 975 Deneb 3.6ghz - 965 2nd remote pc
Motherboard
Gigabyte GA-790XTA-UD4-Gigabyte GA-880GM-D2H remote pc
Memory
Kingston Hyper X DDR3 1600 1.5v 16gb - Hyper X Fury 8gb 2nd
Graphics Card(s)
MSI HD Radeon 5750 1gb - MSI HD Radeon 6450 on mini tower
Sound Card
Creative Labs X-Fi Xtreme Audio P - Realtek onooard 2nd case
Monitor(s) Displays
ASUS VW199T-P 19" HP 2082a Main-HP 2082a 20" remote pc
Screen Resolution
Asus 1440x900 - HP 1600x900
Hard Drives
WD Black 1TB HD per OS W7, W10, and pending W11 presently on 500gb OS Drive - Pending Triple 1TB HDs for Spanned Storage/backup volume
Single 2TB external USB enclosure, single 1TB System 7 Host/Boot drive, Pending 8TB external HD for system image b
PSU
Corsair 750TX - primary / Corsair CX600 - second
Case
Antec 900-2 - SSD compatible / NZXT Vulcan mini tower
avast! antivirus Home Edition represents the best free antivirus protection currently available on the market. This edition is FREE OF CHARGE for non-commercial & home use. Its features include:
I am with Anthony..... Avast Home Edition works well in Windows 7. I like the way it talks to me when its done updating lol. And it doesnt seem to be a big resource hog like Mcafee.
My Computer
At a glance
Windows 7Athlon 64x2 5600+ dual core2GBATI Radeon 4350 512 MB
I am with Anthony..... Avast Home Edition works well in Windows 7. I like the way it talks to me when its done updating lol. And it doesnt seem to be a big resource hog like Mcafee.