Macbook Pro specifically for Parallels / Windows.

[Ramonsterrr1981]

Just get a PC. What you are suggesting is not well advised, efficient use of your funds, and going to make you happy.

yes, but OP already said they will never buy a PC as they prefer macOS and only need virtualisation for this one specific app. I also don't think one should advise someone an operating system they clearly will not be happy with or efficient use of funds to buy a pc solely to use one specific software suite. From what I gather from OP's post is that they use macOS for everything else and rely on the apple ecosystem. Therefore the question remains whether they should go for a refurbished intel model (which I think at this point is the best solution) or purchase an apple silicon Mac with the risk of this specific set-up breaking after a few months.

In the long run I'm sure there will be a more stable solution on Apple Silicon. But that can be either a few months from now or possibly even longer. Microsoft's deal with Qualcomm seemed to be the problem with licensing Windows for ARM to any other ARM processors other than those made by Qualcomm. It seems that exclusivity deal is up, so that could mean that things change soon. But that's not a scenario anyone can rely on.

 

[LinkRS]

<snip.....>


Except you can't buy a Windows-for-ARM license. You can buy a regular Windows license and choose to believe that gives you the right to install the "insider's preview" WOA release and use it as your daily driver - but the "preview" bit means it is provided for testing and evaluation purposes only. Whether you're technically in breach of MS' licensing conditions is one for the lawyers (not Mx Random Internet Person) but the reality is that you're using a temporary evaluation release that could be unstable, unsupported and could be withdrawn, denied critical updates or even actively blocked at MS' whim. It's not about whether MS would care more about you if you'd bought a WoA license, or sue you if you hadn't - and I'm certainly not weeping about their lost revenue - the point is that MS are free to pull the rug on the "preview" at any time and even the big players won't have a leg to stand on if they've been using it for non-evaluation purposes. </snip>

Interestingly enough, the current version of Parallels (17) has a wizard that will configure and download and install Windows 11 ARM for you. I am NOT in the Microsoft insiders program, and was able to get a working Windows 11 ARM VM on my 2021 16" MacBook Pro. After it installed, it said that it was not activated and was in free preview mode. I was (however) able to activate it with a Windows 10 Pro key that purchased for use on my last Mac. I don't think this is an insider build either. As another FYI, the version of Windows 11 that was installed, was the Home version, and my key was for Professional. That required a little bit of effort to get it to activate, but it ultimately worked. No idea if I am considered legal or not, but it does work

Rich S.

 

[Bandaman]

ARM Windows runs very fast on M1 Macs. Not all software works in ARM Windows yet though so whatever crucial software they need they should find out if it works well with it first.

 

[throAU]

Fact is you can not buy an ARM version of Windows retail.

 

[throAU]

Interestingly enough, the current version of Parallels (17) has a wizard that will configure and download and install Windows 11 ARM for you. I am NOT in the Microsoft insiders program, and was able to get a working Windows 11 ARM VM on my 2021 16" MacBook Pro. After it installed, it said that it was not activated and was in free preview mode. I was (however) able to activate it with a Windows 10 Pro key that purchased for use on my last Mac. I don't think this is an insider build either. As another FYI, the version of Windows 11 that was installed, was the Home version, and my key was for Professional. That required a little bit of effort to get it to activate, but it ultimately worked. No idea if I am considered legal or not, but it does work

Rich S.

Yeah that doesn't mean you're supported...


If someone is using a Mac primarily for Windows in a virtual machine to run windows software, doing it via the ARM version of Windows which is only sold as a bundle with a Qualcom device and then running the software inside the VM via Microsoft's x64 emulation is probably the least reliable way to do it.

Will it work? Sure, Maybe.

Will it be a good experience if this is the primary use case (as per the OP) for the device. Nope.

 

[LinkRS]

Yeah that doesn't mean you're supported...


If someone is using a Mac primarily for Windows in a virtual machine to run windows software, doing it via the ARM version of Windows which is only sold as a bundle with a Qualcom device and then running the software inside the VM via Microsoft's x64 emulation is probably the least reliable way to do it.

Will it work? Sure, Maybe.

Will it be a good experience if this is the primary use case (as per the OP) for the device. Nope.

Well, if you want to be technical, Microsoft wouldn't provide support for my licensed copy of Windows 10 when I was running it on an Intel Mac anyway . Support is only offered for retail licenses for the first 90 days after purchase, my copy is around 3 years old. If you purchased an OEM license (usually much cheaper), you get no support from Microsoft at all. OEM licenses are supposed to be supported by the OEM who sold it to you. However, your point is valid. Running Windows 11 ARM Edition is not a use case that Microsoft endorses. Fortunately, the one app I need runs just fine on the VM (which is 32-bit x86 Quicken) despite the multiple emulation layers.

The VM boots really fast, and I love the fact that my fans don't go into high-gear the second I launch it. My older MBP had the fans on at about 60% the entire time it was up, no matter what it was doing.

It is important for the OP or anyone considering on running a Windows 11 VM on an Apple Silicon device, to not expect it to work forever. Personally, I knew the risk when I did it. I had decided since it was just 1 Windows app that I really needed, if it didn't work with Parallels, I would figure out a replacement for Quicken. Fortunately for me, it works just fine (at least for the moment ).

 

[Bandaman]

Fact is you can not buy an ARM version of Windows retail.

You don't need to. You don't need to buy the x86 version either, technically. You can run it forever with some limitations.

 

[throAU]

You don't need to. You don't need to buy the x86 version either, technically. You can run it forever with some limitations.

Am aware of that, but for the purposes of running a platform that is "supported" and "intended for end users", if it isn't able to be purchased that's a big red flag that what you're trying to do is not going to be supported by the vendor.

Spending money on such a platform (which is what the OP was contemplating - buying an M1 based machine to run a windows VM) to run your primary workload is a crap-shoot.

It might work; it might work well. But it also may break at any time with an update, have unexpected problems at some point in the future that you have no support for, etc.

If anyone wants to roll the dice: go nuts. Just know that it IS a roll of the dice at this point, until Microsoft change their current position. Much like running a Hackintosh. You may well be fine. But it's on you.

If you want guaranteed functionality for Windows applications the sensible path is to run x64 windows on an x64 platform (either bare metal PC, boot camp or X64 Mac virtual machine).

 

[GumaRodak]

Maybe you can rent a cloud intel computer instead and use it remotely…from ARM mac