Customer Reviews

AVG Internet Security 2011, 2 Users, 1 Year Subscription (PC)

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

AVG have come on leaps and bounds and now have a product to rival the best e.g. ESET. Good user interface, low impact on PC resources. Look for the 2yr deal for even better value for money (AVG Anti Virus, 2 User 2011, 2 Year Subscription).

Easy installation and setup up - functions smoothly in the background - don't even know it's there. Tuneup is a great added extra

After suffering numerous break downs on my original security system I spoke to an old friend who recommended AVG. I bought the item straight away and find it far superior to anything else I have used.
I am very pleased with the purchase and would recommend this sofware to all those looking for good Internet Security sofware.

AVG Internet Security 2011, 2 Users, 1 Year Subscription (PC)

There are lots of features in this version of AVG for the experienced user but there is also a default install for people like me with no real understanding of the issues.

The blurb for AVG mentions things like High Priority Mode, Social Network Protection, Smart Scanning, Link Scanner (which I believe scans every web page that you visit before it is loaded), Firewall, identity Protection and lots more as well as the basic antivirus/anti spyware.

The installation of AVG was very fast with almost no user intervention taking about 5 minutes plus a restart. The update that followed only took a minute and then information is displayed in a small window. A gadget was placed on the W7 desktop but this is and was easily removed.

The first time optimisation scan then followed which took about 20 minutes and no issues were detected. A root kit scan (whatever that is) took less than 1 minute and again all seemed to be OK. The blurb states that these are "Industry leading Scan Speeds" and that the scans are 3 times faster than previous versions.

One thing that did puzzle me what how email training is accomplished with a web based email account, that is I have no emails on my computer they are all stored on the email providers remote server. So I ignored this bit.

Another plus for me was that the firewall established its own rules. There was no user decision making which is good for the technically disadvantaged (like me) but maybe experienced users would like to adapt the rules.

Later I was asked to make two decisions regarding "Orange Inside" and a "Spooler" when both attempted to access the internet automatically so I just ticked the button to block then the button to remember these actions and no nasty surprises have befallen me (yet) but I do wish that these programs did not ask for technical decisions to be made by non technical people.

Of the 16 components that are shown in the overview window the Family Safety, LiveKive, Game Mode and PC Analyser are not activated by default. A lot of the advanced setting are floss like the event sounds.

A welcome bonus was that the PC Tune Up is included in this version. There is a separate card inside the DVD case with the license code. Previously you had to pay for this. I don't know if it is included with all purchases but look at the top right hand of the DVD box for a red triangle with a sign saying "Free AVG PC Tune Up". This feature found 95 registry errors, 111 junk files but on the plus side my hard drive was not fragmented and I had no problems with shortcuts.

Another component is LiveKive for which the blurb is "lets you store date from multiple sources in one place to share with your friends". I have not used LiveKive but the description seems similar to Microsoft One Note which is included with MS Office 2007 but never used by me.

I would recommend AVG because, to me, it is the most acceptable of the various packages for the non technical and it does not seem to slow down my computer when running scans. The scans and the update function are fully customisable as to when and how often they run.

Not being a technophile, I can only write about this product from the point of view of a technophobe, which I reckon most people who'se skin sees daylight and has real friends are. From this luddite perspective, I found the AVG internet security disc very easy to install. After the mandatory restart, the program opens up for the first time and is pretty self explanatory to follow.

I chose to run a full scan on my laptop - to be honest this took a couple of hours but was worthwhile as enough viruses were found to close down an average NHS Trust.

When I normally use my laptop, I can now do so safe in the knowledge that the AVG program is working behind the scenes, poised like a coiled snake to warn me of any attempts at online breaking and entering my computer may be subjected to.

A very easy to use and understand virus and internet protection package - well worth the price.

I've been using free versions of AVG's anti-virus software for years now and so was keen to try out the paid for version I've wondered about - whilst studiously clinging to AVG Free. I can't say that my experience with the full version has been positive enough that I would be tempted to pay to renew my license once this one expires.

I didn't have any problems installing the software, and the installation process itself was relatively quick and straightforward. However, as others have said, 'bigger' doesn't necessarily mean better. The system scan is slow. Much slower than AVG free (OK, you might think this indicates that it is in some way indicative of greater thoroughness), but it's also much slower than Kaspersky Pure - and doesn't seem to be any more accurate. I initially installed this on a desktop and my netbook. However, since the scan is a resources hog on my (2 month old) netbook to the point that other programmes are virtually unusable whilst it is running (the netbook isn't by any means the most powerful computer in the world, but more than meets the manufacturer's stated system requirements), I've uninstalled AVG full from here and reinstated its free sibling.

The number of times you get pushed to buy other AVG products and the inclusion of intrusive elements in a paid-for product are nuisance factors - and to have these kinds of code dragging down overall performance isn't impressive.

