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Mac OS X only offers a few virtualization apps, but the competition is strong. We've chosen Parallels as our favorite thanks to its excellent performance, ease of use, and fantastic Mac-specific feature set.
Parallels Desktop
Platform: Mac OS X
Price: $80
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Price: $80
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Features
- Simply put, Parallels Desktop 10 for Mac solves what may be an ever increasing problem – one where users need to run multiple OSes, access legacy applications, and transition to new systems.
- I am playing Final Fantasy VII using Windows 8 in Parallels. When I first tried to play the game, I found that most textures would refuse to load /.
- Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac. There is an alternative, though. A company called CodeWeavers makes a special version of Wine for the Mac, that it calls CrossOver for Mac, which is (a little.
- Easy installation of popular operating systems like Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X
- Run multiple virtualized environments simulatenously
- Windows virtualization offers many methods of integrating your virtualized environment with Mac OS X, such as file sharing (even via drag and drop) and external device sharing
- Coherence mode lets you run virtualized Windows applications just like they're regular applications in Mac OS X
- Virtualized Windows environments support your Mac's multitouch gestures, Éxpose, and Spaces (or Mission Control in OS X Lion)
- Supports Mac OS X Lion's full screen mode (which is actually really great for virtualized environments)
- Easily install Mac OS X Lion to a virtual machine from your restore partition
- Parallels Transporter ($5) helps you move your files from your existing Windows machine to the virtualized Windows machine on your new Mac
- Parallels Mobile ($5)
- Buy a copy of Windows directly from the Parallels app
- Fast performance all-around
- Capable of playing pretty much any game your hardware can handle, allowing the allocation of up to 1GB of video RAM
- Surround Sound 7.1 support
Where It Excels
Parallels Desktop is really a well-thought out application that has worked to consistently improve overall performance with every version and add new features to make virtualization easy enough for anybody. Installation was never complicated in the first version of Parallels, but now you pretty much just give it a disc (or disk image) and it handles the entirety of the installation for you. Since version 6 (current version is 7) I've been repeatedly surprised at how fast it runs and how easy it is to set up a virtual machine. You can always count on things getting faster and easier with each new version.
Parallels Desktop 10 is a hardware and operating system virtualization program designed for the users of Mac Operating System to enjoy the most of the versions of Windows operating systems in their machine.
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Parallels was designed to work with Microsoft Windows. While it certainly supports Linux and Mac OS X virtualized environments just fine, Windows is clearly the focus. This is evident when you start using your virtualized environment and see how integrated Windows becomes. Files are shared between them. It's easy to access Windows app directly from Mac OS X. With Coherence Mode enabled, you can even run any Windows app like it's natively supported. It'll show up in your dock, have its own window, and respond like it's a Mac app. You can also run Windows full screen, in a Window, or in Modality Mode (which makes your virtual machine transparent). You have a ton of options.
If you're looking to run more than Windows, Parallels can handle Linux and Mac OS X as well. You can even install OS X Lion from the restore partition on your existing Mac. The overall idea behind Parallels Desktop seems to be taking the pain and tedious effort out of virtualization, and, in this regard, the software is very successful.
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Where It Falls Short
There are very few drawbacks to Parallels. Since we tend to opt for free software in most cases, Parallels' $80 price tag might seem a bit high. You do get a good discount on upgrades, however, as those usually are priced at $50 (and often $40 when first released). That said, it's a great application and warrants the cost. If you're looking for something a little more free, check out our competition section.
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As for issues with the software itself, there isn't much to speak of. Sometimes finding a particular setting in your virtual machine can be daunting because there are a remarkable number of options. Setup is so simple that when you go in to edit your machine's preferences it's almost shocking that there is so much available to configure. Once you get used to where things are it isn't bad, but it seems contrary to the simplicity found in the majority of the Parallels Desktop application. I've also noticed Parallels Tools sometimes forgets its installed on my Windows virtual machine, and other little quirks here and there, but nothing that particularly problematic. These little things should be expected with pretty much any virtualization software, just as they should be expected with any computer. When you're dealing with operating systems, there will always be a few unusual and minor things that pop up.
