just built my first pc...antivirus and cpu/gpu temp programs

[richie021501]

Hi - so i just built my first pc and i was wondering what (free) programs i should download? I know there are many threads on this topic but i see a lot of different programs being suggested and im not sure which are the best and which will fit my needs.

Im looking for a program that will allow me to monitor both my cpu and gpu temps.

Im also looking for security software. What type of security software should i download? Anti-virus? Anti-malware? Anti-spyware? All of the above? I've heard that the more popular programs like mcafee bog the pc down. Im looking for free, light-weight options that wont hog resources and are still effective.

Finally, im looking for benchmark and stress test programs that i can use to test if my pc components are running properly.

I know this is a lot of questions but any help you can provide is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[BadActor]

I would use HWInfo or Realtemp for monitoring temperatures. You could also use MSI Afterburner. For testing, there all kinds of free tools. Some of the most popular are 3DMark, Unigine Heaven and Valley, Passmark, CrystalDisk. if you're using Windows 10, you can use Windows Defender and periodically run Malwarebytes and an online virus scanner such as ESET or TrendMicro. I have yet to experience any issues.