Advice Request Stay with EAM or switch to G-Data?

Please provide comments and solutions that are helpful to the author of this topic.

cardinal

New Member
Thread author
Nov 13, 2023
3
Hey guys,

long time lurker here needs some advice. ;)

I did use Emsisoft Anti Malware Home for the past years and even tho I am not dissatisfied with it I am kind of annoyed with the FPs. For example I do have to whitelist EVERY update of the Tor Browser because of its BB.

So I am thinking about switching to G-Data Antivirus but cannot decide if that's the right decision. The GUI seems very old and the software appears to be kind of buggy (I did read some comments about that). But the protection seems very good. EAM seems to miss some samples here an there in some tests. But I do like the web console for management and additional information.

So would you guys switch to G-Data or stay with Emsisoft?

Thanks in advance!
 

Bot

AI-powered Bot
Apr 21, 2016
4,439
Hey there!

I understand your frustration with false positives in Emsisoft Anti-Malware Home. It can be quite annoying to have to constantly whitelist legitimate software updates. However, it's worth noting that false positives are a common issue with many antivirus programs, and it can be difficult for any software to achieve a perfect balance between detecting malware and avoiding false positives.

Regarding G-Data Antivirus, it's true that the GUI may appear outdated to some users. However, it's important to remember that the user interface is just one aspect of the software, and the overall protection it offers is what really matters. If G-Data has a solid reputation for providing good protection against malware, it might be worth considering despite the outdated interface.

In terms of the reported bugs, it's always a good idea to research and read user reviews to get a better understanding of the potential issues you may encounter. Keep in mind that every software has its pros and cons, and what works well for one person may not work as smoothly for another.

Ultimately, the decision to switch to G-Data or stick with Emsisoft depends on your personal preferences and priorities. If you value the web console for management and additional information that Emsisoft offers, it might be worth sticking with it despite the occasional false positives. On the other hand, if you prioritize strong malware protection and are willing to overlook the outdated GUI, G-Data could be a good option for you.

I would suggest trying out a trial version of G-Data Antivirus to see how it performs on your system and whether it meets your expectations. This way, you can make an informed decision based on your own experience.

I hope this helps, and good luck with your decision!
 

Shadowra

Level 37
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Sep 2, 2021
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Tough choice!

Emsisoft is very good, but less so on 0-day attacks. I've already found myself infected during my tests. It's also relatively heavy.

GData is excellent too, and performs better on 0-day attacks thanks to Beast and DeepRay.
Bugs are often due to system incompatibilities or conflicts.

Vipre is also a good choice :)
 

Dave Russo

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May 26, 2014
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I have had both for a decent period of time (though a good while ago)If you can get Gdata Total security, lots of tweets available, ( for me its Firewall ),I was a Emsisoft fan since the day of online armor being its Firewall, for me it was a sad day when they dropped it, and I never went back or will,(my opinion is biased lol) I would consider price being the deciding factor if significant.gl
 
Mar 4, 2022
40
Both use Bitdefender signatures, which is probably where you are getting most of your false positives. So G Data most likely won't be much of an improvement. When I tried G Data a couple of years ago, I had it installed for no more than 10 minutes because it slowed my pc to a crawl, and I have a pretty decent gaming pc. So between the two, I would have to chose Emsisoft.

However, if you are interested, I highly recommend F-Secure. I've been using it for more than a year, and it is very light with very few false positives, at least in my experience.
 

cardinal

New Member
Thread author
Nov 13, 2023
3
Thanks for all your replies! And thanks to @Shadowra for your insights :)
What i do get from all your messages is, that the protection from G-Data is better than that of Emsisoft, so if i would only evaluate for this i would go with G-Data. The thing is i dont really want my system to get slowed down because of my AV. I didnt really notice performance issues with Emsisoft though. I do have a pretty good PC but i also have to install the AV on two "normal" laptops. Thats why i like the management console from Emsisoft, since i can check the other systems health.
I am probably going to test G-Data and see if it slows down my system. If it does i am going to switch to Emsisoft Business Security since i am really interested in EDR ;P

Tough choice!
It really is. More than i expected xD

Is G-DATA your only "second choice"? Can I interest you in coming to the dark side? (Kaspersky)
Not necessarily, but i do want a kind of "privacy-focused" AV and much more important, without https scanning!. So these two (and F-Secure) were the only ones that i could find.

Both use Bitdefender signatures, which is probably where you are getting most of your false positives. So G Data most likely won't be much of an improvement. When I tried G Data a couple of years ago, I had it installed for no more than 10 minutes because it slowed my pc to a crawl, and I have a pretty decent gaming pc. So between the two, I would have to chose Emsisoft.

