Not using AV in Windows 10

[jeremymwilson]

Hi all, I am in the late planning stages of my Windows 10 build after 10 years or so of being a Mac user. 

 

I will only be using the PC to play games, email will be done on my iPhone and web browsing will be done on my smart tv/iphone. 

 

My question is, I would like to run Windows without anti-virus, even the built-in Defender. Is this viable? Does AV (and Windows Defender in particular) have an impact on performance on a modern fast ssd PC?

 

And if I don't have AV installed will Windows constantly nag me to install it? If so, can I stop the nagging somehow?

 

Does anyone else run Windows without AV  if they primarily only use their PC for gaming?

 

Thanks for any advice.

 

 

[C2dan88]

Just stick with Windows Defender it is non-intrusive or resource hungry. Seriously running without Anit-virus the performance difference will be not even measurable.

[jeremymwilson]

Ok good to know. My last experience with Windows 10 and AV is a long time ago, good to know things have improved. 

 

Thanks

[vanished]

I don't think you can disable both (at least if you can it wasn't an obvious option).  When you install AV defender turns itself off, but if you don't, it will be active.  Just remember that your common sense is 100x more effective than any AV program

[GoodBytes]

Windows 10 (and Windows 8), comes with a basic A/V and anti-malware software built-in, called Windows Defender.
You can't disable it (well, not easily), and always runs on the back.

 

Its goal is to be the least intrusive possible, and consumes the lease amount of system resources. As a result, it is not as good as other A/V and anti-malware software, as it doesn't use multiple scan algorithms and heuristics scans, and such. Also, being on every Windows system, you can bet that malware and virus makers tries to find ways to pass undetectable. Of course, Windows Defender gets daily updated and as such anything wide spread won't be missed for long.

 

Windows Defender mixed with safe web practices, and common sense (ie: not open an email attachment called: image.exe, and keep the system, and software fully updated), is usually fine for many people.

[jeremymwilson]

42 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

Windows 10 (and Windows 8), comes with a basic A/V and anti-malware software built-in, called Windows Defender.
You can't disable it (well, not easily), and always runs on the back.

 

Its goal is to be the least intrusive possible, and consumes the lease amount of system resources. As a result, it is not as good as other A/V and anti-malware software, as it doesn't use multiple scan algorithms and heuristics scans, and such. Also, being on every Windows system, you can bet that malware and virus makers tries to find ways to pass undetectable. Of course, Windows Defender gets daily updated and as such anything wide spread won't be missed for long.

 

Windows Defender mixed with safe web practices, and common sense (ie: not open an email attachment called: image.exe, and keep the system, and software fully updated), is usually fine for many people.

Thanks for the tips. I won't be using the PC for email and hardly any web browsing so I should be safe enough.