Surface 3 antivirus

[HSR2015]

Good evening all,

I recently purchased my first (of several) Surface 3 tablets/2-in-1s and before I activate it, I wanted to decide on an antivirus/internet protection software suite. I was surprised to find that neither the McAfee's Livesafe 2015 nor Webroot's Secure Anywhere packages would declare compatibility with the Surface 3 platform, even though the Surface 3 runs Windows 8.1. Does anyone have experiential information to either confirm or deny this? Please advise.

~ Hugh

 

[jace88]

It's just like any other Windows PC so no need for it to be specific to the Surface 3. Don't think of it as a unique platform - it's just a piece of hardware which runs the same Windows 8.1 as other computers/tablets.

Personally, I use Avast for antivirus and the inbuilt Windows firewall.

 

[netuser]

Windows 8.1 has antivirus already built in and works pretty well without being noticed or slowing down the computer.
Third party antivirus "suites" often cause more problems than they prevent.

 

[HSR2015]

@jace88: That's what I had thought too. AFAIK the Win 8.1 in the Surface 3 is just like any other Win 8.1... The only thing I could think of to explain McAfee's/Webroot's reticence was that their software went around the OS and was somehow not compatible with the Surface 3's Atom processor ^^. Thank you for your response here.
@netuser: Thanks for the input but I have built up many years of trust with the performance of particular 3rd party providers and feel more comfortable using them for virus protection.

 

[hughlle]

Hi Hugh

Not many reasons why any old piece of software should not work.

Seems the cirrent favourites are things like avast or malwarebytes, but I personally have always just used windows defender and practice (mostly) smart browsing. The occasional time i've installed a 3rd party program to double check things all lights were greeen across the board.

- Hugh

 

[Telstar1948]

I use Kaspersky on my SP3. It's unobtrusive and well rated.

 

[TeknoBlast]

When I got my S3, I used Webroot, which was free from Best Buy when the device was purchased. I installed it on my S3 and my wife's computer. So far, not disappointed.

 

[HSR2015]

@Telstar1948 & TeknoBlast: Many thanks for the inputs. Very helpful.

 

[souldier]

I avoid any third party antivirus like the plague. I find them to be intrusive, resource hungry, and just plain annoying. I have found windows defender to be more than sufficient and you can't even tell it's running. Windows also keeps the virus definitions up to date. On top of all this, it's free! I find third party software to be profit driven. If I didn't know better I'd say the companies who make the software also produce the viruses themselves and release them into the public.

On another note, use common sense and don't go to questionable websites, click strange links, etc. and you won't have any problems with viruses and such. I've made this my practice and have been using the built in windows defender for years and have never had to spend a single cent on anti virus software.

 

[CDG]

Newbie to Windows 8/8.1 here. I am using Windows Defender and happy with it.

 

[malberttoo]

I avoid any third party antivirus like the plague. I find them to be intrusive, resource hungry, and just plain annoying. I have found windows defender to be more than sufficient and you can't even tell it's running. Windows also keeps the virus definitions up to date. On top of all this, it's free! I find third party software to be profit driven. If I didn't know better I'd say the companies who make the software also produce the viruses themselves and release them into the public.

On another note, use common sense and don't go to questionable websites, click strange links, etc. and you won't have any problems with viruses and such. I've made this my practice and have been using the built in windows defender for years and have never had to spend a single cent on anti virus software.

While I know there are many folks who love Windows Defender, and I certainly wouldn't try to talk them out of it, to each their own- but Windows Defender is for the vigilant user only, period. I have made a nice sum from customers who paid me to clean their virus-ridden machines that had only Defender running on it. It was many times slightly comical, I'd disable Defender, which was running happily, and then install my AV of choice, and upon installation it would go crazy as it found all the infestation. Defender was content to let it happen.

You do make the right point about having sanitary surfing habits. Most of the "general public" don't, and so I find they need something that will get in their way when they are mindlessly clicking away on just anything that pops on their screen.

There are definitely some choice AV (discussed on this forum multiple times over) that run efficiently and are not a burden on the OS.

 

[theveterans]

Obviously MS can't make their built-in Windows Defender as robust as the commercial antivirus software. However, if MS can make Windows Defender as good as their Corporate version "System Center Endpoint Protection" with a far cheaper cost than competition, I would be willing to subscribe. Windows Defender does not even slow down any of my Windows 8.1 devices at all unlike commercial antivirus