Chime in: Have you had good or bad experiences with McAfee AntiVirus?

McAfee
McAfee (Image credit: Windows Central)

The antivirus debate is a hot one. Many people swear that the Windows Defender Security Center baked into Windows 10 is enough to keep a PC safe, while others go to great lengths to find the perfect antivirus that balances performance and security.

When buying a new laptop, many manufacturers will include a trial period for third-party antivirus software, including McAfee AntiVirus. Windows Central Forum Member Closingracer recently created a thread asking whether or not McAfee is indeed worth re-upping a subscription.

I just bought a Dell G7 and it came with 1 year free of McAfee. I usually avoid both like the plague but I do have some recent experience with Dell since I got an All on 1 for free to review and liked it so I figured between price and the fact it is the only laptop with the 1060 Max Q under $1,000 I will get this laptop. Probably need to add a HDD since the 256GB SSD ( SATA meh ) is to small for...

Closingracer

Closingracer mentions that a free year of McAfee is available on their PC but isn't sure if it's enough protection and wants to hear from those who have first-hand experience. There are already a bunch of replies (told you it was a hot topic), with some people saying Defender is enough while others swear a third-party option is required.

If you've used McAfee AntiVirus, head over to the forum and share your experience; just be prepared to defend your opinion.

Join the discussion on the Windows Central forum

Cale Hunt
Senior Editor, Laptop Reviews

Cale Hunt is formerly a Senior Editor at Windows Central. He focuses mainly on laptop reviews, news, and accessory coverage. He's been reviewing laptops and accessories full-time since 2016, with hundreds of reviews published for Windows Central. He is an avid PC gamer and multi-platform user, and spends most of his time either tinkering with or writing about tech.