Not surprisingly, it's also strongly tied into Microsoft-specific services and software, so there's no coverage for Macs, Android devices or other platforms, and if you're not using Microsoft Edge, there are some features that just plain won't work. As such, you may spend more time working out whether you actually do need to quarantine or delete a 'suspicious' file if you're certain it's on the level. Some tests noted that Microsoft Defender is rather more happy to declare a false positive result when scanning than other suites. Not that you get everything and that it's all perfect.

Ultimately, that's what you want out of an antivirus package. That's changed markedly in recent years, with Microsoft truly stepping up its game and delivering a free antivirus solution that often ranks right up there with the very best in terms of detection and prevention. Yes, they were better than absolutely nothing, but time and time again, when they were evaluated by independent labs, they were found badly wanting when it came time to detect actual viruses. Microsoft’s basic security package covers the basics wellįor the longest time, Microsoft's in-house antivirus products were a bit of a joke. As an example, some reviewers noted that it's annoying that while a VPN is included at some levels, if you want unlimited VPN access, you'll have to subscribe to a higher tier than the basic Antivirus Plus, which has a limited data allocation. Like many of its competitors, it's well worth considering which features are actually important to you when considering which level of Bitdefender it's worth subscribing to. That could be a concern if you're planning to use it on an older or slower PC in the first place, where you'll feel the impact of that memory footprint that much more. However, they did score it downwards slightly for performance when not running scans, indicating that its memory footprint is on the larger side. In independent lab tests, AV-Test noted that Bitdefender Security captured 100% of 0-Day malware attacks and new malware samples between September 2022 and October 2022, which is pleasing to see. If you opt for the cheaper Antivirus Plus or Internet Security suites, you're only getting coverage for Windows PCs, although that could suit your needs quite nicely. That's for the full Bitdefender Total Security package, however, which includes client coverage for Macs and Android along with Windows. A total package with good detection ratesīitdefender's Antivirus Security scores well with reviewers and independent AV labs for its detection rates and general performance, making it an easy recommendation for anyone wanting a set-and-forget style product.

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