AVG are famed for their free antivirus software so they do rather shoot themselves in the foot when offering a paid-for version too. McAffee, Norton, Kaspersky etc don't offer free versions of their software but it is these products that the AVG paid-for version is competing with, so on with the review...
The software loaded painlessly and without error. A full system scan was not a total resource hog and performed 'in the background' as advertised. Of course on older machines any antivirus scan is going to slow the thing down but that's to be expected. My system is clean so nothing was detected but with the daily updates from AVG I expect that my computer will be immune to the latest threats just as it would with any other top-rated protection software. It's a tough market and AVG will always suffer from having that free version floating around but this does, obviously, have more features in its arsenal. It's up to you whether you think it's worth the outlay. AVG obviously think it is.

Until a few years ago, AVG was my favourite security software. I switched to another brand because of various issues that aren't relevant here, but I thought it was time to give AVG another shot.

In theory, this is all you'll need to keep your computer safe, virus & spyware free, and running well. I say "In theory", and that brings me to the first of my peeves.

After installation, you can call up a master screen showing all the various components of the software. Then when you start clicking the pretty icons (say, to analyse and optimise your PC) you'll find that the software that does THAT isn't actually installed. Or on your disk. Or anywhere in your possession.

Oh, it will run and tell you that several thousand things about your PC urgently need fixing (most of which aren't actually urgent at all). But if you want to fix them, you need to download more software from the AVG site. Or rather, you need to BUY more software from the AVG site.

This kind of built-in nag-ware advertising is OK in software that's given away for free, but it's inexcusable in a purchased product.

That's why I deducted the first star.

I deducted the second because the software suddenly reminded me of the last straw that made me ditch it two years ago. It still has the same bug that I found so annoying back then - and this is a few software versions later, and on a new and up-to-date PC.

Basically, AVG seems to randomly decide that some websites are unsafe, and unceremoniously shuts down the browser. It gives no error message about this, and the user is left thinking that his browser is broken. Again, inexcusable.

I'm not talking about dodgy sites either. Now, as back then, AVG sometimes regards Amazon.co.uk as unsafe - I'm only able to write this review because I've turned off some of the software's functions. With them on, the browser frequently shuts down when I visit Amazon. I'm not saying it will do this on your machine, but a google search will show that it's not exactly an isolated problem.

So, all in all, not great.

I loathe and detest nag-ware in programs I've paid for; I can't believe that they STILL haven't fixed a bug that so many people have been screaming about for so long.
So, three stars, but only because I can't give two-and-a-half.

AVG 2011 Internet Security is a quality product for protecting your PC whilst browsing online from start to finish - included with this software is a 12-month subscription to AVG's equally brilliant PC Tune Up, more on that later. AVG runs silently in your system tray for the most part but has a decent schedule to scan your PC regularly, whilst keeping its own virus database up to date, defragmenting your PC, protecting from malware and even root kits - any one of which you can start at your request and watch the results. At first AVG will find a few problems on your PC, I generally think I keep my system pretty spic & span - C-Cleaning and defragging on a regular basis but AVG finds some of even the most obscure sources of system slow-downs. Once you're done with the initial spring-cleaning you'll feel pretty secure behind the comprehensive email & browser firewall - free to browse the web as you please, safe in the knowledge you're in good hands.

A little about the installation: This lovely-slim jewel-case arrived with the CD and licences all ready to go, although after inserting it into my CD drive, AVG promptly informed me that my free version was already more advanced, directing me to their download site. The 149mb install file download is ridiculously well supported, I was registering download rates of around 4.5mb/s, which if you're not fluent in bandwidth talk, is face-meltingly fast. Anyhow, the install went silkily smooth until the licence number came up. The one enclosed in the pack was to a 30-day trial version and I had to register my email address with the good-ol' folks at AVG. Minutes later, an email arrived with the full 12-month licence number and it activated and registered the product without a hitch. My issue here is; I didn't use the CD in the case to install it and my licence number was a trial, leading onto a 12 month licence...so what was the point in sending the physical product to begin with?? Surely they could have just saved the earth a little and just sent an email?

The throw-in of AVG PC Tune-Up 2011 is a great addition to an already great value product. Although the licence number for this one is 66-digits long (no exaggeration!) which I think is a little ridiculous. Once it's installed, the program gets to work rejuvenating your registry & isolating background processes that serve no purpose for your configuration (disabling network monitoring services if you are not part of a network for example) and this really does speed up your boot-times and general performance. Again, anyone of these components can be instigated manually, although it again has a standard schedule that it sticks to but you can edit this as you see fit. One last thing, all of the scans are quick yet comprehensive and even have a "user-sensitive" setting that works around you if you are using your PC at the same time as the scan, reducing the annoying slow-downs and the incessant hard-drive chatter.

A truly great product that I would recommend to anyone, despite the insane licence number system, but remember you only have to go through it once to enjoy 12 months of great PC performance and security!

The software may be all singing and dancing but it slowed my system down so much I had to uninstall it. Have reverted to AVG Free.