Is KAV That Much Better?

I am interested in KAV 5 and BitDefender 9 Standard as my AV. I have run both AV's trial software and like both. Each one has all the features that I want. They both run equally smooth on my computer. It's so close, it's difficult to choose. I know KAV is the preferred AV among the majority of the security minded folks here and at another forum, but is it hands down the better choice over BD 9 Standard? I mean, even Comsumer Reports loves it.

 

Maybe this link can influence your final choice :
http://www.av-comparatives.org/

 

I think that if you have reasonably safe computer use habits, you will be just as well off with either KAV or BitDefender. BitDefender did recently update their heuristics module so it may be better in that area than KAV.

You should just pick the one which you personally like the best. Since you have already limited yourself to two of the absolute best AV products, it is entirely up to you. It sounds like you want to use BitDefender, so that is what I would do if I were you.

Also, I am not sure it is correct to say that KAV is the choice of a majority of the people on this board. I use KAV on one machine of mine. It is clearly an excellent program. I have NOD on another. It is also excellent.

 

Both are excellent.

You might want to consider price:

hermanstreet.com has a download version of Bitdefender 9 standard for $19.99 and the yearly renewal through Bitdefender's web site is ~$14.95 (plus you can use this version on 2 home computers at the same time per their license agreement).

newegg.com has Kaspersky Personal 5 download version for $24.99 and the yearly renewal through Kaspersky's web site is $27.97.

While price shouldn't be the deciding factor, it is an influence.

Good luck and you won't go wrong with either.

 

Imho KAV. I had trouble with BD free their ondemand scanner. This was quite some time ago, though. Version 7 BD free I believe. Wouldn't uninstall properly. So I think KAV is a little bit better protection. Combined with that BD free problem. But given the high reguard BD held in these days. You probably couldn't go too wrong either way.

 

if you like both why not use gdata avk antivirus it uses both engines kaspersky and bitdefender

 

look here for more info


https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=114469

 

Too bad one didn't win hands down when I ran the trial versions. It would have been easier that way. Maybe I'll just flip a coin.

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the replies.

 

I was just in the same boat myself trying to decide between these two. I ended up purchasing licenses to both.

BD9 is currently running and so far I'm extremely happy with it. I might switch when KAV2006 comes out just to give it a test drive and see how it performs.

 

I tried KAV and it did not want to update. I have used BD for about a year and like it, found that I could use the license on my second computer, and see no reason to change.

Jerry

 

Decision made. I went with BitDefender 9 Standard. I liked a lot of things about it, and felt more comfortable with.

Thanks for the help.

 

"Comfortable" is the key word you used. It is hard to overestimate the importance of user comfort with any type of software and especially security software. All else being equal, you should use the one you are most comfortable with. Eventhough I did not care much for BitDefender when I tried it out, I would say you made a good choice.

 

You made the right choice. BD has signatures + strong heuristics.

 

Well said (and welcome to Wilders!)

 

Even when your harddisk is still infected, it gives you a good feeling, when your AV scanner says :
"Congratulations. No virus found." It's the illusion of feeling safe that counts.

 

That's much like what Police Commanders think...so long as the Public Feels safe, it's not so important whether or not they are safer this year than last year...

 

Not sure what you are trying to say. Please explain. Are you saying that BD doesn't do a good job of detecting viruses? I find that hard to believe. I've checked out AV-Comparatives, and some other sites, and BD is very highly rated. I'm sure all AVs miss some, even KAV.

 

No he's saying all antiviruses suck, you should not use any of them, if you get shadowuser!

 

No, I think what he is trying to say is the same is what I tell people. It's that just because you "feel" safe with a certain antivirus product doesn't necessarily mean you are safe. For instance a lot of people use Norton or AVG and say "I have never had a problem with viruses since switching", well maybe not but I routinely install KAV for users that were using one of these 2 and KAV finds multiple infections. So even if these users "feel" safe they really aren't. I hate when people say use what you "feel" is best or "use what you are comfortable with", you should use what is proven to be the best product. You did the right thing by researching and Bit Defender is a very good program, personally I only use KAV and it's all I recommend but NOD32 and Bit Defender and excellent as well with a proven track record.

 

That's what I was trying to say. You understood me very well.

 

Ahh. Ok. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

As I said in my post above, "all else being equal" you should use what you are most comfortable with. After doing some research and settling on two of the very best (KAV and BitDefender), then a person is probably best off selecting which one they are most comfortable with. Clearly, some av's are proven by testing to not be equal to KAV or BitDefender. So I would not recommend that people choose those even if they are more comfortable with them.

By the way, I had that same exact experience of using Avast free for a few years and then loading KAV. I think it found about ten viruses that Avast missed. That was an eye opener!!! Yikes. Definitely, you want to stick with one of the very top products, especially if you have unsafe surfing habits.

 

Really? I think a deeper point is that you can "feel" safe with *ANY* antivirus product doesn't necessarily mean you are safe. This holds if you are using KAV,NOD,bitdefender etc or all of them together.

Of course, i feel pretty safe with VMware, SU, deepfreeze, but god knows if i'm really safe.