Parallels increases prices with Desktop version 18
- Reference: 1660043710
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/08/09/parallels_desktop_18/
- Source link:
We last looked at the wares of the virtualization veteran [1]last August when version 17 came out, and came to the conclusion that if one wanted to run Windows applications on Apple's new chips, Parallels was an enticing prospect. Indeed, when compared to running Windows on Arm on native silicon, we found Microsoft's OS and native apps on a lowly M1 Mac Mini a snappy experience.
Fans of the company will be delighted to learn that, from a technological standpoint, everything is at least as rapid as before, but the updated pricing might sting a little.
[2]
As for the software, Parallels has continued to make tweaks for new versions of macOS. Windows applications will work seamlessly with the upcoming Stage Manager and Windows 11 is now fully supported (rather than the Insider approach required for earlier editions). And Windows will pick up the display refresh rate from the Mac. There is better compatibility with Intel apps running in Windows on Arm, specifically around saving to the disk of the Mac, and game controller connectivity has been improved for some reason. Additionally, USB 3.0 support has received some love.
[3]
[4]
It is also possible, with something like a Mac Studio, to assign more RAM and CPU cores to Windows in order to give Microsoft's OS a bit of a boot up the posterior. Up to 62GB of RAM and 18 CPU cores can be assigned to a VM in the Pro and Business editions of the software.
All of which brings us to the downside of the update. While the enhancements are all welcome, none are ground-breaking. The prices, however, are. For version 17, the Standard Edition retailed for $79.99. Pro and Business were $99.99 per year.
[5]Citrix adds Hypervisor Cloud to bring more and faster updates
[6]Windows 11 comes to AWS EC2 as a VM import option
[7]Canonical adds instance tweaking to Multipass, Confidential VMs to Azure
[8]VMware's subscriptions start at 16 cores, prices won't be made public
Version 18? Parallels wants $99.99 per year for the basic product, Pro will set you back $119.99 per year, and Business is $149.99 per year. Even an upgrade from a previous version is $69.99 (compared to $49.99 to get to version 17).
UK pricing follows a similar theme, with the basic edition going for £89.99 and the Pro version for £99.99 per year.
[9]
Parallels' pricing strategy seems risky. In response to a question from The Register concerning the hikes, a spokesperson said:
"Over the years, we have continued to innovate and bring to our users a first-class performance running Windows and other operating systems on the latest Apple hardware and software. This update will enable us to continue to innovate and provide an immersive experience so our users can work smarter and create without limitations, with greater freedom and flexibility.
"The new features in Parallels Desktop 18 for Mac have been engineered to enable users to be more productive while leveraging a high-performing Windows OS on a Mac, that is easy to use and stays up to date — even when a new Apple hardware or a macOS, Windows, or Linux version is released."
[10]
Version 18 ups the compatibility and adds a number of essential enterprise management tools – the ability to deploy, provision or transfer a Windows 11 virtual machine over an enterprise's Mac fleet will appeal to administrators facing requests for Apple hardware but stuck with that one weird corporate app that Accounting can't do without.
However, Parallels is not the only game in town (something like [11]UTM springs to mind) and the price increases are not insubstantial.
Then again, if Apple's latest and greatest has you reaching for the credit card, a jump in the cost of Windows virtualization software is unlikely to worry you too much. ®
Get our [12]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/10/parallels_17/
[2] 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=2YvKEqH1didhn56Vudx2jjgAAANE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] 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=44YvKEqH1didhn56Vudx2jjgAAANE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] 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=33YvKEqH1didhn56Vudx2jjgAAANE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/05/citrix_hypervisor_cloud/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/03/windows_11_aws_ec2_vm/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/01/canonical_multipass_azure/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/29/vsphere_plus_prices_not_public/
[9] 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=44YvKEqH1didhn56Vudx2jjgAAANE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[10] 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=33YvKEqH1didhn56Vudx2jjgAAANE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://github.com/utmapp/UTM
[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Looks like it
I just downloaded 18 (I have a subscription service so get it as an update) and indeed Windows 11 is there and you're able to download Home, Pro or Enterprise editions right from the interface.
Parallels are well known for having a good relationship with Apple and Microsoft so it's quite likely they've been able to do something with MS to enable a simpler install process. Or, perhaps that exclusivity agreement MS had with Qualcomm has expired (it was rumoured to do so at some point "soon").
