As we told you earlier, AV-TEST researchers have presented a new series of tests to determine the best antivirus for Windows 7 and as expected Bitdefender and Kaspersky are at the top of the charts once again. But what is also worth mentioning is that Microsoft's antivirus called Security Essentials on Windows 7 had substantially improved performance compared to previous tests since it is described as the baseline antivirus software.
This time, Microsoft is part of a group of antivirus vendors that received 16.5 points in the latest tests, getting the same score as more widely adopted applications like AVG, Avast, and Avira.
Specifically, MSE received 5.5 points for protection, 5 points for performance, and 6 points for usability, which brings it closer to the upper tiers of the charts and not to the lower tiers where it was often placed in the past.
The research was conducted in January and February, and detailed statistics show that MSE offers 100 percent protection with zero malware attacks per day, including web and email threats, which is slightly better than the industry average of 99 percent.
When it comes to the impact on your system's performance, MSE slows down a standard PC by about 12 percent while browsing, while the footprint on high-end PCs drops to 7 percent. The biggest impact is seen when installing an app, with the standard PC being 51 percent slower, while high-end PCs see a 74 percent performance reduction.
Overall, it's very clear that Microsoft has invested heavily in its security software, and these tests are living proof that the company is on the right track with antivirus products. It remains to be seen, however, how many people will actually agree to abandon third-party software and use the built-in protection that Microsoft provides.
