Do you use any antivirus program for your digital devices?
Viruses can damage and corrupt your files and render your system unusable.
But, it could be exhausting and resource-consuming to buy and test for the best antivirus program.
Here comes Bitdefender.
It is one of the best antivirus programs that you should have on your devices.
Are you wondering why?
Let’s find out.
Do You Really Need an Antivirus?
You might have heard people saying, “You don’t need to buy an antivirus software anymore.” The reason is new advancements in the cybersecurity system by the frequently used OS companies like Windows, Mac, and Android.
But, have they ever mentioned cybercriminals are also getting smarter by the day.
You wouldn’t leave valuable accessories like phone, wallet, and car keys out in the open, right. Then why would you like to leave your confidential data like credit card numbers, passwords, and private files unprotected?
A robust antivirus program is essential for any online device, be it your laptop, desktop, or mobile. An antivirus can protect your data from cybercriminals as well as malware attacks.
You can be safe on your own if you wish. It is certainly possible. You can have your system up to date and update all software applications, practice optimal security measures, and you can save yourself from online threats. The only catch is, just in case some malware bypass your primary defense and enters your PC. Then you are doomed.
Remarkably, using an antivirus application provides you with another chance to tackle the problem.
Therefore, you need to have antivirus. And like we said, if you want one without going through all the hassle of research work, then install Bitdefender Antivirus right now.
Which Bitdefender Product is Best?
Bitdefender’s 2020 line up is out. From a minimal entry-level package to a premium package that includes unlimited VPN and priority tech support, it has everything you can expect from antivirus software.
Bitdefender’s antivirus line up now has five versions.
Starting from the bottom, Bitdefender Antivirus Free provides necessary malware detection and removal along with phishing and fraud protection.
Second, in line is Bitdefender Antivirus Plus. It includes an unlimited password manager, a file shredder, a hardened web browser, and a Wi-Fi network scanner. It also consists of a new feature called Bitdefender’s Anti-Tracker web-privacy. Antivirus Plus starts at $40 per year for one PC, but if you need it, you can pay up to $80 per year for ten systems.
Bitdefender Internet Security provides parental controls, a two-way firewall, and file encryption anti-spam screening. In addition to that, you also get webcam and microphone protection.
Starting at $60 per year for one system and going up to $90 for ten systems. It is incontestably a reasonable spot in Bitdefender’s lineup.
You can have antivirus in your smartphones with Bitdefender Total Security. In addition to that, it provides website-screening and phone-tracking app for iPhones and iPads. You can have the benefit of tracking lost devices for $90 per year (five devices) and $100 (ten devices).
Read: Bitdefender Total Security 2020 Review
If you need to cover more devices, then you can use Bitdefender’s Family Pack. It lets you use Total Security features up to fifteen systems for $120 per year.
All aforementioned paid programs let you use Bitdefender’s VPN up to 200 MB. However, if you want more, you can buy unlimited VPN at an additional cost of $40 per year. That is reasonable for an excellent VPN service.
Bitdefender Premium Security is a new member of the Bitdefender’s 2020 line up. It costs $150 per year for ten systems. In this package, you get all of the Total Security features along with unlimited VPN and priority tech support.
If tech support is not your concern, we recommend buying Bitdefender’s Total Security and pay the additional cost of VPN since it costs $10 less this way.
How Good is Bitdefender’s Antivirus Protection?
Bitdefender starts it’s scanning by looking for known threats in the system. Meanwhile, a heuristic monitor looks for suspicious behavioral signs of an infection.
Anything potentially dangerous gets uploaded to Bitdefender’s server for a fix. The server sends new malware definitions several times a day to 500 million users. If you think uploading anything from your device to the server breach your privacy, then you can opt-out anytime. You’ll still get all the security updates.
Bitdefender provides you with a Safe Files feature. It puts essential items in a folder that can’t be changed or deleted. It also got Ransomware Remediation, which saves a copy of encrypted files in case of a ransomware attack.
You can turn on and off or adjust almost every feature in this antivirus from the Settings section. Besides that, it also has a movie and game mode for fewer interruptions.
