http://www.avastantivirusreview.com/avast-use-high-cpu-what-you-should-do
When choosing antivirus software it is crucial to understand how much of your computer’s resources the program will consume. The most effective programs have only a minimal impact on system performance, yet provide excellent security against malware and viruses.
The most respected antivirus software companies have extensive test programs that are widely published in PDF format for download. The reports provide at-a-glance assessments of performance, protection and usability for each suite along with detailed graphs and charts illustrating the results of particular testing elements. Important figures to watch out for include the proportion of real-world and reference set malware vulnerabilities that are blocked, neutralised or weakened by the program, as well as the number of false positive detections by benign software.
In AV-Comparatives’ tests from June 2023, Avast Free Antivirus for Mac was the most successful in achieving the highest rates of success in blocking Mac malware and PUAs (potentially unwanted programs) and the second-highest score for Windows virus detection. It also scored high in the categories of passive, full-scan, and quick-scan.
In the category of paid programs, Bitdefender Total Security had the tiniest post-installation background system impact which was followed by Kaspersky Total Security and ESET Security Cloud Free. It was slowest for both full-scans as well a quick-scan. The program’s low impact on the background could be because it doesn’t have a default installation on Windows 10 or 11, as most of its competitors.
Intego was the one with the lowest system impact for background scans and full scans, but it still managed to detect every piece of malware. It’s a rare company that focuses solely on Macs which makes it an essential part of any security arsenal.