Most people trust a well-known brand like McAfee just because they've been around a long time. But brand recognition doesn't always equate to good antivirus software.
Such is the case with McAfee AntiVirus Plus 2015. Unfortunately, McAfee seems to be resting on name-recognition alone again this year. There haven't been any major upgrades or perceivable improvements to their software for some time now.
The virus protection scores right down the middle in the "average" range.
The user interface is still awkward to use and downright ugly.
McAfee's technical support is reasonable enough for basic questions but expensive for more serious issues.
Certified by:
Such is the case with McAfee AntiVirus Plus 2015. Unfortunately, McAfee seems to be resting on name-recognition alone again this year. There haven't been any major upgrades or perceivable improvements to their software for some time now.
The virus protection scores right down the middle in the "average" range.
The user interface is still awkward to use and downright ugly.
McAfee's technical support is reasonable enough for basic questions but expensive for more serious issues.
Certified by:
- AV Comparatives
- AV-Test
- ICSA
- PC Security Labs
Virus & Spyware Protection: 71%
Even though McAfee Antivirus comes with a built-in firewall, a rare feature for basic antivirus software, they still only score average across the board for overall protection among independent testing labs.
Even our own in-house tests showed McAfee to be effective at blocking known virus and malware threats only 80% of the time. Not exactly a stellar score.
With such mediocre scores virus protection, it's hard to recommend McAfee this year.
Resource Usage: 78%
At first glance, McAfee's system resource usage is low when running idle: CPU usage was less than 1% and memory usage was only about 140MB on average.
A full system scan is another story.
Our testing PCs were nearly maxed out on CPU power, and the memory ranged from 125MB-160MB. The consistently high CPU usage is very concerning. When running a full scan like this, McAfee can seriously slow down your PC.
Unfortunately, these are the same types of results we hear back from our customers in our annual surveys, too.
User Interface: 60%
Even our own in-house tests showed McAfee to be effective at blocking known virus and malware threats only 80% of the time. Not exactly a stellar score.
With such mediocre scores virus protection, it's hard to recommend McAfee this year.
Resource Usage: 78%
At first glance, McAfee's system resource usage is low when running idle: CPU usage was less than 1% and memory usage was only about 140MB on average.
A full system scan is another story.
Our testing PCs were nearly maxed out on CPU power, and the memory ranged from 125MB-160MB. The consistently high CPU usage is very concerning. When running a full scan like this, McAfee can seriously slow down your PC.
Unfortunately, these are the same types of results we hear back from our customers in our annual surveys, too.
User Interface: 60%
Click images to enlarge
The McAfee user interface is it's weakest point. Most antivirus companies update their interface every year or two; McAfee hasn't changed a thing in years, and it shows.
For starters, it's cramped, grey, boring, and not easy to use.
Each small section clicks open to an inner window with expandable sections within that. Each expandable section then needs to be clicked open, where you must scroll through a tiny window to find what you're looking for. (Scrolling and navigating inside a tiny interface is the norm with this software; it's juts plain awkward.)
On top of that, the number buttons and selections within can be overwhelming without careful examination.
Ultimately, McAfee's user interface looks as though only minimal effort has gone into it with minimal thought as to how users need to interact with it. In our view, it's due for an overhaul.
Technical Support: 71%
The technical support for McAfee is usable for the majority of questions you may have. They provide very good video tutorials, FAQ pages, chat, email, and forums for the most common issues.
If you need further help, McAfee first requires you to install their "Virtual Assistant" to scan your system and attempt to fix any existing problems (for the record, we repeatedly tried to install this software; it failed installation each time.)
If you need to then talk to a technician, phone support is available, but person-to-person support is going to cost you. Virus removal assistance is $89.95, or you can upgrade to $179.95/year for full technical support. Your options are basically: expensive or more expensive.
Conclusion - Overall Score: 69%
For starters, it's cramped, grey, boring, and not easy to use.
Each small section clicks open to an inner window with expandable sections within that. Each expandable section then needs to be clicked open, where you must scroll through a tiny window to find what you're looking for. (Scrolling and navigating inside a tiny interface is the norm with this software; it's juts plain awkward.)
On top of that, the number buttons and selections within can be overwhelming without careful examination.
Ultimately, McAfee's user interface looks as though only minimal effort has gone into it with minimal thought as to how users need to interact with it. In our view, it's due for an overhaul.
Technical Support: 71%
The technical support for McAfee is usable for the majority of questions you may have. They provide very good video tutorials, FAQ pages, chat, email, and forums for the most common issues.
If you need further help, McAfee first requires you to install their "Virtual Assistant" to scan your system and attempt to fix any existing problems (for the record, we repeatedly tried to install this software; it failed installation each time.)
If you need to then talk to a technician, phone support is available, but person-to-person support is going to cost you. Virus removal assistance is $89.95, or you can upgrade to $179.95/year for full technical support. Your options are basically: expensive or more expensive.
Conclusion - Overall Score: 69%
- Decent real-time protection
- Passing grades from testing labs
- Built-in firewall
McAfee 2015 was a disappointment for us. With too many issues like tech support costs and a weak interface, this version is a letdown, particularly after a poor showing last year, too.
Even though it includes a software firewall and an excellent vulnerability scanner, the value of those things doesn't outweigh the overall virus protection which was average in most areas.
As a leader in the antivirus industry, McAfee could—and should—deliver a stronger product.
Even though it includes a software firewall and an excellent vulnerability scanner, the value of those things doesn't outweigh the overall virus protection which was average in most areas.
As a leader in the antivirus industry, McAfee could—and should—deliver a stronger product.
really thank you for sharing MacAfee Antivirus Plus 2016
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