Symantec: Norton software makes Windows 8 run faster

Couple Windows 8 with a newly released Norton security package and you will get an OS that’s better, faster and more secure: according to Symantec, the 2013 versions of its Norton software are a superior choice compared to the standard antimalware software bundled with the Microsoft OS (Windows Defender), and can make Windows 8 run 50% faster. The products Symantec is referring to are Norton 360 and Norton Internet Security: the “all-around” security suite (antivirus, personal firewall, backup program) and the Internet security suite are now losing their yearly description (“2010”, “2013” etc.) in favour of a more “always-connected” brand and a constantly-updating approach. Already available through the Symantec store and soon to be released in stores, Norton 360 and Norton Internet Security have been tested in a report by PassMark Software: by taking into account different scenarios and system operations (bootstrap, file copying and so on), the freely available report (PDF) shows clear and noticeable performance improvements when Windows 8 is loaded with a Norton product compared to when Windows Defender is enabled alone. Has the ill-famed Norton brand improved so much that installing a Norton package can actually make your system more responsive *and* more secure at once? Maybe: page 12 of the aforementioned PassMark report discloses that “Symantec Corporation funded the production of this report, selected the test metrics and list of products to include in this report, and supplied some of the test scripts used for the tests”.

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