Parallels vs VMWare on M2 MBP?

[Loco Sock]

Also running two different versions of Windows... just do a 1 to 1 of the Apps, if you get a warning, accept it and move on and you should probably post your settings in each, as far as CPU/GPU and memory allocation go.

Thanks!

 

[Mac Hammer Fan]

(Left) Parallels Desktop 19 8 CPU cores 16 GB RAM <<>> (Right) VmWare Fusion Pro 3.5 8 cores 16,1 GB RAM

2D Graphics in VMWare is a big disappointment, although VmWare Tools were installed.
All tests on a Mac Studio M1 10c CPU 32 GB RAM 32c GPU

 

[naa]

just went through a first time installation of fusion 13.5 and win11 arm. evertyhing went next next next super smooth - yes it downloaded the installer for me, it converted it to iso, etc. installed the vmware tools as well. i don't like though that on host i get kernel_task and vmware-vmx heating up my macbook air even when windows is idle. but hey it's free and i get usb devices.

edit: i started writing this after reboot after vmware tools. meanwhile i installed a couple of extensions in edge, then while browsing in edge i got complete lockup of windows guest desktop, vmware-vmx went to 100% cpu, eventually the vm reset itself.

edit again: that was the only hang. installed what i needed and did the work, shutting it down. as a free solution for temporary work this is 10/10.

 

[Cape Dave]

Parallel's all the way for me. Have never had a problem with it.

 

[skardvin]

I love Parallels. It just works.

 

[Killerbob]

I love Parallels. It just works.

I like Parallels as well, but with the latest price increase (25%) on the subscription, I am stopping...

The only thing I was using it for was MS Projects, MS Visio, and a bit of gaming... I guess I'll just have to use my work laptop for Projects and Visio, and my old trusty Mac Pro with Bootcamp for gaming...

 

[hunkster]

I like Parallels as well, but with the latest price increase (25%) on the subscription, I am stopping...

The only thing I was using it for was MS Projects, MS Visio, and a bit of gaming... I guess I'll just have to use my work laptop for Projects and Visio, and my old trusty Mac Pro with Bootcamp for gaming...

Yeah same here. I'm most likely stopping the subscription due to the price increase.

Was testing vmware fusion (the free one) and it works. Not as smooth definitely - it feels like running on a slower machine, and the user experience isn't as streamlined as on Parallels, at least for Windows installation.

But for occasional use, it's ok and justifiable. For daily use maybe I'd just need to accept Parallels' price increase.

 

[Jesse_Bassett]

Out of curiosity has anyone used UTM for Virtual Machines (i.e. Windows10) ? I am curious on the performance on how better or worse UTM is compared to other VM programs.

 

[genexx]

I had used Parallels for Years but the Licensing got me off and i was used to Run HyperVisor on Windows for my VM´s.
Now i use UTM for many VM´s but also lately a Proxmox Install.
It runs perfect like on a PC direct with UTM but you need to use the ARM Version of Windows on UTM for AS aka M1-M3 Macs.
There is also no real 3D possible on this VM´s but that to do is weired Idea from my view anyway.

#66

#102

 

[Killerbob]

I still have the Parallels file on my Mac. Any way to use that in any other VM?

 

[throAU]

I'm a bit confused as VMWare Fusiuon Player *seems* (?) to be free for personal use. When I installed it on my intel-based MBP, it gave me a license code for free and it all worked fine. I'm about to get a new M2 MBP and want to run Windows (ARM) in a VM.

If parallels was a one-off fee then I wouldn't mind but it seems to be a subscription model (though I'd qualify for education discount).

Why would I go for parallels over VMWare? Any good reason?

Better performance
More native Mac look and feel
Easier VM creation
Not paying Broadcom another cent


I'm a long term vmware/vsphere admin type since the late 90s.

VMware can go die in a fire, based on the last 5-10 years of product development, licensing shenanigans, etc.

Our yearly renewal for next year vSphere is 7x. We're migrating our datacentres to HyperV.

Still. Parallels vs. Fusion - no brainer, parallels is a better product, I currently own both.



edit:
If you're wanting to be cheap and don't need 3d acceleration, UTM is great.

 

[poorcody]

Is it possible to run the INTEL version of Windows under UTM now? I see Intel Linux is possible (via Rosetta).

Curious what the performance of each is... ?

 

[throAU]

Is it possible to run the INTEL version of Windows under UTM now? I see Intel Linux is possible (via Rosetta).

