Security

Best Security Suites: PC Bodyguards

By Nick Mediati, PCWorld

Best Security Suites: PC Bodyguards
Illustration by Thomas Fuchs
Have security suites reached the point where they all work?

From afar, it seems that way: All of them attempt to protect you from viruses, spyware, Trojan horses, and other malware. And for the most part, each of the suites we tried did a good job of detection. However, other factors are important as well--some suites are easier to work with than others, and some make more efficient use of your PC’s resources. We put 14 suites to the test to see which ones you should consider, and in the end G-Data Internet Security 2012 came away the winner.

2012 Suites: Faster, Slimmer, More Effective

This year’s suites emphasize being lightweight and speedy, as well as showing a friendlier face. Bitdefender and Eset revamped their packages to make them easier to use. Webroot scrapped its entire line, starting fresh in 2012 with its SecureAnywhere products and building a suite that’s both friendly and fast.

Packages are also shifting toward using cloud computing to help detect new malware. Such efforts may be paying off: The suites did notably better in our real-world detection tests this year versus last year. (See “Security in the Cloud” for more information.)

Once again, we partnered with AV-Test, a trusted security software testing company based in Germany. AV-Test puts security products through a veritable torture test to determine not only which package is the best at detecting threats, but also which one cleans up the mess most effectively. On top of that, AV-Test performs a battery of speed tests to discover which suites will slow a PC to a crawl--and which ones won’t. (For additional details, see "How We Test Antivirus Software and Security Suites.")

This year’s roundup was perhaps our most competitive one ever; all of the suites in our Top 10 did an excellent all-around job on malware detection, and even the remaining suites performed fairly well. As a result, we put more weight than before on how easy the suites are to use, and on whether they eat up system resources.

Our Top Security Suite Picks

Best Overall: G Data InternetSecurity 2012
The interface isn’t wonderful, but G Data’s software is our top pick on the strength of its excellent malware detection and removal capabilities, plus the minimal impact it has on PC performance.

Best Protection: Bitdefender Internet Security 2012
This product outdid the G Data software in detecting and removing baddies. That effectiveness comes at a cost, however: This suite was the slowest of the packages we tested this year.

Best Speed: Webroot SecureAnywhere Essentials
Although it didn’t quite do well enough overall to crack our Top 10, Webroot’s revamped suite adds very little drag to common tasks.

Best Interface: Bitdefender Internet Security 2012
Bitdefender overhauled its entire product line this year. The company’s updated suite is friendly and approachable for regular users yet maintains plenty of power for advanced users.

Security Suites: Read Our Reviews

Top 10 Internet Security Suites (chart)

  1. G Data InternetSecurity 2012
  2. Norton Internet Security 2012
  3. Bitdefender Internet Security 2012
  4. Kaspersky Internet Security 2012
  5. Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security 2012
  6. Avast Internet Security 6
  7. Eset Smart Security 5
  8. F-Secure Internet Security 2012
  9. AVG Internet Security 2012
  10. Check Point ZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2012
  11. Avira Internet Security Suite 2012
  12. Panda Internet Security 2012
  13. Webroot SecureAnywhere Essentials
  14. McAfee Internet Security 2012

Bottom Line

Symantec's Norton security suite will do a great job of keeping your PC safe, and the program is easy to use too.

Pros

  • Smooth, friendly interface
  • Great at keeping a PC safe

Cons

  • Higher-than-average false-positive rate

Bottom Line

G Data's security suite is one of the best defenders we've ever seen, and it takes the top spot among this year's crop despite a rough interface.

Pros

  • Low impact on PC performance
  • Excellent malware detection and blocking

Cons

  • Interface needs a makeover

Bottom Line

A great choice for beginners and advanced users alike, Bitdefender's suite combines a friendly interface with top-notch protection.

Pros

  • Provides great protection against malware
  • Friendly interface

Cons

  • Significantly slows PC performance
  • Slow scan speeds

Bottom Line

Avast's latest security suite is effective in defending against malware, but it could stand to improve in cleanup.

Pros

  • Friendly interface
  • Good malware detection and blocking

Cons

  • Lacks some common features

Bottom Line

Although not a top performer, Smart Security 5 is a strong, easy-to-use upgrade over previous versions of Eset’s security suite.

Pros

  • Pleasing interface

Cons

  • Malware cleanup lags behind top performers

Bottom Line

Despite its somewhat middling detection scores, Trend Micro's security suite is simple to use.

Pros

  • Simple, friendly interface
  • Good--but not outstanding--malware detection

Cons

  • File scanning is slow at times
  • Light on features

Bottom Line

The latest F-Secure suite is quite capable of keeping your machine safe, but it may drag your PC down at times.

Pros

  • Effective at blocking malware

Cons

  • Occasionally sluggish performance

Bottom Line

While Check Point's ZoneAlarm security suite is a reasonably solid protector, it may drag down your PC’s operations.

Pros

  • Good protection against malware

Cons

  • May hurt your PC's performance
  • Slow scan speeds

Bottom Line

The Kaspersky security suite's on-access scans could be faster, but it’s very good at detection and blocking.

Pros

  • Strong protection against malicious software
  • Low impact on PC performance

Cons

  • Mixed scan-speed results

Bottom Line

AVG's security suite will protect your PC, but it can’t quite keep up with the best performers in our latest test group.

Pros

  • Good malware prevention

Cons

  • Interface feels overly complicated in spots

Bottom Line

The 2012 edition of Avira's security suite gets the job done, but not much else.

Pros

  • Adequate protection against malware

Cons

  • Interface needs work
  • Mixed scan-speed performance

Bottom Line

McAfee's 2012 security suite posts mixed performance results, failing to keep up with top contenders.

Pros

  • Effective at keeping malware off your PC
  • Well-designed interface

Cons

  • Can bog down PC performance
  • Subpar malware cleanup

Bottom Line

Panda's security suite is a decent choice for keeping your PC safe, but its sluggish performance and mediocre interface drag down its score.

Pros

  • Strong malware detection and removal

Cons

  • Interface is rough in spots
  • Slow scan speeds

Bottom Line

Webroot's revamped security suite has a lot to like, but its low malware disinfection scores prevent it from becoming a top contender.

Pros

  • Keeps malware off your PC
  • Slick interface

Cons

  • Struggles at infection cleanup

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