ESET or Windows Defender?
- Which one will protect my computer better?
- What types of protection do they offer?
- Can’t choose? We will be happy to advise you.
Is Windows Defender enough to protect your device? Can it detect viruses on the Internet or transmit them like a sieve of water? Is ESET’s home product better than free competing programs or Windows Defender to protect your computer? The answers to this topic have been discussed for a long time. But few know the right answer. That’s why we decided to do our own protection tests.
Looking back, Windows Defender doesn’t have the best reputation for virus protection. Microsoft has had many user protection issues, but is constantly working to improve its Windows 10 operating system, which is also associated with Windows Defender. Naturally, it pushes the boundaries of quality higher and improves protection in the online world. But is that enough?
In principle, basic protection is definitely better than none. Many users are not aware of its advantages. It automatically protects the user free of charge and without the need to adjust anything, does not burden the system and requires virtually no maintenance. On the other hand, most of these features are also available for free and, of course, paid antiviruses. Therefore, we focused directly on the protection of comparisons with the Slovak product ESET.
ABOUT WINDOWS DEFENDER
As mentioned above, Microsoft has made great strides in recent years in developing its antivirus and expanding the features in Windows Defender:
- Real-time threat detection
- Firewall protection
- Parental control
- Cloud antivirus library (to speed up overall performance)
After these extensions, we started to think about whether it is necessary to use another antivirus or whether Windows Defender itself is enough for us to protect.
IS WINDOWS DEFENDER SUFFICIENT?
Microsoft has made many improvements in recent years. But there are still many things we don’t like about Microsoft Defender:
- parental controls are limited to the Microsoft web browser
- Internet security features must be retrofitted to external browsers (such as Chrome and Firefox)
- real-time protection was unable to block some malicious files during scanning
- does not include an integrated password manager
- Microsoft does not update its database often enough to keep it up to date
Finally, we would like to mention free antivirus programs that provide better protection against viruses and malware. Many programs offer other features that Microsoft does not include, such as a virtual private network (VPN) and a password manager. The best for free protection is a combination of Windows Defender and a free antivirus. However, they will definitely not give you 100% protection. That is why we recommend ESET to our customers.
WHAT DOES ESET PROVIDE?
ESET has a wide range of computer security tools, making it a better option than Windows Defender. Users will also enjoy a wide range of packages from which to choose and adapt the protection to their needs. But what protection does it offer us?
Let’s start with the performance of the computer when using the program. You will not notice a decrease in performance, the device works without any problems during office work. Power users will be pleased that you won’t experience a drop in performance even with games. Fast threat detection is ensured thanks to cloud diagnostics.
Thanks to the “LiveGrid” service, you will be warned in time about the possible risk of a virus. The computer scans constantly, focusing on changes to files or connections. ESET also provides an in-depth review of all files.
ESET offers more than enough compared to the competition. From webcam access protection to thorough protection against deep infection threats (UEFI). It also provides to view devices that are connected to your home network and scan for network vulnerabilities. With this feature, you can find out if a neighbor or someone else is connecting to your WiFi.
Antivirus provides us with all the protections of Windows Defender faster.
There was no virus permeability.
- Parental control is available for all browsers without installation.
- Real-time protection has been able to protect us from all threats.
- Includes an integrated password manager.
- The database is constantly updated.
CONCLUSION
Microsoft is moving in the right direction with Windows Defender. They provide users with basic security and features that are not extensive but you can use them. Combined with the right free antivirus, they provide decent security. However, it should be noted that virus databases are not up-to-date and the throughput of threats is higher.
The Slovak company ESET provides several packages for one or more devices. Virus databases are constantly updated thanks to fast Cloud diagnostics.
The basic NOD32 package will provide general protection or you can opt for one of the extended packages. From our own experience, we can only recommend an antivirus from ESET. But if you’re still unsure, you can try all the features yourself first. For new users, they offer a full-featured trial for 30 days.