Any drawbacks to using the free version of AVG ?

[DT4K]

Last couple of days, I've had DLLHOST.EXE taking up all my cpu cycles.
Didn't think much about it until today so after looking into it, it's pretty clear that I'm infected.
I did a search and AVG seems to be the most highly recommended free AV software.

Is the free version just as effective as the professional versions?
Are there any good reasons to pay for AV software rather than use the free version of AVG?

I don't need anything fancy, just effective virus protection.

Thanks.

EDIT: oops, meant to post this in software area. Oh well, probably get a lot more responses in OT anyway.

 

[Spooner]

I've been using AVG for years..... virus free

 

[Kenazo]

you can sometimes find oem versions of norton for $20ish or less. Why not get that rather?

 

[Lyle]

free<$20

AVG Free has worked for me and everyone I've told about it for a long time now, I'm also virus free (tellin' all the ladies that, too).

 

[Kev]

i had avg for awhile until i got a virus, then got paranoid and ran norton and norton found 3 trojans that avg had missed

you get what you pay for i guess

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Nortons and Trend Micro annoy me because they have a tendancy to bog the system and cause more problems than the viruses.

I just run Adaware, AVG (free), and do an occasional netstat -a (on both my system and router)

 

[DT4K]

Originally posted by: Kenazo
you can sometimes find oem versions of norton for $20ish or less. Why not get that rather?

Well, that is exactly what I'm asking.
Is there a reason to spend even $20 if the free version is effective?