Having a good antivirus for Windows is vital. Our computers can be targets of all kinds of attacks today, and these antiviruses are really the biggest shield we can have against them. There are many in the market, although one of the ones that has always been most recommended is not too far from us, since it is installed by default. Microsoft Defender is one of the best options available, although in the latest AV-TEST study it has taken a step back from its competition.
It should be made clear first of all that this Windows antivirus is not a bad option at all . As we will see later, the Microsoft solution continues to show very good performance, although it is worth noting this “regression” that it has given with respect to the same study carried out just a few months ago.
Windows antivirus, a step back
This study that we are commenting on is carried out by the AV-TEST company every two months, and in it several antiviruses from different brands are tested, both at the business level and at the user level. Specifically, there are 20 options at the business level and 18 at the user level , so it cannot be precisely said that it is a superficial study or where there are not enough test “subjects”.
The study assigns a score to antiviruses that ranges from 0 to 18, and is divided into three sections that are each worth 6 points. The first of these sections is called Protection , and it is perhaps the most important. This measures the protection of antivirus against all types of malware or attacks. The second, called Performance , shows how antiviruses influence the performance of the test computers. Finally, Usability gives details about events that can affect the computer, such as false alarms or Internet access limitations.
So why do we say that Microsoft’s antivirus has taken a step backwards? This antivirus had been reaping a perfect score of 18 points for several AV-TEST studies, but this has changed in the last one. Both at the user level and at the business level, Microsoft’s antivirus has obtained a score of 17.5 , down half a point in two sections of the analysis (Usability at the business level and Protection at the user level). This small “slump” as we say does not affect the antivirus too much, since in fact it continues to carry the AV-TEST Top Product certificate (reserved for antiviruses with 17.5 points or more).
Windows antivirus gets a score of 17.5.
These are the antivirus with the best score
We have already told you above that these results of Microsoft’s antivirus are not bad, but they still leave it one step below other antiviruses that have achieved the perfect score of 18 points. At the user level, 8 of the 18 antiviruses that have been tested have achieved this milestone during the latest AV-TEST study. If you are interested in knowing which are, according to this study, the best Windows antivirus, you can see them just below:
- Avast Free Antivirus
- Avira Security for Windows
- F-Secure SAFE
- G DATA Total Security
- Kaspersky Internet Security
- McAfee Total Protection
- NortonLifeLock Norton 360
- Trend Micro Internet Security