bit-tech Shopping: BitDefender Total Security 2008

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
• Microsoft Windows Vista
• Microsoft Windows Vista Business
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic
• Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
• Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate
• Microsoft Windows XP
• Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional
• Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64

Rating: 8

Time with product: 2 Weeks

Strengths: most proactive security protection package for your PC; 2 years of protection instead of one.

Weaknesses: Hanging up sometime and requiring a restart to run all features after waking up from hibernation.

Summary: BitDefender Security 2008 is a solid piece of internet security software since it is loaded with features including automatic file backup, registry cleaner, identity control, a basic disk defragmenter, game mode, and a file shredder. BitDefender also offers 2 years of protection instead of one year for the same low price. This is twice the coverage period than most of its competitors' products. BitDefender might have a better heuristic detection than most of its competitors' security products even though it is not yet as popular on the market. It will not freeze your PC by consuming too much system resources like a few other well known brands of security suite. Bitdefender has to fix the occasional hangups on some features after recovering from hibernation to be able to compete successfully against other security suites.

Rating: 2

Time with product: 2 Months

Strengths: Free after rebates

Weaknesses: Unstable, slow my computer

Summary: I bought it free after two rebates. Although I may not expect too much from freebies, I have to say that I am very disappointed with it. My computer became unstable, and run slowly after I installed it. The program might be great for others, but for me and my computer it really was not a match.

Rating: 10

Time with product:

Strengths: Cheap, easy to install and use

Weaknesses: None

Summary: I really like this Bitdefender software... much more than Mcafee or Norton. It doesn't slow down my machine nearly as much as some other security programs, and it was substantially more inexpensive. It receives regular updates and passes virus scaning tests. I would recommend this product.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 1

Strengths: Inexpensive (after mail in rebate), 2-Year License, Doesn't Slow Down Computer

Weaknesses: None Yet

Summary: This security suite from BitDefender makes a nice alternative to similar products from Norton of McAfee. I found that it doesn't slow down my system as much as similar products from Norton and McAfee. It also includes 2-years of protection for three computers. It can frequently be purchased for free after mail in rebate.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 1

Strengths: Does not bog the system down, cheap, 3 users for 2 years

Weaknesses: Complicated to configure, will display an extra icon in taskbar every time a scan runs overnight

Summary: I had been running Vista Ultimate x64 for a while without any AV but I thought I would pick this up when it was free after rebate in Fry's. This is great value, you get 2 years and 3 users, compared to the 1 year standard of other suites. Unlike other security suites I've used (Norton and McAfee) this does not bog my system down and make everything run slower, you won't notice a difference in speed after installing it. Configuration can be somewhat complicated with you often having to right click on items to enter even more settings. Also, I have it set to run a scan every night and the next day another icon is in my taskbar notifying me of the scan and there is no way to stop it, a small thing, but annoying all the same.