The Best Antivirus for Gaming PCs – Top Picks for Gaming Antiviruses

TotalAV can ensure protection against malware and other online threats thanks to features like WebShield. The software scans downloads, installs, and .exe files and eliminates threats before they can cause harm.

TotalAV’s Silent Mode is extremely useful and blocks notifications during gaming sessions to enhance the gaming experience. Other features include an unlimited data VPN, which enables you to find the best gaming servers regardless of your location.

You also get access to Total Password, which allows you to save your gaming logins in a secure vault locked behind AES-256 encryption. With all these features available at an affordable starting price, it’s easy to see why TotalAV is among the best antivirus software solutions on the market.

TotalAV offers three plans. Antivirus Pro, the most affordable option, includes system tune-up tools and a web shield extension. Internet Security, at $39 for the first year, provides a safe browsing VPN, while Total Security, at $49/year, includes Total AdBlock and a secure password manager.

TotalAV is loaded with advanced security features and is very affordable with its first-year pricing, making it a top choice for protecting gaming PCs.

It also has minimal impact on system resources, and many rate it as the best PC gaming antivirus.

Norton provides a range of features tailored for gamers. The Game Optimizer minimizes non-essential notifications and detects when you’re in full-screen mode, and Norton will then only display critical alerts.

Meanwhile, its real-time protection defends against threats, including phishing attacks and security flaws in games and websites.

The PC SafeCam feature helps prevent hackers from accessing your webcam. Norton immediately notifies you if someone is trying to access your webcam and will block the attempt.

The dark web monitoring feature, meanwhile, will alert you if your gamer tag, username, or email address has been compromised and leaked online.

In addition, there’s a strong set of parental control tools available, which is great for families. These can support healthy gaming habits by managing gaming time and preventing access to inappropriate content.

Norton also comes equipped with a secure VPN, which can stop you from being targeted with DDoS attacks by hiding your location so malicious actors won’t know where to attack. What’s more, the plan includes 50GB of cloud backup storage to ensure your most important files are kept safe.

Norton 360 for Gamers costs $44.99 for the first year and covers three devices. It’s slightly more expensive than the competition, but unlike other plans, it’s a dedicated gaming antivirus.

Other plans start at $29.99/year, with Norton Antivirus Plus, and offer Norton’s virus protection promise. This means that if they can’t remove malicious software from your system, they’ll refund you in full.

Norton 360 for Gamers is ideal for serious gamers who want to protect their machines with a dedicated gaming solution. Many also cite it as the best antivirus for gaming PCs on Reddit.

Standard plans are also a great option, though, and come with lots of flexibility in terms of pricing and features with support scaling to an unlimited number of devices.

Surfshark provides an excellent VPN and a full antivirus product that can scan your device, unlike NordVPN’s offering. Surfshark boasts solid virus detection rates, ensuring the removal of malware. It also provides real-time protection with minimal impact on system performance, making it ideal for gaming.

Surfshark’s VPN, meanwhile, has over 3,200 servers. They’re great for gaming and provide fast connection speeds that are perfect for online multiplayer games. The VPN provides excellent security and enables you to pick from server locations around the world. You also get unlimited bandwidth and can hook up an unlimited number of devices.

For gamers who stream, Surfshark offers webcam protection to prevent unauthorized access. There’s also data breach monitoring, alerting you if your details have appeared online so you can secure your accounts.

Lastly, Surfshark’s top-tier Incogni features help users remove their data from company databases. This allows you to dodge marketers and better protect your online privacy.

Surfshark offers three plans. The Starter plan includes the VPN but not the antivirus. Upgrading to Surfshark One gets you antivirus features like real-time protection and malware removal, and if you want the additional data removal features, you’ll need to opt for One+, which costs $4.29/month.

This all-in-one lightweight security solution is an excellent pick for those looking for a powerful VPN for online multiplayer games. It’s reasonably priced and comes with a great set of security features.

While NordVPN Threat Protection doesn’t have a dedicated gaming mode like Norton, it compensates with robust functionality to ensure a safe gaming environment.

The Web Protection feature blocks ads, trackers, and malware and scans downloads and web pages for viruses. There’s also a double-extension detector to ensure that nothing is missed.

For Windows users, there’s also an App Vulnerability Scanning feature. This can find vulnerabilities in your apps and will prompt you to update them as needed.

One of the key benefits of Nord, of course, is its VPN service, which offers fast connections, excellent security, and a huge global network of 6,300+ servers in over 110 countries.

The package also includes a password manager and a data breach scanner, keeping your login information safe and letting you know if your details have been exposed online.

Nord Threat Protect is bundled with Nord VPN’s Plus package, which costs $3.99/month on a two-year subscription. The Ultimate package, priced at $5.99/month, offers additional benefits such as 1TB of cloud storage, identity theft recovery, and cyber extortion protection.

