Norton 360 Deluxe Review: A Comprehensive Analysis

Even though the latest devices come with a decent level of built-in virus protection, they are not as versatile and efficient as some of the standalone antivirus applications on the market. One such advanced antivirus solution is Norton 360 Deluxe, which has a powerful anti-malware engine and some powerful security features such as Real-Time Protection, Smart Firewall, and Ransomware Protection.

In this Norton 360 Deluxe review, I will analyze the program's full potential to determine whether it meets modern-day cybersecurity requirements.

Norton 360 Deluxe: Overview

Developed and distributed by Symantec (now Gen Digital), Norton 360 Deluxe is a long-standing leading antivirus solution. The Norton team has updated its technical architecture over time to enhance cyber security and privacy needs.

The new interface is easy to use and includes new features such as Sandbox (Windows Only), Startup Manager, Quarantine, and Sensitive Data Scan.

In addition, Norton 360 Deluxe efficiently protects your system from rapidly growing cyber threats such as viruses, ransomware, phishing attacks, system tampering, etc. Furthermore, it increases your system and digital privacy through additional features, including unlimited VPN, Password Manager, Parental Control, Cloud Backup, and so on.

Download and Activation

You will need a Norton account to manage your subscriptions and download the executable files. If you don't have one, you can create one using your email address, Gmail, or Apple ID.

• To activate Norton 360 Deluxe, log into your Norton account and Navigate to the 'My Subscriptions' tab.
• Click on the "I have a product key" option below.
• Paste the Product key you got after purchasing the product, hit Enter, and your license will be activated.

The My Subscription tab contains all the Norton Product subscriptions you have purchased using your account. Click on Download to download the executable file, or share the link to install it on another device. Once downloaded, follow the setup instructions to install the program easily on your system.

Impression: I wish the Download and Activation process had been easier and straightforward. I found it somewhat confusing.

Pricing Plans

On the official Norton website, you can purchase a Norton 360 Deluxe yearly license covering 5 devices at a discounted price of USD 49.99.

Norton 360 Deluxe protects up to 5 devices and supports Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. Another product, Norton 360 Premium, protects upto 10 devices. 360 Deluxe with LifeLock Select plan provides advanced features like Identity Theft Protection, Credit monitoring, up to $25,000 reimbursement for stolen funds, and more.

Note: 360 Deluxe and 360 Premium share the same features; however, they differ in the number of devices they can protect and the amount of cloud backup storage they provide.

You can try Norton's 7-day free trial. However, to access the free trial, you must sign in or create a Norton account and enter your payment information. If you decide to purchase the full version, don't forget to use our exclusive Norton 360 coupon codes to enjoy great discounts on your subscription.

Interface

 In the latest update, Norton has revamped its user interface, which is in line with current visual appeal trends. I was impressed with this change. Navigating the features was much easier than in the old version.

Left Panel

The home screen layout contains all the valuable information you need to get started with Norton easily. On the left side of the home screen, there's a menu bar with options such as;

• Set Up Protection
• Security
• Performance
• Privacy
• Store
• Search and
• Settings.

At the bottom, there's a Send Feedback button.

The Set Up Protection option stays visible until you finish securing your device. This includes backing up your files to the cloud, turning on automatic VPN protection for private browsing, and creating a password manager for your login details. After completing these security steps, the menu disappears, indicating that your device is now protected.

The central panel displays your protection status and offers an option to quickly run a Smart Scan on your system. Below that, you can find:

• The number of license slots you have used, along with an option to extend protection to other devices and
• A horizontal bar graph showcasing performance status on issues found after running the Smart Scan.

However, during my Norton 360 Deluxe review, I was caught off guard after running the first Smart Scan. Norton identified and displayed a list of several performance-related issues that required my attention. When I clicked 'Continue' to resolve those issues, the program attempted to upsell me another product: Norton Utilities Ultimate.

Right Panel

The right side of the home screen allows you to switch between two tabs: Control Panel and Alerts. The Control Panel tab consists of features such as

• Scans
• Secure VPN
• Browser Extensions
• Password Manager and
• Parental Control for easy access.

Meanwhile, the Alerts tab gathers all the important notifications that require your attention.

Overall, navigating the new user interface was a breeze compared to my previous experience with Norton 360 Deluxe. The streamlined design and well-organized layout helped me access all the important features swiftly, just as I intended.

