2013 Antivirus Software Reviews

Like this page

VIPRE Antivirus 2013 Overall Score: 96%

by Kevin R. Smith, Co-Editor

Let me start by saying this: we like VIPRE. Really. We do.

I say that because what comes next may sound like we don't.

Compared to other antivirus software interfaces, frankly, the VIPRE 2013 interface is dated looking. While the icons have been modernized, the overall layout is nearly identical to the 2012 edition — and it was dated then.

Installation also takes longer than many competitors.

With these drawbacks, why do we like it so much then?

For starters, the interface, although uninspired, strikes the right balance between usability and functionality. Everything is well-labeled, and it's fast.

As for the slow installation, it's slow for good reason: it's actually downloading updates and scanning your PC while it's installing — something few products do.

Then, there's the most important reason we like it: VIPRE Antivirus 2013 still outperforms the competition in the most important areas:

1. virus prevention
2. virus removal
3. tech support

The bottom line. It's fast. It's easy to use. It keeps your
PC safe.

That's why VIPRE Antivirus 2013 wins our Editor's Choice Award — for the fourth straight year. Though the previous version performed extremely well, this year's version both scans faster and has better detection rates. It detected 96% of the test samples we used and blocked just over 97% of our exploit attempts with its real-time antivirus detection

Our results mirrored what other independent test labs saw, including:

• VB Bulletin
• WestCoast Labs
• Malware Research Group
• AV-Test
• ICSA

What you'll most likely notice first about VIPRE, as we did, is that it doesn't make your web browser grind to a halt like some programs do.

It does its job but stays out of the way.

In deeper testing, we saw VIPRE added no noticeable drag to our test PCs. CPU and memory used were both very low.

During manual full-system scans, most CPU peaks averaged in the 65% range, memory increased about 33% compared to the idle systems. Both very acceptable. The VIPRE interface has been around for several years now, which is a mixed blessing.

On the plus side, since it doesn't change much each year, their loyal customers and their tech support people don't need to relearn the program with each new version.

We also have to give the interface praise for its responsiveness. It's easily the fastest software in responding to your mouse clicks, which everyone likes.

For 2013, the interface has been updated to be more Windows 8-ish looking. Fine, makes sense.

In spite of those updates, the interface is starting to show its age with things like its use of old school windows check boxes.

Even still, it's hard to fault a product that does what its supposed to do as well as VIPRE does. Taking the smart approach that good tech support equals happy customers, VIPRE has made it to the top of our list since we started reviewing it four years ago.

The best part: it's all free, even for phone support or virus removal. (Avira is the only other company to offer free virus removal; everyone else charges hefty fees, like $99 for virus removal with Norton Antivirus.)

Tech support help links are built into VIPRE's interface, and their phone number is on their homepage.

It adds up to one thing: getting help—good help—for VIPRE is about as easy as you can make it. Since updates are downloaded during installation, it's one of the few programs that gives immediate protection. Future updates are downloaded hourly and upon reboot.

Full update controls are also included, which is rare and which can let you know that updates are actually happening as expected. VIPRE 2013 includes a few noteworthy extra features: the PC Explorer, the Secure File Eraser and the History Cleaner.

VIPRE's PC Explorer is an upgrade to Window's Task Manager offering better organization and categorizing all files as either:

• Safe
• Unknown
• Suspicious

Right click what you want Secure File Eraser to erase, and VIPRE Antivirus permanently deletes it and repeatedly overwrites the old space, making sure the data is destroyed.

In Windows, even long after you consider something deleted, remnants of the data remain until something is saved into that space. Even then, forensic software and some spyware can still recover "ghosts" of the deleted file.

The VIPRE Secure File Eraser eliminates that security threat. As our Editor's Choice for the fourth straight year, VIPRE Antivirus 2013 does what antivirus software is supposed to do: it provides outstanding virus detection, blocking, and cleaning... all without slowing down your PC.

And, unlike with most competitors, you even get great free tech support, including free virus removal.

While VIPRE doesn't offer a lot of extra features (it lacks a dedicated "Gamer" mode, for example), it makes up for it where it matters most: accuracy, speed, and reliability.

The user interface is lacking in "slick" appearance, but it's fast and easy-to-use, which means it's good at doing its job: giving you information and control.

Our top pick and Editors Choice for 2013.