Nord Threat Protect is perfect for those looking for a high-speed VPN connection with added security features. While the product may have limited scanning options, it’s a great first line of defense for web protection.

Trend Micro offers solid malware protection. It provides machine learning technology coupled with traditional signature-based scanning using a malware database and gets full marks in independent lab tests. This means it’ll catch just about any malware without slowing down your PC.

For gamers, Trend Micro offers optimization tools to streamline system performance. Its PC Health checkup tool frees up space and manages startup programs for quicker system booting.

The Mute Mode, meanwhile, stops notifications from interrupting your gameplay and adjusts system settings to prioritize gaming performance.

Trend Micro also prioritizes privacy protection, guarding against potential breaches and unauthorized data access with its social media scanner and web protection features.

Parental controls for regulating children’s gaming habits are available with the first upgrade, and you can protect up to ten devices, making it a great pick for families.

Trend Micro’s cheapest plan, Antivirus+, costs $19.95 for the first year and covers one PC. Internet Security, priced at $39.95/year, covers three PCs and includes system optimization tools.

The Maximum Security and Premium Security plans, priced at $49.95/year and $54.95/year, include a password manager, a VPN, dark web monitoring, and mobile support and coverage for up to ten devices.

Trend Micro’s user-friendly interface makes it an excellent choice for beginners, and the device support and parental controls make it great for families.

It’s also well suited for users with mid-tier gaming PCs, as its optimization tools deliver noticeable performance improvements.

ESET’s antivirus uses machine learning to identify the latest threats, ensuring robust defenses. It offers real-time protection, system scans, and download monitoring, ensuring threats are stopped before they can interact with your device.

Numerous customization settings are available, allowing you to adjust performance and exclude gaming applications and directories from scans so trusted applications aren’t interrupted. It’s also a lightweight antivirus that minimizes system resource usage.

The security suite also includes anti-phishing features, flagging potentially malicious websites that may attempt to steal information, and a ransomware shield, which stops bad actors from locking your data.

For an extra layer of protection, you can use the Secure Data feature to encrypt your files and sensitive details, like gaming account logins.

ESET offers plans ranging from $34.99 to $125.99 annually. All plans include Gamer Mode, with the Ultimate plan featuring identity theft protection, dark web monitoring, and an unlimited data VPN.

ESET is a premium antivirus solution with advanced features and customization options. It’s great for tech-savvy users who prioritize comprehensive protection and performance optimization. That said, Gamer Mode is enabled automatically, making it even easier to use than competing options.

Intego’s VirusBarrier malware scanner includes essential features like virus scanning, real-time coverage, and comprehensive threat detection. You get near-perfect protection against online threats.

The NetBarrier firewall monitors incoming and outgoing traffic, prevents unauthorized access, and protects against network attacks.

The Mac Washing Machine is a system optimization tool that frees up disk space by removing duplicate files and optimizing system performance for a smoother gaming experience.

The parental control features, meanwhile, offer advanced functionality like keystroke tracking, screenshot recording, and even an anti-predator monitor that alerts parents to inappropriate communications.

This is a must-have feature for online gaming for kids. It also allows you to block connections to specific services you might deem inappropriate.

Intego offers plans for Mac and Windows machines, ranging from $39.99 to $89.99 per year for Mac users and $39.99 to $69.99 for Windows users, providing online protection tailored to each platform’s needs. You can also get multi-year plans at a slight discount.

Intego is designed specifically for Mac users and offers comprehensive antivirus protection for Mac gamers. Its Mac-centric design makes it an ideal choice for Mac users seeking robust security, and it’s a great pick for parents.

A standout Avast feature is its Game Mode. This has been designed to enhance gaming experiences by minimizing interruptions from notifications and background processes and ensuring resources are dedicated to delivering smooth gameplay.

You can also expect robust antivirus protection from malware and viruses, of course. Avast’s engine monitors your system in real time for suspicious activity. This helps keep your gaming PC secure without compromising performance.

Avast also offers additional features that can benefit gaming PC users.

The Network Inspector helps ensure the security of your network connection, which is essential for online gaming, and the password manager can help keep your gaming accounts secure by generating and storing strong, unique passwords for each account.

Avast offers a free-forever plan that’s easy to download and use, with the Avast One package including antivirus tools and a limited VPN.

Premium plans start at $2.99/month, but for the most comprehensive coverage, we recommend going for the Antivirus Premium Security package, which costs $49.99/year for one device or $69.99/year for ten. Notably, the Avast One Family Gold plan lets you protect up to 30 devices.

Avast is a great choice for gamers on a budget, thanks to its free plan. It’s also good for those who want a complete antivirus solution with options for a range of extra features.