14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is betting big on Windows Defender for Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, where its own solution comes pre-installed, but as far as Windows 7 is concerned, users running this OS version have to install a security product manually to make sure their data is protected.
Choosing an antivirus for Windows 7 basically comes down to picking from a long list of products, either free or with a paid license, or going for Microsoft’s security software itself, though the most recent tests show this isn’t really a good idea.
German security institute AV-TEST has performed a new series of tests on Windows 7, revealing that Kaspersky’s antivirus products continue to be the top at the moment. Performed in July and August, the tests indicate that Kaspersky got the maximum 18 points, with 6 points for each stage, namely protection, performance, and usability.
Trend Micro and Bitdefender both performed nearly flawlessly, finishing second in the research with 17.5 points, while Symantec, Bullguard, Avira, and AhnLab received 17 points each. ESET, which at one point was a leading security vendor, performed below expectations and got just 15.5 points, with 5 points for protection, 4.5 points for performance, and 6 points for usability.
Microsoft’s antivirus last but one
As for the antivirus products that performed the worst, there are two of them: Microsoft’s and Comodo’s. AV-TEST says Microsoft’s security solution was worth just 13.5 points, while Comodo was once again at the bottom of the pack with only 12.5 points.
Microsoft was rewarded with 5 points for protection, 4.5 points for performance, and 4 points for usability, while Comodo’s antivirus scored only 1.5 points for performance. This means it has a substantial impact on your system performance and it could dramatically slow down a Windows 7 system.
As usual, keeping a computer clean and in tip-top shape doesn’t only come down to a powerful antivirus product, and users staying away from potential threats, malicious websites, and infected files is one of the best ways to avoid having a system compromised.
