Desktop 17 for Mac: In a Parallels universe with Windows 11 on M1 silicon
(2021/08/10)
- Reference: 1628595310
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/08/10/parallels_17/
- Source link:
Mac virtualization veteran Parallels has released an update to its flagship Desktop software, with support for the [1]rounded bits of Windows 11 and Mac-in-a-Mac courtesy of the upcoming Monterey update.
Support for Windows 11 will cause more than a few eyebrows to raise. After all, Apple's M1 chip is most definitely not on Microsoft's [2]infamous hardware compatibility list for its upcoming operating system but, judging by our test drive, Parallels has invested a considerable amount of effort in persuading the code to work, rounded corners and all.
At its core, [3]Parallels Desktop 17 for Mac is the latest in a long line of platforms from the company aimed at allowing Windows apps to run on a Mac. Back in the Intel days, firing up Windows on a Mac was a relatively straightforward process (we have an elderly i7 Mac Mini on the desk which uses Bootcamp to run Windows 10), but [4]M1 silicon has made things a little more complicated.
[5]
Handy, therefore, that Microsoft has an Arm version of Windows which [6]Parallels started supporting for M1 hardware in a previous release . The new release, version 17, adds support for Windows 11 but also raises questions over what will happen when Windows 11 moves out of preview and into the wider world.
[7]
[8]
Microsoft requires a [9]Trusted Platform Module (TPM) for Windows 11, which can be enabled in virtual fashion. However, the requirement for certain types of CPU could present more of a challenge for M1 users.
Parallels' take? "We need kind of more push from the users that they need it."
[10]
Who knows, perhaps Microsoft might listen (probably not).
[11]Wine 6.0.1: For that one weird app on that one weird Mac
[12]India’s massive COVID-19 wave slows VMware desktop hypervisor development
[13]VMware is 'a few months away' from M1 release of Fusion macOS desktop hypervisor
[14]Windows comes to Apple M1 silicon as Parallels delivers native desktop hypervisor
How fast now?
For now, The Reg took the software for a spin on an 8GB M1 Mac Mini to see how the Windows Insider Preview of Windows 11 on Arm ran.
The answer is very well, particularly considering the absence of Intel hardware.
Parallels will cheerfully trot out stats claiming the startup time of Windows 11 is 33 per cent up on Windows 10 on Arm with a 20 per cent disk performance boost.
Our experience was that, subjectively, it was all simply a lot snappier. Native Windows on Arm apps flew along and even Intel apps behaved well. To torture the hardware, emulation and virtualization, we fired up [15]Sea of Thieves and were delighted to find it vaguely playable on the M1 Mac (Parallels recommends a 16GB Mac for gaming, we only had 8GB) even if the results of the experiment won't cause our dedicated gaming rig any sleepless nights.
[16]
Although some of the benchmarks we ran might cause some tossing and turning for users of Microsoft's flagship Arm-based kit. Performance of the relatively weedy 8GB M1 Mac Mini was nearly double that of the Surface Pro X in single core, and a good 1.5x faster for multi core.
Parallels was a little coy on the subject, merely saying that: "On M1, Windows is running a lot faster than on Windows-specific [hardware]."
As for the target market, Parallels told us that a significant portion of customers use the software to play Windows games on their Macs, and the new release shouldn't disappoint. For the majority who need it for that one weird app (apparently Excel), improvements in Coherence mode (where an app runs seamlessly on the Mac desktop rather than in a VM window) and other tweaks around functionality (such as drag and drop) will similarly be handy.
Away from Windows, Linux continues to be supported and audio and video improvements will please Penguinistas (although as with Windows, the user is limited to a subset of distributions when running on M1 hardware) and macOS Monterey is supported as both a host and guest operating system.
There is, however, a price to be paid. A new subscription will set a user back £69.99 per year, or a perpetual licence can be picked up for £79.99. On top of that, one must factor in the cost of Windows itself.
