BitDefender Reviewer's Comments
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The best line of defense against computer viruses, spyware and spam is BitDefender 2008, our #1 ranked anti–virus software and winner of “TopTenREVIEWS Gold Award.” BitDefender 2008 is an outstanding product with a user–friendly interface that will scan all existing files on your computer, all incoming and outgoing emails, IM transfers and all other network traffic.
This latest version of BitDefender has a new Gamer Mode feature that minimizes impact on gaming performance by removing any popups or warnings during game play while still protecting your computer. The software still has all of the reliable features for which Bitdefender is known such as “Privacy Protection” for outgoing personal information, “Web Scanning” while you’re using the Internet and “Rootkit Detection and Removal,” which detects then removes hidden virus programs.
BitDefender has also improved their existing B–HAVE feature that runs pieces of software on a virtual computer to detect code that could be an unknown virus. In addition, a setup wizard makes it easy to customize security settings.
BitDefender Screenshots. Click to Enlarge
Ease of Use:
Softwin has covered all of the bases with BitDefender. This comprehensive product has an attractive, easy–to–use design that is consistent throughout the software and the manufacturer’s website. Because it is simple to use and updates itself automatically, you can install it on your system, then practically forget it’s there—an ideal solution for any user.
BitDefender has an option to display a small window called the “File Zone” on your desktop that indicates how many files the program has scanned in the past few minutes. You can also drag and drop files into the File Zone for an immediate scan. The program prepares a report of each completed scan so you know exactly what your files do or do not contain and you can instruct BitDefender to disinfect or remove any infected files or messages.
You can also customize BitDefender’s security settings for features such as AntiVirus, Antispam, Antispyware and Parental Control.
Effectiveness:
BitDefender’s customizable settings make the program effective for a variety of users. For example, if you receive legitimate commercial email, you can set BitDefender’s spam filters to allow specific or all emails.
Virus Bulletin rated BitDefender a VB100%, the highest honor for anti–virus software.
The VB 100% logo is awarded to anti–virus products that detect all current “in the wild” viruses during both on–demand and on–access scanning in Virus Bulletin’s comparative tests.
Additionally, BitDefender passed the ICSA 2007—a similar test that certifies the software can detect viruses, prevent virus replication, and doesn’t generate false positives.
Updates:
The live update feature checks for product and virus definition updates at either a user–defined interval, manually or default (every hour). When you do a manual check for updates, you can decide which updates to install. When the software automatically checks for updates, it can update the files immediately or at a specified time that you can determine during setup.
Feature Set:
BitDefender creates a summary log of events that shows the last definitions updates, details on any virus the software encounters, the last time you ran a scan, definitions number and more. And new in 2008, Bitdefender has added a Gamer Feature so it won't interrupt you during intense gaming.
BitDefender’s startup guard will tell you if a program is trying to load itself upon start up so you can choose to allow it or not. This software suite also comes with adware and spyware detectors. Though we recommend using an antispyware scanner, as they are designed specifically for this purpose, it is nice to have two programs working towards a common goal, to keep your computer clean.
Ease of Installation:
Installation of BitDefender is a snap. Uninstalling BitDefender was easy as well. We did find some leftover registry entries and directories after the uninstall completed though.
Help/Support:
When you purchase BitDefender you also receive one year of virus signature and scan engine updates. The manufacturer offers qualified technical support live via the Internet and telephone.
There is also an online database with answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) and they have an email address–they answered our email within 6 hours. An online forum is also available on the BitDefender support site.
Summary:
BitDefender is easy to use, simple to install, has a great feature set and at $24.95, it won’t break your bank account. Anyone who spends time on the Internet knows the importance of anti–virus software; BitDefender will keep your computer virus–free and running smoothly.
©2008 TopTenREVIEWS, Inc.
