Run Windows programs on your Mac
There are a few different options when it comes to running Windows programs on a Mac. Virtualization apps, which are different from Boot Camp in that, basically, they allow you to switch between Mac and Windows functionality without rebooting the system, are themselves different from one another in terms of speed, features and options, and even looks.
Parallels Desktop has always been one of the most popular pieces of virtualization software because it tends to do well in all of these areas. Parallels Desktop 5 has arrived, with support for Windows 7. How does it stack up?
The Basics
Parallels Desktop 5 requires Mac OS X Tiger 10.4.11 or higher, Leopard 10.5.2 or higher, or Snow Leopard (32 or 64-bit) 10.6 or higher. It runs only on Intel-based Macs – PowerPC processors aren’t supported. You’ll also need at least 1 GB of RAM, and you’ll be fully supported at up to 16 GB. At least 2 GB of RAM are recommended for running Vista or Windows 7 through Parallels.
Parallels 5 takes up 450 MB of hard disk space on your Mac, and you’ll need an additional 15 GB or more free space per virtual machine. To run the Aero 3D graphics features from Windows 7, you’ll need an ATI Radeon x1600 or better, or an NVIDIA GeForce 7300M or better graphics card.
Parallels Desktop 5 will run any version of Windows from 3.1 up, as well as Linux and other operating systems. It boasts support for DirectX 9 and Shader Model 3, among other graphics features. It also includes Kaspersky security software and many other features. It’s priced at $79.99 US, or $49.99 for an upgrade from Parallels 4. This is certainly an impressive list of features, but do they really work as well as advertise?
The Pros
The most important thing for any virtualization app is to be able to run the intended software at a respectable rate of speed. If it can’t keep up, you might as well not be using it, after all. Fortunately, Parallels Desktop 5 is the fastest version of Parallels yet, and might be the fastest of all virtualization programs for Mac. With Parallels 5, it generally takes about a minute to start up Windows 7 on high-end machines, and mere seconds to shut down.
A lot of different views are available in Parallels 5, some being very sleek indeed. Included is an option to make Windows look more like Mac, which can be nice. Parallels 5 also boasts virtually endless configuration, which, despite its versatility, is pretty easy to use, not to mention helpful. The recommended settings it comes up with are generally fairly sound.
The Cons
Although it advertises support for Windows 7 Aero, Parallels 5 doesn’t seem to be able to run this feature smoothly regardless of what settings or hardware capabilities are involved. Also, while Crystal mode is very appealing visually, its functionality is limited; it suffers from a lot of performance hiccups, and graphics-intensive applications tend to get extremely finicky in Crystal mode.
The Verdict
Parallels Desktop 5 compares favourably to other Mac-based virtualization software like VMware Fusion in just about every area. Basically, if you’re looking for the smoothest performance, despite the occasional problem or limitation, Parallels 5 is as good as it gets.
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