Norton 360 Deluxe: Features Review

Security

Norton is well known for offering robust security features against looming cyber threats. Below are some of the significant security protection features that deserve to be highlighted.

Real-Time Protection

Away from the hassle of manual scanning, Norton 360 Deluxe's real-time protection feature constantly runs in the background to keep your system safe from unexpected malicious intrusion (e.g., macro viruses, boot sector viruses, trojan horses, worms, etc.). What I really appreciate about Norton is that it extends its real-time scanning to the files you download from the internet, including Java Applets and ActiveX controls, to help enhance your system's protection. Additionally, it utilizes two elements to amplify its real-time protection capabilities: Auto-Protect and Behavioral Protection.

Furthermore, I liked Norton's real-time protection because the program allows you to configure your choices and actions. Norton lets you select what gets scanned and what the scan looks for, as well as the actions you want to assign to the program after a threat or threat-like activity is encountered.

Scanning

If you suspect that your system may be at risk of a malicious attack, then you can easily perform a manual scan using Norton's different scanning tools. Through the Control Panel, you can access the Scans feature, which offers five different types of scans. However, for additional scanning options, you can click the Scanning Options button on the Scans tab. It will redirect you to the Scans Settings, where you will find separate tabs for each scanning.

Preset Scans

This tab consists of six different types of scanning options.

• Smart Scan: When you run this scan, Norton scans your system for security, privacy, and performance issues and provides solutions to keep your digital life secure.
• Quick Scan: This feature scans the key areas of your systems that malware and other security threats often target.
• Full Scan: The Full Scan feature scans your entire system for threats that can jeopardize its integrity.
• Targeted Scan: This scanning option allows you to scan through selected folders and external drives of your choice.
• Startup Scan: Allows you to scan for deep threats that are inaccessible to other scanning features.
• Explorer Scan: Using this scanning tool, you can scan folders or drives from the Windows context menu.

Custom Scans

This tab allows you to schedule your scans and configure your scan preferences. You can assign a name to your custom scan, add files and folders that should be scanned, allot the frequency of the scanning, pick actions to take once the scan is done, etc.

Exclusions

Just as the name suggests, this tab allows you to exclude files and folders that Norton should skip during the scanning process.

Rescue Disk

Norton Rescue Disk scans your system in a clean environment outside Windows to detect malware that regular scans might miss. You can create bootable USB drives or DVDs to run these deep scans. While particularly helpful for advanced users, the tool guides anyone through removing stubborn malware that's affecting system performance. To understand the tool further, you can learn how to use Rescue Disk.

Sandbox (Windows Only)

Not many antivirus solution providers offer the Sandbox feature in their subscription plans. However, I was quite fascinated by its availability in the program. This tool allows you to run untrusted programs in a safe virtual environment without potentially harming your main system's security.

Smart Firewall

Norton's Smart Firewall feature offers a significant improvement over the standard built-in firewalls from Windows and Mac. Enabled by default, Norton's enhanced firewall protection monitors your computer's inbound and outbound communications and blocks suspicious network traffic.

The Smart firewall feature effectively defends your computer against advanced threats such as ARP and DNS Spoofing, SSL man-in-the-middle attacks, SSL strip attacks, unauthorized port access, and content tampering attacks. One fascinating aspect of this Firewall is its configuration function; you can customize its security settings according to your preferences. Additionally, it also aims to prevent programs from misusing your network connection by automatically creating program rules for each program.

Ransomware Protection

Norton's Ransomware Protection feature (formerly known as Data Protector) efficiently blocks ransomware threats from encrypting, modifying, or deleting your private files and folders. Norton 360 Deluxe provides two modes to help you block rising ransomware attacks: Smart Mode and Strict Mode.

Smart Mode

In this mode, Norton assigns commonly used programs (e.g., Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Word, etc.) as trusted apps and automatically approves their modification of files in your protected folders. If any program that does not fall into the assigned list tries to modify files in protected folders, you are alerted and asked permission.

Strict Mode

Only approved apps can modify files in your protected folders. All other apps require your permission.

Additionally, during my Norton 360 Deluxe review, I noticed that besides securing personal files and folders by default, Norton allowed me to add additional files to the protected folder to protect it from ransomware attacks. I could also specify which applications were allowed to modify the files in the folders and block others if necessary. Such adept customization provided a sense of comprehensive security.

