VMWare vs. Parallels?

[markw10]

I have used Parallels for quite some time and now that it supports the Boot Camp I like it even more since I can also use Boot Camp when necessary (such as when I play a computer game).
I am hearing a lot about VMWare now though. Does anyone use VMWare on here and how does it compare to Parallels?

 

[Fleetwood Mac]

Fussion beta just came out, so we'll see more soon.

 

[czeluff]

Tested Both

Well, today, I tested both of these extensively, and I must say...

I like the Parallels beta better.

Concurrency works very well if you auto hide the dock and put it on the bottom. that way, the Windows taskbar extends across the whole bottom.

VMWare was extremely slow for my Intel MBP C2D compared to Parallels. Both were clean copies of Windows. 3d is still crappy in both....but it's better in Parallels.

Obviously, here's what going to happen soon: everyone will simply make a BootCamp partition, and then parallels/vmware will simply be a program that allows you to run the partition inside mac os. Obviously Parallels has a head start on this, though alot of developers in my area say that it's very buggy in this beta. Like everything Parallels has done so far, it keeps getting better, and will continue to get better.

I will say this about VMWare: if you want to run Solaris, VMWare Fusion works alot better. Parallels is definitely focusing in on XP/Vista, whereas VMWare treats all os virtualizations equally.

Chad Z

 

[weldon]

One issue to keep an eye on will be the availability and compatibility with all of the VMWare Virtual Appliances. They're basically pre-configured VM's that you can download and run. VMWare benefits from this huge community of users on the x86 side that Parallels doesn't have.

 

[islandman]

VMWare Fusion is quite slow compared to Parallels. I love that you can use the Coherency mode in Parallels.

 

[spookje]

Well, VMWare might be a tid bit slower but the drag 'n drop functionality works in with. something you can't say of Parallels and neither did Fusion **** my whole OSX installation. I asked for a refund of Parallels crappy program.

 

[SeVeN]

one thing i like about Fusion is that you can burn CDs while in Windows. can you do that with Parallels beta 2?

 

[Nermal]

Fusion specifically states that the beta is slow when you launch it.

A lot of you seem to be praising Parallels' ability to boot from a Boot Camp volume. Presumably this means it actually worked for you. I installed Windows on Boot Camp and could then run it from Parallels, but I could no longer boot natively. Parallels is now gone from my system (the trial expired anyway) and VMware will be taking its place - it has a Mac UI for starters!

 

[iW00t]

My vote is for VMWare. Those guys are the big boys in the business, unlike Parallels which before Parallels desktop is virtually unheard of.

In the long run better support and updates probably can be had from VMWare.

 

[SpaceMagic]

iw00t is wrong... Parallels releases updates all the time! Parallels is faster. Parallels has a great developer forum and they reply to emails... i like Parallels.

 

[Nermal]

I don't like Parallels' attitude - I noted that Desktop says to press Alt-Enter for full screen, whereas it should say Option-Return (the Enter key on a full-size keyboard is ignored), and they told me that I was wrong and you should press Alt-Enter. I'm sure some of you can confirm that using Enter doesn't work, but according to Parallels, I'm the one that's wrong.

 

[user13]

iw00t is wrong... Parallels releases updates all the time! Parallels is faster. Parallels has a great developer forum and they reply to emails... i like Parallels.

I agree. I think that iw00t is rather harsh in his criticism In fact, Parallels really do some job to improve their product and to my mind the job is great. Now they make usb 2.0 available, soon there will come 3d graphics support and what not. I like parallels. I like Boot Camp support and drag&drop support and coherence mode. All is great. Makes my life easier

Here are some articles about the improvements:
Boot Camp
3d Graphics
USB improved

 

[spookje]

The USB2.0 of Parallels lastest beta is crap, VMWare Fusion has a much better USB2 support compared to Parallels. Beside of that still waiting for my support request for a refund. Neither to I understand the love of the Coherence support, it's a silly brother within the MacOSX world. No idea about the 3d graphics I have no idea, no need for that myselfs. But support booting the Windows partition would be a killer for VMWare