BitDefender Antivirus 2008
$24.95
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Overall, BitDefender is a solid antivirus program. Like our Editor's Choice, Kaspersky, BitDefender offers hourly updates and a great bang for your buck.
BitDefender Antivirus 2008 installs easy, uses minimal PC resources, has an intuitive interface, and protects your computer against all malware tested with a 96% accuracy rate. And if that wasn't enough, it's inexpensive as well!
Editor's Overview
- Solid Anti-Virus Protection
- Strong out-of-the-box settings
- Fast response time to new Internet threats
- Automatic hourly antivirus updates
- Real-time e-mail, file and web scanning
- Prevents rootkits and keyloggers from stealing personal data
- Automatically removes hidden spyware
- Low processor, memory and bandwidth resources required
- Great for instant messaging and WiFi
- Easy-to-create rescue disk instantly restores your system if damaged
- 24/7 phone, email, or chat support at no extra cost
- Automatic self-repair in the event of corruption
- Low cost multi-license option
- Gamer Mode temporarily modifies protection settings to minimize impact on gaming performance
What's so great about BitDefender Antivirus 2008?
BitDefender has been a strong competitor in the antivirus field for some time, but they've really stepped up their game in this version. It's faster, lighter, stronger, and easier to use than previous versions. The install is easy; only requiring 512MB of RAM and 50MB of hard-drive space. The interface is as simple as you can get: big green icons display when things are functioning correctly, and big red icons show when something's wrong. For the most part, this is great. It takes all the guess work out of enabling or disabling settings. The only draw-back of this feature is there aren't many options to set more detailed settings for those who wish to do so.
The only down size of BitDefender Antivirus 2008 is that some of the setting choices could use more explanation. For instance, BitDefender's HTTP scan blocks malicious ActiveX and JavaScript, but there is no explanation to help the user determine what this is or if they need it. Another draw back is the Identity Privacy feature. It's a bold by BitDefender to protect you against phishing attacks and the like. However, the interface doesn't make it clear how or why you should keep this feature enabled. It requires you to enter some personal information like your social security number which many people may not be comfortable with, especially if they aren't perfectly clear on how the feature works.
Antivirus & Antispyware Features
- Protects your PC in real-time from known viruses, spyware and other malware with hourly updates
- Blocks unknown viruses using advanced proactive detection techniques
- Monitors and prevents spyware threats in real-time
- Detects and removes the newest breed of hidden threats known as rootkits
- Provides a smooth gaming experience by reducing the system load to a minimum
Anti-Phishing Features
- Protects against phishing attacks by filtering all accessed web pages for fraud attempts
- Reduces the risk of identity theft by preventing personal information leaks via e-mail or web
Support
24/7 email, phone, or chat at no extra cost
Conclusion
Overall, BitDefender does really well this year. Despite a few setbacks, this is a powerful, light-running, easy to use
antivirus software.
And with its low price and even lower multi-license options, you really can't go wrong. On top of that, their anti-phishing and anti-spyware features are a welcome bonus to an already robust application.
*System Requirements
- Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4
- Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (32/64 bit)
- Windows Vista (32/64 bit)
$24.95
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