![]() Parallels is a software marvel, but it is not quite the same as running Windows natively with the same hardware. The one outright glitch we noticed was mis-displayed text in Tomb Raider’s menus. However, we can’t help but be impressed by how well the virtualization here otherwise works. You’re likely to be able to achieve significantly better results with a 16GB Mac (or higher). Both of these are limited in our test MacBook because, again, it only has 8GB, and Windows gets access to just half of that. Intermittent stutter was the recurring issue, which is likely down to a lack of RAM and video RAM. Project Cars did not perform well at all. But the less picky among us could play through all apart from Project Cars without wanting to chuck the MacBook out of a Window. ![]() A random selection from across the years.Īll but Tomb Raider had at least minor performance issues. ![]() These were Amid Evil, the original Tomb Raider, A Story About My Uncle, and Project Cars. And the handful of games we tried loaded just fine. Macs may be powerful, but their game support is not great compared with that of Windows. However, the part we were looking forwards to was trying gaming via Steam. (Image credit: Andrew Williams) Can you play Steam games using Parallels on Mac?Ī lot of folks use Parallels to get Windows-only productivity software running on their Macs. Tap the cog icon at the top-right of the Parallels window.Not sure how? Select the Start menu icon at the bottom of the screen, then the Power icon, and hit Shut Down.While Parallels is running, shut the virtual PC down as you would a regular Windows PC.Here’s how to customize how much memory our virtual Windows PC has within Parallels: macOS and Windows run concurrently when using Parallels, meaning they end up competing with each other for system resources. You can set this RAM figure manually, but it should only really go above 4GB if your Mac also has more than 8GB of RAM. And Parallels gives the Windows instance up to just 4GB RAM, a recipe for a compromised experience even if you run Windows natively with 4GB RAM. We were testing with one of the most common specs of 2020 MacBook Air, one with 8GB RAM. This time the Windows version reached 66% of the macOS result - almost identical.Ī less than super-responsive feel in basic navigation is not helped by a lack of RAM either. In the browser benchmark, the Windows test resulted in a score of 150, and the macOS one hit 227 points. You get 65% of the real performance of the laptop when emulating Windows. ![]() In Geekbench 5, the MacBook Air with M1 CPU running Windows scores 4673 points, compared to 7131 in plain MacOS. We tried a couple of benchmarks that can be run on both macOS and Windows, Geekbench 5 and Browserbench Jetstream 2.0, to see the actual performance disparity. One of the first things you’ll notice when running Windows on a base spec MacBook is it doesn’t always feel ultra-smooth. Apple’s M1 and M2 processors are actually ARM-based, meaning the Parallels doesn’t have to do as much as you might expect to get Windows running on a MacBook. You get far better performance than you likely would if Parallels were to try to directly emulate the 圆4 version of Windows used by PCs with Intel and AMD processors. It uses the ARM CPU fork of Windows 11 rather than the 圆4 one you’d see in a laptop running an AMD Ryzen or Intel Core i-series laptop. It can also bring up some compatibility issues rooted in the kind of Windows 11 version Parallels runs rather than Parallels itself. This results in diminished performance in apps, compared to what you might expect from a Mac running the same software natively. Parallels uses a technique called virtualisation, meaning it emulates the environment of a more traditional Windows PC on multiple levels. If you have a standard entry-level MacBook or Mac mini, the basic version will do the trick, but power users will want to go for the Pro subscription. Parallels’ standard one is limited to 8GB RAM and 4 CPUs. What’s the difference? The important bit is you can give Windows up to 128GB RAM and up to 32 virtual CPUs in the Pro version. The Pro edition starts at $119.99/£99.99 a year. But you’ll have to pay again if you need a newer version of the software. You can get standard Parallels Desktop, available for $99.99/£89.99 a year or $129.99/£104.99 as an outright purchase. Parallels comes in two flavors at present. Still, have a Mac with an Intel processor? You can use Apple’s Boot Camp software instead and get something even closer to the classic Windows experience. To use Parallels beyond the 14-day trial, you will have to buy a Parallels license, though, and redeem it at the My Account section of the website, accessible through the top-right area of the home page.Some personalization features will be locked off with a non-activated version of Windows, though Parallels will launch a web page to let you input your Windows 11 license.
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