The Competition
VMWare Fusion ($80, currently $50 via promotion) is Parallels' primary competition and is preferred by some. Performance and features are mostly on-par when it comes to Windows virtualization (albeit a little slower at times), but VMWare's gaming performance doesn't stack up. It also doesn't have 3D support in Linux, if that matters to you. At the moment it's cheaper than Parallels by $30, so that may be enough of a draw if gaming doesn't interest you. VMWare Fusion is still a solid choice, but we feel, at this time, Parallels is noticeably better.
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Virtualbox is your free option. It doesn't offer a feature set that comes even close to Parallels or VMWare, but it also doesn't cost anything at all. If you simply need a virtualized environment for mostly any operating system and you don't need any of the hand-holding provided by your paid options, it's a solid choice. It's even preferred by some because it offers more technical features that other options do not. Basically, VirtualBox is a good alternative for you if you don't want to pay or are more interested in running a test environment than using your favorite Windows and Linux applications on your Mac.
Lifehacker's App Directory is a new and growing directory of recommendations for the best applications and tools in a number of given categories.
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If you need to run Windows inside OS X, you have three options: VirtualBox, VMware, and Parallels. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses, and different use cases where one’s better than another. Let’s break down when each is best and for what.
The Contenders
Virtual machines allow you to run operating systems like Windows inside of OS X, alongside your normal Mac setup. Once you set up a virtual machine, you install the operating system you want and you can use it right from your Mac desktop, no rebooting necessary. There are three popular options for doing this:
Mac users interested in Parallels desktop for mac 10.5.8 generally download: Parallels Desktop 14.0. Parallels Server for Mac is an easy-to-use solution that provides the best value for organizations. Parallels Server for.IT infrastructures. Parallels Server for. Parallels for mac activation key. Aug 19, 2015 Hi, we would like to inform you that Parallels Desktop 11 does not support Mac OS X Lion 10.7 and Mac OS X Mountain Lion 10.8 as host OS. So, you can upgrade to the Mac OS x 10.9 or 10.10 or ask us for the refund according to the Parallels Desktop Return policy. If you would like to get a refund please let us know.
- VirtualBox (Free): VirtualBox is easily the nerdiest of the three options we’re comparing here. It’s packed with all sorts of customization options for your virtual machines, but doesn’t have any fancy integration features like Parallels and VMware. Essentially, VirtualBox allows you to create a virtual machine that’ll run Windows, and that’s about it.
- VMware Fusion($79.99 for unlimited Macs): VMware Fusion walks the line between Parallels and VirtualBox, offering up a ton of options for tweaking your virtual machine, but still providing plenty of hand-holding for the initial setup process.
- Parallels($79.99 for one Mac): VMware Fusion and Parallels are very similar, but Parallels guides you through the installation process more closely. It also focuses on home users, who simply need an easy way to use Windows on their Mac without rebooting or getting another computer.
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We’d be remiss here not to also mention Boot Camp, which runs Windows on a separate partition of your hard drive. Unlike virtual machines, Boot Camp requires rebooting your computer, and you can’t use both operating systems at the same time. It’s a bit less convenient, but it means your Windows installation can take full advantage of your Mac’s hardware, giving you better performance. We won’t be including it in today’s showdown—which is specifically about the different virtualization options out there—but it’s worth mentioning as an option for running Windows on a Mac.
Now let’s dig into some of the specifics of each.
The Beginner's Guide to Creating Virtual Machines with VirtualBox
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Ease of Setup
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Virtual machines aren’t like other apps. Setup goes beyond just installing the app, so the ease of the process is pretty important.
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Let’s start with VirtualBox, since it’s the most hands-on of the bunch. You start by creating a virtual machine and selecting the operating system you plan to run (Windows, Linux, etc). From there, you’ll need to tweak a bunch of system settings, including how many processor cores the virtual machine gets, how much memory and video memory it gets from the total installed in your system. Thankfully, we have a guide to help you through the whole process. Once you have all of that configured, you’ll install the operating system just like you would on any computer. That means you’ll need an installation disc, USB drive, or ISO file to install from.
