Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac claims speed superiority
Parallels Desktop 5.0 was released Wednesday, with its developer claiming the latest virtualization software runs 64-bit Windows 7 22 percent faster than its nearest competitor on a MacBook Pro.
Parallels said that the tests, conducted by Crimson Consulting Group, also found that the new Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac is up to 300 percent faster for virtual machine operations than its predecessor. In addition, 3Dmark 2006 Professional test scores perform up to 7 times better for 3D and graphics performance.
"As the OS battles rage between Microsoft, Apple and Linux, we provide a completely customizable solution that enables people to use the applications they need with the fastest performance available, regardless of the operating system," said Serguei Beloussov, CEO of Parallels. "Parallels continues to build on its proven track record of innovation, responding to our customers by providing the fastest, smartest and most powerful Windows-on-Mac experience available."
The latest version of Parallels Desktop features more than 70 new features, including a new "Crystal view" mode, which can make Windows completely disappear. The new software also allows users to enable Apple multitouch trackpad gestures -- such as pinch, swipe, and rotate -- within Windows.
Features within the new Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac include:
Full support for Aero in Windows Vista and 7 through Windows WDDM driver, including Aero Flip 3D.
Virtual machine size automatically optimized for best performance with Parallels Compressor.
Improved performance for Linux guest OS from KVM paravirtualization.
A more Mac-like experience in Windows applications through Apple trackpad gestures technology, horizontal scrolling and the application of full-screen active corners and curl page effect.
Copy and paste fidelity for formatted text and complete layouts including images, even between Windows and Linux guest OSes.
Freedom and flexibility to run Windows and Mac applications across multiple monitors.
Seven times better graphics performance for games and 3D applications than the previous version with Direct X 9Ex with Shader Model 3 and OpenGL 2.1 support.
Superior graphics performance for Linux guests through OpenGL 2.1 support.
Full hardware resources can be utilized with support for 8 virtual CPUs, 64-bit Windows and Snow Leopard Server 64-bit.
Easily move PCs (including Windows 7) and third-party virtual machines to the Mac with the enhanced Parallels Transporter.
Parallels is also offering users a free trial of the software, which the company has touted as faster, smarter and more powerful. The software is available now in English, German, French, Italian and Spanish, and localized versions in Chinese, Czech, Hungarian, Japanese, Polish and Russian are expected in the coming weeks.
At $79.99, Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac includes $175 worth of additional software: Parallels Internet Security 2009 by Kaspersky with a one-year subscription, Acronis Disk Director Suite 10.0, and Acronis True Image Home 2010.
In October, competitor VMWare announced Fusion 3, with more than 50 new features. Like Parallels Desktop 5, Fusion 3 is optimized for both Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and Windows 7, taking advantage of the 64-bit architecture in both operating systems. VMware Fusion 3 also has a retail price of $79.99.
Parallels said that the tests, conducted by Crimson Consulting Group, also found that the new Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac is up to 300 percent faster for virtual machine operations than its predecessor. In addition, 3Dmark 2006 Professional test scores perform up to 7 times better for 3D and graphics performance.
"As the OS battles rage between Microsoft, Apple and Linux, we provide a completely customizable solution that enables people to use the applications they need with the fastest performance available, regardless of the operating system," said Serguei Beloussov, CEO of Parallels. "Parallels continues to build on its proven track record of innovation, responding to our customers by providing the fastest, smartest and most powerful Windows-on-Mac experience available."
The latest version of Parallels Desktop features more than 70 new features, including a new "Crystal view" mode, which can make Windows completely disappear. The new software also allows users to enable Apple multitouch trackpad gestures -- such as pinch, swipe, and rotate -- within Windows.
Features within the new Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac include:
Full support for Aero in Windows Vista and 7 through Windows WDDM driver, including Aero Flip 3D.
Virtual machine size automatically optimized for best performance with Parallels Compressor.
Improved performance for Linux guest OS from KVM paravirtualization.
A more Mac-like experience in Windows applications through Apple trackpad gestures technology, horizontal scrolling and the application of full-screen active corners and curl page effect.
Copy and paste fidelity for formatted text and complete layouts including images, even between Windows and Linux guest OSes.
Freedom and flexibility to run Windows and Mac applications across multiple monitors.
Seven times better graphics performance for games and 3D applications than the previous version with Direct X 9Ex with Shader Model 3 and OpenGL 2.1 support.
Superior graphics performance for Linux guests through OpenGL 2.1 support.
Full hardware resources can be utilized with support for 8 virtual CPUs, 64-bit Windows and Snow Leopard Server 64-bit.
Easily move PCs (including Windows 7) and third-party virtual machines to the Mac with the enhanced Parallels Transporter.
Parallels is also offering users a free trial of the software, which the company has touted as faster, smarter and more powerful. The software is available now in English, German, French, Italian and Spanish, and localized versions in Chinese, Czech, Hungarian, Japanese, Polish and Russian are expected in the coming weeks.
