The Top 10 Antivirus Programs 2012
It may only be the middle of 2011 but AV programs are a bit like sporty computer games – they all come out 6 months early. Unlike said computer games there are many good choices when it comes to antivirus programs in 2012. But which choice is the right one for you?
Well, something I’ve always said, and always will, is that there is no correct answer to that question. We all have different skill levels and use our computers, laptops, netbooks and cell phones in different ways.
With that in mind, I’m going to take a look at what I think will be the best programs for 2012 and I’ll tell you what I like about them and what I don’t like. After that you’ll have to decide which features work for you and buy accordingly.
2012 Antivirus Reviews
1. Kaspersky Antivirus 2012
My first 2012 review doesn’t disappoint.
This is a highly effective program and full of features.
With all the extras this is a serious alternative to a full internet security suite.
Low system requirements mean it will run on older computers.
Nice simple easy to use layout.
This could be a good choice for less experienced computer users.
4. ESET NOD32 Antivirus 5
Great detection rates and simple to use interface.
A good AV program with low system resource usage.
5. BitDefender Antivirus Plus 2012
Very high malware detection rate.
Strong privacy and anti-phishing protection.
My personal favourite this year.
6. Webroot Secure Anywhere Antivirus
7. McAfee Antivirus Plus 2012
8. F-Secure Antivirus 2012
Very easy to use
Keeps your computer secure
This is my second favourite and a good choice for slightly older computers.
9. Norton Antivirus 2012
10. Avast! Pro Antivirus 2012
Now that I’ve completed my reviews for this year you may be wondering which I thought was best. Of course there isn’t a simple answer here – it depends greatly upon the type of user you are and the capabilities of the machine you are placing the security software onto.
Overall though I was most impressed with BitDefender for its superior abilities at detecting and blocking malware. It does suffer a little from high resource usage so, if thats a concern, then I’d recommend F-Secure as the next best alternative.
And if you are looking for more robust protection with a plethora of additional features then my 2012 internet security reviews may be what you are looking for.
{ 42 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi, I would like to know what kind of antivius I should use for a hp 2009 I download alot of pictures and work from home in a ebay store so I need my computer to be fast. I also do all my banking online. thanks for your help!
-Isabel
Hi Isabel, I’m not familiar with the specs of that machine (I thought it was a monitor actually) – can you give me more detail?
Try avira premium security.. we do rendering & memory intensive works. in my exp. it is best than rest. kaspersky has more registry count, slow background unnecessary scan etc.
i recently used KIS2012 on my old vista laptop, currently just built a new £1500 gaming pc and its running Microsoft security essentials, if you want something that does the basics with little effort, eg updates and scheldules and rebuying every year, i recomment MSE, its just like a lil box. i could even forget its there
I’ve been using Avast! free, and Malware Bytes for years now, because they are free, and they have been able to deal with any problems I’ve had. Do you have an opinion on a better alternative to free protection, or should I just stick with these? I use my computer for heavy gaming and web browsing, and as a CS student any sites or software that my teachers require us to use. I’m constantly on my colleges public Wi-Fi and I get a bit worried sometimes about being on such a huge public network. I’ve also had to use file-sharing software occasionally for my classes.
Hi Mike
You don’t mention any “sensitive” sites such as online banking or online shopping. Assuming you don’t use your computer for either of those then I would suggest your current setup is probably good enough.
As for the WiFi, its hard to comment without knowing how its configured. Do you have a firewall up and running on your machine?
Hello!
I first used the Norton AntiVirus Program in late 1990s, but it’s need for large system resources or for the Windows 98 OS I used, it seemed to always crash. I then changed over for the free AVG program that had worked on my old Windows 98 System was OK. Lately I built a new Desktop PC and then I signed up with the Total Defense Anti Virus Program, preciously known as C.A. Technologies. The benefit of using Total Defense is that its files incorporate its protection with the PC’s System files and hardly use any of its resources, which makes for easy operation and very good protection at a relatively low cost, including Malware and/or Spyware for which it provides ample warnings on any Web Site prior of it being visited by a user.
Regards, Steve Horvath, Chicago, IL P.S. Total Defense is available for either a download or from an installation CD from Tiger Direct.
i downloaded a free trial of bitdefender and it seems to be a good antivirus. i’ll soon buy it. thanks to your advice!!!
Its good to hear that you like it.
I am using avg free 2012. Its udate defenition is small. it had not detected a single virus from three months. is avg protecting my computer?
“it had not detected a single virus from three months” < this may of course be because you haven’t had a virus!
Its not a bad program but no AV is perfect. Perhaps you should try an online scanner if you have concerns.
Hi there i am 14 and i allways love to download texturepacks for minecraft playcod etc i have has eset smart security then i went to avast i had a vast for a few days then when i went to log out a weird message came up so my pc is being wiped i would really love to know a great antivirus with spyware on it to keep my pc safe as you know i have a lot of freinds that can hack and they sometimes threaten me i would really like a antivirus/spyware/hackware to see if any1 is on my pc if i have viruses and i if there is spyware on my pc and it takes up hardly any RAM/memory i am new to computers and i wanna be safe at all corners i am willing to pay a little money for a good antivirus/spyware/hack ware please tell me of any good antivirus/hack ware/spyware
Hi Eli
I think the first question to ask is why this happened: “..i had a vast for a few days then when i went to log out a weird message came up so my pc is being wiped..”
