I experimented with the most recent ESET release. I wanted to test the "Essential" version, but they only offer the Premium one. ESET defaults, in my experience, are adequate but not strong. The usability of HIPS, or firewall, still lacks improvements or safe lists. Setting Firewall and HIPS to "interactive" mode is the simplest configuration to enhance ESET's protection. Dealing with interactive mode is a nightmare! Effectively using HIPS requires effort and work to configure it. If you're comfortable with HIPS configuration and know how to use it, ESET standalone can provide powerful protection.
