Malware can turn your computer into a zombie machine that’s so slow you can barely use your applications. But did you know that your antivirus software can negatively affect your computer’s performance too? Read on to find out.
Can Your Computer Run It?
Modern computers have innards that are more than powerful enough to run any antivirus software. But if you have an older computer, you may need to give it some moderate upgrades, with priority on storage, RAM and processing power. Make sure that your computer meets the minimum system requirements for your antivirus. Here are some links to sites of security vendors that tell what you need in order to run their AV products:
In general, you need at least 1 gigabyte of storage space, 1 gigabyte of RAM and a 1-gigahertz processor to run an antivirus. Note that these specifications are the bare minimum. If you want to run your antivirus more effectively, you must have at least 4 gigabytes of RAM (or more if you regularly use resource-intensive applications) and a 1.5-gigahertz processor. As for storage space, the rule of thumb is to keep about 10 to 15 percent of the total space free or unused.
Getting a better set of hardware ensures your computer is future-proofed. Security vendors continually release new products and roll out feature-rich updates that require more hardware resources to function. Some antiviruses also require you to have modern Web browsers.
Yes, Antiviruses and Security Products Have Impact on Computer Performance
When asked about computer slow-downs, some security vendors would claim that their products are not responsible. Independent antivirus testing labs, however, beg to differ. An April 2015 endurance test by AV-Test showed that common tasks, such as copying files, downloading files, installing programs and loading websites, required more time to finish on a Windows computer with an antivirus installed than on an unprotected computer.
Based on their testing, AV-Test found that Kaspersky Internet Security, Bitdefender Internet Security and Qihoo 360 Internet Security had the least effect on performance while still providing good security. Test computers using these products were even faster than test computers using Window’s built-in security tool, Windows Defender (or Microsoft Security Essentials for older versions of Windows). On the other hand, the worst offenders were so inefficient that they added several minutes to tasks that would only have needed seconds to finish.
Another independent test organization, AV-Comparatives, arrived at a similar conclusion. Its performance test in November 2015 tested various antiviruses on computers that were running a benchmarking tool. The results showed that some antiviruses had a lesser impact on performance than others. AV-Comparatives listed products from Avira, Avast and Kaspersky Lab as the best security software in terms of performance.
Still, these tests do not necessarily reflect your own experience. You should give a couple of security software a go, observe their impact on your day-to-day activities and choose an antivirus software that you think is best for your computer.
Do Not Uninstall Your Antivirus Software Without a Replacement
As shown above, using security software can slow down your computer. The performance test from both organizations showed that computers without antivirus installed (and also with Windows Defender disabled) scored the highest. Does that mean you should get rid of your antivirus and use your computer without protection? No, because that’s one of the worst things you can do in your attempts to speed up your computer. If your antivirus does cause significant delays on common tasks, you should switch to a more efficient antivirus instead. You’re still better off having an antivirus, even though some security experts make a case for not using one.
Other Factors Are Probably at Fault
You can’t put all the blame on your antivirus just because after installing it your computer has seemingly become slower. Many factors are actually at play that influences the overall performance of your computer:
You have multiple antivirus programs running simultaneously
Installing more than one antivirus is alright, as long as only one antivirus has its real-time protection enabled while the others only run their scanners on demand. Loading and running the real-time protection of multiple programs together cause conflicts during scans. System instability is also likely. In addition, the antiviruses might see each other as malicious; one will try to terminate the other and remove it. As mentioned above, an antivirus does have an impact on performance, so having two antiviruses will even sap your computer’s power even more.
Your applications need updates
Bugs and vulnerabilities in software can cause slow-downs. Make sure your apps and operating system are up to date.
Your computer needs maintenance
Over time, your computer gets cluttered with all sorts of junk: files and registry entries that got left behind after uninstalling a program, numerous app shortcuts you barely use, unwanted toolbars and adware, and fragmented data on a volume. Keep your computer in a working, responsive state using software utilities that optimize your drives and clean up the junk.
Your computer is infected
Many novice users easily jump to the conclusion that a malware infection is causing the sluggishness, and sometimes they’re right. Despite following safety precautions, your computer could still get infected due to data breaches and events beyond your control. Use your antivirus software to scan your computer periodically.
Learn to Wait
If you use a very efficient antivirus, the impact on your computer’s performance should be negligible. At best, the delay on common computer tasks should be only a few seconds long. Learn to be patient.
