Amazon.ca: Parallels Desktop. Try Prime All. PARALLELS INC Parallels Desktop 9 for Mac. By Parallels. No Operating System. See newer version of this item. 5 out of 5 stars 1. Parallels Desktop 11 for Mac. By Parallels. Currently unavailable. 5 out of 5 stars 1. Parallels Desktop 4.0. Parallels Desktop 14 makes it a snap to run macOS, Windows, or Linux virtual machines on your Mac. It has improved launch times, graphics improvements, and automatic monitoring of storage, CPU.
Just Released! Parallels Desktop for Mac Student Edition Students and educators save 50% on this special academic version of Parallels Desktop. Run thousands of Windows programs side-by-side on your Mac without rebooting.
Save money and avoid buying a second computer to run PC programs. Easily convert your existing PC to a virtual machine, or install a new. Includes Parallels ® Toolbox: 30+ one-click productivity tools to help with take quick screenshots, minimize distractions, or download video and audio from the web. Includes premium 24/7 support via phone and email for 30 days. System Requirements Hardware.
A Mac computer with an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, Core i9, Intel Core M or Xeon processor. Minimum 4 GB of memory, 8 GB is recommended. 600 MB of disk space on the boot volume (Macintosh HD) for Parallels Desktop application installation.
Additional disk space for virtual machines (varies on operating system and applications installed, e.g.
. My mouse became unresponsive once. macOS and Linux are less responsive than Windows Summary: Parallels Desktop lets you run Windows apps on your Mac. That can be very handy if you rely on certain Windows apps for your business, or have switched to Mac and can't find alternatives for everything you need. Is it worth it? If you have Mac apps for everything you need you won't need Parallels, and if you need just a few non-critical Windows apps a free alternative may meet your needs. But if you rely on Windows apps to get your work done, you'll need the premium Windows performance that Parallels Desktop provides.
My name is Adrian Try. After using Microsoft Windows for over a decade, I made a deliberate move away from the operating system in 2003. I enjoyed the change, but still needed certain Windows apps on a regular basis. So I found myself using a combination of dual boot, virtualization (using VMware and VirtualBox) and Wine.
See the Alternatives section of this review. I hadn't tried Parallels Desktop before.
I was provided a review license, and installed version 12 on my macOS Sierra-based iMac. For the last week I've been putting it through its paces, installing Windows 10 (purchased just for this review) and several other operating systems, and trying just about every feature in the program. Version 13 was released last night, so I immediately upgraded.
This review reflects my use of both Parallels Desktop 12 and 13, and all of the screenshots are from version 13. Third-party reviews that I reference are all of version 12.
In this review I'll share what I like and dislike about Parallels Desktop. The content in the quick summary box above serves as a short version of my findings and conclusions. Read on for the details! What Is Parallels Desktop for Mac? Parallels Desktop 13 allows you to run Windows apps on your Mac.
It does this by allowing you to install Windows on a virtual machine — a computer emulated in software. Your virtual computer is assigned a portion of the RAM, processor and disk space of your real computer, so it will be slower and have less resources. Other operating systems will also run on Parallels Desktop, including Linux, Android and macOS — even older versions of macOS and OS X (El Capitan or earlier). What's New in Parallels Desktop 13? Parallels has added a number of new features to version 13. According to from Parallels, those include speed improvements, making GIFs, presentation mode, Picture-in-Picture, Retina display enhancements, etc.
Watch this 3-minute video for more. During my use of the app, my mouse froze once when switching between Windows and Mac. This required a reboot to fix. Your mileage may vary. Is Parallels Desktop Free?
No, it isn't freeware though a full-featured 14-day trial is available. There are three versions of the app to consider:.: Designed for home or student use.: Designed for developers and power users who need the best performance.: Designed for IT departments, it includes centralized administration and volume licensing. You'll also have to pay for Microsoft Windows and your Windows applications if you don't already own them. How to Install Parallels Desktop for Mac Here is an overview of the full process of getting the app up and running:. Download and install Parallels Desktop for Mac.
