runningshoes

I've been using McAfee's Security Center for 2 years now and it has done a great job, especially considering that most of the time the PC is being used by 2 teenagers and my wife, who tend not to pay much attention to potential risks. My current sub runs out next month and McAfee wants $99 for a two year renewal, which seems really steep, as other sites are selling (what seems to be) the same software for as low as $21 for a 12 month sub ( http://www.royaldiscount.com/item/Mc...for_3_PCs/1745 )

Any thoughts on getting McAfee from a trusted source?

tev9999

I've cleaned viruses off computers for three or four friends that were running McCaffee and Norton. AVG found tons of stuff they didn't, for free. It does not slow my system down and is minimally intrusive.

Before you shell out money for any protection software, give it a try at free.avg.com. I've also heard good things about Avast, but have not tried it myself.

RFTraveler

A recent online review of AV products rated Norton and Kaspersky pretty high, too...and MacAfee down quite a bit. My MacAfee just expired, and will not get renewed...

I may try the AVG route, but am looking strongly at the two listed above - good prices at Costco...

RFTraveler

cordelli

I switched to the Microsoft Product, it's free, and the machines have taken a much lower performance hit with it.

http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/

Being free was nice, but it was not the reason I switched, it was the machines are faster with it over some of the other stuff I tried.

ScottC

I'll second that - dump McAfee and get Microsoft Security Essentials. So much better, free of charge and it won't slow your PC down.

broadwayblue

I had been using AVG free edition for several years...but recent versions seemed to become a bit more bloated. Last year I switched over to Avira Antivir. It's also free and more importantly it's been working well. I'd recommend it.

runningshoes

Thanks for all the replies - to get the full suite of protective services it looks like even AVG requires a paid package. I'll compare the new McAfee with AVG.

Non-NonRev

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/4.2.14912/2548; U; en) Presto/2.2.0)

What I find frustrating is when a company wants $50 for an annual subscription renewal, when the same product purchased at a retail store (which includes the first year of updates} costs $30.

BStrauss3

Checkout Vipre - http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/ - I think they still have their $20 site license.

broadwayblue

But why bother spending even $30 at a retail store when you can get the same protection for free?

soitgoes

Many Cable and DSL internet providers provide complimentary access to security suites (of variable quality).

swanscn

I have noticed that companies like McAfee and Norton charge more (quite a bit more), to renew their product then to just purchase a new copy. In the case of Norton 360 it was $90 to renew but I could purchase a new copy for $29.99 after instant rebate.
In your case if you like McAfee and it is doing the job for you just by a new copy. Yes, you will need to install it but that does not take too much time.

cordelli

It's part of the plan, you sell the product for a low amount of money, then you hook the people on renewing it every year for way more money. You hope that most people don't realize it's less money to just purchase the product new again.

McAfee is one of the worst in doing this. For example, if you purchase the total protection plus off their website it costs $60 for the three user, either to renew or to buy the new product. If you go onto Amazon, that same product is $31 (indeed, the three user version costs less then the one user version). It's even as low as $15 from other vendors.

They know most people will just give up a credit card number to get rid of the nasty pop up window and spend way more then they need to for the same product from someplace else.

mikew99

Indeed, it is the teaser price (cheap/free for the first year) -- followed by the inertia of easy resubscription -- that keeps these paid versions going.

There are so many well-regarded free alternatives (AVG has worked well for me for the last 5 years or so) that I usually recommend uninstalling the subscription software and installing a free version that will never ask for payment.

LessO2

I learned this the hard way, and feel really dumb for it.

A few years ago, McAfee got me real angry by the way of "Bob," with an Indian accent wanting to charge me to tell me how to fix their product.

Left McAfee and never came back.

Did a bunch of research and found Kaspersky being a great deal. However, I didn't know back then about the ridiculous re-license fee versus how cheap it is to get a new product.

Which is what brings me to this point.

Costco.com (and it's only on the website) is selling Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 for $19.99 (only through Feb 28, regular price is $65.00. Takes about three to four business days to get it, but for the updated program and the "new" license, for $19.99....VERY good deal, in my opinion.

When I first got Kaspersky three years ago, it was really user un-friendly, but did its job protecting my computer very well. They have made strides in making their program more novice user-friendly.

$19.99 price is plus tax, but does include shipping and handling.