Top 2011 Anti-Virus Software

Anti-virus software is often overlooked by consumers or thought unnecessary, especially by more tech-savvy users who are confident in themselves online. However in today's web, it is important to always be protected, as even the best of us will sometimes click a shady link, perhaps by accident. Having a reliable Anti-virus package can save you tens of hours of frustration if you get a virus.

Here are the top Anti-Virus software packages of 2011, based on virus detection rates, scanning feature, definition updates, control interface, and overall user experience. Enjoy!

Detection Rate: 98.6%

Scanning Speed (Higher is Better): 18.6 MB/s

System Slowdown: Medium

User-friendly: Extremely

Conclusion: Norton Internet Security 2011 is an interesting case. Although it has some of the highest detection rates and scanning speeds in it's field, it suffers dramatically in system slowdown and user-friendliness. We found that Norton slowed down our systems considerably, and it was overbearing, constantly annoying the user. Above that, while it is very easy to do basic tasks, anyone who tries to dig a little deeper will be hit with an unintuitive settings page that will baffle and frustrate even the most computer-literate.

We must recommend Norton in the top three due to it's top-of-field detection rates and speed, but if you are concerned with system slowdown, your best bet is to go with one of the packages below.

Detection Rate: 97.7%

Scanning Speed (Higher is Better): 8.7 MB/s

System Slowdown: Little to None

User-friendly: Advanced features, slightly complicated UI

Conclusion: ESET Smart Security has a great detection rate with almost no system slow down on your computer. It also has a lot of advanced functions that can be configured in depth. However it's breadth of options makes it a little daunting for the average computer user. ESET is a great choice for the knowledgeable computer user, but it is not idea for everyone. You can get a cheap copy of ESET Smart Security here.

Detection Rate: 97.2%

Scanning Speed (Higher is Better): 10.7 MB/s

System Slowdown: Little-to-none

User-friendly: Great for basic uses

Conclusion: Kaspersky Internet Security comes out on top with a similar detection rate to ESET but faster scanning speeds. It also has an attractive user interface that makes it easy to scan drives for viruses and update virus definitions. It's winning feature is that it has excellent system integration and does not cause any noticeable slow-down. You will rarely even notice it is there, unless there is a problem, which is how a good Anti-virus is supposed to work! You can download Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 direct here.