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Both VMware and Parallels have setup wizards that guide you through the process a little more. Beyond simply installing a virtual machine, both allow you to import your Boot Camp partition if you have one, or migrate an old Windows PC to your Mac. Parallels (pictured above) guides you through the installation process a lot more, and you’ll get the option to automatically optimize Parallels for productivity or gaming. Of course, you always can move past that screen and install Windows from scratch if you prefer.
They’re all simple, though Parallels has a bit of an advantage for new users since it holds your hand throughout the process. In terms of user friendliness, Parallels was consistently the strongest of the three we tested. That makes it a great solution for anyone not interested in screwing around with settings.
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While each of these three programs do fundamentally the same thing, a handful of small features set them apart from one another.
All three apps feature some type of windowed mode support (see image above). This allows you to run a single Windows application in its own window on your Mac desktop, so it feels a little more like a native Mac app. VMware calls this Unity, Parallels calls this Coherence, and VirtualBox calls it Seamless Mode. When an app is in windowed mode, you can copy and paste information between Windows and Mac apps, move and resize them, and close an app without shutting down Windows.
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Parallels and VMware both allow you to open up individual Windows programs directly from the Dock, which makes the whole process very easy. VirtualBox doesn’t support this feature, instead requiring you to open up the whole virtual machine to pick our your app of choice.
The similarities don’t stop there. If you’re running Windows 10, Parallels and VMware both give you access to Cortana to issue voice commands, even if Windows isn’t in focus. They also both support DirectX 10, which means they can run most games, though good performance isn’t guaranteed (more on that in the next section). VirtualBox doesn’t support any cool little tricks like this. Instead, it merely performs the simple task of running Windows as a whole.
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The feature differences between the Parallels and VMware are pretty subtle. For example, Parallels supports OS X’s Quick Look feature in Windows, while VMware doesn’t. Conversely, if you happen to have a fancy new iMac, VMware supports 5K monitors natively. Most of this stuff is pretty minor though, and honestly if you stripped away the logos, I’d have a hard time telling a difference between the two.
If you want a full comparison of everything in VMware Fusion and Parallels, Wikipedia has a handy chart that’s worth a look, though it’s not completely up-to-date.
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Performance and Benchmarks
Since virtual machines have to share resources with the host OS, performance is very important. Thankfully, TekRevue has benchmarked all three programs for a variety of tasks. The current version of VMware outperforms the others in nearly every category, while VirtualBox is way behind its competitors. Of course, there’s more to it than just that.
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In 18 different tests, VMware took top honors in 11, most notably in the graphics benchmarks. Performance margins were typically pretty close and as a whole, Parallels tends to do best in CPU-related tests where VMware does best in graphics-related tests.
The general trend of CPU versus graphics runs throughout their tests. Parallels tends to boot faster than VMware, transfer files faster, and saves battery life better than VMware. In turn, VMware benchmarks much higher for 3D graphics and for gaming, especially with OpenGL. VirtualBox consistently lags behind in both CPU and 3D performance.
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The Verdict: VirtualBox for a Free, Bare-Bones Experience. VMware or Parallels for an Easy-to-Use, More Integrated One
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If you just need Windows to run that one old app that doesn’t require a ton of 3D rendering or other complicated processing, VirtualBox is what you want. Beyond that, feature-wise, the two paid options are very similar, and the difference is mainly price and how many Macs you need to install on. If you’re planning on running anything in 3D or want to install Windows on more than one Mac, then go with VMware. If you’re more interested in productivity software and battery life, and don’t mind the one Mac restriction, then Parallels is your best bet.
All of this changes from year to year, too. Parallels and VMware both require that you buy an annual license every year to get updates that pack in performance gains and feature improvements. These annual updates are great in theory, but they’re not cheap, and they come every year without fail. This is a bit tiresome, especially when they lock out newer versions of Windows behind those paid upgrades. Provided you don’t need to be on the cutting edge, they’re usually pretty incremental, though, and you’re okay skipping one or two—as long as a new version of Windows doesn’t come out.
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Regardless, the good news here is that while VirtualBox is free, even VMware Fusion and Parallels have trial periods so you can check them all out. We definitely recommend doing so before you drop the cash. You don’t have to try out all three options, but if your needs are pretty limited, start with VirtualBox before considering VMware or Parallels.