Considered by many to be a world-leading software product against all
forms of malware, the free version of AVG Antivirus offers basic PC
protection and some extra features to boost safety and make users feel
relieved when it comes to data corruption, loss or theft.
Setup customization and third-party offers
Many
components are bundled in the package and all of them are installed by
default. Users may switch to custom setup mode to exclude any unwanted
modules when it comes to email, web browsing and identity protection
(can be separately installed), along with extra languages. Since it is
ad-supported, AVG offers to install unnecessary third-party tools and
make some browser changes, but they can be skipped with a little
attention.
Comfortable interface and multiple scan modes
AVG
adopts the Windows 8 UI look with flat buttons while keeping the
interface neatly organized. The entire computer, removable drives or
custom files and folders may be submitted for scanning. It is also
possible to search for rootkits only, as well as to quickly scan
selected files, folders and drives via the Windows Explorer context
menu. Scan tasks may be scheduled.
Default or customized scans
Just as expected
from a self-respectable av product, AVG has a well-structured default
configuration to ensure first-time users with optimal performance. At
the same time, it makes room for customization concerning the entire
scanning behavior, a feature sought by advanced users. Settings can be
altered when it comes to automatic virus removal, PUP and spyware
reports, tracking cookies, archives, heuristics, the system environment,
deep scans, rootkits, exceptions, scan speed, automatic PC shutdown and
file extensions, among others.
Email, web browsing and identity protection
The
email protection module verifies incoming and outgoing emails for
malware, and it also filters spam. It supports POP3, SMTP and IMAP
protocols. Online browsing and network traffic are secured by
LinkScanner, while the identity protection component keeps track of
applications' behavior and immediately blocks any suspicious programs
that can lead to identity theft.
Performance and conclusion
Thanks to the
adjustable scanning speed, users may enable fast scans that hog system
resources, or decrease their speed and spare RAM consumption. AVG
Antivirus Free delivers very good results regarding virus detection
ratio. Although it is ad-supported, the tool is among the least
intrusive av products out there, and this is definitely appreciated by
anyone.