You'll be asked to choose an operating for your new virtual machine. To install Windows, you have three choices: purchase it online, install it from a US stick, or transfer it from a PC. Enter the Windows product key when prompted. Windows will be installed along with some Parallels tools.
This will take some time. Your new Windows desktop will be displayed. Install any Windows application software you need.
Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac: What's in it For You? Since Parallels Desktop is all about running Windows apps (and more) on your Mac, I'm going to list all its features by putting them into the following five sections. In each subsection, I'll first explore what the app offers and then share my personal take. Turn Your Mac Into Several Computers with Virtualization Parallels Desktop is virtualization software — it emulates a new computer in software.
On that virtual computer you can run any operating system you like, including Windows, and any software that runs on that operating system. That's very convenient if you need non-Mac software. A virtual machine will run slower than your real computer, but Parallels has worked hard to optimize performance. Ran some benchmark tests and were impressed: 'Performance is excellent, with Windows feeling responsive and snappy. I ran GeekBench 3 on both Mac and the Windows virtual machine and got similar scores: Mac OS scored 5,833 in the multi-core test, and the Windows virtual machine scored 5,057.' But why run a slower virtual machine when you can install Windows on your actual computer using Bootcamp? Because having to restart your machine to change operating systems is slow, inconvenient, and incredibly frustrating.
Virtualization is an excellent alternative. Daniel Rasmus agrees. 'Parallels virtual machines can run almost any operating system, even those that are no longer supported (as long as you have a CD and license key) Parallels works closely with Apple, Microsoft and the open source community to ensure that Parallels Desktop will not only run their operating systems, but that they run relatively fast in a very stable environment.'
My personal take: Virtualization technology provides a convenient way of accessing non-Mac software while using macOS. If you need regular access to Windows apps, Parallel's implementation is superb. Run Windows on Your Mac Without Rebooting You may need to run Windows on your Mac for a variety of reasons.
Here are some examples:. Developers can test their software on Windows and other operating systems. Web developers can test their websites on a variety of Windows browsers.
Writers can create documentation and reviews about Windows software. Parallels provides the virtual machine, you need to supply Microsoft Windows. There are three options:.
Purchase it directly from Microsoft and download it. Purchase it from a store and install from a USB stick. Transfer Windows from your PC or Bootcamp. Transferring a previously-installed version of Windows is the least-recommended option, as it can lead to licensing issues or driver problems. David Ludlow from Trusted Reviews explains: 'But there are caveats.
Foremost, is that Windows' licensing prevents you from moving an OEM version of an OS to a new computer, even to a virtual machine. In other words, you can only transfer an old PC if you bought a retail version of Windows.' 'Secondly, Windows 10 doesn't particularly like being moved, and Windows apps won't necessarily run. I got a warning when trying to run some apps, such as Edge, telling me that they ‘can't be opened using the Built-in Administrator account'.'
In my case, I purchased a shrink-wrapped version of Windows 10 Home (with USB an enclosed USB stick) from a store. The price was the same as downloading from Microsoft: $179 Aussie dollars. My personal take: Whether running Windows full-screen or in a window, switching to it is simple and seamless. It's no harder than switching to a native Mac app.
Amazon Parallels Desktop 9 For Mac Pro
Use Windows Apps alongside Mac Apps When I first moved away from Windows, I found myself still relying on a few key apps. You might be the same:. You switched to Mac, but still have a number of Windows apps you rely on — perhaps the Windows versions of Word and Excel, the Xbox Streaming app, or a Windows-only game. You may still absolutely depend on a legacy app that no longer works on modern operating systems.
