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.
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
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…
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