Can you shed any more light on that?
Well i forget the name of this message but when i knew it i searched it on the windows xp computer at that time and it said that it sometimes can disguise as male ware my brother asked if i wanted windows 7 so i have that now i got viper 2012 internet security i really like it but if you have any good antivirus/internet security plz tell me
Hahahha male ware i meant malware
ha ha
I’m guessing you mean Vipre? If so, thats pretty good. As for alternatives I’d have to know what you use your computer for to make any suggestions.
I mainly use my computer for gaming,web browsing etc i have got rid of viper and i now have kespersky free trial but i would like to know of any others that you know of
P.S do u know what it means cause i play minecraft and recently my screen has been flickering black when i have played it if you know what this is/means please tell me
What are the downfalls to Bitdefender?
Hi Alex,
I would say the system requirements – if you have an older PC then it may well seem slow and laggy to you. If your computer is less than a couple of years old it should be ok though. Also, a small number of people had reported internet connectivity issues though this has been addressed now I believe (and BitDefender will refund you if you aren’t satisfied with their programs).
A top security program was left here, i dono why !?
please check these with Avira Internet security suite, i bet it will outperform all these
and kaspersky has more registry count, high CPU usage and some other drawbacks, besides missing features like virtualkeyboard, registry cleaner etc, you will feel a light weight than all above while using avira
Which antivirus is best in detecting and repairing. Also takes less memory and fast opening at startup
My personal opinion is that BitDefender AV is the best for detection and repair this year. It can be a little resource hungry though so in regards to your situation I reckon the next best option would be F-Secure antivirus.
i was wondering ,what kind of antivirous is applicabe for acer? i have used alot starting from kaspersky ,norton ,avira …..
and one more thing ,why its so hard to get a free trial of 6 months for any antivirous?!!
“i was wondering ,what kind of antivirous is applicabe for acer?” < hard to suggest anything without knowing the machine’s specs.
As for trials, if you could get 6 months then you’d only need to change it once a year to get free protection all year round. Obviously these companies, just like any other, have a vested interest in you paying for your protection in one way or another.
From a detection point of view, which A/V software is the best?.
Well detection isn’t everything as the program needs to deal with anything it finds too. Personally I’d recommend BitDefender or F-Secure this year. I think BitDefender just edges out in front as the best for both detection and blocking but it can be a bit sluggish on less than new computers. F-Secure is a close second and runs much better on older machines.
In fact I do actually use both all year round – BitDefender on my desktop which I use for online banking and other sensitive tasks, F-Secure on my laptop which is a much lower spec machine.
Hope that helps.
i am using quck total security 2012 trial of 90 days. it will last for 15 days and it works well but i want suggestion from you. i am using window 7
Are you looking for a free or paid for program?
Hi just wondering if u know anything about PC antivirus pro 2012, after paying and installing it requests access to change setting when computer starts, is this a rougue antivirus
cheers Adam
Hi Adam,
I’m not familiar with that program and for that reason alone I’d advise steering clear of it.
Eset Anti-Virus 5 has been a favorite of mine for some time now and clients like it as well for the low resource consumption that it has so on older machines it stands out more. Plus it is not expensive to get, as with some of the other ones on this list. Over at pcrepairplace.yokaboo.com they are fairly inexpensive. CA antivirus has never been a great competitor so in no hurry to see the review for that one.
Hi Peter,
I must admit I’ve never looked at anything from CA myself yet so not sure what to expect there…
Which other antivirus programs have you used out of interest?
After the Webroot SecureAnywhere Antivirus post, you kept on writing:
“my review
coming soon.”
And then you pointed out the CA Antivirus 2012 was coming soon.
Can you fix that, please?
I’ve got a bit ahead of myself with writing and scheduling review posts!
Are you specifically waiting on the CA one?
where is avg?
and u should test avg internet security instead of antivirus
They’re over here: AVG Antivirus 2012 // AVG Internet Security 2012
you should put norton also in the list.
I may well do so, having been pleasantly susprised by Norton Internet Security 2012 recently.
There is one thing about All Norton products that I do NOT like and that is the huge number of Registry lines that Norton creates/uses; worst of all their uninstall routine/program leaves hundreds of lines there, unless you use a powerful uninstall program like Revo Uninstall Pro – that I now use without exception (Pro has an outstanding install monitor that I recently found useful, it uninstall’s very rapidly).
Thanks for the reminder Samuel – I forgot to check that side of things when I uninstalled the copy of Norton I tested…
If you have a newer computer I think BitDefender is best this year. For a slightly slower one I’d recommend F-Secure.
A black screen could be many, many things. I’ve had it this week and it was a failing graphics card. Another common cause is overheating – take the side of the case off and see if it makes a difference…
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