Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
So now that new versions have released, VMware 4 or Parallels 7?
- Thread starter Xystence
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I would go with Parallels 7, which I really like. They have made a lot of speed improvements. I am also using VMware 3, which works well. They are both good products. The reason that I prefer Parallels is because it has Coherence mode which turns your VM windows into mac native windows. They both have full trial versions which will convert over to a paid version.
There was quite a good discussion about that over here:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1228753/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1228753/
It boils down to personal preference.
I think VMware is a better product as it seems more stable and compatible, like for Linux. Parallels generally seems better for you want to play games.
In comparing the two new versions (parallels 7 vs. fusion 4), I found the speed difference negligible but as I said I don't play games so I can't compare the performance.
In the past Parallels generally had a reputation of being buggy and poor tech support. I don't know if version 7 has any more stable then its predecessors but fusion has always been rock solid. Plus running linux I found it much easier to setup and run in vmware then parallels.
I think VMware is a better product as it seems more stable and compatible, like for Linux. Parallels generally seems better for you want to play games.
In comparing the two new versions (parallels 7 vs. fusion 4), I found the speed difference negligible but as I said I don't play games so I can't compare the performance.
In the past Parallels generally had a reputation of being buggy and poor tech support. I don't know if version 7 has any more stable then its predecessors but fusion has always been rock solid. Plus running linux I found it much easier to setup and run in vmware then parallels.
I also think this is a matter of personal preference.
I used VMWare Fusion 3 and it was extremely solid for me.
When Parallels 7 came out, I decided to switch and try it out since it gets amazing reviews.
I can't comment on Fusion 4, but I can say that if stability is of utmost importance, go with VMWare.
I personally prefer the interface of Parallels 7 over VMWare.
In terms of speed, I do not notice much difference but maybe it is because I only code and don't actually play any games.
All in all, if I could go back in time, I would probably stick with VMWare for my purposes but Parallels is still really good!
I used VMWare Fusion 3 and it was extremely solid for me.
When Parallels 7 came out, I decided to switch and try it out since it gets amazing reviews.
I can't comment on Fusion 4, but I can say that if stability is of utmost importance, go with VMWare.
I personally prefer the interface of Parallels 7 over VMWare.
In terms of speed, I do not notice much difference but maybe it is because I only code and don't actually play any games.
All in all, if I could go back in time, I would probably stick with VMWare for my purposes but Parallels is still really good!
I have been a fusion user for a while now. My only real complaint about Fusion 4 is how you create the mac VM. There is no documentation-I only figured it out by using the DMG I got when I downloaded. Conversely, Parallels had a much easier method of at least creating the VM, though their method was much longer (it actually was downloading the OS again I think).
It's all subjective, but here's my thoughts:
I've used Fusion since 2.0 and have rarely, if ever, had a problem with it. From my own experience, I seem to see more complaints/issues with Parallels. They're definitely on the bleeding edge, but frankly, I just want something that allows me to get into Visual Studio easily and reliably.
Also, the last time I paid for Fusion was 3.0, about this time 2 years ago. Contrast with Parallels who seem to put out new major versions much more frequently, and the cost of ownership in the long run makes a significant difference IMO.
Usual advice; try both, but my recommendation is Fusion.
I've used Fusion since 2.0 and have rarely, if ever, had a problem with it. From my own experience, I seem to see more complaints/issues with Parallels. They're definitely on the bleeding edge, but frankly, I just want something that allows me to get into Visual Studio easily and reliably.
Also, the last time I paid for Fusion was 3.0, about this time 2 years ago. Contrast with Parallels who seem to put out new major versions much more frequently, and the cost of ownership in the long run makes a significant difference IMO.
Usual advice; try both, but my recommendation is Fusion.
I started with version 1 Parallels. Fusion wasn't out yet. I've had very few problems so have stuck with it. I looked at Fusion a couple of years ago and didn't like its integration with OS X as well as Parallels, I guess because for VMWare the Mac is a sideline.
I think everyone agrees that VMWare has much better support.
I use VirtualBox (free!) for Linux VMs. They have been very up to date in support of Ubuntu.
I think everyone agrees that VMWare has much better support.
I use VirtualBox (free!) for Linux VMs. They have been very up to date in support of Ubuntu.
I prefer VMWare Fusion 4. The interface for Parallels is all over the place. I don't want Windows or any virtual machine to take over my Mac. Fusion is clean and simple and I only open it when needed; when not needed, it's no where to be seen. Also, when I tried Parallels (admittedly, a couple of versions ago), the stability was not there. VMWare has been in the VM business for years and seem to have their act together when it comes to stability. With Parallels, you are one point upgrade from stability. This has been my experience.