Every gamer knows the pain of a lag spike ruining a match. Modern "Gamer" antiviruses detect when you launch a game to automatically suppress notifications and allocate more CPU resources to your gameplay.
Quick Summary: Top 3 for Performance
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1Bitdefender Total Security Lowest system impact with automatic "Game Profile".
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2Norton 360 for Gamers Includes "Game Booster" to optimize CPU usage.
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3ESET NOD32 Legendary lightweight performance for older rigs.
1. Bitdefender Total Security
Bitdefender is our #1 choice because you simply don't notice it's there. Its Photon Technology adapts to your hardware to perform scans only when your system is idle.
When you launch a game, it automatically enters Game Mode: pausing background scans, suppressing pop-ups, and tweaking system settings for maximum FPS.
- Zero FPS Drop
- Auto Game Mode
- Microphone Monitor
- Anti-Ransomware
2. Norton 360 for Gamers
Norton built a specific edition just for us. The "Norton GO" game booster automatically detects games and feeds them maximum power by deprioritizing other background apps.
It also includes Notification Optimization to permanently silence non-critical alerts, so you never get tabbed out of a full-screen game.
- Game Booster (GO)
- Dark Web Monitoring
- Full-screen Detection
- 50GB Cloud Backup
3. ESET NOD32 Antivirus
If you have an older PC and need every single frame, ESET is the answer. It is legendary for being the most lightweight antivirus engine on the market.
It doesn't have a "fancy" game booster because it doesn't need one—it consumes so little RAM and CPU naturally that it won't affect your gameplay.
- Extremely Lightweight
- Gamer Mode
- No Bloatware
- Script-Based Attack Protection
Do Gamers need Antivirus?
Yes. Gamers are huge targets for malware developers because: