AVG Anti-Virus Professional is one of the most comprehensive security packages in the market, offering protection on multiple levels across the board in both online and offline modes with a ton of additional features.
Installation & Requirements
During installation you will have the option of choosing the exact components you want to install if you choose the advanced installation path. After that the setup will begin and you will have to restart your computer when it ends. The supported operating systems are Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 in both 32 and 64 bit.
Interface
Although AVG constantly runs on the background, there are a lot of options to customize in the main interface window. All of the components are located here and have their own tabs. Some offer more options than others, mostly for security reasons but each of them can be customized in some level. Â You can also turn off each individual component from their own screen although it is not recommended and the application will constantly remind you to turn them on.
The scan interface is a pretty standard affair. You have the quick, full and custom scans which are self-explanatory. However, you will be offered a lot of options when choosing a scanning mode such as file extension scans and scanning inside archives. An additional scan module features rootkit scanning in high risk areas of your computer. Finally, you can set a schedule for automatic scanning whenever you want. A good rule of thumb is to set the scans at a time where your computer will be on but you will not be using it or at least you will be using it for an activity that requires minimal system resources otherwise the scanning process will take its toll on your system. You can also set multiple scans at the same time but it is also not recommended as it will slow your PC down considerably.
You do not have to stay in the scanning interface for the duration of the scan. You can minimize the window or go back to other tabs of the program’s interface while the scanning is in progress. After it is done, you will have a variety of options depending on the type of threats as some of them cannot just be removed from your system. AVG offers a quarantine module for such situations that will prevent malware from any access to your system, thus eliminating their threat.
Other features offered by AVG Professional are the Web Browsing, Identity and E-mails protection systems. All of them require no user input at all as they will be constantly working in the background to ensure maximum protection from security threats. Lastly, the PC Analyzer tool offers various utilities to boost the performance of your computer like a registry scanner and fixer, a defragmentation tool and a module to delete junk files that take unnecessary space in your computer.
Pros
-A ton of utilities make for a complete all-in-one package
-Various options for scanning the computer
-Minimal user input required for most tools
-Up-to-date virus database gets ahead of malware
-Minimal system resources required
Cons
-None that would be worth mentioning
Conclusion
AVG Anti-Virus Professional is one of the best security systems for a variety of reasons. The resources it requires are negligible but its features are anything but. The protection AVG offers is top notch and anyone who wants to feel safe when they are browsing the internet can rely on an AVG product without hesitation.