Still, as Apple works to update its hardware to use its own silicon, Parallels Desktop 17 (combined with Microsoft's own efforts to make Windows on Arm usable) represents an avenue to get that one old Windows app working on your shiny new Mac. ®
Get our [17]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/23/windows_11_preview/
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/28/microsoft_windows_11_insider_preview_released/
[3] https://www.parallels.com/blogs/parallels-desktop-17/
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/22/m1_review/
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YRKik3wwlKkJBIhczPY-igAAAEo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/15/windows_on_m1_silicon/
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YRKik3wwlKkJBIhczPY-igAAAEo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YRKik3wwlKkJBIhczPY-igAAAEo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2005/04/26/microsoft_hardware_security_plans/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YRKik3wwlKkJBIhczPY-igAAAEo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/10/wine601/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/30/vmware_m1_fusion_india_delays/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/27/vmware_m1_fusion_release_months_away/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/15/windows_on_m1_silicon/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2020/06/26/lockdown_team_building_video_games/
[16] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YRKik3wwlKkJBIhczPY-igAAAEo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[17] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Support for Windows 11 will cause more than a few eyebrows to raise. After all, Apple's M1 chip is most definitely not on Microsoft's [2]infamous hardware compatibility list for its upcoming operating system but, judging by our test drive, Parallels has invested a considerable amount of effort in persuading the code to work, rounded corners and all.
At its core, [3]Parallels Desktop 17 for Mac is the latest in a long line of platforms from the company aimed at allowing Windows apps to run on a Mac. Back in the Intel days, firing up Windows on a Mac was a relatively straightforward process (we have an elderly i7 Mac Mini on the desk which uses Bootcamp to run Windows 10), but [4]M1 silicon has made things a little more complicated.
[5]
Handy, therefore, that Microsoft has an Arm version of Windows which [6]Parallels started supporting for M1 hardware in a previous release . The new release, version 17, adds support for Windows 11 but also raises questions over what will happen when Windows 11 moves out of preview and into the wider world.
[7]
[8]
Microsoft requires a [9]Trusted Platform Module (TPM) for Windows 11, which can be enabled in virtual fashion. However, the requirement for certain types of CPU could present more of a challenge for M1 users.
Parallels' take? "We need kind of more push from the users that they need it."
[10]
Who knows, perhaps Microsoft might listen (probably not).
[11]Wine 6.0.1: For that one weird app on that one weird Mac
[12]India’s massive COVID-19 wave slows VMware desktop hypervisor development
[13]VMware is 'a few months away' from M1 release of Fusion macOS desktop hypervisor
[14]Windows comes to Apple M1 silicon as Parallels delivers native desktop hypervisor
How fast now?
For now, The Reg took the software for a spin on an 8GB M1 Mac Mini to see how the Windows Insider Preview of Windows 11 on Arm ran.
The answer is very well, particularly considering the absence of Intel hardware.
Parallels will cheerfully trot out stats claiming the startup time of Windows 11 is 33 per cent up on Windows 10 on Arm with a 20 per cent disk performance boost.
Our experience was that, subjectively, it was all simply a lot snappier. Native Windows on Arm apps flew along and even Intel apps behaved well. To torture the hardware, emulation and virtualization, we fired up [15]Sea of Thieves and were delighted to find it vaguely playable on the M1 Mac (Parallels recommends a 16GB Mac for gaming, we only had 8GB) even if the results of the experiment won't cause our dedicated gaming rig any sleepless nights.
[16]
Although some of the benchmarks we ran might cause some tossing and turning for users of Microsoft's flagship Arm-based kit. Performance of the relatively weedy 8GB M1 Mac Mini was nearly double that of the Surface Pro X in single core, and a good 1.5x faster for multi core.
Parallels was a little coy on the subject, merely saying that: "On M1, Windows is running a lot faster than on Windows-specific [hardware]."
