Best Antivirus Software for Windows XP Review

In 2012, more PCs were running Windows XP than Linux, Mac and Vista operating systems combined, making it the second most popular operating system. If you still run Windows XP on your computer, you are one among many. When you consider antivirus for Windows XP, it is not the operating system that limits your choices but the hardware. If you have an older PC with less than 1GB of RAM and a single Pentium processor, you are likely well aware of how security software can slow down your PC. In this case, you will want to look for the best antivirus software for Windows XP that utilizes the fewest resources. If you use an XP machine with more than 2GB of RAM that has dual processors with speeds above 800MHz each, you can look at the top-performing antivirus software, which will only minimally affect your PC's performance.

If you have a Windows PC with above-average hardware, consider our top antivirus product, Bitdefender Antivirus Plus. If your PC has more than 1GB of available RAM, consider one of the global leaders in computer and data security, Kaspersky Anti-Virus. If your computer is older, with minimal RAM and processing speed, consider the fast and light F-Secure Antivirus. For more information about malware and internet security software, see our articles about antivirus for Windows XP.

Antivirus Software for Windows XP: What to Look For

We reviewed the top antivirus software to find the products that provide dependable malware detection and malware removal. We also considered resource usage and the minimum hardware requirements to run the antivirus software successfully. When you consider which security software to choose to protect your Windows XP computer, consider the level of security you require as well as the percentage of system resources that you can sacrifice to run it efficiently.

Here are the criteria TopTenREVIEWS used to rate antivirus software for Windows XP:

Malware Detection
We tested the software ourselves, and considered data from numerous third-party tests conducted within the past year. We rated highest the antivirus software that consistently demonstrates the ability to detect known and emergent malware, and which has as the ability to recognize suspiciously behaving potential threats. For the most part, we noticed that tests using Windows 7 produced similar results to those conducted on Windows XP machines.

Malware Removal
Malware removal tends to be a more difficult task than detection, and product scores in third-party tests are often lower. We rated best those that demonstrate a successful history of being able to remove malware from an infected PC. If you use Windows XP, your computer has had more than two years to pick up all kinds of malware. Malware-removal tools eradicate malware and produce noticeable performance benefits.

Security Features
Most antivirus software for Windows XP includes similar basic features such as scheduled scanning, email security, antispyware tools and USB drive scans. Advanced features such as parental controls, password managers and networking tools are more often included in full security suites. Typically, antivirus software tends to be easy to set up, runs light and is simple to manage.

Resource Usage
Depending on your hardware configuration, resource usage can be a deciding factor when you choose antivirus software for your Windows XP computer. If you have an older PC with less than 1GB of RAM and a single processor, you will want to choose software that requires fewer resources. If your PC or laptop has more than 2GB of RAM, you do not run other taxing software and the computer has a processing speed of 800MHz or faster, then most antivirus software should run adequately on your PC.

Antivirus software for Windows XP runs lighter than full internet security suites and is not loaded with tools that may slow down your PC's performance. However, these programs do provide all the security you need to confidently peruse the internet, enjoy chat conversations and view media.

At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don't Have To.™