Avast! Pro Antivirus 2012 Review

As far as antivirus programs go, Avast! Pro is pretty good. While it doesn’t have the most effective virus protection, it does a decent job of keeping your computer protected, and contains more than enough filters to protect the average PC user. And, to make the deal sweeter, it’s loaded with a bunch of cool features that will appeal to many people.

However, the main selling feature of Avast! Pro is its fantastic usability. There are few programs that are easier to use than Avast, and it mostly runs in the background of your PC. Unlike some of its competitors, it keeps the unnecessary pop-ups to a minimum.

It does all of this while providing effective, high-quality antivirus support. Avast! Pro has one of the best detection rates in the industry and caught 99% of the malware threats we threw at it. While it’s not quite as good as the top programs on the market, it’s still within the top 5 or 6 in terms of antivirus protection.

To create this protection, Avast approaches virus scanning in a number of different ways. It offers real-time file scanning, for example, which helps prevent incoming files from infecting your PC. It also includes a network shield to protect your browsing experience and a P2P, IM, and Mail Shield to protect you no matter what you’re doing online.

Best of all, it maintains this effectiveness without creating a noticeable drag on your system. Some antivirus programs can slow down your computer nearly as much as an actual virus, and it’s important to note that Avast Pro Antivirus 2012 doesn’t have a heavy impact on your startup speeds or performance.

Fantastic, innovative features

Every antivirus program has features with cool names, and Avast! Pro is no exception. It uses a tool called SafeZone to reduce the chances of identity theft and to keep your personal information secure at all times online. Essentially, it creates a virtual desktop that allows you to bank or shop online without the threat of hackers monitoring your keystrokes.

A similar tool called AutoSandbox also improves the security of your computer by automatically opening certain files in a secure, virtual ‘sandbox’. If the file is indeed malicious, then the AutoSandbox prevents it from infecting other areas of your PC; if it’s harmless, then you can continue like nothing happened.

One of the most highly touted features is called WebRep, which proactively scans online links and assigns them a colored label based on their reputation. This reputation is constantly being updated, and includes input from other users. This is a clear and easy way to see which websites you should be clicking on and shows just how dedicated Avast is to the usability of their program.

These features aren’t necessarily unique, and many users may never feel the need to use them at all. Nevertheless, they provide effective antivirus protection and greatly enhance the value of the final product.

Silent Mode

Nobody needs to be fed constant updates from their antivirus software. After all, its primary goal is to make the time you spend on the computer easier, not harder. For that reason, Avast! Pro has included ‘Silent Mode’, which limits the resource usage of your antivirus software and eliminates many unnecessary pop-ups.

While this feature is targeted at PC gamers, many other computer users will find it useful as well. For example, if you work, do homework, or watch movies on your PC, then turning off automatic notifications can be very helpful.

Ultimately, Avast! Pro Antivirus is a great antivirus program. It doesn’t quite have the functionality or power of some of the leading solutions on the market, but its cool features and easy interface mostly make up for this fault. For $39.99, you can certainly do worse, and Avast! Pro remains a great option for those who want effective, behind-the-scenes antivirus protection.

Key Features

• Very easy to use
• Powerful internet protection tools like WebRep and SafeZone keep you protected no matter what you’re doing online
• Great antivirus protection

Pros

• Automatic and regular updates
• Cool features like SafeZone, AutoSandbox, and WebRep
• Some of the best antivirus protection on the market
• Easy to use

Cons

• Doesn’t pick up phishing threats
• Expensive compared to others in its price range

The Verdict

Packed with cool features and effective antivirus scanning technology, Avast! Pro Antivirus 2012 is one of the leading solutions on the market today. If you don’t want to mess around with too many settings, and want a program that quietly goes about its job, then Avast! Pro might be the perfect solution for you.