Gamers face a unique challenge: traditional antivirus can cause performance slowdowns during gaming sessions. Our 2026 review identifies the best antivirus solutions that deliver robust protection without impacting gaming experience. We tested 12 top products while running Cyberpunk 2077 at ultra settings, monitoring FPS, CPU usage, and memory. Some products dropped FPS by as much as 15%, while others were completely undetectable. Norton 360’s Game Optimizer consistently delivered zero FPS loss. Bitdefender’s passive mode and Kaspersky’s gaming profile produced no measurable performance impact. Read our detailed analysis of each product’s gaming performance.