Purchasing a brand-new laptop is a pretty exciting feeling. It almost feels like a clean slate when you鈥檙e starting fresh with no clutter and you can set it up the way you like. And it鈥檚 normal to ask yourself during this process if you need to install antivirus software.
In the past, the answer was yes absolutely. If you wanted to protect your device, you had to buy an antivirus programme almost immediately. In fact, if you had a PC back in the early 2000s, you might remember that it was so easy to get a virus when connecting to the Internet if you didn鈥檛 have that protection in place.
Today, things are a little bit different. New devices typically come with some form of antivirus already built-in like Microsoft Defender for Microsoft or Gatekeeper for Macs.
So naturally, you might be wondering if that protection is good enough or if you still need to pay for additional security.
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Why Do Devices Have Built-In Antivirus?
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Since older devices didn鈥檛 have built-in protection, if you wanted it, you had to actively purchase it yourself. There were cases where people couldn鈥檛 afford an antivirus or truthfully, just weren鈥檛 educated about the importance of having one so they just went without.
This left thousands of people vulnerable to malware, trojans and viruses. As time went on, the manufacturers of the operating systems started to understand this especially as cybercrime started to increase. They came to the conclusion that users couldn鈥檛 be left on their own to invest in proper security.
Now, most devices have built-in protection from the minute they are powered on without needing much input from the user.
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The Benefits Of Having A Built-In Antivirus
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Modern built-in antivirus software has come a long way from what it used to be. They have become more sophisticated and there are actually quite a few benefits to having one pre-installed.
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It鈥檚 Inexpensive And Convenient
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Since the antivirus is already installed on the device that you purchased, you don鈥檛 need to spend anything further. It鈥檚 convenient especially if you鈥檙e on a tight budget since devices themselves already have a hefty price tag these days.
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They Don鈥檛 Affect Your System As Much
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Paid antivirus software from a third party provider is known to impact the speed and performance of your device. This is because it requires a lot of your device鈥檚 energy and resources since it works continuously while the device is on.
But when built-in antivirus is designed by the same company who created your operating system, it runs better without affecting the device.
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Updates Are Done Automatically
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Built-in antivirus is already integrated with your operating system which means that updates will take place automatically as they become available.
Usually with a paid version, you have to keep an eye on notifications alerting you of a new update. Otherwise, you just end up using an outdated version.
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Some Security Features Are Integrated
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Some built-in antivirus can come with some additional security features although these aren鈥檛 as extensive as with a paid version. On Windows, Defender works directly with a SmartScreen filter to block suspicious downloads along with a firewall and parental controls.
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What Are The Limitations To Built-In Protection?
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If you plan on relying solely on your built-in antivirus, there are some gaps in your security that you should be aware of to protect yourself and your device.
Features are limited: Paid antivirus come with a host of additional extras like Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and password managers. These can give you a more comprehensive security solution and added peace of mind.
Protection isn鈥檛 foolproof: A built-in antivirus can detect suspicious websites or activity. However, it鈥檚 limited when it comes to sophisticated phishing and scam attempts which you could still fall for.
Doesn鈥檛 detect threats as quickly: Third party antivirus providers work around the clock to identify new threats as they become known. Built-in tools are a bit slower to respond so they may not catch these as promptly.
Limited customer support: Paid software often comes with a dedicated technical team to help you if something goes wrong. With a built-in antivirus, you鈥檙e pretty much on your own to troubleshoot issues.
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Do You Need An Additional Antivirus For Security?
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There is no definitive answer because it will depend on your risk level as a user. If you use your device for the occasional Internet browsing and online shopping, or even streaming Netflix, a built-in antivirus could suffice. With that said, you still need to be cautious about what you do online.
On the other hand, if you use your device for work or keep a lot of personal information stored on it, a paid antivirus is definitely worth the investment.
Another way to think about it is that a built-in antivirus will offer you the bare minimum protection. But if you want maximum security to reduce your risk of cyber threats, a paid version will give you that.
