Been using Avast for years - never let me down!
---------- Post added at 05:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:07 PM ----------
I have been considering Avira. It was voted one of the best all-round in a PC magazine test (think 2009/2010 issue) which i recently browsed when waiting @the Dentists. I do agree with some comments about Avast throwing up some false positives, but experience in this regard has been very rare using Avast.
---------- Post added at 05:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:07 PM ----------
I feel your research has overlooked one of the finest (if not the finest) antivirus applications, Avira Antivir. Avira's product has wickedly good virus, trojan, and worm detection and removal, rootkit detection and removal, and few, if any false positives. It also has a fast on demand scan engine and provides background scanning as well. Daily definition updates too. Resource usage is resonable with no detectable loss of productivity on my midrange laptop.
I've tried and used SNorton AV, Symantec Corporate AV (which is very good, unlike the Norton piece of tripe targeted for home users), Kasperski (excellent!), AVG, Avast!, Nod32, MacAfee, and CA, on both personal and corporate machines. At work, I have to use what is provided (Symantec Corp), but for my personal pc's, it's Avira Antivir Premium on everything. Their product just gets better and better with each version.
I'd rank AV's something like this:
#1 Kasperski AV (good, but expensive)
#1.5 Avira Antivir Premium
#2 Avira Antivir
#3 Symantec Corporate AV (not likely you'll get to play with this one, unless you encounter it at work)
Everything else I just lump together as "also rans", mostly due to short comings I felt I couldn't live with in an AV.
I have been considering Avira. It was voted one of the best all-round in a PC magazine test (think 2009/2010 issue) which i recently browsed when waiting @the Dentists. I do agree with some comments about Avast throwing up some false positives, but experience in this regard has been very rare using Avast.