Best free antivirus - fall 2013

M

mrtraver

Posts: 571   +422
Could I get some opinions of the best free antivirus out there for Windows 7? I am currently using Avast, and overall I have been happy with it, but it appears to be conflicting with my new Logitech G700s wireless mouse and I want to try something else. I had BitDefender a while back, but I was getting too many false positives on trusted sites, and I could not find an exceptions list anywhere. I've also used AVG several years ago until their issue where they broke the internet, and I used MS Security Essentials until they lost their rating on av-test.org. I'm thinking maybe trying comodo?

Any suggestions/discussion appreciated!!
 
I like the AVG product. It's on the 2014 model year now. Avira is supposed to be good, but there's way too much advertising in it. I've never seen Comodo's product very highly rated. I thought most people were in it for the free firewall.

ESET gets good reviews, but I don't know enough about it to actually recommend it. Although, that may be a "pay per view" product only. They have an online free scan that our malware guys use for infected member's computers.
 
There are more antivirus threads here than there are antivirus tools, free, premium and bogus. And there are even more opinions on them. One more such thread is another repeat of déjà vu all over again…with a high multiplying factor in front. I’d therefore say it’s somewhat unlikely that this thread will give a decisive answer to the eternal question of which AV is best where all he previous ones failed.

But since the mods allowed the thread, and I got into the trouble of posting in it, I’ll contribute the opinion that if AVAST is not desired, then AVIRA would be the first alternative to try.

There's no subject so complicated that with a little effort you couldn't make it even more complicated.
 
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Thanks for the responses! And thanks to the mods for letting this post stay. I did do that exact forum search first, and since the most recent relevant post was nearly nine months old I thought maybe some things had changed since then. :) Plus I had a specific reason for not being able to use one of the more recommended options.

I'll give Avira a try. Thanks again!!
 
Best is bitdefender free antivirus. But is cannot be configured.

comodo does not have a good maliciuos web site blocker. But its malware protection very good.

avast is well balanced and has more features. new version 9 is out. you should install it to see if it is conflicting with logitech.

Avira 2014 is out. its web protection is not that good. but malware protection very good. Also it has stopped showing annoying messages. But it does not automaticaly remove malwares in free version. So avira has improved.

AVG 2014 is avialable. AVG is last because of lowest detection rate than other free products. it also suffer from high false positive. its light on ssytem resoucres

actually all of these free products are light on system resources.
 
Vikash Tirkey said:
Best is bitdefender free antivirus. But is cannot be configured.

comodo does not have a good maliciuos web site blocker. But its malware protection very good.

avast is well balanced and has more features. new version 9 is out. you should install it to see if it is conflicting with logitech.

Avira 2014 is out. its web protection is not that good. but malware protection very good. Also it has stopped showing annoying messages. But it does not automaticaly remove malwares in free version. So avira has improved.

AVG 2014 is avialable. AVG is last because of lowest detection rate than other free products. it also suffer from high false positive. its light on ssytem resoucres

actually all of these free products are light on system resources.
Click to expand...
Best all depends on the user. What you may love about one, others may hate. :)
 
I use AVG 2014, on my Gateway Laptop with Windows 8. Works excellently. I receive an alert of any potential threat and, AVG automatically removes the threat. I recommend this malware detector.
 
The.Purple.Rose said:
I use AVG 2014, on my Gateway Laptop with Windows 8. Works excellently. I receive an alert of any potential threat and, AVG automatically removes the threat. I recommend this malware detector.
Click to expand...
I use Avast & it also alerts me of any potential threats BUT it stops it so it (I) don't need to be removed.
I've removed AVG from too many machines to even consider using it.
IMO AVG means Aint Very Good. We all have our opinion(s) & our favorite. :)

Not to mention I've seen this topic discussed in here numerous times. :)
 
Let me hide my pointy tinfoil hat.

IMO paid version means bloatware and support for virus creation. Get a free version that is not bloated, then you know for a fact you are not supporting the creation of viruses. Afterward use good judgment when browsing and downloading.
 
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If you know where to look, you could get a free 1 year subscription on avg internet security. I could not post the link here since I don't know if it was meant for public consumption. it was given as a giveaway about 3 weeks ago with the avg file installer ending in Huawei. if it was real giveaway, I also don't know if it's time-limited. I installed it on my Pentium e5400 desktop computer and the 365-day subscription appears to be valid and not blocked. the key is embedded on the installer file.

if you like avast, avast 2014 free edition is likewise great. runs fast and the background automatic update is hassle-free. you could even recommend it to your friends using your own personalized download link to get points.

to each his own, we all have different experiences. I have used avg free antivirus edition for about 12 years already. it can detect/remove many viruses (in the Philippines) that other rivals (such as eset, avira, avast, Norton) cannot remove. however, it also has the potential to label something as positive even if its not. I even had a 'discussion' with an avg representative in 3 e-mails in which I reported a false positive and the avg representative claimed was a true positive.

there is no one antivirus that can protect you. it's a combination of safe internet browsing, some common sense, an updated OS, and a good, always updated antivirus (or two :))
 
It's pretty well-known that Avast is the most well regarded AV solution currently available. That said, some of the other vendors have great AV solutions as well. My only advice would be to stay away from MSE because it has become largely ineffective against 0-day threats and it just keeps getting worse.
 
Microsoft Security Essentials is free and works just as well as the others without slowing down your computer. Add a weekly complete image backup to a external device and your all set.
 
Thanks Space cowboy but I'm 100% happy with Avast as others are with what they use.
I've tried MSE & others but always return to Avast. :)
 
The only problem I had with MSE was lack of knowledge.
Perhaps someday I'll try it out again.
But, I doubt I'll ever go back to AVG. JMO
 
Suggest you read some reviews. MSE doesn't even have AV-Test certification anymore and is consistently rated the lowest out of all the most popular AV suites. I have seen MSE fail with numerous malware samples myself, which I had tested it with in a virtual machine.

MSE used to offer some decent protection back when it was created, but it has consistently gotten worse over time and there are far better solutions available presently.
 
Running two different AV's that have real-time protection enabled isn't a good idea at all. Not only will they conflict with each other, but it will cause performance issues as well.

On the other hand, it is a good idea to use a secondary AV scanner to compliment your primary AV. You just have to ensure that only your primary AV is used for real-time protection. A good example would be using Avast as your primary AV and then installing the free version of MBAM to use as a secondary scanner. Only the paid version of MBAM offers real-time protection, so the free version won't interfere with your primary AV.

Speaking of MBAM, it's definitely one of the best AV's out there, whether you use it as a secondary scanner or primary AV. MBAM is particularly good at removing fake AV ransomware.
 
learninmypc said:
I'm not going to argue with anybody, but its been my understanding one shouldn't have two AV's at all.
If others want to, fine. I won't. Thank you. :)
Click to expand...

not arguing here either. at one time in my life, I even have three antivirii: avast free, avg free, and bitdefender (on-demand scanner) on a windows xp sp3 computer with Celeron 1.7ghz and 512mb ddr-400 ram...but that's old me.:D now down to two.
 
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