Safe Web

The Safe Web feature works on Edge, Chrome, Firefox, and Safari browsers. It utilizes three different extensions to provide robust web protection. It includes:

• Norton Safe Search,
• Norton Safe Web, and
• Norton Web Page.

This feature provides strong protection against phishing attacks, identity theft, and online scams by blocking you from visiting malicious websites. Furthermore, what I found interesting about Safe Web is that it helps you identify a website's legitimacy by displaying website safety ratings through different color codes next to the search results. Plus, Norton's Link Guard feature efficiently scans webmails and hyperlinks shared through social media networks and marks them with red if the link is likely to be suspicious or malicious.

In my test, the safety ratings worked effectively. However, there's one catch: The safety rating feature only worked with the Norton Home Page. Once I turned off the Safety Home Page extension and used Edge's default browsing, the feature did not display ratings next to the search results.

Performance

The Performance tab in Norton 360 Deluxe contains all the necessary features that not only improve device security but also help boost your system's performance. The Performance tab in Norton includes:

Software Updater

Timely software updates ensure that your system's safety stays on par with the latest security measures, and you can enjoy bug-free performance. Norton's Software Updater feature streamlines this process by allowing you to update third-party applications from within the program to eliminate potential security risks. Additionally, you can enable auto-update mode to automate the updating process.

It also provides a unique flexibility to enable Windows OS updates directly through the program, which I haven't encountered yet in any other software updater programs.

File Cleanup

Enabled by default, the File Cleanup feature runs stealthily in the background and cleans up Windows temporary files and items from the Recycle Bin. However, you can add more items to this auto-cleaning feature, such as browsing history and browser cache/temporary files. Furthermore, you can schedule automatic cleaning at your convenience.

Optimize Disk

I found one notable feature in Norton 360 Deluxe: the Optimize Disk feature. This feature automatically optimizes the drives in your system to improve your PC's performance and storage efficiency. It works by reorganizing the files on your drive and ensuring that fragments of the same files are stored together. A small detail of the feature that I found to be effective is that it shows the status of your drive fragmentation, which is remarkable.

Startup Manager

The Startup Manager feature in Norton 360 Deluxe lets you manage and control startup programs. Using this feature, you can define different options for each listed program. The options include:

• Startup: This option will allow the selected program to launch during startup.
• Disabled: It will prevent the program from launching during startup to improve boot time. You can enable this option for programs that you don't use frequently.
• Delay: This option will allow the selected program to load only after your system starts completely.

You can also use the Launch Delayed Apps option to run all the startup programs manually.

Privacy

Below, I have mentioned some of the noteworthy privacy features of Norton 360 Deluxe.

Secure VPN

Nowadays, most renowned antivirus solutions come with a built-in VPN feature, and Norton is no exception. To keep your digital footprints protected and away from unauthorized invasion, Norton 360 Deluxe utilizes bank-grade encryption to help mask your online activities. Furthermore, Norton VPN features different tools to make your web surfing experience smoother and safer, which includes:

• Auto Connect,
• Kill Switch,
• Split Tunneling and
• Ad Blocker.

Some options are turned off by default. However, if you want to maximize your VPN security, I recommend enabling some of the options from the VPN settings menu. It includes automatic VPN activation when connected to compromised or unsecured networks and a P2P connection.

Additionally, Norton offers unlimited bandwidth as a bonus. Hence, you can safely connect to your favorite websites, videos, or apps from 29 regions and enjoy your favorite content without worrying about exhausting your VPN limit.

Although basic, Norton's VPN feature can come in handy when needed. Plus, Norton's VPN follows a strict No-Logs policy. This policy ensures Norton will not keep track of your browsing-related data, making the platform more secure and reliable.

SafeCam (Windows only)

Norton offers the SafeCam feature to boost your system protection further. This feature ensures that no third-party applications and hackers can have unauthorized access to your PC's webcam and microphone. You can customize your webcam security preferences through three modes.

• Smart Mode: By enabling this mode, you give access to the trusted apps (well-known apps that Windows trusts and apps to which you have customized permission to use your microphone and webcam) on your system. Any other applications will require your permission.
• Strict Mode: Any app that tries to use your camera or microphone will require your permission.
• Block access to webcam and microphone: This mode prevents all apps from accessing your webcam and turns off your microphone and camera.

