Is Windows Defender all I need?

kraver0

Honorable
Jul 22, 2012
41
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10,530
Just bought a brand new gaming notebook that included Windows 8.1

I have Malwarebytes (free) and Windows Defender (MSE) installed for my Windows 8.1. When I booted up the laptop for the first time, McAfee was already installed, but I uninstalled it later.

According to Microsoft, Windows Defender is basically Microsoft Security Essentials, which is also an antivirus program. Since this WD is an antivirus program, would this be all I need? I really want to install Avast, but it would conflict with WD, wouldn't it?

What I didn't understand was why McAfee was installed with WD. Are these two antivirus programs compatible with together or something?

Furthermore, I only plan on using this notebook SOLELY for gaming. I have my MacBook Pro that I can use to surf the web, etc. Therefore, is using WD and Malwarebytes enough security for Windows 8.1?

Thank you.

 
Solution
MSE is now part of windows defender in windows 8. there is no mse anymore for windows 8.

So he already has it on his system.

I like the combo of comodo firewall and avast!... mostly because i'm paranoid. That said, comodo bugs the heck out of me sometimes. So i can understand if you skip it. Avast! meanwhile is pretty user friendly, and generally runs nice and quiet in the background.

there are 2 versions of avast, one is a "free trial" which will make you pay for it after 30 days, the other is the "free antivirus"... get the free antivirus. register it to your email account (I've never had them send me an email... and i don't get spam so i don't know what they do with your email address) and it will work for 1 year. at...
McAfee is not very well thought of anymore, even though DOD uses it for their less sensitive stuff. I would buy the PRO version of Malwarebytes for active protection, it has saved by a few times. Yes Windows Defender with Malwarebytes is enough protection if you ask me, I consider myself somewhat of a veteran PC Gamer and builder. I've access to Corporate versions of Norton and McAfee, and I have not felt the need to install them.
 
Windows defender is mainly a firewall package.

You can download and use MSE (there's a free version) or Avast (as I use).

But uninstall McAfee. You can really on have one anti virus package running. MSE and Avast are better than McAfee.

I just use Avast and Defender.
 
Oh I see.
So, Avast is compatible with Defender I assume?

Also, on my Windows 7 PCs, I've only been using MSE and Malwarebytes, and haven't had many issues.

Btw, it says Windows 8.1 is not compatible with MSE.
 
because MSE is integrated into windows 8

Microsoft has also stated that they no longer suggest MSE/windows defender as your primary antivirus... seeing as it's not been certified in almost 3 years now i'd say that's good advice.

MSE is only something you put on low spec machines because of the low system use. otherwise get a real antivirus. on the free front avast! and comodo firewall are on my system. keeps my computer clean too.

Malwarebytes has taken a turn for the worse IMHO... this version 2 of their's is a giant step backwards. not sure what they were trying with it.

 
A 2013 Maximum PC article pits Avast against Windows Defender and Avast won. I've never needed anything more than Defender though, and I'm kind of a purest/minimalist. What I like about Defender is it works silently in the background, never bothers you.
 
Yep. What ingtar33 said.

I tried installing Amd64 MSE, but a window pops up basically telling me that WD IS MSE.. So there's no point and my only option is to close the installation.
 
MSE is now part of windows defender in windows 8. there is no mse anymore for windows 8.

So he already has it on his system.

I like the combo of comodo firewall and avast!... mostly because i'm paranoid. That said, comodo bugs the heck out of me sometimes. So i can understand if you skip it. Avast! meanwhile is pretty user friendly, and generally runs nice and quiet in the background.

there are 2 versions of avast, one is a "free trial" which will make you pay for it after 30 days, the other is the "free antivirus"... get the free antivirus. register it to your email account (I've never had them send me an email... and i don't get spam so i don't know what they do with your email address) and it will work for 1 year. at the end of the year, registered it to the same email and get another year... it's pretty straight forward.
 
Solution