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Emsisoft Anti-Malware (EAM) Pro vs. MSE
It has been several years since I last used any EAM paid product. At that time, I believe it was just an anti-spyware (called a-squared). Nowadays EAM has changed to a full-fledged Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware product. Costs about $45/yr.
While I still champion free over paid security products, I jumped at the chance to test the latest version of this paid product (especially since I didn't have to pay for it). It partners with Bitdefender as well as using its own engine. Both perform very well at protection in independent tests, and have low false positive detections. I wondered how well EAM would compare to MSE, in usability on a Win 7 system.
Test platform:
- ASUS eee 1015 PE notebook, Win 7 Pro/sp1 (an infrequently used, fully patched, and squeaky clean system).
- RAM: 2 GB
- no other real-time programs running during tests
With MSE 4.2 installed as real-time AV:
- Memory usage: MsMpEng.exe: 26, 324k, msseces.exe: 3,000k
- MSE Update check: less than one minute
- MSE Quick scan time: 45 seconds
- HMP on-demand Quick Scan: 54 seconds
- MBAM Pro on-demand Quick Scan: 8 min 57 sec.
MSE uninstalled cleanly.
EAM Pro (version 8.0) downloaded/installed quickly and easily, with no unwanted bundled software.
With EAM (default installation) as real-time AV:
- Memory usage: a2service.exe: 1,896k, a2guard.exe: 272k
- EAM Update check: less than one minute
- EAM Quick scan time: 75-90 sec.
- HMP on-demand Quick Scan: 65 sec.
- MBAM Pro on-demand Quick Scan: 7 minutes, 29 sec.
Wi-Fi connection speeds with both AVs were similar, and met my ISP advertised speeds.
Re-enabling real-time protection of MBAM Pro and WinPatrol Plus did not result in any conflicts, or significantly prolong any scan times noted above.
Discussion:
Clearly both AVs perform well on this system, and neither conflicts with my other security programs. I can't comment on their relative protection, or detection rates against zero-day malware. The latest "Real World Dynamic Test" report from AV-Comparatives (AV-C) found that EAM provides better protection than MSE (99.4% vs. 92.5%) on Win 7 Pro:
http://www.av-comparatives.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/avc_prot_2013a_en.pdf
Whether a system protected with both MSE and MBAM Pro real-time protection would score as poorly as MSE alone is moot. I have used this combo for a few years now with no infection.
When it comes to the impact of these AVs on system performance, my results generally agree with AV-C, in that it is minimal and similar with both:
http://www.av-comparatives.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/avc_per_201304_en.pdf
As to the GUI of these AVs, clearly EAM is more configurable, and MSE more simple. Both will auto-update their signature definitions.
Conclusions:
I will continue to use EAM Pro on this notebook until my license expires in a year (or until it gives me grief). I'm not convinced it is worth $45/yr. or offers better protection or value than MSE+MBAM Pro. I still endorse having the free version of EAM as an on-demand scanner in any event. It is a reputable and (in my experience) a trouble-free product.
As always, YMMV.
Thanks, Jim.
I'm aware of Vipre, and used its precursor CounterSpy from Sunbelt, many years ago, subsequently purchased by GFI. I've often wondered how this commercial program fared, as it seems to have completely faded from the scene, and is not evaluated by the independent test sites I trust.
I have become a real fan of it. You dont even know it is really running in the back ground. Easy to use and highly effective.
I bought the lifetime license when it was available and I could run it on up to ten Pc's. You can get a one year license for around
30 bucks for the internet security. There is a coupon code available. They even have software for the android phone.
Thanks for the reply Jim at [Moderator note: Unsolicited link to a commercial site removed per Dell's Terms of Use]
If anyone wants to try any of it, I suggest downloading directly from Vipre. That is my policy when downloading any type of software.
Mine also.
It appears I misspoke, as Vipre is indeed tested at both AV-Comparatives and AV-Test, under the name "ThreatTrack", a spinoff company from GFI.
Awards and ratings:
http://chart.av-comparatives.org/awards_by_vendor.php?venID=46
http://www.av-test.org/no_cache/en/tests/test-reports/?tx_avtestreports_pi1%5Breport_no%5D=133169It was recently reviewed by PCMag:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2410469,00.aspThis two month old topic is a review of Emsisoft Anti-Malware (EAM) Pro vs. MSE. It appears to have gone off topic because an unsolicited, unrelated link was posted to a commercial product. That URL is not that of ThreatTrack, the vendor for Vipre security software.
This topic is closed.
jgkittle
2 Posts
549
0
Posted October 9th, 2013 13:00
I have been using an antivirus called Vipre for 4 years now. It has been awesome. It Doesn't slow my computer down like other antivirus software's.
It is a very good at catching all the bad stuff on the internet
Just my 2cents.
All the Best, Jim at [Moderator note: Unsolicited link to a commercial site removed per Dell's Terms of Use]