At $79.99, Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac includes $175 worth of additional software: Parallels Internet Security 2009 by Kaspersky with a one-year subscription, Acronis Disk Director Suite 10.0, and Acronis True Image Home 2010.
In October, competitor VMWare announced Fusion 3, with more than 50 new features. Like Parallels Desktop 5, Fusion 3 is optimized for both Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and Windows 7, taking advantage of the 64-bit architecture in both operating systems. VMware Fusion 3 also has a retail price of $79.99.
Comments
Is the MacBook Pro in that pic a old generation? It has both audio in and out. I thought new ones had only 1 audio port.
Nope; the 15 inch version still has 2 audio ports.
Does anyone know if 7 allows multiple versions of the same licensed product in VMs if you are on the same Mac and IP? I like to have several as they are all use for testing purposes.
I wonder if Parallels 5 is lagging behind Fusion 3 when it comes to more than two cores?
Curious that they would only mention the Macbook Pro.
I wonder if Parallels 5 is lagging behind Fusion 3 when it comes to more than two cores?
According to the article that is not the case...
"Full hardware resources can be utilized with support for 8 virtual CPUs, 64-bit Windows and Snow Leopard Server 64-bit."
Curious that they would only mention the Macbook Pro.
My guess is that it?s most likely the machine that Parallel customers have, so it?s a relatable spec to the majority of their user-base.
My guess is that it?s most likely the machine that Parallel customers have, so it?s a relatable spec to the majority of their user-base.
I would think that more folks simply have a Macbook or a mini, not a Macbook Pro.
I would think that more folks simply have a Macbook or a mini, not a Macbook Pro.
Mac users, sure, but how many Mac users need Parallels with multiple-core VMs? Anecdotally, everyone I know with Parallels or Fusion has a 15? or 17? MBP or Mac Pro because they use it for work. No one I can think of with MBs even uses VM software. They aren?t hardcore users. It?s just a guess. Maybe Fusion kicked Parallels butt on the Mac Pro making that a no go for comparison.
This isn't an article. It's a commercial. I would have been more interested in real numbers.
Parallels doesn't mention being able to host Mac OS X (Server) as a guest VM, so I presume Fusion is still the only one that can do that.
Which is why I asked. Why didn't they publish a full comparison rather than this fluff Ad?
This isn't an article. It's a commercial. I would have been more interested in real numbers.
Dude, it was just launched a few hours ago. There hasn?t been time for in-depth comparisons and reviews. This is just a breaking news article. If you want those articles you have to be patient. Or, you can DL both VM apps for your Mac and test it yourself. Post the results if you do.
Are you seriously telling me that not a single reviewer was given a copy of this before hand, and not a single beta tester reviewed this product? If it was breaking news, then why 2 pages of Ads?
I?m telling you no such thing. If you can?t find a review of it, then perhaps not. If AI didn?t post a review article, then it?s likely they didn?t review it. Does that mean no one receive an advance copy? Of course not. It?s an article telling readers of a new major release of software. The info was taken off their website. At least try be a little objective.
I'd like to see some hard numbers on benchmarking. For instance, how do Parallels and Fusion compare on compute-intensive tasks?
Parallels doesn't mention being able to host Mac OS X (Server) as a guest VM, so I presume Fusion is still the only one that can do that.
They have supported Mac OS X Server since v4.0?
I'd like to see some hard numbers on benchmarking. For instance, how do Parallels and Fusion compare on compute-intensive tasks?
If you're doing compute intensive tasks...seriously...just dual boot into windows...c'mon peeps.
If you're doing compute intensive tasks...seriously...just dual boot into windows...c'mon peeps.
You want to be able to determine when rebooting is necessary, and when running in VM is acceptable.
Having been a Parallels user since its beta days, I would have bought this upgrade and Windows 7. I have bought every Parallels upgrade before and have been very pleased with the software. It never gave me any problems and was a very easy install.
However, I am so happy to no longer have to have anything to do with Windows.
Plus I don't have to pay $80 for Parallels 5 and $175 for Windows 7! I'm totally Apple now!
If you're doing compute intensive tasks...seriously...just dual boot into windows...c'mon peeps.
Sorry, I don't do windows. And booting natively into unix/linux/solaris isn't often an option.
Parallels Desktop 5.0 was released Wednesday, with its developer claiming the latest virtualization software runs 64-bit Windows 7 22 percent faster than its nearest competitor ... up to 300 percent faster for virtual machine operations than its predecessor...
That 300 percent quote is key.
The previous Parallels was so bad that even getting matching speeds with VMWare would give it multiple hundreds of percent better performance.
Personally I find Parallels a confusing mish-mash of a UI but it can only be good news that they've finally got their finger out. Also VMWare is hugely overpriced for what it is so maybe we can get some better competition now. A lot of us were just stung recently, having to pay for yet another VMWare upgrade even though many users only just bought the previous version. I haven't been able to make myself buy it (again) yet, so this is perfect timing to entice a few people to switch back to Parallels.