The standard edition of Parallels Desktop is priced at $79.99 for a one-time purchase, while the Pro and Business Editions are available only as a $99.99 annual subscription. If you have a license for either Parallels Desktop 9 or 10, you can upgrade to version 11 of either the standard edition for $49.99 or the Pro Edition for a $49.99 yearly. The latest version of Parallels 11 Pro is the best software yet for allowing me to run all the Windows programs I need to run my business, without having to sacrifice everything I love about my Mac.
The Business Edition of Parallels includes additional features for IT managers. Image: Cliff Joseph/ZDNet The Pro Edition is aimed at developers and other power users, and supports tools such as. Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition includes the following features and capabilities: Pro Edition supports up to 16 virtual (v)CPUs and 128GB of vRAM, per VM, and enables nested virtualization, PMU virtualization and guest OS debugging support. Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition was designed for developers, web and graphic designers, power users, and other demanding pros. Whether you are testing applications across platforms, or building websites for many different browsers, Parallels Desktop Pro Edition will simplify your workspace.
So, here's my review of the actual software.
Parallels makes upgrading easy. I just popped in the Desktop 9 CD, then realized that they will let me download it. I prefer to download as the CD will never survive in my house. If I ever needed to re-install, then I will have to have it. So, I downloaded the software and hit install. It found my Parallels 8 and replaced it. All of my OS's are still there.
Now my Dropbox and Google drive docs are available on the Windows machine. This may seem like nothing, but I can access my Photo Stream, my iCloud Docs (which I don't use), and my Google Drive docs straight from my Windows machine without having to create shares and links or by installing and mirroring the same data on the Windows machine. This is very nice and makes it much easier for me to update a file and know it will be pushed to Google Drive or Dropbox.
The last time I upgraded my Mac, I had an issue because Parallels stopped working. Apparently, Parallels Desktop 7 worked for Lion (10.7), but not Mountain Lion (10.8). That was a frustration that I wanted to avoid. When Mavericks (10.9) comes out, I can upgrade my laptop without worrying that all of my Parallels Operating Systems will shut down. I use the windows side for some of the work that I do and that was frustrating to realize that I couldn't access Windows until I upgraded Parallels. In their defense, they notated this on their website and had sent emails that I must have missed. I was pleased that the issue was documented and easy to see if I searched.
Parallels has replaced Parallels Mobile with Parallels Access as of this version. First off, what are these things, you might ask. These are Apps that you run on your iPhone/iPad which allows you to takeover your remote machine. I can sit at the coffee shop and remember I needed to hit send on an email. I grab my phone, open the Parallels Mobile app, and it connects to my laptop at home, shows me the desktop, and lets me do what I need to do. You don't have to setup your router or anything. Just have Parallels running and you're good to go. * The downside, Parallels Mobile worked for iPhone and iPad. This meant that if I just had my phone, I was still good. Parallels Mobile was introduced around version 7 and now it's being phased out. It's being phased out in favor of Parallels Access, which does the same thing, but costs $79.99/yr and doesn't currently work on the iPhone. When you connect with Parallels Access, the computer you takeover gets all funky as Parallels us tweaking the desktop resolution so that it can show you one Mac/Windows application at a time. * The upside, Parallels Access is pretty sweet. You can takeover just one Mac/Windows Application at a time. You don't have to re-size the application to perfectly fit in the screen. They have taken the iPad finger strokes and made them work when you are taking over a remote computer. It's pretty amazing and has allowed me to get more done faster.
Parallels Access might be worth $20/yr to me, but not $79.99. It's worth even less to me because I don't have a choice. Parallels Mobile is End of Purchase. http://www.parallels.com/support/desktop-virtualization/mobile/ This means that you can't get it anymore and those of us that have been with them for years can't use it if we want to upgrade. If the next Mac upgrade to Mavericks works the same, then once I upgrade my Mac, I will have to upgrade Parallels and lose access to Parallels Mobile. (This is what I was talking about on the first paragraph. Please phone, chat, Skype, and email support. Please push for Parallels Mobile to come back or Parallels Access to be reasonably priced.)
I love Parallels and they have always come out with something new and some reason that it's worth it to me to upgrade. This is the first time I wouldn't want to give 5 stars. I still love them and want to stick with them. If you are choosing between Parallels and Fusion, I'd still say to go with Parallels. We just need them to get a little less cocky and be more open with us the consumers.
I would recommend this item to a friend!This review is from Parallels Desktop for Mac - Use Windows Applications alongside your Mac Apps!.
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with 58 posters participatingParallels and VMware both announced new versions of their virtualization products for Macs today, with performance improvements and optimizations for the upcoming releases of MacOS and Windows. VMware is also releasing a new version of Workstation, its desktop virtualization software for Windows and Linux PCs.
Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac will be available today. Although VMware Fusion 10 for Mac and Workstation 14 for Windows and Linux are being announced today, the VMware upgrades will be available for sale sometime in October.
