BitDefender Antivirus 10 Review

What the reviewers like:
Reviews say BitDefender Antivirus 10 is at least average in detecting malware, and the biggest plus is that compatibility issues are not expressed in reviews. Incompatibility with other security software is a big problem with some other antivirus software.

What the reviewers don't like:
BitDefender Antivirus 10 is better at detecting than removing malware. It causes more system drag than most antivirus programs, and in some tests, it identifies too many false-positives.

BitDefender Antivirus 10 review highlights

Several sources rated BitDefender Antivirus 9 as the best program when it was current. BitDefender 10 is also rated as one of the better programs. The price is relatively low and the license is for two years instead of just one. However, distribution is limited enough that you won't find the great or complete discounts you can get with the bestsellers. User reviews of BitDefender Antivirus 10 do not mention compatibility problems with other security programs, but we didn't find enough reviews to be completely confident that conflicts don't exist. We still found better reviews overall for Kaspersky Anti-Virus (*est. $60).

BitDefender Antivirus 10 is evaluated in reviews at PC World, PCAdvisor.co.uk, and Computer Shopper. Ratings seem generous relative to the test results. Amazon.com is the only website with a significant number of user reviews rating BitDefender Antivirus 10. TopTenReviews.com's review is entirely favorable, but minimally substantiated. 6StarReviews.com's two-paragraph review ignores performance and compatibility. Consumer Reports only reviews the previous version of BitDefender AntiVirus. Web User.co.uk only reviews the free edition, which doesn't include real-time virus protection.

Also see full report: Antivirus Software

*In order of credibility (see our Ratings Criteria).

1. PC World
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Virus Stoppers
Ryan Naraine
Apr. 23, 2007

In conjunction with AV-Test.org, PC World tests eight antivirus applications under Microsoft Windows Vista, including BitDefender Antivirus 10. The reviews are comprehensive and detailed, except that compatibility with other security programs isn't addressed. BitDefender Antivirus 10 tested very well, although it detected problems it couldn't fix, and identified the most false-positives of the tested antivirus programs. System drag is a problem.

2. PC Advisor
BitDefender Antivirus 10.0
Ryan Naraine
Apr. 26, 2007

The PCAdvisor.co.uk review is nearly identical to PC World's review. The same writer wrote the reviews for both magazines using the same set of test data. PCAdvisor.co.uk reviews more security programs than PC World does, but PC World shows more of the test results online.

3. Computer Shopper
Labs: Anti-virus software
Simon Edwards
Feb. 2007

British magazine Computer Shopper directly compares 12 leading programs, including BitDefender Antivirus 10 and a couple of free antivirus programs. Performance evaluations produce a useful variation in results, although they differ from test results posted in other publications. The reviews do not address compatibility with other security programs, and rarely mention affect on system resources. Ratings are often disharmonious with results and commentary. BitDefender is rated as average.

4. Amazon.com
BitDefender Antivirus 10.0 Reviews
Contributors to Amazon.com

BitDefender Antivirus 10 has a couple of dozen user reviews posted at Amazon.com. Quite a few users compare it with Norton and McAfee antivirus programs they've used. In several instances, BitDefender caught malware the other programs had missed. System drag is handily the biggest complaint. Users do not mention compatibility problems with other software, however.

5. Top Ten Reviews.com
Anti-Virus Software Review 2007
Editors of TopTenReviews.com

This site compares 17 antivirus programs, rates each on performance factors, and ranks each program. Most programs are rated excellent in most categories (only three of 60 ratings are below "very good"). BitDefender 10 is the top-rated antivirus program. This review is so positive and devoid of criticism that it could have been written by the manufacturer.

Also see full report: Antivirus Software

BitDefender Antivirus 10 Review