3 ms·

I’m an Intel strangler because it’s the only way I can have Mac and Windows on the same machine. Am I the only person that really needs this? Parallels has tras

I’m an Intel strangler because it’s the only way I can have Mac and Windows on the same machine. Am I the only person that really needs this? Parallels has trash performance.

baggy_trough 3y ago
You can run ARM Windows under Parallels, which is good enough for me.
- huytersd 3y ago
  Ah just updated my comment. I really dislike how slow Parallels is.
  - baggy_trough 3y ago
    Funny, I never notice that.
  - cpuguy83 3y ago
    For gaming sure... but anything else... hypervisors are very good these days.
    - huytersd 3y ago
      I need it for windows only CNC software. It’s pretty terrible for that purpose.
      - solardev 3y ago
        Would that software perhaps work under WINE/Crossover?
- solardev 3y ago
  Just throwing this out there: ARM Windows uses Microsoft's own ARM to x86 translation layer (like their Rosetta), which works surprisingly well for run-of-the-mill business apps and the like. 3D apps do take a big hit though. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/arm/apps-on-arm-x86-emulation https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/arm/apps-on-arm-x8...
gnicholas 3y ago
Hilarious typo — I picture someone throttling an Intel machine (which sadly throttles you right back).
- huytersd 3y ago
  Ha I just noticed it!
lookitsnicholas 3y ago
have you tried using VMware Fusion at all?
jwr 3y ago
I bought a cheap Windows crapbook just to run the two Windows-only apps that I need (terrible apps for alarm systems and photovoltaic inverters). Apple Silicon laptops are so much better than Intel-based machines, there is really no comparison.
- solardev 3y ago
  There are PV inverters with Windows desktop apps instead of a mobile or web app? Can I ask which one? (Just curious; I worked in the industry on the web app side)
Condition1952 3y ago
Parallels is an overpriced rubbish with stupid limitations. I’m switching to WMWare or VMWare as of right now
- bouke 3y ago
  Parallels used to be front-runner with better support for new macOS features. vmWare used to lag behind with weird issues. This is why I switched from vmWare Fusion to Parallels Desktop a few years back. What are these limitations you speak of? And what makes it rubbish?
  - cpuguy83 3y ago
    Probably the biggest complaint is fusion is now free (for personal use) and Parallels is a subscription. Also you can get other free vm managers on Macs now since it ships with a hypervisor and vm framework.
  - Condition1952 3y ago
    8 GB max of RAM is a software limitation not present in the more expensive tier. I suspect it is not a technical limitation, just greed.
Clubber 3y ago
I got a NUC for whenever I need windows and just RDP in it. It mostly collects dust.
tonyedgecombe 3y ago
I'm still running Windows on my Mac mini. I used to use Bootcamp but don't do so much Windows stuff now so can get away with VMWare. After June next year I can drop Windows completely so will likely upgrade then. I'm not sure how VMWare compares to Parallels but performance isn't as good as Bootcamp. I wouldn't want to use it all day long.
solardev 3y ago
I miss Boot Camp too. (Only really used it for gaming). But the M2 is so nice that I jumped ship despite knowing I'd no longer have Windows. For the rare times I need it, I sometimes use a cloud VM (like Shadow.tech if you need a good GPU, otherwise any Windows VM I guess). Also, for any GPU-intensive apps (not sure if CNC counts), it might be worth giving Game Porting Toolkit (the other GPT) and Whisky (a GUI on top of that) a shot? Might run better than Parallels.

I’m an Intel strangler because it’s the only way I can have Mac and Windows on the same machine. Am I the only person that really needs this? Parallels has trash performance.

baggy_trough 3y ago

You can run ARM Windows under Parallels, which is good enough for me.

huytersd 3y ago
Ah just updated my comment. I really dislike how slow Parallels is.
- baggy_trough 3y ago
  Funny, I never notice that.
- cpuguy83 3y ago
  For gaming sure... but anything else... hypervisors are very good these days.
  - huytersd 3y ago
    I need it for windows only CNC software. It’s pretty terrible for that purpose.
    - solardev 3y ago
      Would that software perhaps work under WINE/Crossover?
solardev 3y ago
Just throwing this out there: ARM Windows uses Microsoft's own ARM to x86 translation layer (like their Rosetta), which works surprisingly well for run-of-the-mill business apps and the like. 3D apps do take a big hit though. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/arm/apps-on-arm-x86-emulation https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/arm/apps-on-arm-x8...

gnicholas 3y ago

Hilarious typo — I picture someone throttling an Intel machine (which sadly throttles you right back).

huytersd 3y ago
Ha I just noticed it!

lookitsnicholas 3y ago

have you tried using VMware Fusion at all?

jwr 3y ago

I bought a cheap Windows crapbook just to run the two Windows-only apps that I need (terrible apps for alarm systems and photovoltaic inverters). Apple Silicon laptops are so much better than Intel-based machines, there is really no comparison.

solardev 3y ago
There are PV inverters with Windows desktop apps instead of a mobile or web app? Can I ask which one? (Just curious; I worked in the industry on the web app side)

Condition1952 3y ago

Parallels is an overpriced rubbish with stupid limitations. I’m switching to WMWare or VMWare as of right now

bouke 3y ago
Parallels used to be front-runner with better support for new macOS features. vmWare used to lag behind with weird issues. This is why I switched from vmWare Fusion to Parallels Desktop a few years back. What are these limitations you speak of? And what makes it rubbish?
- cpuguy83 3y ago
  Probably the biggest complaint is fusion is now free (for personal use) and Parallels is a subscription. Also you can get other free vm managers on Macs now since it ships with a hypervisor and vm framework.
- Condition1952 3y ago
  8 GB max of RAM is a software limitation not present in the more expensive tier. I suspect it is not a technical limitation, just greed.

Clubber 3y ago

I got a NUC for whenever I need windows and just RDP in it. It mostly collects dust.

tonyedgecombe 3y ago

I'm still running Windows on my Mac mini. I used to use Bootcamp but don't do so much Windows stuff now so can get away with VMWare. After June next year I can drop Windows completely so will likely upgrade then. I'm not sure how VMWare compares to Parallels but performance isn't as good as Bootcamp. I wouldn't want to use it all day long.

solardev 3y ago

I miss Boot Camp too. (Only really used it for gaming). But the M2 is so nice that I jumped ship despite knowing I'd no longer have Windows. For the rare times I need it, I sometimes use a cloud VM (like Shadow.tech if you need a good GPU, otherwise any Windows VM I guess). Also, for any GPU-intensive apps (not sure if CNC counts), it might be worth giving Game Porting Toolkit (the other GPT) and Whisky (a GUI on top of that) a shot? Might run better than Parallels.