>> despite there being no generic downloadable ISO for it.
If you are on Linux / BSD, the following URL allows you to download a raw Windows 11 .iso (Win11_English_x64v1.iso):
https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11
If you attempt that URL and it detects a Windows user agent, it dicks you around with weird online downloaders and other non-standard crap.
That's for the 64 bit version though, not the ARM one.
Using MacOS also allows the direct download for the x64 ISO, but not the ARM one.
You can definitely download a Windows ISO from Microsoft if you use Safari on MacOS.
Interestingly I tried it on Chrome / Windows 10 right now, and it actually worked there as well. Perhaps my adblocker extension helped here, so your mileage may vary. But, if you want to install a VM on your Mac, you will definitely not have a problem getting the ISO.
As I noted above that's the 64-bit ISO, which isn't the one you will need on an M1/M2-based Mac.
Never again
I've had many Parallels licenses over the years, my need for virtualisation is not great and I only use it once in a while. That need is also decreasing as each year passes.
The last license I bought was for version 15. I knew I'd need to test something on an older version of MacOS in a couple of weeks so bought it to ensure I had the software ready for when it was needed. I fought with VirtualBox to get it to run MacOS, but I couldn't get it to work and thought I'd cut my loses and just purchase a Parallels licence.
I purposely bought the 'pay once, use it until it doesn't work anymore' version as I refuse to pay a yearly subscription for something I need once in a blue moon. If the older software still works then it will likely fit my needs (which it normally does for a couple of years at least).
So about 11 days after purchasing I came to the point where I actually needed to use Parallels. I installed it for the first time, entered my license details and the first thing that popped up was a window asking me to upgrade to version 16 and pay them more cash.
That's OK I thought, I've only just bought this and it's literally the first time I've installed it. Surely they can see I'm only just activating the licence and they must have a grace period for a free update if you've just purchased. Well there is and it's 10 days, so I'd missed it by a day or so. I contact support and their response is basically "tough" (but couched in nice PR language) and I'm told that if I wanted to always run the latest, then I should buy a subscription.
I don't want to always run the latest, but I would have thought 11 days is close enough to have a free upgrade (especially as I've not actually used the license yet). I'd just spent close to £100 on it, so they weren't getting any more cash from me. Being asked for more cash the first time I install something I've just purchased left a bad taste in my mouth and the support response made me vow to never pay them a penny again. I knew version 16 would be out sometime in the future and was fine with staying on version 15, but when it comes out less than 2 weeks later, and before you've actually used the version 15 license, that's a bit much. It looks like they don't even offer the pay once option now, it's subscriptions all the way.
Thanks El Reg for the heads up on UTM, looks like it will meet my lowly needs pretty well.
Re: Never again
I'm still ony Parallels 14 and, while I use it fairly frequently for a single Window VM, I'm with you on the price policy. Parallels is a great app with thoughtful integration with MacOS but all the claims about speed are bunkum. I've been using it for over 10 years and in that time the claim for speed increases would have Windows running so fast the CPU clock would burst into flames. Of course, that hasn't happened.
The subscription model is great for cashflow but it's also a hard sell and will push more of us to look for alternatives. I have several other applications that are begging for renewals: MacOS users must be easy targets.
Re: Never again
I literally just got an email from Parallels asking me to download my *free* copy of Parallels Desktop 18. It’s chock full of features that I will never use, not least its integration with X-boxes.
goodbye to Parallels
as much as i am loathe to say so, it's cheaper and easier to use Citrix with a VDI PC if your company uses Citrix! as a budget owner i have changed my viewpoint on Parallels and this price shift means we'll dump their product.
Re: goodbye to Parallels
Oops, didn't you read the memo on Citrix being bought out? Price rises and redundancies all round, methinks.
Don't know about M1 but for traditional Macs, Oracle's Virtualbox is free and worked well enough to get Windows 10 onto my circa 2015 Mac, as an experiment. I've also got Vine on the old Mac which allows me to run Windows Paint Shop Pro with its perpetual licence.
Virtualbox doesn't work on M1, and, as far as I can gather, Oracle don't have any plans to support it ever.
VMWare Fusion Player is also free for personal use, though you have to register first. It's my preferred choice.
Have Parallels come to some agreement with Microsoft over downloads of W11 ARM? Looks like they must have as it appears that the OS can be downloaded from Microsoft within Parallels despite there being no generic downloadable ISO for it.