mcafee review, antivirus software
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McAfee
An#Virus So,ware
About McAfee
McAfee is one of the leading virus protection software products available with a substantial market share in both branding and customer base. With roots which go back over twenty years, this company has been around and will maintain its longevity for the foreseeable future. • Is McAfee really the best option to protect your computer?
• Does McAfee really work?
• Does McAfee keep up-to-date with current threats or are they dated?
• Will McAfee protect all of my devices?
Is McAfee the best option?
McAfee offers their customers not only a full-featured antivirus software; their suite contains several add-ins at little or no additional cost which give full-spectrum support to the home and business computer user.
• Anti-malware Scanning
• Anti-bot Protection
• Two-Way Firewall
• Malicious Ad Protection
• Safe Web Browsing
• Social Media Protection
• Vulnerability Scanner (seals up holes in Windows and apps to prevent infection)
• Digital Data Shredder (erases cookies, memory, cache, and browser history)
• Wireless Open Network Protection (protects passwords and personal files)
• Parental Controls and Surf Report (all antivirus products except basic)
Does McAfee really work?
McAfee has been tested by independent A/V testers and according to their results was proven to work. However, on threats defines as “Day 0” (meaning just introduced into the cyber universe), while McAfee scores highly in being able to detect and eliminate these threats in some tests, in practice their performance varied as far as efficacy in detecting new viruses, Trojans, malware, etc.
Does McAfee keep up-to-date with current threats or are they dated?
McAfee uses a large percentage of their resources to maintaining the upper hand on cyber threats. However, if users do not keep their software updated or do not perform regular scans, their computers will be no better protected than those without antivirus protection.
Will McAfee protect all of my devices?
McAfee’s offers an All Access package which gives their customers smartphone/tablet protection including: • Anti-malware - scans SD cards, all apps and internet downloads for:
• Viruses • Adware • Spyware
• App Protection and Safe Surfing for Android – tracks apps which access the private data of the user and blocks phishing, browser exploits and links in:
• Texts • Emails • Social sites • QR codes
• Call and SMS blocking – uses the latest technology to block mobile spammers, wrong numbers and unwanted and nuisance texts
• Loss/Theft Protection – allows users to lock, back up, restore, or wipe their smartphone or tablet to protect your data in the event that a mobile device is lost or stolen.
Pricing and Cancellation
McAfee uses a subscription pricing structure. All subscriptions have a minimum term of 12 months and are automatically renewed at the end of the terms unless the customer contacts McAfee in advance of the term coming due. Pricing:
• All Access: $44.99/year (unlimited device protection, including protection for PCs, Macs, smartphones and tablets)
• Antivirus Plus: $24.99/year (protection for 1 computer) Cancellation:
• Should a customer desire to terminate their contract, they may do so at any point of the subscription. Customers have reported receiving a credit should they cancel their renewal within 30 days of the charge.
McAfee offers a 30-Day Money Back guarantee.
Software Usability
McAfee’s products are easy to use, and in most cases work seamlessly and behind the scenes. As such, McAfee works in the background and some users report system slowing. It is important to note that there are minimum system requirements to make McAfee’s software working in the background less noticeable and prevent computer slow-down.
System Requirements
For optimum performance, McAfee requires enough space on the hard drive as well as adequate RAM (memory) to support its background operation. For optimum performance and minimal slowing, McAfee requires: • Supported Operating Systems and System Requirements:
• Windows XP SP3 or higher (32-bit) • 512 MB RAM for XP
• Windows Vista SP1, Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 • McAfee works with both 32-bit and 64-bit Operating Systems • 2 GB RAM for Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1
• 500 MB free drive space • 1 GHz processor
• McAfee’s All Access package supports these additional systems: • Mac OS X 10.7 or higher • Google Android smartphones and tablets 2.3 and 4.0 (runs on Kindle Fire Devices) • BlackBerry 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0 • iOS 5 or higher (only supported by the SafeKey password manager)
The Good
McAfee has a solid reputation and offers a quality product. Their addition of mobile device protection addresses a need which many consumers face. Most of the work done to protect a computer or mobile device by McAfee is preventative, meaning that files are blocked from being saved or downloaded. Preventing a virus, malware, Trojan or phishing attack is easier than trying to clean up after the damage is done and McAfee is proactive in trying to help their customers do just that. The protection which McAfee offers is quite comprehensive and customers can use their computer with ease of mind against harmful viruses, Trojans, malware, etc. harming their personal data.
The Bad
Some customers have had challenges with the automatically-renewing subscription model of McAfee’s pricing. Removing McAfee from a computer is not easy and is not complete with the control panel uninstall. One computer cannot run another antivirus software effectively with remnants of a prior installation of a different product. Tools are available online to effectively and completely remove McAfee. For households with multiple machines, subscriptions are more pricey.
Antivirus software is critical for devices which connect to the internet with the widespread nature of viruses, malware, Trojans, etc. It is best to commit to one product and remain true to it dues to the various difficulties of fully removing antivirus software. McAfee has a reputation of protecting computers for nearly thirty years and will be a solid choice for anyone looking for a way to protect their equipment and data for years to come.
Better Business Bureau • McAfee is not accredited with the BBB (accreditation is optional and not required in any industry)
• A+ rating
• 487 complaints closed with BBB in last 3 years • 98 closed in last 12 months • The BBB states that McAfee handles complaints in a satisfactory manner, has a low number of complaints relative to the size of the company and has been in business for a sufficient amount of time for a reliable rating to be issued.
Contact Information
Phone number: (888) 847-8766 McAfee Headquarters 2821 Mission College Blvd. Santa Clara, CA 95054-1838
Summary
McAfee is a solid and trusted option as an antivirus software provider. They have a full-spectrum of products designed to protect computers, smartphones and tablets from viruses, malware, Trojans and phishing.
