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Parallels 16 - bad purchase decision?

slooksterPSV

slooksterPSV

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 17, 2004
3,545
309
Nowheresville
Hi all,

I just saw that VMWare is coming out with a Free version of their VMWare Player for macOS. Fantastic! However, I just paid $80 for Parallels 16. I'm not running it on a powerful machine (base 2020 MBA i3 8GB), and mainly going to use it for some light testing of apps - Android and Linux mainly (no Windows things). However, seeing that VMWare Player is free, did I make a mistake of purchasing it? I know its licensed to only one computer, this one so...

Other than that, I do have to say the Parallels tools are fantastic! There's a few I've been using as things like Screenshot doesn't always record video correctly.

Or is Parallels superior to VMWare Player? I just want to get thoughts on the purchase I made.

Thanks.
 
slooksterPSV said:
Hi all,

I just saw that VMWare is coming out with a Free version of their VMWare Player for macOS. Fantastic! However, I just paid $80 for Parallels 16. I'm not running it on a powerful machine (base 2020 MBA i3 8GB), and mainly going to use it for some light testing of apps - Android and Linux mainly (no Windows things). However, seeing that VMWare Player is free, did I make a mistake of purchasing it? I know its licensed to only one computer, this one so...

Other than that, I do have to say the Parallels tools are fantastic! There's a few I've been using as things like Screenshot doesn't always record video correctly.

Or is Parallels superior to VMWare Player? I just want to get thoughts on the purchase I made.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I do not know how is the latest version of VMware but Parallels is faster in operation till now.
 
I think VirtualBox is also free. I don't have a need to run Windows on my Mac, but you might want to look into that as an option to see if it appeals to you. I have run Ubuntu in it several times.
 
atmenterprises said:
I think VirtualBox is also free. I don't have a need to run Windows on my Mac, but you might want to look into that as an option to see if it appeals to you. I have run Ubuntu in it several times.
Click to expand...

I typically use that but I know Parallels is kind of a standard with Macs in general. Don’t get me wrong VB is great but it does have its flaws. I think I just over thought it. The Parallels works great and my MBA turns into a rocket ship blasting off with the fan. Hahaha
 
slooksterPSV said:
I typically use that but I know Parallels is kind of a standard with Macs in general. Don’t get me wrong VB is great but it does have its flaws. I think I just over thought it. The Parallels works great and my MBA turns into a rocket ship blasting off with the fan. Hahaha
Click to expand...

Parallels worked very well for me years ago when I used it.

I have a MBA too. They should call it the Rocket Ship, indeed!
 
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I recently upgraded to the latest Parallels too because I occasionally use Windows on my MBP 16 which I'm currently running OS 11 beta on.
I've had VMware in the past, I think unless you are gaming you won't notice the difference between the two and better to use the one that's free.
 
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UnclePaulie said:
I recently upgraded to the latest Parallels too because I occasionally use Windows on my MBP 16 which I'm currently running OS 11 beta on.
I've had VMware in the past, I think unless you are gaming you won't notice the difference between the two and better to use the one that's free.
Click to expand...
I have both of them. Even in Office applications the speed difference is obvious, Parallels is faster.
Of course Fusion has its positives too.
 
Parallel is faster than vmware, especially on graphic-intensive apps and games. IMO, vmware is more organized but a bit slower than parallels.
 
I have Windows 10 installed under Parallels. But there is some config issue that I can#t solve where it takes about 8 minutes for Windows 10 to fully load.

Is it possible to open the Windows 10 installed under Parallels using the free version of vmware? I know little about virtual os's so don't know if this is a silly question or not. Or if they are just files or folders called something like Win10, and you can open it like a doc file, but using a virtual machine software like vmware or Parallels.

Anyone know?
 
Unfortunately you can not. VMware (free) player can only open VMware’s specific format.
 
VMware and Parallels are an example of two competitors continually innovation. Each will jump ahead of the other with a new capability. You could follow that and keep jumping back and forth, but now you've invested in one, stick with it. Unless of course the new thing is a "must have". You should alway expect each to keep up with the other if a "new thing" has real value.
One real distinguishing feature in choosing between platforms is customer support.
 
ThrowerGB said:
VMware and Parallels are an example of two competitors continually innovation. Each will jump ahead of the other with a new capability. You could follow that and keep jumping back and forth, but now you've invested in one, stick with it. Unless of course the new thing is a "must have". You should alway expect each to keep up with the other if a "new thing" has real value.
One real distinguishing feature in choosing between platforms is customer support.
Click to expand...
As stated in my post. I cannot solve the issue with Parallels. So maybe switching will solve it. Also, one is free, the other isn't.
 
I have mojave on my Mac, but vmware fusion player 12 (free version) isn't compatable with it, which is a shame. I wonder if its possible to download version 11. I cannot find out where, despite searching.
 
JonL12345 said:
I have mojave on my Mac, but vmware fusion player 12 (free version) isn't compatable with it, which is a shame. I wonder if its possible to download version 11. I cannot find out where, despite searching.
Click to expand...
Fusion 11 doesn't have the free "player" version (at least not for macOS). That was a new product released with version 12.
For version 11 the best you'll be able to do is the free trial.
 
JonL12345 said:
I have Windows 10 installed under Parallels. But there is some config issue that I can#t solve where it takes about 8 minutes for Windows 10 to fully load.

Is it possible to open the Windows 10 installed under Parallels using the free version of vmware? I know little about virtual os's so don't know if this is a silly question or not. Or if they are just files or folders called something like Win10, and you can open it like a doc file, but using a virtual machine software like vmware or Parallels.

Anyone know?
Click to expand...
What resources have you allocated to the vm settings?
Please also report your Mac's specifications, if you have a HD or SSD and where is your VM stored.
 
VMware 12 is not working on cMP 5,1 and other legacy hardware that can run Big Sur with minor changes,
Parallels works great.

*** update: not happy the way Parallels does not handle BootCamp, not working for me. ***
 
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I have been a loyal Parallels user for a long time, having flirted with VMWare Fusion around version 4 or 5 (do not quite remember which). More recently I learned that paying VMWare Fusion users could use the same license on up to 3 Macs, which made me buy a license for Fusion 11. Now, I just learned that Fusion Player version 12 allows you to run it for free... So, even though I still think Parallels is the leading solution, it's hard to compete with free...
 
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