Officially released on June 15, 2006, Parallels became the first software to bring conventional virtualization to Macintosh computers using the Apple-Intel architecture. At that time its name was ‘ Parallels Workstation for Mac OS X’ , although it was later christened ‘Parallels Desktop for Mac’, especially after criticism within the Mac community.
In short, Parallels is a useful option for running Windows applications on a Mac with OS X , all without the need to restart the computer or install Windows on a hard disk partition (as we explained to you on a previous occasion, which is possible through the BootCamp Assistant, developed by Apple itself).
While a new version of this virtualization tool was available a few months ago, which also brought with it support for the upcoming macOS Catalina features, today we wonder if it is still the best way to run Windows on an Apple computer.
What exactly is Parallels? And what is it for?
If you are still a beginner, Parallels becomes a useful option for all those users who have an iMac, Mac Mini or Macbook, and want or need to use Windows . In this sense, what this software does is run the Microsoft operating system in a virtual environment, thus becoming a great application: as soon as we deactivate Parallels, both Windows and everything we have installed on it disappears until we return to start Parallels again.
It is an extremely straightforward and simple virtual machine approach, which also offers us the ability to quickly jump between macOS and Windows whenever necessary, without restarting the system, as we should, for example, do it on a classic dual-boot system (such as the case of BootCamp).
What’s New in Parallels 16
We are facing an option optimized for the most recent Windows 10 updates, and that will also have support for the expected macOS Big Sur , once it is available. Available this fall, Big Sur unleashes the power of the Apple-developed operating system with an innovative new design, ensuring a unique experience on the Mac.
According to its developer, Parallels Desktop 16 is faster, has improved integration, improved graphics with DirectX up to 20% faster and improved compatibility with OpenGL 3 (for Windows and Linux), being able to run a greater number of applications and games .
So is it worth it? If we need to run Windows or Windows applications on our Mac, the answer continues to be yes today , albeit with caveats. Over 14 years and 16 editions, Parallels has grown increasingly stable, intuitive, and skilled. And now it is even more capable of running on older hardware, being able to run Windows programs as standalone applications within macOS if we wish.
And it’s packed with useful features and touches, too. For example, it is possible to share folders and desktop shortcuts on macOS and Windows, copy and paste between both operating systems or launch Windows applications from Mac. And what is even more interesting: we have a great control over the resources that you can use the virtual machine.
It’s also fair to say that bugs and issues occasionally crop up that you need to be aware of. For example, WiFi connectivity can go a bit slow, although it is true that its advantages are many.
