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Eset NOD32 Antivirus
Buy online from Eset UK
Verdict: Ideal for low-performance PCs, and people who hate antivirus programs! NOD32 is the lightest, fastest antivirus program we know of; optimal for old, slow PCs. It is also the most reliable, trouble-free antivirus program we've ever come across - so if you're sick of antivirus programs nagging you, slowing the PC down, or going into self-destruct mode, NOD32 is the program for you. And if you should have a question or a problem, Eset UK provide fantastic telephone support.
Current version: 4.0
Antivirus or Internet Security? We would recommend the simple antivirus program, NOD32, rather than the Eset Smart Security suite, for most users. Smart Security contains an anti-spam (junk email) component, and a firewall. As Windows XP, Vista and 7 all include a built-in firewall that's perfectly effective, it really comes down to the spam. If you're plagued by spam and want an integrated solution, Eset Smart Security may be worth having. Otherwise we'd go for NOD32 antivirus.
Price for NOD32 Home Version, including VAT, for 1 year: 1 user £29.95; 3 users £44.96
Price for Eset Smart Security Home Version, including VAT, for 1 year: 1 user £39.95; 3 users £49.95
Prices are of course subject to change, please check on the manufacturer's/supplier's website when purchasing.
Will it run on my computer? NOD32 runs on Windows 2000 Professional, and all versions (including 64-bit) of Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. The manufacturers state that it needs 44MB of RAM; this is obviously the extra amount needed for NOD32, not the total. We suggest that for Windows XP to run well with NOD32 (or any antivirus program), your computer will need a total of at least 256 MB RAM (512 MB recommended); for Windows Vista or Windows 7, at least 1GB (2 GB recommended). If you need help finding the specification of your computer, see PC Power Check.
Protection: Very good. NOD32 achieved above-average scores in all 4 of AV-Comparatives' malware protection tests between November 2009 and February 2010, and took third place in their "AntivirusProduct of the Year" awards. For more information, see Test Results.
Speed: Outstanding. We believe it to have the lowest impact on system performance of any effective antivirus program. NOD32 received an "Advanced+" award in AV-Comparatives' 2009 performance tests. In our own tests, to see how much different antivirus programs increase the time taken to start a computer, NOD32 came in joint first, adding just 5 seconds to the boot time (compared to a system with no antivirus at all).
False alarms: Good. NOD32 has a low rate of false alarms (falsely identifying harmless programs as viruses), according to AV-Comparatives' tests (and our own experience).
Ease of use: Very good. The main page of the program is clear and simple, and it is easy to see the system status and carry out basic tasks like updating and scanning. There is an Advanced Mode, which give IT enthusiasts and professionals access to more detailed configuration settings. NOD32's program design has one annoying quirk: if you right-click a folder or drive in Windows Explorer and click "Scan with ESET NOD32 Antivirus", the program will scan the object, but not remove any viruses it finds! To avoid this problem, open the program and use the "Custom Scan" option to scan the folder/drive.
Telephone support: Outstanding. Eset UK provide first-class assistance, which cannot be faulted. All the support staff we have spoken to have been native English speakers (so no communication problems), and clearly very well qualified and trained. If all the technicians are busy when you call, you will go straight through to a receptionist, who will take your number and arrange for a technician to call you back within 10 minutes. The service is available from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday.
Our experience with the program: We have used NOD32 extensively for about 4 years now. We use it to protect several of our own computers and have installed it for many of our customers. We fine-tune the settings to make protection even better, though we wouldn't recommend this to non-experts.
Manufacturer
ESET, spol. s.r.o.
Aupark Tower
16th Floor
Einsteinova 24
851 01 Bratislava
Slovak Republic
UK Distributor
ESET UK
Sovereign House
242 Charminster Road
Bournemouth
BH8 9RP
Tel: 0845 838 0832
Last updated: 27th March 2010 18:33
