Parallels today is releasing the latest version of its flagship Parallels Desktop virtualization software that allows Mac users to run virtual instances of Windows, Linux, and even additional installations of macOS right alongside your primary macOS installation. In addition to offering full support for macOS Mojave and the latest builds of Windows 10, Parallels Desktop 14 touts improved performance, better virtual machine disk space management, increased compatibility with GPU-dependent Windows apps, 4K webcam support, and more.
Apr 18, 2017 Parallels Desktop 14.1.3 Crack Build 45124 with keygen allows you to run Windows and Mac applications side by side. Choose your view to make Windows invisible while still.
We are currently underway benchmarking Parallels 14 to see how it compares to its predecessor so stay tuned for those results. Until then, here’s a more detailed look at some of the key features in Parallels Desktop 14.
Support for macOS Mojave
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Parallels Desktop 14 will offer full support for macOS Mojave as both a host and guest operating system when it is released later this year. This includes native support for Mojave’s dark mode, compatibility with Mojave’s new screenshot and editing interface, and camera continuity with iOS devices.
For those who wish to stick with the previous version of the software, Parallels Desktop 13 will also support Mojave as a guest operating system.
Graphics Improvements
Parallels Desktop 14 introduces improved video memory allocation and OpenGL support, which fixes compatibility issues with certain apps. Parallels specifically cites SketchUp 2018 and OriginLab as examples of applications which had GPU-related issues in Parallels Desktop 13 but are now working under the improved GPU framework in Parallels 14.
Beyond simply enabling support for these applications, we’ll test if these new GPU improvements offer a performance benefit to existing applications and games in our forthcoming benchmarks.
VM Storage Optimization
Parallels Desktop 14 touts improved storage optimization for your virtual machines, allowing users to both save disk space as well as easily manage the space allocated to existing VMs. For example, in a process similar to disk defragmentation, Parallels 14 takes into account the different file allocation methods between Windows and macOS and can automatically rearrange data to maximize storage efficiency for the two operating systems.
Beyond that, a new Disk Space management interface gives users an overview of their existing VMs and offers to automatically reclaim space by deleting old snapshots, temp files, and caches. Depending on the specific guest operating system, its age, and the software installed within it, Parallels claims that the new Storage Optimization features can save up to 20GB of space in a single virtual machine.
Storage optimization works the other way, too, automatically detecting if a Windows VM is running low on space and offering to increase the size of its virtual disk. The Parallels Desktop app itself is also getting slimmed down. A typical installation is now 20-30 percent smaller thanks to coding efficiency improvements and moving non-critical assets such as documentation online.
4K Webcam Support
Parallels Desktop has long supported the ability to share your Mac’s webcam with your virtual machines, but the resolution of that shared camera was capped at 2K. With Parallels Desktop 14, users can share camera resolutions up to 4K30 with compatible VMs.
This won’t affect the built-in iSight camera in most Macs, which tops out at a resolution of 720p, but those with high-end third party webcams such as the Logitech BRIO can now take full advantage of their webcam’s 4K resolution in their VMs.
Microsoft Ink: Pressure Sensitivity and Gestures
Many of the features in recent versions of Parallels Desktop have been about merging the user experience between the host macOS operating system and a guest Windows VM. For example, the ability to use Quick Look inside a Windows VM or last year’s introduction of Touch Bar support for native Windows apps. This trend continues this year with enhanced support for Microsoft Ink.
Parallels introduced basic support for Microsoft Ink in Parallels Desktop 12 but is now expanding it to support pressure sensitivity when running Office 2019 in a Windows VM. The pressure sensitive feature is compatible with both third party pressure sensitive drawing tablets as well as Force Touch-capable trackpads.
In addition, users will be able to edit documents in Office applications with Ink Gestures and use the upcoming Windows 10 Sets feature (if Microsoft ever releases it to the public, that is).
Expanded Touch Bar Support for Windows Apps
Users with a Touch Bar-equipped MacBook Pro will be able to use custom Touch Bar actions in several new apps, including OneNote, Visio, SketchUp, AutoCAD, Revit, Quicken, QuickBooks, and Microsoft Visual Studio.
For apps that are not yet officially supported, users can turn to Parallels’ Touch Bar Wizard, a feature first introduced last year that has seen further refinement in Parallels Desktop 14. Touch Bar Wizard lets users customize the Touch Bar layout for any Windows app via a drag and drop interface. Advanced users who need access to custom keys and actions can also opt to create a completely custom Touch Bar via XML editing.
Improved Performance
Parallels cites varying levels of performance improvements across the board, but has specifically worked to implement the AVX512 instruction set that is now available in the processor powering the iMac Pro and rumored to be included in the upcoming revamped Mac Pro. Users running Parallels Desktop 14 on one of these Macs will see performance improvements up to 2x in areas such as audio encoding, emulation, and AI processing.
In addition to raw processing performance, Parallels Desktop 14 also advertises improved VM management for tasks such as booting, suspending, and resuming virtual machines. Again, we’ll test this ourselves in our upcoming benchmarks, but Parallels claims that these tasks are between 30 and 80 percent faster compared to Parallels Desktop 13.
Parallels Desktop 14 System Requirements
Parallels Desktop 14 requires a Mac with at least an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM (8GB recommended), 600MB of free space for the app itself, and at least 16GB of space for a minimum Windows 10 VM.
