BitDefender vs. Norton

In the BitDefender vs. Norton matchup, BitDefender Antivirus Pro 2011 has secured our TopTenREVIEWS Gold Award for the best antivirus software, while Norton Antivirus 2011 has clout as one of the most popular antivirus software solutions on the market. Both maintain a hearty set of features that guard against insufferable internet baddies such as Trojans, worms, spyware, adware and anything else that might cause harm to your computer system. BitDefender’s range of customizable features might make the average customer setting-weary, and Norton’s tendency to slow down computers leaves a bit to be desired in terms of start-up and shutdown speeds. Overall, both companies provide stellar antivirus software with an array of features and high-level protection. Let’s see if either software has a surprise haymaker up its sleeve.

Both companies' paid software applications include a full set of features. Competitively – and almost equally – priced, both products protect your computer from the latest viruses and spyware, allowing you to work and play on the internet safely and securely. With QuickScan features, BitDefender and Norton can quickly analyze your system’s processes and files, search for malware hiding in your system files and provide you with a series of options for zapping those scoundrels off your hard drive. How do they compare in a competition, though?

BitDefender offers a trio of options, from basic to intermediate to expert. Basic settings provide less obtrusive protective services, but also leave you with fewer adjustable settings. With all options, you can choose the features to retain on the dashboard, providing a serious level of customization. BitDefender's installation asks you to register your product, create an account online and perform an optional configuration for its remote-management utility. Lastly, certified by West Coast Labs, BitDefender’s virus-detection and removal capability makes it one of the best antivirus software products in the business.

Norton Antivirus has been criticized in the past for its sluggishness during installation and operation, but its 2011 release has smoothed out the wrinkles and streamlined the entire process. Installation only takes about a minute. After opting in or out of sending anonymous data to Symantec, the software asks you to register your product. The entire process is quick and easy. The standard version has many settings that might leave beginning users a bit befuddled. Norton Antivirus 2011 gets solid marks for overall malware defense. To avoid fixing what isn't broken, Norton's antivirus software retains many features from previous versions of the software. Lastly, while Norton has streamlined many aspects of its antivirus software, users and experts alike still complain that it slows down computers' start-up time.

With a solid set of features in both corners, the BitDefender vs. Norton contest is a tough one to judge. BitDefender’s range of customizable settings will make both experts and neophytes happy, while its robust set of security features can prevent the most mischievous malware from becoming a nuisance. Norton, too, provides powerful security settings, but without an easy-to-grasp interface, the software might leave new users scratching their heads. Finally, Norton’s boot-time slowdowns are a serious deficit they have yet to address, making BitDefender’s speedier software come out on top.

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