Least naggy antivirus for Win 11 [Solved]

[j2mcgreg]

The videocard in my Acer Aspire XC 866 gave up the ghost due to a Win 11 update (it works fine with MX), so I purchased one of these with my Xmas money:
https://www.bestbuy.ca/en-ca/product/le ... r=PLP_Reco
because it was the cheapest quality option available. It came with McAfee preinstalled, but I remember that McAfee can be both bloated and a real memory hog so I'd like to use another product instead. I was using BitDefender on the Acer but it was verging on nagware territory so I'd like recommendations for the best antivirus package to use with these criteria:
-- not expensive
-- doesn't nag (much)
-- not bloated

Note: I wouldn't use Windows at all but for the fact that dealing on line with the provincial and federal governments (Ontario and Canada respectively) with any OS other than Windows is a major exercise in frustration.

Thanks in advance

[AVLinux]

Hi, happy new year and thanks for your work on the forum!

My partner uses Windows 11 for work/personal on her laptop and I got her Kaspersky a few years ago, it also works on her Android phone and comes with more than one license, I don't use my Win partition enough to need it so I haven't used it personally but it seems to not get in the way and at the time it was less than McAfee, Norton etc..

I think either for dedicated needs or work many of us still need Windows in some capacity, I never feel like it's something we need to explain or apologize for..

[CharlesV]

McAfee is garbage. I remove it as soon as possible on ALL PC's . I beleive the best AV is Eset and the home Essential is enough for most people . Light on the machine, nags are only 'upgrades' and you can easily turn those off.

I have used it for many years on roughly 130 computers and its been exceptional.

[skallal]

Okay I've never used Windows 11, but have used Windows 10 since its release. I never use third party antivirus but use the default built into the OS. For Windows 10 this is Defender (I think).

Perhaps I'm not properly answering the OP's question. But this my basic strategy. In the workplace I adhere to the company policies.

[CharlesV]

I have recovered FAR too many machines from the "Windows defender with McAfee" on board ;/ Windows Defender has gotten much better... and it is close to being a real solution... but imo it still is not.

[markol]

My suggestion would be to remove windows, install MX and then install Windows inside the VM.
Defender should be enough if you only need Windows for the .gov stuff.

First hand info, I've been running setup(s) like this for a long time (currently on 2 machines)

[FullScale4Me]

...Windows Defender has gotten much better... and it is close to being a real solution...

...I beleive the best AV is Eset and the home Essential is enough for most people...

My suggestion would be to remove windows, install MX and then install Windows inside the VM.
Defender should be enough if you only need Windows for the .gov stuff.

First hand info, I've been running setup(s) like this for a long time (currently on 2 machines)

+1 to this.

After install take a snapshot of the Virtual Box Win 11 VM. If it somehow borks itself restore the snapshot to send the maladies to digital oblivion :-)

[ForkTheWire]

I've been using Malwarebytes plus their lite portable adwcleaner tool for a long time and no issues so far. It is basically free (you can run manual scans indefinitely); there is a plan you can purchase for real time protection but you also get every now and then 14 day premium trials.

[j2mcgreg]

My suggestion would be to remove windows, install MX and then install Windows inside the VM.
Defender should be enough if you only need Windows for the .gov stuff.

First hand info, I've been running setup(s) like this for a long time (currently on 2 machines)

If I lived in any other province in Canada, or anywhere else in the world, that would be my first choice. However, I don't and without getting into the politics involved, suffice it to say that having a separate Windows computer is the best solution here.

[j2mcgreg]

Thanks to all that responded. I took @CharlesV's advice and purchased Eset.