It's surprising how reliant businesses can become on out-of-date software that is no longer updated or supported. Daniel Rasmus from GeekWire explains: 'People working outside of large corporations may be surprised by how much of the world continues to run on old software — some supported, some not. If a financial application relies on an old Windows NT or other legacy framework that doesn't run on Windows 10, let alone on macOS, the choice comes down to investing in new software and the associated implementation costs, or keeping old hardware in play, or using a virtualization solution.' Parallels Desktop provides a Coherence Mode which lets you work with Windows apps without dealing with the Windows interface. David Ludlow sums it up: 'Coherence turns your Windows apps into Mac ones.'
Coherence Mode hides the Windows interface altogether. You launch the Start Menu by clicking the Windows 10 icon on your dock. My personal take: Parallels Desktop allows you to use Windows apps almost as if they were Mac apps. You can start the from your Mac's Dock, Spotlight, or a context menu. Run Other Operating Systems on Your Mac The convenience of Parallels Desktop doesn't stop with Windows.
Parallel Desktop Mac Keygen
You can run a variety of operating systems, including Linux, Android and macOS. Why would someone want to do that? Here are some examples:.
A developer working on an app that runs on multiple platforms can use virtual computers to run Windows, Linux and Android to test the software on. Mac developers can run older versions of macOS and OS X to test compatibility. A Linux enthusiast can run and compare multiple distros at once. You can install macOS from your recovery partition or a disk image. You can also install older versions of OS X if you still have the installation DVDs or disk images. I chose to install macOS from my recovery partition.
My personal take: Parallels Desktop can run macOS or Linux on a virtual machine, though not with the same speed as Windows, or with as many integration features. But the software is stable and usable all the same. Reasons Behind My Reviews and Ratings Effectiveness: 5/5 Parallels Desktop does exactly what it promises: it runs Windows apps alongside my Mac apps. Running Windows in a virtual machine was convenient and responsive, and allowed me to access Windows apps that I rely on. Windows paused when not in use, so unnecessary resources were not being wasted. Price: 4.5/5 Although there are free virtualization options, $79.95 is a reasonable price to pay for the amount of work Parallels have put into optimizing performance and integration.
The $39.95 option should be affordable to most students. Ease of Use: 5/5 I found launching Windows and switching between Mac and Windows absolutely intuitive.
The integrated approach of displaying Windows software in Spotlight searches, context menus and the Dock is brilliant. Support: 4.5/5 Free support is available via Twitter, chat, Skype, phone (Click-to-Call) and email for the first 30 days after registering. Email support is available for up to two years from the product release date, though you can purchase phone support when required for $19.95. A comprehensive knowledge base, FAQ, Getting Started guide and User's Guide are available. Alternatives to Parallels Desktop VMware Fusion 8.5: ($79.99) is Parallel Desktop's closest competitor, and is a little slower and more technical. A major upgrade is about to be released. Veertu Desktop: (free, $39.95 for premium) is a lightweight alternative.
It's almost as quick as Parallels, but has fewer features. VirtualBox: is Oracle's free and open source alternative.
Not as polished or responsive as Parallels Desktop, it's a good alternative when performance is not at a premium. Boot Camp: comes installed with macOS, and allows you to run Windows alongside macOS in a dual-boot setup — to switch you need to restart your computer. That's less convenient, but has performance benefits. Wine: is a way of running Windows apps on your Mac without needing Windows at all. It can't run all Windows apps, and many require significant configuration.
It's a free (open source) solution that just might work for you. CrossOver Mac: ($59.95) is a commercial version of Wine that is easier to use and configure. Conclusion Parallels Desktop 13 runs Windows and other operating systems in a virtual machine alongside your Mac apps. It's a good option for those who still rely on certain Windows apps for their business, or gamers who can't live without a favorite Windows game. It's also a great solution for developers who need to test their apps or websites on other platforms.
If you've found native Mac apps that meet all of your needs, you don't need Parallels Desktop. If you need to run just a handful of non-critical Windows apps, one of the free virtualization alternatives may be all you need.
But if you're looking for best performance, Parallels Desktop is your best option. I highly recommend it.