One of the best reasons we liked Bitdefender over others is its rescue environment. In case your system is attacked by a potent malware that won’t leave. You can boot into the Bitdefender’s rescue environment. It restarts the system from a hidden disk sector and scan windows partition. Other elite antivirus programs also provide this feature, but you have to use a USB drive for that.
How Good is Bitdefender’s Antivirus Performance?
All Bitdefender models use the same malware detection engine. Well, its protection is reasonably open for argument.
That said, Bitdefender detected all the known and widespread threats in the German AV-Test’s examination for Windows 10 in May and June 2019. But it fell short while detecting zero-day threats.
Bitdefender is also known for providing false positives. It means it misidentified benign software as malicious. The test showed some arenas to improve, but Bitdefender still maintains to get past Norton, Windows Defender, and Trend Micro.
Bitdefender provides premium malware detection at a reasonable price using coupon code as compared to its competitors.
Security and Privacy Features
The new Anti-Tracker feature makes internet browsing more private and shows you page load time and blocked items. It works with Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer.
Bitdefender’s password manager is a charm. It can work with Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, and Bitdefender’s Safe pay browsers. The password manager blocks any extensions and provides an encrypted data stream for online purchases and banking. It also has an on-screen keyboard to bypass keylogging software.
The Video and Audio protection prevent webcam and microphone hijacking in Internet Security, Total Security, and Premium Security.
Parental Advisor blocks undesirable content and limits screen time on devices registered with the parent’s Bitdefender Central account.
Total Security and Premium Security can track all lost or stolen devices registered in the same purchase as long as they are active.
Bitdefender’s Performance and System Impact
Bitdefender Total Security provides an astonishing blend of fast scans and the slightest influence on system performance.
We performed a test on a mid-level PC having 2.5GHz Core i5-7200U processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 2 TB hard disk. The performance dropped by 14% after the installation of Bitdefender, which is way less than Kaspersky’s 18% performance drop.
We also observed a drop of 2% when performing a full scan. Compared to Kaspersky’s performance, which managed to pull off a 61% performance drop, we assure you that you are in safe hands.
Overall, Bitdefender’s scanning was fast and precise. In its first scan, it took 15 minutes to go through 1,136,800 files. Once it knows which files to ignore in the system, it gets exponentially better. A full scan that examined 639,480 files took only 2:54 seconds.
Other antivirus programs might provide faster quick scan options, but when it comes to deep scan, Bitdefender is the fastest.
How Good is Bitdefender’s Interface?
Bitdefender provides a very easy to understand user interface. You can see a green shield with a white checkmark when everything is all right.
The Dashboard shows five most essential security tasks: a scan recommendation, VPN, Quick Scan, protecting other systems, and the Safepay secure browser. You can add a task as per your requirements in this space.
On the left side, you can find the “Protection” menu for scanning details, Vulnerability, AntiSpam, Firewall, Threat Defenses, and Ransomware. Whereas, the “Privacy” menu has the password manager, VPN, webcam protection, encryption, and Anti-Tracker. At last, the “Utilities” menu consists of the startup, clean the hard drive, and track a lost or stolen computer feature.
Installation and Support
To install Bitdefender Total Security on your system, you need first to download an 11.2MB installation file. Afterward, it downloads the rest of the program. You also need to create a Bitdefender Central account.
With any premium purchase, you get 24/7 help and support. Bitdefender team replies to your queries within 24 hours. To cut this time to a few hours, you can buy the Premium Security Pack. You can choose to call, email, or use the online- chat window to contact a technician.
They have a bunch of DIY and How-to videos on their support page.
Should I Buy Bitdefender Antivirus?
Yes, definitely.
Bitdefender’s 2020 line up is all you can want from an antivirus program. It has flawless security features like phishing protection, device tracker, file shredder, password manager, and online anti tracker. Bitdefender stays true to its promise from online protection.
Read: Bitdefender Free vs Paid Edition
Apart from that, its offline features like faster deep scans and ransomware protection are cherry on a cake. It can go through an entire hard disk in record time without slowing the machine at a noticeable difference.
If you need to have a mid-range and value for money antivirus product, buy Bitdefender Total Security without any second thoughts.
If you have any queries or want to share your thoughts, feel free to comment below.
