User Feedback Bitdefender Internet Security 2020 — a revisit to the autopilot

The associated review may contain personalised views and opinions.
Full software title and current version
Bitdefender Internet Security 2020 (b20.0.16.95)
Download and install rating
5.00 star(s)
Download and install feedback
+ Fluent and easy
- Product download size is huge ~450MB
Interface rating
5.00 star(s)
Interface feedback
+ Clean. Beginner-friendly
+ Comprehensive organization of modules
+ Ideal set of color contrasts for focus on the essential elements
Usability rating
5.00 star(s)
Usability feedback
+ Well clustered modules
+ Learning curve is not high. Less efforts needed for an average user
- Some advanced features sound overlapping and might need time to grasp - like File Vault, Safe Files, Ransomware remediation
Performance rating
5.00 star(s)
Performance feedback
+ Fantastic performance on an decent hardware. And this comes as a surprise for someone who's used an older, buggy and heavy version (2018)
+ Does NOT visibly slow down browsing, app launches and file operations
- Takes a good toll on machine when opening a folder full of executables, common among some competitors
Basic protection rating
5.00 star(s)
Basic protection feedback
+ Consistently ranked high in independent tests (take it with a pinch of salt)
+ Engine is borrowed by a number of other AVs
+ Fairly powerful protection for everyday use
https://www.av-comparatives.org/tests/enhanced-real-world-test-2019-consumer/
https://www.av-comparatives.org/tests/real-world-protection-test-july-october-2019/
https://www.av-test.org/en/antivirus/home-windows/windows-10/february-2020/bitdefender-internet-security-24.0-200506/
- Dynamic protection including anti-ransomware seems slightly on the weaker side, unless manually fortified
Advanced protection rating
5.00 star(s)
Web browsing protection rating
5.00 star(s)
Positives
    • Many features
    • Minimal setup required
    • Low impact on system resources
    • Simple and non-intrusive
    • Ransomware protection
    • Strong and reliable protection
    • Detects or blocks in the wild malware
    • Virus signatures are updated daily
    • Excellent scores in independent tests
    • Well designed, clear and easy to use interface
    • Multi-layer protection approach
Negatives
    • Advanced users may want more control
    • Not as many features as some competitors
    • Can be complex in some situations
Time spent using
Up to 1 month
Computer specs
Intel i5 4th Gen (upto 2.3Ghz Turbo) | 8GB DDR3 | 1TB HDD | AMD Radeon 8670M Graphics (2GB)
Overall rating
5.00 star(s)

fabiobr

Level 12
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Mar 28, 2019
562
Currently, this is one of my favorite threads!
I always had a soft spot for Bitdefender. I always wanted them to sort their bugs out and rise to the high place they deserve here in MT.
I gotta tell you, I have a 1-year 10-device license key for Bitdefender Total Security that I won a couple years for beta testing and I haven't even activated the license yet.
And here you got me all excited to trial BD again and maybe after that I'll make a permanent switch (currently I'm on Kaspersky's wagon).
However, I'm not sure about Bitdefender Total Security though, will it be heavier than their Internet Security ?

Anyway, thank you for this wonderful and refreshing review ! and may the force be with you BD !

P.S. I LOVE THEIR LOGO :LOL::giggle:
Maybe only VPN service, but you can uninstall it.
 

elquenunca

Level 3
Verified
Dec 23, 2017
138
Hi everyone
I have been using bitdefender since 2017, it has always seemed to me one of the best security suites despite the fact that little is said about it, it is usually commented more on kaspersky or eset
in most AV tests it is very well rated.
I have several computers: in 2 I have kaspersky installed, in 1 eset and in another bitdefender (by the way it is the oldest computer) and with bitdefender I am very satisfied
 

Parsh

Level 25
Thread author
Verified
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Malware Hunter
Well-known
Dec 27, 2016
1,485
Maybe only VPN service, but you can uninstall it.
VPN is present in the reviewed Internet Security version too. Not heavy as such. True, can be uninstalled easily.
Nope. BD Free.
Oh! As you said you have it in your machine now, I thought you are trying out BIS :)
I have been using bitdefender since 2017, it has always seemed to me one of the best security suites despite the fact that little is said about it, it is usually commented more on kaspersky or eset
in most AV tests it is very well rated.
Maybe because of some discussed bugs in older versions of BD, and its not discussed much because of the low geek-score associated with BD. As you know it does not provide much to play with.
 

fabiobr

Level 12
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Mar 28, 2019
562
Last time I tried BitDefender, it stucked at installing process, it closed itself after some time in the middle of downloding and never showed again, I tried again and it did the same thing, so I gave up. The PC was extreme slow during this process.

I'm testing today on my PC and is smoothly.
 

oldschool

Level 76
Top Poster
Well-known
Mar 29, 2018
6,505
it closed itself after some time in the middle of downloding and never showed again,

Yes, there is a lag time where it disappears as it configures itself but reappears if you wait. This through me off when I installed it in the past except this time I knew what to expect.

The one thing about installation is that BD still objects to the presence of some other security softrware, sometimes simply failing to install and not alerting you to the reason for the problem. This could definitely cause trouble for some users.
 

Pat MacKnife

Level 15
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Jul 14, 2015
701

Wraith2020

Level 2
Mar 19, 2020
89
A very informative and helpful review my friend. You just made me want to try BD more. I'm currently looking for a set and forget AV for my family computer that is used by my parents and BD seems to be the sweet product for me. Time to find out a 90 days trial and test out the software.
 

SeriousHoax

Level 45
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Mar 16, 2019
3,413
Then they may have changed something a bit. To reproduce in another way, enable show hidden files, make Bitdefender's real time protection disinfect and quarantine a malware, disable show hidden files and then enable again. This time you probably won't be able to see hidden files till the PC is restarted. Can you reproduce it this way?
Update: I was able to reproduce this without doing all that I mentioned here. Just enabled show hidden folders and extract multiple samples from a zip file and after Bitdefender finished removing the threats couldn't see my hidden folders anymore. This is a 10 year old thing so they surely have no plans to change this. Sigh!
Found a bug related to Virtual Box. Bitdefender don't like Virtual Box's network driver it seems and causes BSOD on the host machine. So, Virtual Box users should stay away from Bitdefender.
I had update issue once again. I thought I'm the only one but after searching I found out this issue is more common than I initially thought.
 

Divine_Barakah

Level 29
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
May 10, 2019
1,864
Update: I was able to reproduce this without doing all that I mentioned here. Just enabled show hidden folders and extract multiple samples from a zip file and after Bitdefender finished removing the threats couldn't see my hidden folders anymore. This is a 10 year old thing so they surely have no plans to change this. Sigh!
Found a bug related to Virtual Box. Bitdefender don't like Virtual Box's network driver it seems and causes BSOD on the host machine. So, Virtual Box users should stay away from Bitdefender.
I had update issue once again. I thought I'm the only one but after searching I found out this issue is more common than I initially thought.
Hi! Were you testing BD inside VM?
 

SeriousHoax

Level 45
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Mar 16, 2019
3,413
I thought you were testing it in a VM. BD does not like VMs. Anyway it seems that BD needs some work to refine their product. You're unlucky that it did not work for you. BD is a great product.
Yeah well said. I hope no one gets discouraged by the issue that I mentioned. If someone has no problem with these very specific things then great. It's a great product with very good all around performance.
 

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