We just installed Windows 7 in our brand new PC that we build ourselves. There are heaps of antivirus software out there, avast, panda, avg, etc. We would like to balance between speed and security.
When we talk about speed, we want to have an antivirus that does not consume too much CPU. In term of security, we want to to have an antivirus that can scan emails, downloads, and a rich virus database.
Does anyone know a good way to benchmark an antivirus CPU consumption, and a way to compare different antivirus's virus database ?
Best Answer
Well, you could install each antivirus on a fresh install of windows, find some test files for detection and than watch Task Manager or create a set of performance monitors in Windows...
There are a lot of AV's out there and it would consume some time, though I would applaud your efforts and would like to see your findings.
I would recommend looking at reviews from CNET or AV-Comparatives (several sources) to come to a informed conclusion.
I recommend starting at av-comparatives.org, I have found the comparisons unbiased, thorough and reliable.