It's hard to imagine what more a Windows-on-Mac virtualization application might do given the software's undeniable maturity. And the new Parallels Desktop 7 shows just how hard that question is to answer. If Mac-on-Mac virtualization -- the big new capability in Desktop 7 -- is the most important next step, then Parallels should have taken a little more time to make it easier, especially for developers and IT users.
Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac is fully compatible with macOS 10.14 Mojave. Older Parallels Desktop versions* only partially support working on macOS Mojave due to technical reasons and the following issues may occur (included but not limited to).
Windows 7 users might see a speed boost. Although Parallels Desktop 7 promises to run graphics 45 percent faster than Version 6, I saw a mere 8 percent improvement in 2D rendering, based on the PassMark benchmarks. I did get a 44 percent boost for 3D graphics, so gamers and simulators should see a notable improvement. But note that Parallels Desktop does not support DirectX 10, so some video-oriented games and applications won't run.
Parallels Desktop 7 For Mac not only integrates with many of the new features in Lion, such as Launchpad and full-screen apps, the folks at Parallels have also been tweaking the code to provide higher performance, both in the basic virtualization application and in graphics performance. Parallels Desktop 7 is worth the update, especially for Mac OS X Lion users, and the improved performance and ease of use is well worth the price. The integration with Lion makes using your virtual machines alongside your Lion desktop easier than ever. This Parallels Desktop software is available as a full version for Linux, Windows, and Mac. Moreover, thanks to Parallels Wizard, this Parallels virtualization software smoothly transfers all your user settings, browser favorites, programs, documents, photos, music from PC to Mac.
[ See InfoWorld's slideshow tour of Mac OS X Lion's top 20 features. | Learn why IT won't like Mac OS X Lion Server. | Keep up with key Mac OS X, iOS, and other Apple technologies with the Technology: Apple newsletter. ]
Overall, PassMark showed Windows 7 running 9 percent faster in Parallels 7 versus Parallels 6. That's not bad, but keep in mind such synthetic benchmarks tend to overstate what you'd get in real-world performance. For most users, I don't think it justifies an upgrade.
Parallels 7 vs. Parallels 6
Parallels Desktop 7's other enhancements include support for Mac OS X Lion's full-screen mode and Mission Control interface, support for the AES-NI encryption standard for Windows VMs, and easier sharing of printers and the Mac's built-in camera. Version 6 can run on Lion as well, but it does not support Lion's new gestures or Mission Control.
The $20 Parallels iOS app from the Apple App Store lets you access both Mac OS X and Windows VMs, as well as the underlying Mac OS X, from an iPad or iPhone. The previous Parallels app for iOS did that just for Windows VMs. Of course, virtual desktop clients for running Mac OS X on iOS are easy to find, and there are good free ones, so the main value of Parallels' enhanced iOS app is the unified virtual desktop. Plus, the iOS app works with both Parallels Desktop 6 and 7, so you don't need an upgrade to Parallels Desktop 7 to take advantage of it.
These Parallels Desktop 7 enhancements are welcome, but I'm not sure they're worth the cost of a $50 upgrade ($80 for the full version) to most users -- especially just a year after Desktop 6 was released. What might entice you to upgrade to Version 7 is Parallels Desktop's new ability to create Mac OS X Lion VMs, with which you can run virtual Mac instances on your Mac, such as for beta testing or configuration testing.
Previous editions of Parallels let you set up Mac OS X Server VMs, but not VMs of the desktop OS. Apple removed its restriction against desktop OS VMs in Lion (you're permitted to run two Lion VMs on your Mac), and Parallels quickly enabled that capability in Desktop 7. (Note: You still can't create VMs of previous Mac OS X desktop versions, as Apple hasn't changed the licensing terms for Snow Leopard or earlier versions to allow it.)
Parallels lets you run many different types of operating systems on your Mac. Because the developers knew that most Mac users will want to install at least a Windows OS, Parallels includes a Windows Express installation option that eliminates the need to babysit a Windows XP or Vista installation.
This guide will take you through the Windows Express installation, which creates a virtual machine on your Mac. We'll stop short of actually installing Windows, because the specific steps depend on whether you're installing Windows XP, Vista, Win 7, or Win 8.
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What You Will NeedParallels Desktop 7 For Mac Free Download
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The Parallels OS Installation Assistant
By default, Parallels uses the Windows Express installation option. This option creates a virtual machine with settings that will work just fine for most individuals. You can always customize the virtual machine parameters later if you need to.
The real advantage of Windows Express is that it's fast and easy; it does most of the work for you. It will collect most of the information that Windows needs by asking you some questions. Once you supply the answers, you can leave and then return to a fully installed version of Windows. This is a much more pleasant Windows installation than the standard. The downside is that the Windows Express method doesn't let you directly configure many settings, including type of network, memory, disk space, and other parameters, although you can always tweak these and other settings later.
Using the OS Installation Assistant
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Configuring a Virtual Machine for Windows
Parallels needs to know which operating system you plan to install, so it can set the virtual machine parameters and collect the information necessary to automate the installation process.
Configure the Virtual Machine for Windows
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Entering Your Windows Product Key and Other Configuration InformationDownload Parallels Desktop 7 For Mac
The Parallels Windows Express installation option is ready to collect some of the information it needs to automate the installation process. Games download for mac.
Product Key, Name, and Organization
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Name That Virtual Machine
It's time to specify a name for the virtual machine that Parallels is about to create. You can choose any name you like, but a descriptive name is usually best, particularly if you have multiple hard drives or partitions.
In addition to naming the virtual machine, you will also choose whether your Mac and the new Windows virtual machine should be able to share files.
Pick a Name and Make a Decision About Sharing Files
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Performance: Should Windows or OS X Get Top Billing?
At this point in the configuration process, you can decide whether to optimize the virtual machine you're about to create for speed and performance or allow applications to have dibs on your Mac's processor.
Running Parallels On A MacDecide How to Optimize Performance
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Start the Windows Installation
All of the options for the virtual machine have been configured, and you've supplied your Windows product key and your name, so you're ready to install Windows. I'll tell you how to start the Windows installation process below, and cover the rest of the process in another step-by-step guide.
Begin the Windows Installation
Parallels
Parallels will start the installation process by opening the new virtual machine you created, and booting it from the Windows Install CD. Follow the onscreen instructions to install Windows.
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