VM software for Apple Silicon Macs recommendations

[Kimba]

I recently got an M4 Pro Mac Mini and I'd like to install a VM to run some Windows-only applications like MadCap Software Flare and Adobe FrameMaker but not games. Based on what I've found, these are the most popular options:

• Parallels
• UTM
• VMWARE Fusion Player

Right now, I'm wary of Parallels since I don't like subscription-based software and I'm leaning towards UTM since I've read several favorable reviews about it. However, I'm curious what people here think. Please note I've used VMs at work but never at home where I don't have an IT department to help me.

Thanks in advance!

 

[russell_314]

I recently got an M4 Pro Mac Mini and I'd like to install a VM to run some Windows-only applications like MadCap Software Flare and Adobe FrameMaker but not games. Based on what I've found, these are the most popular options:

• Parallels
• UTM
• VMWARE Fusion Player

Right now, I'm wary of Parallels since I don't like subscription-based software and I'm leaning towards UTM since I've read several favorable reviews about it. However, I'm curious what people here think. Please note I've used VMs at work but never at home where I don't have an IT department to help me.

Thanks in advance!

I don’t currently use a VM because I’ve weaned myself of all Windows programs once Apple Silicon hit. However, from past experience, I can say Parallels is pretty good. I loved how I didn’t have to run Windows in a separate box. I could have a Windows application open right next to one of my Mac applications.

They push the subscription really hard, but you can still buy it. However when you’re buying software it’s only for the current version unlike the subscription. Expect that version to only work on the major version of macOS that was out at the time. For example if you buy Parallels and in September you update to macOS Bigfoot or whatever it’s going to be called, don’t expect it to work properly. It probably won’t completely stop working, but there will be issues and features may not work. You‘ll need to buy an upgrade for parallels. They used to offer upgrade pricing which was about half the full price. I don’t know if they still do.

 

[Nermal]

I'm on an Intel machine so I can't comment on the Arm version specifically, but give VMware a go. Now that it's free, there's no "harm" in trying it out (I think it's more polished than UTM, although I stand to be corrected).

 

[jzuena]

I have both UTM and Fusion on my M4 mini and Windows 11 ARM on UTM was much slower than on Fusion. On my work MacBook Pro I only run UTM due to VMware's commercial terms, but I don’t need Windows there.

 

[chrfr]

I have both UTM and Fusion on my M4 mini and Windows 11 ARM on UTM was much slower than on Fusion. On my work MacBook Pro I only run UTM due to VMware's commercial terms, but I don’t need Windows there.

VMware has now made Fusion free for all users, so you can even use that at work for free.

VMware Fusion and Workstation are Now Free for All Users

These powerful desktop hypervisor products are free to all users - commercial, educational, & personal users alike!

blogs.vmware.com

 

[jzuena]

VMware has now made Fusion free for all users, so you can even use that at work for free.

VMware Fusion and Workstation are Now Free for All Users

These powerful desktop hypervisor products are free to all users - commercial, educational, & personal users alike!

blogs.vmware.com

That's good to know. For Windows I have access to multiple ESXi and Citrix VMs, so no need to run Windows locally on my laptop. And UTM seems plenty fast enough when running Ubuntu and Red Hat Linux so I will probably just stay with UTM on my work machine.

For the OP, even though you don't need games that is how I was able to see the speed difference between UTM and Fusion. I installed Steam on the Windows VM and had all kinds of stuttering on somewhat older games like Half Life under UTM, but the games run fine under Fusion. UTM has more flexibility since it can emulate different processors (although I wouldn't try to emulate an x86-64 processor to run non-ARM Windows). Fusion only does virtualization, but it is much more efficient at it than UTM.

 

[SteveOm]

I used VMWare Fusion for a year on my M2. It worked great; it was quite fast. I ran the beta version of FrameMaker for ARM Windows and it was fine. I’d recommend that combination if you’re using the current FrameMaker.

 

[makra]

VMWare/Win 11 ARM works great, but has some limitations, as far as I can see. Just today I couldn't get a USB device to work. The driver wouldn't install correctly. But most apps work great and fast.

 

[seggy]

VMware has now made Fusion free for all users, so you can even use that at work for free.

VMware Fusion and Workstation are Now Free for All Users

These powerful desktop hypervisor products are free to all users - commercial, educational, & personal users alike!

blogs.vmware.com

This really caused me to scratch my head. ESXi no longer free for hobbyist use, but desktop hypervisors free for everyone?

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