As for the target market, Parallels told us that a significant portion of customers use the software to play Windows games on their Macs, and the new release shouldn't disappoint. For the majority who need it for that one weird app (apparently Excel), improvements in Coherence mode (where an app runs seamlessly on the Mac desktop rather than in a VM window) and other tweaks around functionality (such as drag and drop) will similarly be handy.
Away from Windows, Linux continues to be supported and audio and video improvements will please Penguinistas (although as with Windows, the user is limited to a subset of distributions when running on M1 hardware) and macOS Monterey is supported as both a host and guest operating system.
There is, however, a price to be paid. A new subscription will set a user back £69.99 per year, or a perpetual licence can be picked up for £79.99. On top of that, one must factor in the cost of Windows itself.
Still, as Apple works to update its hardware to use its own silicon, Parallels Desktop 17 (combined with Microsoft's own efforts to make Windows on Arm usable) represents an avenue to get that one old Windows app working on your shiny new Mac. ®
Get our [17]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/23/windows_11_preview/
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/28/microsoft_windows_11_insider_preview_released/
[3] https://www.parallels.com/blogs/parallels-desktop-17/
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/22/m1_review/
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YRKik3wwlKkJBIhczPY-igAAAEo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/15/windows_on_m1_silicon/
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YRKik3wwlKkJBIhczPY-igAAAEo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YRKik3wwlKkJBIhczPY-igAAAEo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2005/04/26/microsoft_hardware_security_plans/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YRKik3wwlKkJBIhczPY-igAAAEo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/10/wine601/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/30/vmware_m1_fusion_india_delays/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/27/vmware_m1_fusion_release_months_away/
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/15/windows_on_m1_silicon/
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2020/06/26/lockdown_team_building_video_games/
[16] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/virtualization&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YRKik3wwlKkJBIhczPY-igAAAEo&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[17] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: windows on M1 8GB afster than surface ProX
katrinab
Bootcamp was introduced during the second Jobs era, so I don't think he would have a problem with that.
Re: windows on M1 8GB afster than surface ProX
Charlie Clark
You'll only be running it virtually and Steve will be pleased if you buy the hardware and Parallels keeps up its developer licences.
Re: windows on M1 8GB afster than surface ProX
J27
We'll only know what's quicker after someone runs the benchmarks. I'm interested to see.
For the majority who need it for that one weird app (apparently Excel)…
Charlie Clark
This probably isn't for Excel itself, which has run very well on MacOS since Office 2016 (Office 2011 for Mac was fine but not as close to the Windows version) apart from the odd dialog not being available. But many companies have invested heavily in expensive add-ons for Excel and these are nearly all Windows only.
Re: For the majority who need it for that one weird app (apparently Excel)…
katrinab
If you want to pull in external data for your Excel spreadsheet, that doesn't really work on Mac.
A typical use case might be that you use a proper database system for your actual data stuff, and use Excel to produce some pretty charts and stuff for it.
Even where it does work on Mac, it doesn't do so in a way that is compatible with Windows.
Meh -- I'm still waiting for gcc to support M1 MacOS out of the box
Anonymous Coward
Apple's native clang is a wonderful thing but no gfortran (and other front-ends).
What happens if...
ShadowSystems
You run Parallels for Win10, then the WSL to run Linux, and then a VM to run as a Mac? Does the whole thing implode in a fractal recursion? =-D
Re: What happens if...
A Non e-mouse
I've seen people run ESXi three deep.
Re: What happens if...
katrinab
MacOS in a VM is basically unusable in any type of deployment.
I use VMWare Fusion on my Mac. WSL in Windows 10 works fine.
Server 2019 inside HyperV inside a VMWare instance of Server 2019 works fine for everything except graphics, but if you RDP into the second level VM, that works the same as RDP anywhere else.
windows on M1 8GB afster than surface ProX
no idea on the specs of a surface pro x but assume the basic M1 is quicker.
Maybe i'll run Win 11 on a new Mac. is that noise Steve turning?