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Protection packages put to an endurance test: top-performing packages for Windows 10 and 11
Although Microsoft has given Windows 10 users an extension of one more year in terms of Windows updates, the changeover has only been postponed – it's still going to happen. Many users are wondering whether their current protection package will continue to work securely after the switch to Windows 11. This question is answered by the current endurance test of 12 products for consumer users. The endurance test was launched under Windows 10 and concluded after six months under Windows 11. The answer is yes: the security vendors perform well under both systems in terms of protection, performance, and false positives.
12 packages examined in the lab from March to August 2025
Microsoft sent out the positive news that support for the important security updates for Windows 10 will continue until October 2026. However, it is only automatic if a user is logged in to Windows with an account and has signed up for the extended security updates (ESU) free of charge. Those who switch over to Windows 11 might wonder whether the security package they are currently using will operate under Windows 11 and continue to protect them just as effectively. There should be no issues with the changeover, as the vendors all offer a software package for Windows 11 that also works with the current security suite license used under Windows 10. The second question: is my security package just as secure under Windows 11 as it is under Windows 10, is answered by the current endurance test with 12 known security packages. The lab launched the endurance test that lasted a period of 6 months under Windows 10 and concluded it under Windows 11. The lab test took place from March to August 2025.
The test included 12 protection packages for consumer users. The packages came from the following vendors: Avast, AVG, Avira, Bitdefender, ESET, F-Secure, K7 Computing, Kaspersky, McAfee, Microsoft, Norton and TotalAV. The latest results are quite impressive, as five of the twelve packages achieved the maximum 18 points and another five attained an excellent score of 17.8.
12 packages in the endurance protection test
When testing security software, many users first look at its protection performance, i.e. its defense against malware in the form of viruses, Trojans, etc. For this test area, the testers in the lab only use malware that they have found on the Internet or in e-mails. The testing inv
Five security packages achieved the top score of 18 points in the endurance test, protecting as well under Windows 11 as under Windows 10
Over the entire test period of 6 months, 4 protection products detected all attacking malware without exception
In the detection of malware, there were four products that completed the 6 months of testing without any errors. The packages from Bitdefender, ESET, Kaspersky and the embedded Microsoft Defender each achieved 100 percent detection in both the real-world test and reference set test.
The McAfee protection package committed a minor error in the real-world test, coming in at 99.9 percent. AVG, F-Secure and Norton also performed well with 99.8 percent and Avast, Avira and TotalAV with 99.7 percent. All the packages completed the reference set test with no errors whatsoever, however.
Only the package from K7 Computing let too many attackers through in the real-world test, achieving only 98.9 and 99.9 percent in the detection tests.
Which product impairs Windows?
Protecting Windows 10 and 11 is of course a core task. But a security package also needs to use system resources sparingly, otherwise the protection will slow down the PC. The AV-TEST laboratory also tested every solution extensively in this area. To do this, a number of specified routines are performed on both a standard and a high-end PC without a protection package, and the time required is recorded. These recorded times then serve as reference values. As part of the procedure, the testers visit nearly 200 websites and download many files. The experts also run 200 standard applications and install new apps. As a final step, the testers also copy nearly 30,000 files locally and onto the network.
The load placed on the system by the products from Avast, Avira, Bitdefender, F-Secure, K7 Computing, Kaspersky, McAfee, Microsoft and Norton barely registered in the test. For this performance, they received the full 6 points in the endurance test.
Only the packages from AVG, ESET and TotalAV slowed down the PCs a bit more than necessary and received a small point deduction for this. As a result, they still earned an excellent 5.8 points out of a possible 6.
In the endurance test, the Bitdefender package demonstrated error-free performance in all test categories and achieved 18 points
The security solution for consumer users attained the maximum 18 points in the endurance test from March to August.
In the endurance test, the package earned 6 points in each of the three test sections, thus totaling the maximum 18 points at the end
The McAfee security package completed all the test sessions without any errors and thus achieved a test result of 18 points
The Norton protection package received the full 18 points for its strong performance
The security package for Windows nearly garnered the top score: 17.8 points
No panic due to false alarms
Naturally, the security packages should only quarantine files that actually contain malware. Any falsely detected file can easily cause panic among users. That is why the lab tests each product for false positive detection of files, websites or applications. During the six months of the endurance test, the lab visited a total of 1,500 websites, scanned just under 2.7 million files and installed and launched around 250 applications. The protection packages were not supposed to trigger an alarm during any of these operations, as all websites and files were innocuous.
Without exception, the packages from Avast, AVG, Avira, Bitdefender, ESET, F-Secure, Kaspersky, McAfee, Norton and TotalAV were able to distinguish between harmless and malicious files. For this, they received the maximum achievable 6 points for their performance in the endurance test.
Windows Defender committed small errors, quarantining some harmless files too many times. This resulted in a deduction; it still received 5.8 points. The protection package from K7 Computing was wrong a little too often, leaving it with 5.3 out of 6 points.
Enduring protection for Windows 10 or 11
The test indicates that there are many good security packages for consumer users that protect just as well under Windows 10 as they do under Windows 11. The Windows system watchdogs from Bitdefender, F-Secure, Kaspersky, McAfee and Norton ranked at the top of the table at the end of the test, demonstrating a flawless performance and achieving the full 18 points.
With what were still excellent 17.8 points, the 5 security packages from Avast, AVG, Avira, ESET and Microsoft came in behind the top group. Although TotalAV came in second to last with 17.6 points, it is worth noting that the top score of 18 points was not far off.
The test not only confirmed the strong performance of many well-known protection packages. Above all, the endurance test demonstrated that the products provide a high level of security under Windows 10 and 11. This means there is no reason not to switch to version 11 – at least in terms of security.
The AV-TEST laboratory publishes new test data on a large number of protection products for Windows every two months. They are available to read for free at “The best Windows antivirus software for consumer users“.