Password Manager

In my testing, Norton's Password Manager was quite efficient. It easily stores valuable passwords across multiple devices using a secure cloud vault. For strong security, it also utilizes 256-AES encryption and offers 2-factor Authentication. Furthermore, the tool can effectively generate passwords, auto-fill login details when required, and store additional details such as notes and addresses. Additionally, it includes an actionable password strength report that activates when a weak password is entered.

The extension supports popular web browsers such as Edge, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari. If you are looking to test out the password management feature, you can install Norton's free standalone Password Manager extension. What I found uniquely interesting about Norton's Password Manager is that it provides a biometric vault-unlocking feature. However, this feature is only available for mobile devices (Android and iOS).

Parental Control

During my Norton 360 Deluxe review, I found its Parental Control feature to be quite effective. Once set up, you can assign different supervision actions and monitor your child's activities through the dashboard. Furthermore, you can filter website content, set time limits, block specific apps, track location, and add emergency contacts for quick access during unexpected situations.

In addition, I appreciate Norton's Parental Control feature, which automatically filters web content based on your child’s age, which is quite an adept approach to automation. A fascinating aspect of this tool is the School Time feature, which is great for managing device access during school hours.

However, there is a slight drawback. After testing the tool, I felt that tech-savvy kids might find ways to bypass the parental control feature, which could reduce its effectiveness. Additionally, the feature does not support macOS, which is a setback.

Overall, the feature is quite efficient for new-age parents, but its limitations should be considered.

Other tools

Apart from the features mentioned above, some noteworthy features surely deserve to be included in this Norton 360 Deluxe review.

Cloud Backup (Windows Only)

Backups are handy, especially in case of a virus attack that might require you to reset your whole system. Hence, Norton offers a Cloud Backup feature to address this pain point. During this review, I used the Norton 1-Year Plan for 3 Devices, which included 25 GB of cloud storage.

However, Norton offers a local backup option in its plan as well. It's easy and efficient to add your important files to a safe space and retrieve them when necessary.

LiveUpdate

Updates are necessary to keep your protection features up to date to fight against emerging cyber threats. Hence, to make the updation process easier, Norton has introduced the LiveUpdate feature. It easily automates the updating process to lessen your manual labor.

The feature is enabled by default and regularly downloads and installs the latest program updates from Norton servers. Although you can turn off this feature, it is not recommended.

Norton 360 Deluxe Review: Performance

It's time to address the elephant in the room: Norton's performance.

I conducted the performance test for Norton 360 Deluxe using a virtual machine, and the results were impressive. I have provided the results below to help you make a clear decision.

Note: The application's performance may vary depending on your physical system configuration. Hence, consider reviewing Norton's system requirements first.

Independent Lab Testing Results

In the most recent AV-Test report (Nov - Dec, 2024), Norton achieved full scores in all three segments, including Protection, Performance, and Usability. Additionally, on the downside, Norton scored 99.8% in the protection against the 0-day malware attacks segment, which is slightly below compared to the previous test result.

Furthermore, based on the latest AV-Comparatives Real-World protection test report (July - October 2024), Norton blocked 99.8% of malware attacks. On the downside, it recorded 22 false positives.

Impact on CPU

Despite using a virtual machine, Norton managed to work and boot up without any issues. Below are my main system specifications:

My System specifications are:

• Processor - AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, 2100 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)
• RAM - 12.0 GB
• OS - Windows 11 Home Single Language
• Graphics - AMD Radeon Vega 8 (Integrated)

Smart Scan

The Smart Scan feature took around 10 minutes to complete in my system. The scan process consumed 145.4 MB of RAM, and CPU usage fluctuated between 8-23.38%.

Quick Scan

The Quick Scan process consumed a maximum of 32.57% CPU resources and 150.6 MB RAM. It took around 1 hour to complete, and 56,657 files were scanned. No security risks were detected.

Full Scan

Contrary to the Quick Scan results, the Full Scan process took more than 2 hours to complete. Additionally, the CPU resources hiked upto 52.38%, and the RAM usage fluctuated between 140 MB - 170 MB.

Impression: Norton's performance was quite satisfactory. During all the scanning processes, I worked on several different tabs, and the program did not show any signs of struggle.

How Good is the Support?

To resolve your doubts, you can try different Norton support options, including Community forums, social support through Facebook and Twitter (Now X), Live Chat support, and phone Support. However, to get help with your technical queries, it's best to contact their human support assistant through live chat. My experience with the live chat support was quite efficient. The replies were prompt, and they patiently answered all my queries.