Curious what the performance of each is... ?

I haven't tried to run intel windows under UTM (or at all) to be honest.

I'm running ARM Windows 11 under parallels and performance is pretty great for what I do with it.

It should be possible though as UTM uses QEMU as its back-end which can do software CPU emulation (Not virtualization) if the arch is different. I.e., can run SPARC solaris on my Mac just fine.

 

[genexx]

If you run Intel on Intel it is as fast as Win Arm on Mac M1-3 Arm because it is Virtualizing and not Emulating...

To run X86 Versions on Mac Arm makes no sense.

Research Proxmox, many Hoster change to, from VMWare, for Professional Cloud hosting, because the absurd Licensing Strategy of BC now.

The base for Proxmox is Qemu as for UTM.
I Work on Windows 11 via UTM on my MBA M2 ...

I have also a working Sonoma on an Intel Based Proxmox as VM with Hardware passed IOMMU Grafik Card and full Hardware Acceleration Metal 3...

 

[poorcody]

I'm running ARM Windows 11 under parallels and performance is pretty great for what I do with it.

Oh, yeah, me too, and it is really fantastic. I can't believe how well and fast it runs. I used to remote into my Intel desktop to run Visual Studio; now I've switched to running it on Windows ARM under Parallels. I was kind of shocked it ran flawlessly (it's a huge app with lots of dependencies), and also faster than my three-year old Intel desktop.

To run X86 Versions on Mac Arm makes no sense.

It does for the occasional Windows app that isn't compatible with Windows ARM. Especially when they aren't worth keeping an Intel box around for. I have some firmware updaters for odd devices that don't work for example.

 

[throAU]

Oh, yeah, me too, and it is really fantastic. I can't believe how well and fast it runs. I used to remote into my Intel desktop to run Visual Studio; now I've switched to running it on Windows ARM under Parallels. I was kind of shocked it ran flawlessly (it's a huge app with lots of dependencies), and also faster than my three-year old Intel desktop.


It does for the occasional Windows app that isn't compatible with Windows ARM. Especially when they aren't worth keeping an Intel box around for. I have some firmware updaters for odd devices that don't work for example.

I'm not saying my experience is comprehensive but I've even run some x86 3D games under ARM windows; windows has its own inbuilt ARM to x86/x64 translator in windows 11. So if you weren't aware or haven't tried - try just installing x86/x64 software inside ARM Win11. It may just work. Has for me so far with the limited software I run, but Neverwinter Nights 2 runs for example. With less hassle than my actual real windows 11 PC in fact.

 

[throAU]

the big difference between UTM/QEMU and Parallels for Windows at least is video performance. Parallels has good quality 3d acceleration through metal. It also has host integration services through the Parallels tools install inside the VM.

QEMU/UTM does not.

UTM is great for free, and the QEMU flexibility is great for running other non-ARM platforms. BUT... for daily Windows 11 ARM use, Parallels is so much nicer than both UTM and Fusion. As above, I run all three for different things. Fusion mostly because I have an old license for my intel Mac Pro, Parallels on the ARM MacBook Pro and UTM for running non-arm VMs on the MacBook.

 

[genexx]

the big difference between UTM/QEMU and Parallels for Windows at least is video performance. Parallels has good quality 3d acceleration through metal. It also has host integration services through the Parallels tools install inside the VM.

QEMU/UTM does not.

Near to, i have successfully started SweetHome3D on Windows 11 Arm via UTM but 3D ist not really working.
I do not need it either and if, i have several real Windows Machines, 2 in my Home Office i can use via RD or direct also one with the RX6600 and a Laptop with R7 4700U so...

I work with big SQL Databases (XAMPP) and even an VB6 Based MariaDB 32Bit ODBC Connected Interpreter Proggy on the Win11 VM under UTM with no Restrictions at all. If i had to use a Windows PC i could.

The UTM 2D Video Performance is flawless and Snappy.

But install the DRIVER !

I use the Win11Arm on UTM Since i bought the M2 in Summer of 2022 with not 1 Crash or Problem.

 

[throAU]

The UTM 2D Video Performance is flawless and Snappy.

Didn't say it wasn't, but the difference is Parallels is actually performant enough at 3D that games even run on it - pretty decently.

If you don't need that, sure - UTM is great. UTM in general is great for free or if you want to run different CPU arch than your host. But it's simply not a competitor for Parallels in terms of graphics performance, spice tools install or not.