Today, more than ever, the installation of all kinds of anti-virus software is relevant, designed to counteract the penetration of dangerous threats into computer systems, which can not only disable the OS, but also steal the user's personal data. Among such programs, one of the most talked about is the free version of Bitdefender. This is understandable, since our users are not always ready to shell out a “tidy” sum for installing such tools even in offices, not to mention home PCs, laptops or mobile devices.
The opinions and reviews about Bitdefender that can be found on the Internet are often diametrically opposed. Some call this package almost the worst of all known, others cannot get enough of it. Who is right? Let's try to figure it out by considering all the positive and negative aspects of this package with an open mind, but taking into account the results of testing by reputable companies and the opinions of all those who have used it in practice.
Bitdefender AntivirusFree in Russian: system requirements and installation
To begin with, let's dwell on the most important problem, which until recently scared off potential users of this security package. The fact is that even with the release of the free version of Bitdefender, the interface was initially presented exclusively in English, and localization in Russian was carried out only recently.
However, this is far from the most important thing that immediately catches your eye. As noted by many users and experts, the main problem is that if an English version of the antivirus was previously used on the computer, no update will add the Russian language to the interface. This is not provided at all! That is, in order to get Russification, the application needs to be completely reinstalled, which looks clearly unworthy of a software product of such a high level.
But (and this is noted by almost everyone) Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is designed to install and work even in outdated computer configurations. The main requirement is a minimum of 512 MB of RAM with a recommended amount of 1 GB. Agree, by today's standards, this is not so much.
Interface and main modules of the program
As for the installed application itself, its appearance in some ways resembles a mobile program (at least in terms of the size of the main window, that's right).
But here are the reviews of Bitdefenderindicate that there are no buttons to close the active window in the program, but for this you can use a click on the free space of the "Desktop". The main window is called, as usual, via the system tray icon.
In terms of protection, everything seems to be automated to the limit, but the program itself has only two main constantly active modules: scanning (Auto-Scan) and real-time protection (Threat Control).
Are there any additional components?
Paid products like Bitdefender Internet Security with their advanced features in the form of the same preinstalled browser that allows you to secure online purchases (for example, on Aliexpress), alas, the free modification does not hold up.
And this clearly does not add popularity to the free program among users.
Security settings
As well as the minimalistic interface, the automated antivirus settings are made in the same spirit, or rather, they are not at all! Most users complain that the two main modules can only be enabled.
At the same time, if you start scanning your computer for viruses (Auto-Scan), you cannot pause or cancel the process! Naturally, in reviews of Bitdefender, this is listed as a fat minus. Many people note that the check can be completed ahead of schedule only by deactivatingthe scanning module itself, which is very inconvenient.
Bitdefender antivirus load on computer resources
But, despite the above shortcomings, almost everyone who has encountered this software in practice notes that the presence of an antivirus in the system is only reminded by the very icon in the system tray. And if there is a comparison with similar products of Kaspersky Lab, then users' preferences are on the side of Bitdefender.
And this applies even to those situations when the antivirus scans or updates its own antivirus databases. A plus? Sure!
Threat detection testing
As for testing the antivirus by independent experts to ensure comprehensive security and identify potential threats, in general, almost all the results show a fairly high rating for this package in the overall standings.
At least he is in the top 5 and scores the highest in almost all tests. In addition, many experts call this software one of the most reliable in terms of protection against phishing.
User opinions are divided
But why do reviews of Bitdefender published on various forums on the Internet differ so dramatically? First of all, the main negative concerns only the inconvenience associated with the impossibilitysetting advanced user settings and "normal" disabling the scanning process. On the other hand, all those who do not particularly delve into setting up the antivirus “for themselves”, on the contrary, note that it is enough just to install this security software and forget about it, since the antivirus will do all the main work in terms of ensuring the protection of the computer system itself without the necessary intervention from user side. How convenient it is, it is difficult to judge, but the lack of customization settings still does not add popularity to this application. Among other things, if we compare it with paid products that can be installed, for example, on five machines simultaneously with one license, then the free modification also loses too much in terms of built-in protection modules. But the low consumption of system resources paired with a fairly high level of protection even for hopelessly outdated systems clearly speaks in favor of this software product.
Grand total
If, however, to sum up a kind of result, based on the opinion of experts and user reviews, it is difficult to call this antivirus too good. In a sense, this product can be attributed to those that are intended for ordinary users who do not seek to perform any specific settings, but rely solely on the automation of all security processes. Yes, the level of protection is good, but questions regarding whether to install this application on your computer or give preference to something else are left solely for your own consideration.users.
It remains to be added that the vast majority of users for some reason consider this software product little known and know about it only by hearsay. In fact, the Bitdefender engine has been known to experienced users and experts for a long time. But what can I say, if it was he who was used by Microsoft to create their own defender, which is mandatory in all the latest modifications of Windows operating systems? Finally, it is necessary to clearly understand (and this applies not only to the described antivirus) that almost all known free modifications of security software are somehow inferior to their closest paid counterparts and cannot be compared with them in providing the highest level of protection for computer systems, even if under what circumstances.