Norton 360 Deluxe Review: Overall Experience

My experience with Norton was satisfactory. However, I'd like to clarify a few things to better understand.

What I Liked

• Norton's latest interface deserves the most praise. The team has organized it really well, so I had no issues navigating through different features and testing them out. Based on my prior experience with the product, it is especially a leap forward in the right direction.
• Another notable aspect of Norton is its customization capabilities. Advanced users can maximize the program's capabilities by tweaking different settings to enhance their system security.
• Norton's inclusion of a VPN feature is commendable, especially since Norton offers unlimited bandwidth to its users.

What I Disliked

• A significant disadvantage of Norton is that some of its basic features (e.g., Sandbox, SafeCam, Sensitive Data Scan, Email Protection, and Cloud Backup) are limited to Windows OS. This limitation may feel restrictive to users of other platforms.
• Another thing that I did not appreciate about Norton was its attempt to upsell its product immediately after running the Smart Scan. This unexpected action prompt really caught me off guard during the test.

Norton 360 Deluxe Alternatives

Being one of the top antivirus solutions, Norton does have a few worthy competitors.

Bitdefender Total Security

Bitdefender is a well-reputed name in the world of antivirus solutions and gives Norton head-on competition. Both antivirus programs have an intuitive user interface, making it easy for any user to use the program without any difficulties. Furthermore, they offer plenty of security features to enhance your system protection. However, Norton gets an edge by offering unlimited VPN, Password Manager, Sandbox, and Cloud Backup. On the other hand, Bitdefender outweighs Norton by offering better customer support and crypto mining protection. According to AV-Comparatives, Bitdefender has been awarded a Top Rated Product for 2024.

Avast Ultimate Suite

Both Avast and Norton offer robust protection features. However, in terms of advanced security features, Norton is slightly ahead of Avast by offering Sandbox, Cloud Backup, etc. In contrast, Norton offers only a 7-day trial when compared with Avast's 30-day trial period without requiring payment information, which is a nice advantage for Avast. Although Avast is not as feature-rich as Norton, it still provides strong antivirus protection and boasts an easy-to-use interface.

F-Secure

Norton and F-Secure are quite efficient antivirus solutions. However, compared to F-Secure, Norton offers a wider range of security features. In contrast, F-Secure antivirus provides upto 25 devices coverage on a single subscription along with a 30-day fully functional free trial period, which Norton falls short on. In short, if you are looking for an easy-to-use and light antivirus solution that can cover a wide range of devices, then F-Secure can be a good choice.

Malwarebytes Premium

Malwarebytes is another strong alternative to Norton 360 Deluxe. Apart from its minimalistic user interface, Malwarebytes boasts one of the world's fastest and lightest scanners. Yes, the program is not as rich in features as Norton. However, it does not fail to provide robust antivirus protection compared to Norton. On the plus side, you can also use the program as your secondary antivirus solution to strengthen your system security.

FAQs

Can I use Norton 360 for free?

No, Norton does not offer a free version. However, if you are willing to test the product, you can take advantage of its 7-day trial period. Please note that providing your payment information is mandatory to activate this trial period.

Can I revert to the old Norton User Interface?

No. Norton's latest user interface has been updated to significantly improve ease of use compared to its old interface. It has been made more user-friendly and includes some new features to make your system more secure. Hence, it is not possible to revert to the old user interface; Norton does not simply offer that option in its latest update.

How do you turn off Norton pop-up notifications?

In the latest version (v.24 and above), you can disable notifications by going to the Norton app main window, clicking on Settings-->Notifications, and then selecting these options: Mute informational notifications and Mute special offers and turn them off.

Why is Norton's Cloud Backup feature only available in Windows?

Norton provides the Cloud Backup feature to help prevent the loss of important files. However, this feature is only available on Windows OS. Due to its inbuilt security reasons, it can't be used on macOS.

Conclusion

Overall, my experience with Norton has been satisfactory. The new interface is well-organized and easily navigable, and it offers customization options to further enhance system security. Additional features, such as VPN, Password Manager, Parental Control, etc., can be helpful when required.

Yes, the program has a few drawbacks, such as annoying upselling attempts and a free trial that requires payment information. In spite of that, Norton boasts some advanced features, such as Cloud Backup, Sandbox, etc., which are not readily available on some of the most renowned antiviruses on the market.

In short, I highly recommend Norton 360 Deluxe as your primary security solution if you are looking for a feature-rich and robust antivirus solution.