Microsoft Remote Desktop For Mac Pro
Parallels stuck to its yearly paid upgrade schedule a year ago, while VMware released free updates to Fusion and Workstation. This year, both companies are asking customers to pay for upgrades.
Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion are both adding support for the new MacBook Pro's Touch Bar, though Parallels' Touch Bar implementation is more extensive. Both companies said the new releases will be more user-friendly while adding power features for IT pros and developers.
Fusion has friendlier pricing for multiple Macs
For people who need to run Windows or Linux on more than one Mac, the VMware pricing is better. A Parallels Desktop 13 license for one Mac costs $79.99 as a one-time purchase. That gets you the entry-level edition; Parallels' professional edition with extra features is licensed as a subscription costing $99.99 a year for each Mac. Customers upgrading from version 11 or 12 can get a perpetual license for a one-time charge of $49.99 or the subscription for $49.99 a year.
VMware Fusion licenses are more budget-friendly to people with multiple Macs. One perpetual license for the standard version of VMware Fusion is good for all the Macs you own, while a Fusion Pro license works on three Macs.
A standard VMware Fusion 10 license costs $79.99, or $49.99 if you're upgrading from Fusion 7, 8, or 8.5 (there was no version 9). A Fusion 10 Pro license costs $159.99, or $119.99 for upgraders.
Unlike Fusion, Workstation is licensed by device, so you need to buy one license for each Windows or Linux computer you install it on. Each Workstation license also costs more than a Fusion license—although there is still one totally free option.
A Workstation 14 Pro license will cost $249.99, or $149.99 if you're upgrading from version 11 or 12 (yes, they skipped version 13). Workstation 14 Player, the stripped-down version, will cost $149.99, or $79.99 for those upgrading from a recent version. While Player doesn't have all the advanced Workstation features, it does let companies provide restricted virtual machines that comply with company policies to employees.
Workstation Player only has to be paid for in commercial environments. So while a business that wants Player for its employees must purchase licenses, Player is free for personal use for those of you using it at home.
New Parallels features
Parallels and VMware products from the past few years will keep working in most scenarios, but the new releases have performance improvements and new features.
Parallels developed Touch Bar integrations for Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The company also has integrations for Web browsers, including Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera.
In Word, for example, the Touch Bar will display formatting options such as bolding, italics, underlining, font sizes, and text alignment. Standard function keys and a few other options will be available in the Touch Bar for other Windows applications.
'Additionally, when you are using the Windows Start Menu or Desktop, Parallels Desktop 13 features Taskbar pinned elements, along with Cortana, Task View and settings in the Touch Bar,' Parallels' announcement said.
Parallels also developed a new Picture-in-Picture (PiP) view that displays an active virtual machine in a small window that is always visible on top of other applications. It's supposed to be a convenient way to keep track of what's going on in a guest operating system while you're doing other stuff on your Mac.
Parallels is also adding support for Microsoft's People Bar, an upcoming Windows 10 feature. This integration makes it possible for Mac users to pin a contact to the Dock and click that dock icon to send the person an e-mail or start a Skype call.
Parallels said the new Pro edition will come with these features:
- Assign up to 32 cores (vCPU) and 128GB of vRAM per VM, so upcoming iMac Pro users can create super powerful VMs.
- View Set Resolution menu to immediately switch resolutions for podcast, video tutorial or Web browser testing—including common 4:3, 16:9 and 16:10 ratios with resolutions from 1024x768 to 3360x2300.
- Quick Virtual Machine IP Address Lookup to check and copy IP address from GUI to the clipboard in one click.
A separate business edition will also have a new 'single application mode' that will let IT departments provision a single Windows application to end users. That means employees won't have to be 'distracted by unfamiliar Windows and virtualization elements,' Parallels said. The business edition has the same pricing as the pro edition.
VMware boosts security
VMware's Fusion announcement said the new version improves GPU and 3D graphics performance and has a revamped user interface, but the announcement focused mostly on back-end improvements and enterprise capabilities.
For Pro edition users, 'support for REST APIs will offer a new interface for managing virtual machines remotely and programmatically,' VMware said. The new interface will include 'VM inventory management, VM power management, cloning, networking, configuration, and IP and MAC address gathering.'
Mac Pro Cosmetics
There will be security improvements for Windows virtual machines in the form of support for Microsoft's Credential Guard, UEFI Secure Boot, and the Trusted Platform Module.
VMware Fusion's Touch Bar Support is more basic than Parallels', giving you some control over virtual machines and the virtual machine library, but no support for actions within individual Windows applications.
Workstation is similarly boosting security with support for UEFI Secure Boot and the Trusted Platform Module. Workstation is also improving the ability to test how applications run over poor network conditions.
Parallels Desktop For Mac Pro Edition
'Along with the existing network speed and packet loss simulator, a new Network Latency Simulator will further enable developers to run tests and simulate a specific network environment, including distance and network quality, to test application resiliency,' VMware said.