- Sep 22, 2016
- 408
Norton Security has been awarded the best computer protection software, based in test and comparison of components of brands software for all the devices, including support!
Considerations of the test:
In addition to test results, we consider the software's feature sets, which vary according to the operating system you use the software on. The most complete feature sets are in the Windows components of multiplatform computer protection software.
Antiphishing is now just as important as antimalware. Fortunately, all of the products include it in their Windows components. Furthermore, most of the products we reviewed can detect threats that attempt to infiltrate via emails and instant messages. All of the products that we reviewed can automatically check for threats to Windows that try to move in when you attach removable storage such as a USB thumb drive.
The Macintosh component feature lists are usually not as extensive as those of the Windows component. Most of the products in our review support antiphishing on Mac machines. It is not by coincidence that the three products at the bottom of our ranking do not protect Macs from malicious websites.
The features you can expect to find in the Android component of the products we reviewed include antitheft features, call blocking and message filtering. Many of the mobile products also protect you from malicious websites. Some of them include parental controls and backup utilities. Each product we reviewed has an application advisor that warns you if an app demands permissions that might threaten your privacy.
One of the most important functions to consider with computer protection software that supports multiple operating systems is how well you can manage preferences and subscriptions from a single console. In our experience with these products, all of them provide excellent centralized account management. The ones that stand out and deserve the slightly better ease-of-use scores go a step further, giving you some ability to perform scans on various device installations from a central console so that you are not limited to performing the actions from a specific device.
Final veredict:
The convenience of multiplatform computer protection software is becoming apparent as many of us acquire more and more computing devices. Furthermore, we are entrusting ever-younger children in our families with computing devices. Older children are bringing the Windows vs. Mac and Android vs. iOS debates into the home, which means that households wind up with lots of different devices to protect.
Which of the winning products is right for you depends on your situation. Among our Gold, Silver and Bronze Award winners, each one is missing features that you might require, so examine our side-by-side comparison. You'll find that when you consider multiplatform security essentials, they all achieve excellence. Whether on Windows, Mac or Android, they scan malware effectively, tread lightly on system resources, demonstrate accuracy in discerning safe files from infected ones and protect you from malicious websites. Also, the publishers respond to support requests with live operators 18 to 24 hours per day.
Each of the top three products excels in different areas, and you might not require your security software to bundle features that you have already taken care of with alternative applications and utilities. For example, Bitdefender provides 2GB of online backup, whereas Norton provides 25GB and Kaspersky doesn't offer backup at all. This is something to consider if you haven't backed up your data online with another application.
Norton, Bitdefender and Kaspersky all include parental controls to protect and monitor your children online on Windows. Only Kaspersky extends parental controls to Mac, but it excludes them from Android and iOS. What to choose depends on what devices you and the others in your home use. Our recommendation is to examine our matrix closely and, armed with this information, find the best computer protection software for your household.
Considerations of the test:
In addition to test results, we consider the software's feature sets, which vary according to the operating system you use the software on. The most complete feature sets are in the Windows components of multiplatform computer protection software.
Antiphishing is now just as important as antimalware. Fortunately, all of the products include it in their Windows components. Furthermore, most of the products we reviewed can detect threats that attempt to infiltrate via emails and instant messages. All of the products that we reviewed can automatically check for threats to Windows that try to move in when you attach removable storage such as a USB thumb drive.
The Macintosh component feature lists are usually not as extensive as those of the Windows component. Most of the products in our review support antiphishing on Mac machines. It is not by coincidence that the three products at the bottom of our ranking do not protect Macs from malicious websites.
The features you can expect to find in the Android component of the products we reviewed include antitheft features, call blocking and message filtering. Many of the mobile products also protect you from malicious websites. Some of them include parental controls and backup utilities. Each product we reviewed has an application advisor that warns you if an app demands permissions that might threaten your privacy.
One of the most important functions to consider with computer protection software that supports multiple operating systems is how well you can manage preferences and subscriptions from a single console. In our experience with these products, all of them provide excellent centralized account management. The ones that stand out and deserve the slightly better ease-of-use scores go a step further, giving you some ability to perform scans on various device installations from a central console so that you are not limited to performing the actions from a specific device.
Final veredict:
The convenience of multiplatform computer protection software is becoming apparent as many of us acquire more and more computing devices. Furthermore, we are entrusting ever-younger children in our families with computing devices. Older children are bringing the Windows vs. Mac and Android vs. iOS debates into the home, which means that households wind up with lots of different devices to protect.
Which of the winning products is right for you depends on your situation. Among our Gold, Silver and Bronze Award winners, each one is missing features that you might require, so examine our side-by-side comparison. You'll find that when you consider multiplatform security essentials, they all achieve excellence. Whether on Windows, Mac or Android, they scan malware effectively, tread lightly on system resources, demonstrate accuracy in discerning safe files from infected ones and protect you from malicious websites. Also, the publishers respond to support requests with live operators 18 to 24 hours per day.
Each of the top three products excels in different areas, and you might not require your security software to bundle features that you have already taken care of with alternative applications and utilities. For example, Bitdefender provides 2GB of online backup, whereas Norton provides 25GB and Kaspersky doesn't offer backup at all. This is something to consider if you haven't backed up your data online with another application.
Norton, Bitdefender and Kaspersky all include parental controls to protect and monitor your children online on Windows. Only Kaspersky extends parental controls to Mac, but it excludes them from Android and iOS. What to choose depends on what devices you and the others in your home use. Our recommendation is to examine our matrix closely and, armed with this information, find the best computer protection software for your household.
