Previous Avast versions were notorious for drag. This build is lighter. A full scan took 38 minutes on a 512GB SSD (vs. 52 minutes in v22). Background idle scans are nearly unnoticeable on modern CPUs (Intel i5 or Ryzen 5+). Where It Stumbles (The Cons) 1. The “Smart Scan” is Mostly Marketing Do not click “Smart Scan.” It mixes real security checks (malware, outdated software) with “cleanup” suggestions (junk files, broken shortcuts) and a VPN upsell. New users might think their PC is broken when it’s just Avast pushing add-ons.
Default settings are chatty. You will get popups for: “You’re protected,” “Wi-Fi Inspector scan complete,” “New driver update available,” “Try our VPN for 70% off.” Fix: Go to Settings → General → Personal Privacy and disable all marketing offers. After that, it’s quiet. Avast Premium Security v23.9.6082 -build 23.9.8...
4/5 Recommendation: Buy a 1-year license on sale (never pay full retail). Avoid the “Smart Scan.” Disable notifications immediately. If you can do that, you’ll be extremely secure. Previous Avast versions were notorious for drag