14 DAY TRIAL // Research conducted by AV-TEST provides us with an updated look at the security software offering on Windows 10, helping users choose the most advanced antivirus product right now.
The December 2018 study, which involves the testing of security products in three areas (protection, performance, and usability) reveals not only that the same industry-leading solutions continue to be at the top of the pack, but also that Microsoft’s built-in Windows antivirus remains a smart choice.
The maximum rating of 18 points (six points for each of the tests mentioned above) was achieved by Avira Antivirus Pro, Bitdefender Internet Security, BullGuard Internet Security, McAfee Internet Security, Symantec Norton Security, and VIPRE AdvancedSecurity.
Somewhat surprising is that Kaspersky’s Internet Security scored only 5.5 points for performance, so it got a final rating of 17.5 points, still enough to be labeled as a top security product, but not to place it among the top scorers.
Windows Defender still a top antivirus product
Microsoft’s Windows Defender, which comes pre-installed on Windows 10, received 6 points for protection, 5.5 points for performance, and another 5.5 points for usability.
With an overall score of 17 points out of a maximum of 18, Windows Defender remains one of the most advanced security solutions on the market right now, so it should be capable of protecting Windows devices just fine in most of the cases.
Somewhat surprising is the poor performance of Malwarebytes, which scored the worst in this new research. With just 14.5 points, Malwarebytes Premium clearly disappointing, having received 5 points for protection, 5 points for performance, and only 4.5 points for usability.
As for the free security solution from Avast, the company’s free antivirus scored surprisingly well, with a total rating of 17.5 points. The only area where it needs to improve is performance, as Avast Free Antivirus was rewarded with just 5.5 points out of the maximum of six.
