Windows 10 and Parallels

[ivanwi11iams]

With the latest Mac Mini running M1, has anyone here installed and is using Parallels (Windows 10)?
If so, any issues? Also, does your model have 8GB memory or 16GB memory?

Currently, I have a Windows desktop. But, looking to move to a Mac Mini, as primary. With that, the idea is to have a Parallels version of Windows running, if needed. My main Windows desktop will be used solely for gaming.

Thoughts...

PS: I have an old MBA Early 2015, with 256GB storage. Currently, it has 197GB available.
If going with a 256GB Mac Mini M1, that suffice for Mac OS, Parallels and Windows 10, no? Plus if I need to store excessive data, I can do that on a USB drive, or in the cloud.

 

[ivanwi11iams]

Upon further research, it appears Windows on the M1 model, is not to me, ready for prime time.
Since I have a Windows 10 PC near by, I might as well stick with using that, when I need something related to Windows 10.

At least my Windows 10 PC had its own monitor and such.

 

[bobcomer]

Upon further research, it appears Windows on the M1 model, is not to me, ready for prime time.
Since I have a Windows 10 PC near by, I might as well stick with using that, when I need something related to Windows 10.

At least my Windows 10 PC had its own monitor and such.

That's what I do, but I have them on a KVM (intel Mac Mini, Windows PC, M1 MBA), so just pressing a button switches things. I run the Parallels/WoA, but not for serious work, until it can be licensed, it's just a toy and to see the state of things. My intel Mac runs a couple Windows x64 VM's all the time that I use for server type tasks. I use the Windows PC the most because it's the fastest.

 

[ivanwi11iams]

That's what I do, but I have them on a KVM (intel Mac Mini, Windows PC, M1 MBA), so just pressing a button switches things. I run the Parallels/WoA, but not for serious work, until it can be licensed, it's just a toy and to see the state of things. My intel Mac runs a couple Windows x64 VM's all the time that I use for server type tasks. I use the Windows PC the most because it's the fastest.

Nice. What is the model number of the KVM, please?

 

[bobcomer]

TESmart HDMI 4K60Hz Ultra HD 2x1 HDMI KVM Switch 3840x2160 @ 60Hz 2 USB 2.0

 

[carylee2002]

I looked at getting the M1 Mac Mini...but decided I needed more usb ports and since I'm using a egpu anyways it was a no brainer to get the refurbished 2014 Mac Mini with 16gb ram and 250gb ssd for around the same price, plus more usb ports for window's 10. ps...I got rid of my mac software on it so it is all windows and I got my drivers via windows update. no need for bootcamp afterall.

 

[TiggrToo]

Not sure if folk here have groked that there is no officially supported Windows on Parallels on M1 chips. There is a ARM build of Windows 10 on the insiders channel, but that'll not only run 64 bit code, but the x64 side of it is very dodgy.

In addition, being an Insiders build, the Windows 10 (ARM edition) is far from stable and is somewhere between a decent Alpha and an unstable beta.

 

[ivanwi11iams]

Not sure if folk here have groked that there is no officially supported Windows on Parallels on M1 chips. There is a ARM build of Windows 10 on the insiders channel, but that'll not only run 64 bit code, but the x64 side of it is very dodgy.

In addition, being an Insiders build, the Windows 10 (ARM edition) is far from stable and is somewhere between a decent Alpha and an unstable beta.

I hear ya. Upon further research, I have decided that I need to simply continue to use the Windows desktop that I have, versus a Parallels solution.

 

[imrazor]

I've been using Parallels on my M1 MBA to run Windows 10 for ARM. I've only had a few problems with the Insider Preview of Windows, but I agree that it's not suitable for the average non-technical Mac user. That said, I've been having a blast playing some older Windows games on the M1's GPU cores. It features DirectX 11 support, which means that all but the most recent games *should* run. (Notice I said should.) Nonetheless, it runs most games at low resolutions and low settings around 30-45 fps. I'm talking about stuff like Skyrim, Mass Effect (not the recent remaster), Fallout, even Nier Automata. But some games won't run, sometimes due to technical glitches, other times due to "anti-cheat" software.

Crossover runs games much faster than Parallels. That is, when the games will run at all. Early on, Fallout 4 ran like a champ, but I uninstalled to try out some other games. When I came back to Fallout, I just could not get audio working again. I've had better luck with the nightly builds of Crossover (i.e., alpha versions) but they are also unstable.