The latest Windows 11 update won't install for some users, and tanks gaming performance even if it does If you want coverage for more than a single device, Norton 360 Deluxe is where it’s at, as this suite supports up to five devices. It’s a bit more than twice as expensive as AntiVirus Plus, but if you need that extra device coverage, it’s obviously worth it– and the parental controls are also great for those who have a family. Of course, this is a service you would hope not to use. But if you find yourself in a position where you have no idea what to do once identity theft has taken place, having a dedicated expert available throughout the week is always a big perk to have. Verdict You can also set access rules for every single program on your PC, as well as traffic rules for all of Windows’s built-in programs, like Network Discovery, File and Printer Sharing, and Remote Desktop Connection. However, most users will just want to let the firewall run on its defaults. Additionally, Norton provides a list of 136 uncommon protocols that can be used by malware to communicate between devices on a network. Norton’s firewall automatically monitors all of these protocols for suspicious activity and notifies users if they should disable any of these protocols due to a network-based malware threat.

Unfortunately, Norton’s parental control app has a few issues. It doesn’t work on Mac computers or Chromebooks, and it’s way too easy for a tech-savvy kid to bypass the web filter and YouTube and search monitoring on Windows. I also really like the customization aspect of Norton’s Data Protector. By default, it’s set to protect all of your most important files and folders, but it’s easy to add extra files and folders you want to protect. Norton 360 Deluxeis the best choice for most users. It provides a ton of useful features for up to 5 devices across Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. But if you only need protection for up to 3 devices (or 1 device outside the US) and don’t require parental controls, Norton 360 Standard is a decent choice too. Norton’s dark web monitoring scans for an impressive array of personally identifying information(PII), such as:Step 3: Open the Norton app: Now you can perform your first full system scan and use Norton’s other features. Overall, Norton has one of the best antivirus-bundled VPNs on the market. It’s not as good as a standalone VPN, but it provides encrypted web access across a variety of servers around the globe and has a strict no-logs policy, an easy-to-use interface, a kill switch, and unlimited browsing data. This is an interesting one. Norton 360 Platinum effectively provides you with your own Identity Restoration Specialist. Fall victim to a threat actor stealing your identity, no matter how big or small the case is? A specialist is available to call seven days a week, and includes guidance on credit card companies, financial institutions, collection agencies, government agencies and other third-party companies. Finally, I like how Norton gives you the option to always update programs automatically. I recommend switching this feature on because it means you’ll never have to worry about keeping programs up-to-date. I really like the automatic system cleanup functionality, which prevents my PC from getting bogged down with junk files. Utilities Ultimate also provides a Real-Time Boost feature which optimizes your CPU, RAM, and power usage in real time.

However, Norton Secure VPN’s connection speeds aren’t the best. Since VPNs route your internet connection through another server (sometimes around the world) and encrypt all of your data, this process is always going to cause some slowdown, no matter which VPN you use. But because all VPNs handle these tasks differently, all VPNs have different speeds. In my tests, Norton’s VPN wasn’t nearly as fast as some antivirus competitors like TotalAV or Bitdefender, but it wasn’t the slowest either. The biggest problem with Norton’s basic plan is that it only covers 1 device (or 3 in the US). However, Norton 360 Standard is an excellent choice if you don’t have many devices to cover. Norton’s full disk scan took about 40 minutes to complete on my PC, which is faster than most competitors (the average full scan time is 1 hour, though many brands take much longer). Norton also offers a variety of other scan options (which you can schedule to run at any time), such as: Norton’s AntiVirus Plus plan offers excellent real-time and on-demand malware protection, plus a handful of extra features including:An antivirus’ defences are only as good as its ease of use, and Norton 360 delivers a simple setup with a foolproof user interface – and Norton 360 Platinum’s setup is no different. Cannot access my bank or my supermarket (last time, I had to not only turn off the VPN, but reboot my router too). Norton 360 for Gamers (Windows only)— A special set of antivirus features for PC gamers (more info here).

Norton 360 Premium is purely for those who have loads of bits of hardware and need that coverage limit of five devices upped to 10. For you, the extra expense will be worth paying. While Norton supports torrenting, it only works on Norton’s standalone VPN app. If you’re just running the VPN from within Norton 360, it’ll shut off as soon as you open a P2P program like μTorrent. After executing a malicious file, Norton 360 immediately alerted me that it had detected a threat and removed it. There’s no option to move it to quarantine when alerted; Norton removes the malicious file from harming your device. That’s an efficient antivirus. As mentioned, AntiVirus Plus is the entry-level offering from Norton and, as you might expect, it’s the most affordable option and provides the most basic level of cover.As a side note, Norton for Gamers is bound to have less of an impact, seeing as it’s designed to improve a device’s performance. AV-Comparatives