If you want free...AVAST

Willing to consider paid...ESET or Kaspersky

I will never use McAfee again...but that's just me.

This is a reoccurring question without a definite answer. It's the same as asking, "What is the best pizza?" Many opinions and no finite answer.

In a free version a typical user cannot go wrong with the mainstays of Avast, Avira, or AVG. There are supporters of MSE, but reports have shown it lagging behind the 3 As.

Remember, since they are free, and dedicated removal tools are available making removal easy no decision is permanent.

Except for one year of Norton on a W98 system many years ago I haven't tried any commercial offerings. However, from my readings if I was going to I would consider Kaspersky also.

DA

The best Free one is AVG2014 bar none recommended by most techs. Do not pay for something you can get better for FREE

If you buy a computer with windows 8, you wont need a security program other than the default Windows Defender.
The newest browser and windows 8l is very much more secure than winxp or win7. Win 8 is already over a year old.. why buy a new computer with an old win 7 operating system ?

Intel owns and is discontinuing McAfee pretty soon.. they have announced its retirement.

This post was edited by mikie on Wed, Jan 8, 14 at 19:46

Intel isn't discontinuing McAfee products, it's merely renaming the brand Intel Security. This security product line is a robust business that will continue and be enhanced as always. John McAfee (who left the company ages and ages and ages ago) is a lunatic - the association of his name with the products is a definite minus that Intel is correcting.

Microsoft recommends PC users use third party security software, not its own (which is ranked at or near the bottom in most testing).

Someone needs to read more carefully.

Here is a link that might be useful: Microsoft recommends users not rely on its antivirus software

Maybe read the whole article rather than just the mindset gossip of one employee who was probably chastised. You made it clear in the past you are a genuine Norton Fan.

Update - 12 October Microsoft has issued the following statement in response to the publication of this article:

"We are committed to protecting our customers, and our Microsoft antimalware solutions provide strong, comprehensive defence against malicious code and attacks. We believe in these products and are proud of the protection capabilities we provide to well over 150 million computers worldwide."

Here is a link that might be useful: cnnMoney - McAfee ... in Canada

This post was edited by mikie on Thu, Jan 9, 14 at 2:58

If you select Kaspersky, make sure it can be deleted if/whenever you wish to do so. I tried it and had many promises that it can be removed by downloading this or that. I had to pick it apart a piece at a time because it was protected. If you expect that it will prevent adware/spyware,-- it will not.

I agree with fruitjarfla re Kaspersky. I've had it for years and had no problems. Then just this month I had a problem with a bad virus. I repeatedly asked for help from Kaspersky but got only a prerecorded email over and over. I had to end up buying a new computer. I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND KASPERSKY!!!!

ESET is worth the price. Look into it.

Free AVAST. Using it for many years on multiple computers. Never got viruses.