AVs with low disk usage?

mal1

Level 4
Thread author
Verified
Well-known
Oct 1, 2015
183
I have always had performance issues on my low-end laptop (core i3, 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD, Windows 8.1).
As a heavy browser (+20 tabs on two browsers at any given moment), I've always blamed my laptop "freezes" on high RAM usage, I was wrong. Even with 30 or 40 tabs, RAM usage is rarely above 60 or 70%, while I have recurrent 100% disk usage peaks (especially after boot-ups).
My real-time AV is Avast Internet Security with hardened aggressive mode enabled, whenever I have a slowdown, I see Avast processes causing 100% disk usage. I've just disabled hardened aggressive mode, and it looks like things are a little better now.
I've looked it up on Google, I found many lists of AVs ranked by RAM usage, but only a few topics with conflicting feedback about disk usage. Some said WD had a very low disk usage, others claimed Bitdefender, Avast, Avira, Webroot, Norton, NOD32 etc. had a low disk usage.
How does Avast compare to other AVs in disk usage department? Was the hardened aggressive mode the cause
of high disk usage? And if so, is Avast without hardened aggressive mode worth it? What's the internet security solution with the lightest disk usage?
 
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Janl1992l

Level 14
Verified
Well-known
Feb 14, 2016
648
if u want a av with low disk usage go with webroot. But i would go with SecureAPlus. Whitelisting software+12 av engine in the cloud.
 
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spaceoctopus

Level 16
Verified
Top Poster
Content Creator
Well-known
Jul 13, 2014
766
I have always had performance issues on my low-end laptop (core i3, 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD, Windows 8.1).
As a heavy browser (+20 tabs on two browsers at any given moment), I've always blamed my laptop "freezes" on high RAM usage, I was wrong. Even with 30 or 40 tabs, RAM usage is rarely above 60 or 70%, while I have recurrent 100% disk usage peaks (especially after boot-ups).
My real-time AV is Avast Internet Security with hardened aggressive mode enabled, whenever I have a slowdown, I see Avast processes causing 100% disk usage. I've just disabled hardened aggressive mode, and it looks like things are a little better now.
I've looked it up on Google, I found many lists of AVs ranked by RAM usage, but only a few topics with conflicting feedback about disk usage. Some said WD had a very low disk usage, others claimed Bitdefender, Avast, Avira, Webroot, Norton, NOD32 etc. had a low disk usage.
How does Avast compare to other AVs in disk usage department? Was the hardened aggressive mode the cause
of high disk usage? And if so, is Avast without hardened aggressive mode worth it? What's the internet security solution with the lightest disk usage?
Panda antivirus pro and Internet security are excellent if you want a product that uses a low amount of resources and offers good protection.I have been using Avast premier on an old system.It offered excellent protection,but resource usage was a bit high.When turning on my PC, it took about 55sec to about 1min20 for everything to settle and loaded correctly,even with a startup manager.
I then installed Panda Internet security, and my PC was booted in 11secs and ready for usage. Bought a license and very happy with the product till now.;)
 
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H

hjlbx

@mal1

The only real solution to your dilemma is Webroot. Adjust Webroot settings to maximum and you won't notice - plus it is actually fairly secure.

Better yet, combo Webroot with NVT ERP.

That's it; problem solved.

The other solution is to use an AV, but do not enable settings that perform heavy monitoring of system nor perform full system scans. This is difficult to accomplish.

I know you have been trying to solve this issue on your system for a long time. Because of the nature of your system, using most AVs is like playing ping-pong with a bowling ball, or bowling with a ping-pong ball - I don't know which - but I do know it is an impossible situation.
 

mal1

Level 4
Thread author
Verified
Well-known
Oct 1, 2015
183
Thank you so much guys. Panda and Webroot are definitely among the lightest AVs.

How about these two non-cloud AVs; Bitdefender free and NOD32?
 
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H

hjlbx

Thank you so much guys. Panda and Webroot are definitely among the lightest AVs.

How about these two non-cloud AVs; Bitdefender free and NOD32?

Both are fine.

You just need to know how Bitdefender free works (Auto Pilot) mode so you don't think it is buggy because of all of its unexpected behaviors.
 
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jamescv7

Level 85
Verified
Honorary Member
Mar 15, 2011
13,070
You may try Bitdefender Free as well since the AV is too minimal and the resource should not bragged easily because of its Cloud implementation. ;)
 
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McLovin

Level 76
Verified
Honorary Member
Malware Hunter
Apr 17, 2011
9,222
I've not had a problem with Trend for being and using to much of system resources as shown in pictures below;
a18gLUe.png RRrkK4X.png

Plus there is not much to configure to great protection.
 
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_CyberGhosT_

Level 53
Verified
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Content Creator
Well-known
Aug 2, 2015
4,286
I think Avira and Webroot are the low standard from what I can discern. I don't use either so I cant test that theory though.
Do you own a test machine ?
 
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D

Deleted member 2913

Give a try to Windows Defender + Voodoo Shield.

Never used Win 8 but on Win 10 64 here WD + VS is light. My cousin has same system specs as yours but Win 10 64. And WD + VS combo was light on his system too.
 

CMLew

Level 23
Verified
Well-known
Oct 30, 2015
1,251
WD + Binisoft's WFC + NVT ERP :D. So light that you can't feel it's there.
 
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