Does Windows 7 Look Any Different on a Mac?

[Thunderbird]

Thinking of getting Wn 7 on either Parallels or Bootcamp for an iMac.

Just wondering if there are any subtle visual differences in how the Win 7 GUI is displayed on a PC vs on an iMac (given the same monitor size and resolution)?

Thanks.

 

[elgrecomac]

Thinking of getting Wn 7 on either Parallels or Bootcamp for an iMac.

Just wondering if there are any subtle visual differences in how the Win 7 GUI is displayed on a PC vs on an iMac (given the same monitor size and resolution)?

Thanks.

Not really. I've run Bootcamp, Parallels and VMware Fusion on my Mac and here are a few observations:
1. Window under bootcamp is the fastest performer in all aspects because, literally, your iMac is now a Window PC. There is no emulation or operating system running on top of an operating system. Your computer will boot up as a fully functioning Window PC. And it will be, probably, the fastest windows PC you've ever used! The downside is that if you want to run any Mac-based software you'll need to re-boot the computer into OSX and then Windows is not available. Visually, the PC/Mac is pretty much exactly as if running on any other WinTel PC and you'll have resolution control within the Windows Control panel.
2. Parallels and Fusion are running Windows OS on top of OSX so you are in two places at once. It offers the most flexibility but there is a performance hit
because you are, in fact, running two Operating systems at once. You'll need a minimum of 4Gb of RAM but to avoid performance hits in Windows and OSX, you really need 8GB of RAM. Visually, if you run Parallels or Fusion within a window in OSX it is pretty much like bootcamp but you have access to all of your mac based files plus you can run Mac-base apps at the same time. Resolution can be controlled within MS windows. You can run window in full screen mode or as any other app on a mac in its own window.

Not sure if that addresses what you were asking but I hope it helps. BTW, my observation has been if you plan on runs either Parallels or Fusion, most people on this forum prefer fusion, as do I. But, quite frankly, they are both mature products and work well...again WITH 8GB of RAM or more.

There is one other thing to consider: if you run parallels or Fusion, then backing up Windows can be done with Time Machine since it is just another app and data file on your Mac. But if you run Windows in Boot-camp, you'll need to either run Window backup or, as I do, I use WinClone on my Mac in OS X and backup the boot-camp partition separately. WinClone is a great product especially if something happens to your boot-camp partition.

Good luck.

 

[Thunderbird]

Not really. I've run Bootcamp, Parallels and VMware Fusion on my Mac and here are a few observations:
1. Window under bootcamp is the fastest performer in all aspects because, literally, your iMac is now a Window PC. There is no emulation or operating system running on top of an operating system. Your computer will boot up as a fully functioning Window PC. And it will be, probably, the fastest windows PC you've ever used! The downside is that if you want to run any Mac-based software you'll need to re-boot the computer into OSX and then Windows is not available. Visually, the PC/Mac is pretty much exactly as if running on any other WinTel PC and you'll have resolution control within the Windows Control panel.
2. Parallels and Fusion are running Windows OS on top of OSX so you are in two places at once. It offers the most flexibility but there is a performance hit
because you are, in fact, running two Operating systems at once. You'll need a minimum of 4Gb of RAM but to avoid performance hits in Windows and OSX, you really need 8GB of RAM. Visually, if you run Parallels or Fusion within a window in OSX it is pretty much like bootcamp but you have access to all of your mac based files plus you can run Mac-base apps at the same time. Resolution can be controlled within MS windows. You can run window in full screen mode or as any other app on a mac in its own window.

Not sure if that addresses what you were asking but I hope it helps. BTW, my observation has been if you plan on runs either Parallels or Fusion, most people on this forum prefer fusion, as do I. But, quite frankly, they are both mature products and work well...again WITH 8GB of RAM or more.

There is one other thing to consider: if you run parallels or Fusion, then backing up Windows can be done with Time Machine since it is just another app and data file on your Mac. But if you run Windows in Boot-camp, you'll need to either run Window backup or, as I do, I use WinClone on my Mac in OS X and backup the boot-camp partition separately. WinClone is a great product especially if something happens to your boot-camp partition.

Good luck.

Thanks for the info. I was thinking more in terms of how the GUI looks, or how the mouse pointer responds, etc.

Someone at work mentioned to me that the mouse pointer on Bootcamp responds slightly different than on a normal PC, and that the GUI is not quite as crisp.

 

[raniel]

no noticeable differences for me.
I do some programming and I use the f keys a lot. The only issue I encountered so far are some of the shortcuts used by fusion were also used by my IDE, it can be mapped to other keys anyway