Antivirus Performance Comparison
It is crucial to know the amount of computer resources the antivirus program will consume. The most effective software is one that has only a minimal impact on system performance while still providing excellent protection against malware and viruses.
Most antivirus software vendors publish extensive tests in PDF format. The reports provide at-a-glance assessments of performance, protection and usability of each suite, as well as detailed graphs and charts that show the results of certain testing elements. The percentage of malware that is real-world and references set exposures that the program blocks, neutralizes or compromises, along with the number of false positives detecting of benign programs are crucial figures to keep an eye out for.
In AV-Comparatives’ testing in June 2023, Avast Free Antivirus for Mac had the highest percentage of pass rates in blocking Mac malware and PUAs (potentially unwanted applications) and the second highest score for Windows virus detection. It also scored well in the categories of full-scan, passive and quick-scan.
Bitdefender Total Security was the most non-intrusive paid program followed by Kaspersky Total Security, and ESET Security Cloud Free. However it was the slowest in both the full-scan and quick-scan category. Its light background impact may be due to the fact that the program does not run by default on Windows 10 and 11, like its competitors do.
Intego had the lowest system impact for background scans and full scans however, it was able to detect every piece of malware. It’s rare to find a company that only focuses on Macs. This makes it an excellent tool for any security arsenal.