Kaspersky Lab is in the top ranks of anti-virus software developers. This is not discussed. Among the many programs there are also free packages. Not so long ago, a new free modification of Kaspersky Free was presented. Feedback from users and experts is divided. Let us try to evaluate the new program according to the opinions of users and experts (Kaspersky Free 2016 Beta).
Kaspersky Free Antivirus: reviews and first impressions
So, the developer decided to submit a new package to the court of users. According to its creators themselves, the program has become very "easy" and reliable. In addition, the complete free package of Kaspersky Free is also approved. User reviews, however, indicate that the program gives the impression of shareware, but more on that later.
As for the opinion of experts, they immediately drew attention to the fact that only two modifications were released for use in Russia and Ukraine. And the name speaks for itself. This is a real beta version, that is, a development created exclusively for testing. So there are more than enough bugs in the program, despite all the assurances of the developers about reliability.
We should also pay attention to the main features of Kaspersky Free antivirus. Responses from experts in the field of security software directly indicate that there are much fewer of them here compared to the same Internet Security package. The main attention is paid only to protection against threats and automatic updates. We are not talking about any security of the same Internet payments, anti-spyware module, parental control or even technical support (these characteristics can be seen on the official website of the developer).
There is another problem related to the Kaspersky Free package. The reviews of the same system administrators indicate the absence of any means of monitoring networks, protection against network attacks, a firewall, Internet control, monitoring changes in the operating system, anti-spam and anti-banner, secure input, protection against data collection , backup modules, virtual safe, password manager, etc. You can list the shortcomings for a very long time.
On the other hand, there are pluses. Kaspersky Free package (expert reviews confirm this), there is a file, mail, web and IM anti-virus, anti-phishing module, as well as the ability to use the on-screen keyboard.
Finally, even though the package supports the latest update for the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, there are limitations for the “tens” regarding the suspension of protection.
Kaspersky Free Anti-Virus: system requirements reviews
System requirements are not so high. For ordinary computers with Windows XP, a processor with a clock speed of 1 GHz or higher, plus 512 MB of RAM, is required. For systems of a higher rank, the same processor type is needed, but for 32-bit systems 1 GB of free "RAM" is required, for 64-bit architecture - 2 GB.
For netbooks, the requirements are higher - a 1.66 GHz processor and 1 GB of RAM, a screen with a minimum diagonal of 10.1 inches and a resolution of at least 1024 x 600 pixels, and it is completely unclear why the mandatory use of the Intel GMA 950 chipset .
For tablets like Microsoft Tablet PC, a prerequisite is a 1.6 GHz processor and 1 GB RAM.
The characteristics of the equipment are modest by modern standards. But! If you take into account the requirement of free disk space of 920 MB, it’s worth considering. In addition, unlike some other similar programs, the antivirus is installed exclusively on the system disk, and changing its location to a virtual partition is simply impossible.
Package Activation Issues
As for the activation of the opinions of users, they say that after installation the program normally works only in Russia and Ukraine. The claimed period is 365 days, but it is not yet possible to verify. After it expires, the application will lose functionality. But what will happen next? Have to buy an antivirus or activate it again? Unknown
Interestingly, Belarusian users have found a way around the problem. Activation can be done if you use proxy servers. After that, everything works without problems.
System Load Opinions
Kaspersky Lab software products, as you know, are quite “gluttonous”. In the case of Kaspersky Free, an increased load on resources is noted only at the time the system starts. It is not surprising, because it is then that executable files are scanned. But judging by the posts on the Internet, the further load is practically not felt.
Side Effects Issues
Now a few words about what negative consequences the installation of Kaspersky Free entails.
User reviews say that the same Mozilla Firefox browser does not start at all after installing the package (the system displays a message like “Couldn't load XPCOM”), and Thunderbird does not install at all (although no problems were noticed after uninstalling Kaspersky).
Another problem, according to many, is that sometimes anti-virus databases are not updated the first time. You have to start the update manually. And, what is most unpleasant, many say that the antivirus sometimes removes the Russified launch files of some programs.
Opinions about Internet Connection Stability
Finally, another flip side of the coin related to the Kaspersky Free package. Reviews (both users, and specialists, and system administrators) unequivocally claim that after installing this package problems with communication begin to be observed.
In particular, many note a disconnection when using the MTS 4G-based connection manager. Among other things, there is a decrease in the speed of Internet connection, as well as an unreasonably high traffic consumption. And what it is connected with, no one really understands.
Should I install this antivirus package?
Finally, it remains to reflect on the advisability of installing a new antivirus. Of course, unlike previous versions of Kaspersky Free 2016, it surpasses its predecessors by at least a reduced load on the system. But here you need to consider that this is still, anyway, the beta version. And this speaks for itself: the program is at the testing stage, and is not a fully developed software product. Therefore, the conclusion suggests itself: while installing a new antivirus is not worth it. It’s better to wait for the official release of the modified and fully functional version. And even after installation, simply in order to evaluate the capabilities of the program, you can get a lot of problems, which then cannot be solved even by rolling back the system to its previous state. By the way, the removal of the package, as in the case of all previous protection tools from Kaspersky Lab, is a very troublesome task. And without special knowledge, it’s impossible to “demolish” an antivirus just like that.