It also requires the use of one of the following operating systems or newer as its host:
macOS 10.14 Mojave
macOS 10.13.6 High Sierra
macOS 10.12.6 Sierra
OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan
macOS 10.13.6 High Sierra
macOS 10.12.6 Sierra
OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan
Pricing and Availability
Parallels Desktop 14 is rolling out now for existing users on a subscription plan, those upgrading from a previous perpetually licensed version, and new customers over at the Parallels Desktop website. Parallels is sticking with its existing pricing and licensing model, offering access to the standard version for a $79.99 annual subscription fee or a one-time perpetual license for $99.99.
The standard version is limited to 8GB of RAM and 4 virtual CPUs per VM. As with previous years, a “Pro Edition” is available for a $99.99 per year subscription (no perpetual licensing option) which enables support for VMs with up to 128GB of RAM and 32 vCPUs each. The Pro Edition also includes advanced networking configuration options, developer tools, and extended telephone and email support. There’s also a Business Edition at the same $99.99 per year price point that adds centralized management and licensing deployment capabilities.
Users with a perpetually licensed version of Parallels Desktop 12 or 13 have two upgrade options: $49.99 to upgrade to the perpetually licensed Standard Edition of Parallels Desktop 14, or a reduced price first year subscription of $49.99 for the Pro Edition.
Our Thoughts on Pricing and Features
The pricing and feature differences between the various Parallels Desktop editions, as well as the subscription requirement for the Pro Edition, isn’t ideal and will continue to be a point of contention for some users this year. As we’ve discussed previously, users who only need to occasionally run basic Windows apps on their Mac can look at Oracle’s free VirtualBox software as an alternative. For users who need to frequently run Windows, or require apps with demanding 3D graphics, you’ll need to weigh the benefits of Parallels Desktop against the reality of an $80 or $100 per year (depending on version) cost.
As mentioned, check back in the coming days for the results of our performance benchmarks and further hands-on impressions of Parallels Desktop 14.
Disclosure: TekRevue was briefed by Parallels prior to the launch Parallels Desktop 14 and is being provided with a review license of the software at its public launch. Images in this article were provided to the press by Parallels, but this content was not sponsored, reviewed, or approved by Parallels prior to publication.
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Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac
Virtualization software like Parallels is usually associated with running Windows on a Mac, but virtualization can be used to also run other versions of macOS. I’ve been able to safely tinker with Apple’s latest developer or public beta by using virtualization to run them right inside the current stable release of macOS. I also keep older operating systems around to occasionally run software like Final Cut Pro 7, which was orphaned with last year’s macOS 10.13 High Sierra.
Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac is now available and is fully optimized for macOS Mojave. Version 14 focuses less on whiz-bang new features and instead wisely focuses on where it counts: Under-the-hood performance improvements. You’ll notice the difference each and every time you launch the application, which is the fastest it’s ever been by as much as 80 percent, according to the company’s marketing claims. In this case, they have good reason to boast—on my Mac, the software launches in under five seconds flat.
Since Mac owners do rely on Parallels Desktop to run one or more flavors of Windows on their preferred OS, a lot of energy this time around has been devoted to enhancements on this front. Windows VMs now start up to 35 percent faster, as do applications that run inside them. The results are quite remarkable; as a longtime Parallels user, this is the closest to running Windows 10 on actual PC hardware I’ve ever seen.
At least some of this improvement can be attributed to the way Parallels Desktop 14 automatically adjusts video memory usage for best performance. Rather than guess how much you might need or accepting the recommended settings, the software now dynamically balances between what’s available and what’s needed. Sadly, the automatic setting only works with recent flavors of Microsoft’s OS—Windows 10 and 8.1 worked for me, but not Windows 7 or XP, nor any VMs running macOS, Linux, or Android.
Keep it clean
Another step in the right direction with Parallels Desktop 14 is the new Free Up Disk Space feature. While the software has been able to manually reclaim valuable storage space from individual virtual machines (VMs) for some time now, this option has been incorporated into a new window that also consolidate snapshots (which now take up 15 percent less space) and resume/shut down tasks, as well as the ability for Pro Edition subscribers to archive lesser-used VMs for even more savings.
Having everything in one place is not only convenient, it makes a lot of sense for those of us juggling multiple open VMs at any one time. Such users will also be happy to know PD14 introduces a Resource Monitor window, which keeps real-time tabs on CPU and RAM usage for your Mac as well as all running VMs. Now you’ll no longer be left in the dark about which virtual machines are consuming precious system resources.
MacBook owners will appreciate enhanced Touch Bar support for popular Windows apps like OneNote, AutoCAD, and SketchUp, and these and others also benefit from OpenGL improvements that deliver impressive graphics performance. I really love the way PD14 handles multiple monitors in full-screen mode on Windows 10; in true Mac style, there’s no fudging around with settings, it just works. (I just wish this were possible while running macOS virtual machines, too.)
Whether buying Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac for the first time or taking the annual upgrade plunge, I wouldn’t hesitate to install this version. You’re even likely to reclaim a little internal storage space. The application size has been reduced by about 150MB (courtesy of support documentation moving to the web), but automatic disk monitoring could save as much as 20GB for those who have multiple VMs. In my case, I regained a few gigabytes, which I was all too happy to have back.
Bottom line
Saving valuable disk space and delivering real-world performance enhancements make this a must-have upgrade—and you’ll need it to run on the latest macOS Mojave.
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Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac
Pros
- Faster application, Windows VM launch times
- Automatic disk monitoring, Windows video memory usage
- Full macOS Mojave support
Cons
- Automatic video memory, multi-monitor optimizations limited to Windows VMs
- Space savings modest at best
- Required for users upgrading to macOS Mojave
- Some features like archive require Pro Edition