However, if you are interested, I highly recommend F-Secure. I've been using it for more than a year, and it is very light with very few false positives, at least in my experience.
The problem with F-Secure is, that their Internet Security is going to be EOL (check F-Secure announcement) at the end of the month and you have to switch to Total Security. But i dont really need and want all the "bloatware". I dont need a VPN or Passwordmanager, etc. etc.
Just a simple AV with browser protection is enough.

Agree here. Kaspersky in my opinion is the best AV but of these options, I'd go G DATA.
I dont know, Kaspersky doesnt feel right for me.
 

spaceoctopus

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Jul 13, 2014
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Personally, i would stay with Emsisoft.True it has a few fp more than other antiviruses, but it is a solid product. It is regularly updated, resource management is getting better, has a superb support, no rubbish sold with it(pc tuners, super private vpn etc...) and at a good price.

In terms of privacy, it doesn't send your url constantly to their servers.It does not upload files and folders to their servers automatically and you have good control on what data can be sent to them in terms of telemetry.

@cardinal Was thinking for a change too, two months ago, until a file pass through my DNS protection (configured agressively), i executed it, saw nothing happened and a few second later the file disappeared.I was like "f***!:oops:" And a few second later, again, the BB of EAM just showed up and threat was blocked.

In the end i renewed my license.:ROFLMAO:

Hope this helps to make a decision, dear friend!
 

simmerskool

Level 38
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Apr 16, 2017
2,709
The thing is i dont really want my system to get slowed down because of my AV.
sidenote to this good discussion, sometimes when you install a new AV to your system, it can seem slow because some AV need to "learn" your computer and new AV can speed up over the span of several days. I did experience this with TrendMicro, although that was several years ago. Perhaps not the same now with today's NGAV? dunno, and I have never used G-Data. Also important to get a clean and complete uninstall of your previous AV.
 

likeastar20

Level 9
Verified
Mar 24, 2016
423
Tough choice!

Emsisoft is very good, but less so on 0-day attacks. I've already found myself infected during my tests. It's also relatively heavy.

GData is excellent too, and performs better on 0-day attacks thanks to Beast and DeepRay.
Bugs are often due to system incompatibilities or conflicts.

Vipre is also a good choice :)
Could you provide a test in which Emsisoft has failed?
 

Shadowra

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Sep 2, 2021
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Moonhorse

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May 29, 2018
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I would go with GDATA, it easily conflicts with other software so it should be your only choice so no any other hardening/anti-malware tools/system utilities should not be installed while using GDATA

But i dont really need and want all the "bloatware". I dont need a VPN or Passwordmanager, etc. etc.
Just a simple AV with browser protection is enough.
F-secure is install and forget, you dont have to use their vpn or password manager and the price isnt bad when you buy from resellers
 

lyldz

Level 3
Verified
Well-known
Jun 4, 2016
138
sidenote to this good discussion, sometimes when you install a new AV to your system, it can seem slow because some AV need to "learn" your computer and new AV can speed up over the span of several days. I did experience this with TrendMicro, although that was several years ago. Perhaps not the same now with today's NGAV? dunno, and I have never used G-Data. Also important to get a clean and complete uninstall of your previous AV.
you make a good point., especially trend micro and bitdefender in this category.
 
F

ForgottenSeer 103564

I have had both for a decent period of time (though a good while ago)If you can get Gdata Total security, lots of tweets available, ( for me its Firewall ),I was a Emsisoft fan since the day of online armor being its Firewall, for me it was a sad day when they dropped it, and I never went back or will,(my opinion is biased lol) I would consider price being the deciding factor if significant.gl
Spoken like a user thats been around for awhile ;) OA was always one of my favorites back then as well. Gdata while i liked it, had conflicts with the OS too often, of course that was then, and it may have changed much since my last use.

@OP, personally if you are not having any issues, and the configuration has been working for you other then FP's i would stick with it, as mentioned by another user, the engine that more then likely is the cause is in both products.
 

partha_roy

Level 3
Well-known
Oct 16, 2022
126
Emsisoft in my view. Essentially, you get the same Bitdefender signatures, but with the added benefit of their behaviour blocker, which is particularly effective in detecting unknown malicious files; personally, I love their UI too; it's clear and very user friendly

Their support has greatly improved; there were some unpleasant discussions on their forum back in the day that I felt could have been handled better but nonetheless, there is a significant improvement now
 
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