How do you decide which antivirus is the best?

I dont know much about anti virus softwares, so if I was to purchase one, what would I look out for.

What features do I need to see or look for when choosing an anti virus software?

When purchasing an anti virus software would I ever need to purchase another one again, or would it last until I want another one?

If I changed my computer could the same anti virus be used again ?

First Of All I will suggest you to use "MICROSOFT SECURITY ESSENTIALS" because in my point of view this is the best and free of cost and it's from Microsoft so no thought about cheap antivirus or bad quality.

1. Features depends on you....Whether you need Simple Antivirus or Internet Security or All Round Protection...If u use computer for daily tasks then Simple Antivirus is good enough. But if u use lots of Internet Stuffs and works and do a lot of work then Internet Security fits your needs....And again if you are a enthusiast and work on many things like video editing, internet designing and programming, etc then All Round Protection antivirus is for you.

2. It depends on the License Validity of the Antivirus....You can take 6 Months, 1 Year or 2 Year or more of License Validity. After this validity, you need to buy a NEW ANTIVIRUS.

3. Yes, but u have to postpone the license from the computer you are leaving and resume the license on the new computer. You can also take Multi-User Antivirus that can be used on MULTIPLE COMPUTERS simultaneously.

Thanks krnikverma, the information was very helpful. I didnt know Microsoft had their own anti virus. I just do the basic browsing and using of my email. Is the simple antivirus like Microsoft Security Essentials good enough if I use my email a lot for communicating and have some important files on my comp?

OVIOUSLY YES, For basic works like Internet Browsing, Chatting, Checking Emails and Daily Windows Tasks and storing Documents, Files, etc, MICROSOFT SECURITY ESSENTIALS is more than enough....
You can download MICROSOFT SECURITY ESSENTIALS by visiting this link http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...s-all-versions and choosing your Windows Version (XP, Vista, 7 or 8) and the language you use and want the Antivirus to work on.
I am happy to see that u found my INFORMATION helpful....Thank You.

Depends on what kind of security you require, you may want to only protect your emails, documents then any basic anti virus would be good, but if you have some intense work beng done on your computer, important files then a slightly advanced anti virus would be required.

I have tried most of the freely available Antivirus like AVG, Microsoft Security Essentials, Avast, etc., but I uninstalled most of them because they do interfere in your regular work
And in spite of installing them, I found that I still get virus by pen drives etc.,
Now I have uninstalled all of them, prefer to have safe browsing habits (like not clicking on dubious links, not downloading all the software for testing etc.,), test pen drives in Linux before connecting them to Windows.
BTW, I use windows only to watch movies or games ! Most of my other work is done in Linux.

You know that the worst thing getting a virus from a pen drive, for one thing your whole computer gets messed up, I never give anyone my pen drive now neither use any one elses.

I let my my cousin do all the installing on my computer, because hes a computer geek. So he knows whats best and whats not.

Originally Posted by Shonali

I let my my cousin do all the installing on my computer, because hes a computer geek. So he knows whats best and whats not.

Don't u think that the answer given by you is not appropriate or extremely opposite or not necessary for the question asked by Dia Arora in this thread.

1. Antivirus is a kind of software that protect your PC from threats like malware, Torjon, viruses, worms, spyware etc these are naughty boys who make your system slow down, delete OS files that's necessary for smooth working of system, cause abnormal behavior of system, data loss etc

2. More or less every antivirus packed with all the necessary features to protect your computer. What makes any antivirus a good product are that- its good detection rate , less false positive, fast scanning speed, No system slow down and most important a good customer support, that you will need in case any kind of infection in your system.

3. Better to use Avast Free antivirus and AVG Free Antivirus instead of Window Defender . These two are FREE and Excellent.

If you able to purchase then go for - 1. Bitdiffender AV/IS/TS (whatever suite you) 2. Kaspesky AV/IS/Pure ((whatever suite you)) 3. F-secure AV/IS. These are currently market leader.

4. Yes every AV come with subscription based like 1 year/2 year. Once your subscription expire . you have to purchase again.

5. Yes you can use it another PC. Consult you software vendor they will assist you how to do this. They will freeze you serial number in order to use it another computer.

NOTE : I have some spare keys for Kaspersky(AV) , Bitdefender (IS), F-secure (AV) and AVG( IS/AV). All are one year subscription if you need Just PM me.
AV- Antivirus, IS- Internet Security, TS- Total Security

Read More about antivirus HERE

Thanks

There is no single best antivirus. This is a very fast-changing and dynamic industry that never stands still. An anti-virus package that may be good this year, won't necessarily be as good a year from, even if it's regularly updated. Users need to do their research to ascertain which are the leading antivirus programs at this point in time. Also, don't rely on one but use 2-3 consecutively for that added security and peace of mind.

I usually look at the reviews on the net and choose the one with the best detection rate. Microsoft Security Essentials was good a few years ago,but it's pretty bad now with its detection rates being among the worst. I don't know why Microsoft stopped working on it.

That said, I think common sense is the best tool against viruses.Not visiting certain pages, like those containing warez will help you avoid the majority of viruses.

I go for brand names I know like Norton and Microsoft, and then I look at price. I want to know it's going to work when I leave the store, but I also don't want to pay more than I have to for the same thing. You want something that is going to protect from viruses, malware, and get some firewall protection. You want to make sure that you get information when your security is at risk so that you don't keep trying to go to those sites. You want to make sure that you are fully protected and if something gets through then you can fix the issue too.

I think for a home PC most of the Antiviruses do good. Nowadays, most of them offer real time security for free and it is not necessary to go for a paid version. I have been using free versions of a number of anti-viruses for many years now without any issues. But what I am more interested nowadays is the ease of use and its impact on CPU. I have been using AVG for quite sometime and later found it slowing down my PC a little bit, even though there is no doubt in its performance.

Now I switched over to Bitdefender and it is really effective & very light on the system. It works almost silent and you only know it is there in the background when it popup with warnings of potentially harmful sites or virus attacks.

I want an anti-virus that doesn't slow down my computer. Avira is a god anti-virus but it is annoying as hell with it's obsession of blocking softwares I use everyday and It wants update almost everyday. I prefer 360 security because it is light weight, it gets rid of viruses and its not clingy.

The best way to decide is watching reviews on the internet.
If you want a free antivirus, I recommend 360 Total Security and Avira. However, If you want a paid antivirus, I recommend the Karspersky and Avira (paid). When you search in google about the my suggestion above, you will see good opinions about these antivirus.

Ugggh no edit button, What I mean about Avira is thats its good not god.... Oh well.

After what happened to the paid version of bitdefender, I dont think I want to do a paid version of an Anti-virus. I am happy with the rotation of free trials I do every month. I feel much more secure that way and I am not risking the safety of my credit card number.

I have the full AVG and it's working wonders, it's very easy to use and helps a lot as it defends both my desktop and me when im online.

Originally Posted by challengewriter

I have the full AVG and it's working wonders, it's very easy to use and helps a lot as it defends both my desktop and me when im online.

Oh nice! Full AVG is very interesting, but free AVG is terrible. AVG Free is the worst antivirus ever.