Anti-virus question...

[amica]

My current subscription to Norton is about to expire in June, and was wondering if anyone here knows if I should continue with my subscription or move to another antivirus software? I have also used AVG for my really old laptop, and was considering buying their paid version due to better service offers.

I like Norton, but I noticed that it slowed down my PC a whole lot, and my brother said that it isn't the best antivirus in the world as many people seem to think, and recommended I use Avast. When I asked about AVG he told me that that anti-virus wasn't great either, so here I am asking (again), what antivirus is better and why? I personally don't care if it's free or paid, as long as it can do it's job.

I mostly use my PC for research, chatting, and games, and occasionally use torrents for downloading things. I would also prefer that it download updates on it's own, I know AVG and other free anti-virus software requires you to manually download the updates each time, which is kinda a hassle to do.

[Riku]

A router is the best option imo, its hardware not software, it will not slow down ur computer and so on. most hackers will not even try to crack a pc if its on a router, better for them to go after easy prey. As for software side NOD is very good but cost, threatfire, AVG is also good on the free side of things. There are also a few free password locker software out there that will protect your vital info on your computer, if you need that just google it. NOTE: Threatfire is a auto update not like avg and takes little resources from ur computer to run

[Celestin]

AVG is very good... will occasionally turn out false positives, but that's because AVG tends to have tougher heuristics than Norton. For example, when AVG ( correctly ) detected Sony's CD protection as a rootkit ( an extremely malicious form of software attack on your computer ). This was of course much to the ire of Sony who doesn't like their products labeled as a rootkit and PC players of BioShock with AVG who suddenly found that AVG had eaten their executable while trying to protect their computer.

For my backup, I use Kapsersky ( sp ) which has incredibly tough heuristics and turns up buttloads of false positives. I only use it when I'm really worried though because AVG normally does a damn good job.

I think there used to be an AV called Black Ice or something that was also supposed to be very good.

In any case, as long as you know what you're doing, a tougher AV that turns up false positives is better than a weaker AV that doesn't.

[Wizards Essence]

I like AVG the best, it does do automatic updates, and I haven't gotten a virus at all since I started using it. And it really hasn't slowed my laptop down at all.