AVG Anti Virus Vs Microsoft Security Essentials
AVG has released the latest version of its extremely popular free anti-virus software just days after Microsoft released its Security Essentials (MSE). This is a vital release for a company whose main users are free users and whose business mainly depends on free security software while in comparison Security Essentials is a basic but powerful security software.
AVG Anti Virus Installation
The setup has a file size of less than 900 KB due to it being merely required to launch the setup while MSE packs the whole setup in a file size of 4.8 MB (for Windows 7 x64). The installation begins with a language check, then an internet connection check and then whether the user wants to install the trial of AVG Internet Security or the free anti-virus version. The setup then begins downloading the actual setup files which takes a rather long time. After downloading the required files, installation finally begins.
Installation is thus slow, cumbersome, and confusing for the average user in comparison to MSE which has a fast installation, and is less cumbersome and confusing. Installation which is one of the most vital points in a software but such poor installation procedure sets off a rather bad impression in the user’s mind about the overall software. This round is thus easily won by Microsoft.
MSE Vs AVG Anti Virus – User Interface
The User Interface has three tabs one each for ‘Overview’, ‘Computer Scanner’ and ‘Update Now’. Users are reminded that the version they are using is a ‘Basic version’ all thanks to the horizontal banner which is displayed at the bottom by AVG but can be turned off. Otherwise the UI is pretty well-designed.
UI is thus a welcome relief after the cumbersome installation procedure. The UI of MSE is pretty basic but easy enough for the user to understand. The second round is thus a draw between the two companies.
Microsoft Security Essentials Vs AVG Anti Virus – Performance
Users can choose between two types of scans ‘Full computer scan’ or ‘Custom scan’ in which users can choose the specific files and folders. Scans were comparatively faster and there were few false threats.
The results of AVG Free anti-virus edition were not published by AV TEST. The closest we can get to them is to consider the results of AVG Internet Security in AV-TEST - AVG IS performed averagely with a 95.8% malware on demand score in comparison to Security Essentials’s 97.7% score and a disappointing 87% score in adware/spyware on demand test with Security Essentials getting a 97.1% score.
This round is also thus easily won by Microsoft and AVG free edition miserably fails it.
Conclusion – MSE beats AVG Anti Virus Free Edition
AVG free edition cannot match the power of MSE in performance and takes a lot of time to install. User Interface which doesn’t matter much to users as compared to the performance is well designed but that is the only talking point in this software. MSE is a winner in the free security software category and it will take much more from AVG and others to overtake MSE.
Piyush’s Score : 6/10. We’ll also be adding an in-depth review of AVG Anti Virus down the line.
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Filed under: Windows 7 Software
Nice quick review of AVG. When you do your in-depth review, also measure the effect AVG has on boot time. I used AVG for years but recently switched to Avast! (which works well) because AVG doubled, yes doubled, my boot and shutdown times. Their tech support said that was normal. Sigh…
Hope this helps!