Fast, secure... I couldn't ask for more. (NOD32)

Member Name: smooth3k

Product:	NOD32
Date:	18/08/07 (133 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fast; secure; easy to use; silent protection

Disadvantages: Lack of virus database

NOD32

Having tried many antivirus applications out there, I came to use and trust NOD32. Why?

Firstly, NOD32 is fast. Really fast. One thing that struck me about other antivirus programs out there - including Kaspersky, McAfee, ClamWin and several others - is that they tend to fail in balancing features, interface and speed. NOD32, however, gets the balance just how I want it: an interface simple and clear enough for the intermediate home user, while still keeping resource usage low enough to run in the background while performing other CPU-intensive tasks, such as playing games. This was a pleasant break from my experience of others, which could even slow down startup times. That, for me, was unacceptable; if your primary concern is security, perhaps a startup wait isn't a major concern, but otherwise, consider this a major advantage of NOD32.

Still, speed alone can't cut it in the saturated antivirus software market. With free offerings out there such as the fine Avast! and AVG, why would you choose to pay for NOD32?

Well, a key advantage of NOD32 is that it can work completely silently. This includes updating itself at customisable intervals, such as connecting to the net or at certain times. This is a feature many free offerings lack. I found I really could 'set it and forget it'; for home users sharing with inexperienced users, this is a real blessing. The time you save by avoiding giving technical advice every time the antivirus pops up really does make the reasonable license fee worthwhile! In addition to its quality virus detection - whose awards from independent testing bodies do it greater justice than my words could - the package really does all you could ask for.

As for downsides, I find myself having to nitpick - this application really does meet my own needs very well. However, I haven't tried using it over a network or with centralised updating, so if you need to use these features, be sure to try the trail version first.

Additionally, a virus database would be a welcome addition: competitors such as Mcafee offer such information sources, which can be very helpful when the software itself only reports the virus name, rather than giving more comprehensive information. Again, considering there are others on the internet that are free to use, this is only a minor point.

Summary: Quality antivirus protection that compares favourably with others available

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