What is the best Anti-virus and firewall apps for a Win 7 PC in 2011?
I just purchased a new Dell PC, and I'd like to set it up with a good anti-virus and firewall program.
The general consensus seems to be that McAfee and Norton are bloated, resource-hoggy, and ineffective. Google turns up plenty of free programs, but credible, CURRENT reviews are hard to find.
Many of the big programs offer "security centers" - huge programs that combine anti-virus, firewall, malware removers, and phishing protection. Some of this seems necessary, others not-so-much.
Also, Win 7 has a firewall built-in; since I'm not remotely a security expert - I have no idea if this is sufficient, or I need a 3rd party app on top (or instead of it).
So, what's a conscientious but non-expert Windows user to do?
(I know, I know - get a Mac. Which I've done - I LOVE my iMac. But I ALSO need a PC for work...)
posted by stuehler
on Jan 3, 2011 -
22 answers
My trusty 3-year old home office PC is starting to drag a bit, so I'm thinking about replacing it. Should I bite the bullet and buy something with Vista? Go with XP, even if it means not getting the latest Intel processor? Or, should I wait until Windows 7?
[more inside]
posted by stuehler
on Apr 21, 2009 -
25 answers
I just bought a pretty high-end Dell PC with a large LCD monitor.
It's got dual Core2 CPUs @ 2.66GHz, 4 GB of RAM, and a decent graphics card. The monitor is a widescreen 27" Dell Ultrasharp.
So far, I like the PC. But I was disappointed to find that the first PC game I tried (BioShock) runs TERRIBLY. The game does run pretty well on my slightly older PC, which only has a 19" monitor.
So, I think the large, widescreen monitor is the problem. Is that correct? Are there tricks to running the latest games on a large LCD monitor?
Many thanks in advance for any advice and insight.
posted by stuehler
on Sep 26, 2007 -
19 answers
