Retina 13 with Parallels - help needed!

[benham88]

I just ordered a MBP Retina 13 256ssd. I am a trader and switching from a PC with windows 7 on which I use a platform that is not written for mac. My plan is to install Parallels 8 and run windows cohesively so I can use the trading platform, along with the mac stuff. I will really only use windows for this and possibly ms office excel. I am not doing any gaming/photo editing/videos, and only use the machine for internet based trading. I use 2 external monitors - 1 from each thunderbolt is the plan - in addition to the laptop screen, and have up to 10 internet pages open with streaming price data at any one time. My questions are:

1. Will running the 2 systems slow the performance noticably?

2. Which version of windows should be used for best performance?

3. I read somewhere to install windows via bootcamp before installing parallels (to keep it seperate?) Can anyone explain more?

4. If the setup does not satisfy, can i return the mbp (ordered online) to an apple store for a refund/exchange? And do i have to wipe machine back to day 1?

Thanks.

 

[JellyFish]

I just ordered a MBP Retina 13 256ssd. I am a trader and switching from a PC with windows 7 on which I use a platform that is not written for mac. My plan is to install Parallels 8 and run windows cohesively so I can use the trading platform, along with the mac stuff. I will really only use windows for this and possibly ms office excel. I am not doing any gaming/photo editing/videos, and only use the machine for internet based trading. I use 2 external monitors - 1 from each thunderbolt is the plan - in addition to the laptop screen, and have up to 10 internet pages open with streaming price data at any one time. My questions are:

1. Will running the 2 systems slow the performance noticably?

Depends on how much RAM you have and how many applications you are running in OS X and Windows. 8GB of RAM will probably be fine though.

2. Which version of windows should be used for best performance?

I'd use Windows 7 if you can, Windows 8 is just a mess of an interface.

3. I read somewhere to install windows via bootcamp before installing parallels (to keep it seperate?) Can anyone explain more?

Yes, you can do this but why bother? It will create a separate partition for Windows and you don't really need that for running Windows. Most people who use Boot Camp are gamers who want high performance.

4. If the setup does not satisfy, can i return the mbp (ordered online) to an apple store for a refund/exchange? And do i have to wipe machine back to day 1?

I believe you have 14 days to return the laptop.

Thanks.

Before you pay for Parallels, you might want to try VirtualBox. It's free and open source.

 

[mankar4]

3. I read somewhere to install windows via bootcamp before installing parallels (to keep it seperate?) Can anyone explain more?

I like having it on boot camp as well, because sometime I want to just be in Windows when Fusion has some compatability issue. I haven't used parallels in a while, but when I used to have both, and Fusion was better back then.

 

[stevelam]

3. I read somewhere to install windows via bootcamp before installing parallels (to keep it seperate?) Can anyone explain more?

I like having it on boot camp as well, because sometime I want to just be in Windows when Fusion has some compatability issue. I haven't used parallels in a while, but when I used to have both, and Fusion was better back then.

if you have bootcamp windows installation, parallels can also use that in a VM on the OSX side. thats basically it.

 

[nopw]

I just ordered a MBP Retina 13 256ssd. I am a trader and switching from a PC with windows 7 on which I use a platform that is not written for mac. My plan is to install Parallels 8 and run windows cohesively so I can use the trading platform, along with the mac stuff. I will really only use windows for this and possibly ms office excel. I am not doing any gaming/photo editing/videos, and only use the machine for internet based trading. I use 2 external monitors - 1 from each thunderbolt is the plan - in addition to the laptop screen, and have up to 10 internet pages open with streaming price data at any one time. My questions are:

1. Will running the 2 systems slow the performance noticably?

2. Which version of windows should be used for best performance?

3. I read somewhere to install windows via bootcamp before installing parallels (to keep it seperate?) Can anyone explain more?

4. If the setup does not satisfy, can i return the mbp (ordered online) to an apple store for a refund/exchange? And do i have to wipe machine back to day 1?

Thanks.

Hi i have used parallels a lot on my MacBook Pro 13" with 8GB Memory.
From what i can tell id say you can use it with 8GB or MORE but not less.
(You can but should not be what one is looking for)
As you have an SSD id say it is a big plus for your usage.
Why don't you just install the parallels trial,
setup a win7 installation in trial, and begin to use it without bootcamp.

As long as you don't do any performance heavy tasks id say you are ok using both.

If you are happy you can give all trial versions the serial key and you are done.
If not: you have not lost any money, but maybe 3 hours.

But from my experience Parallels is the fastest emulation you can run on your MAC

 

[takeshi74]

Will running the 2 systems slow the performance noticably?

Depends on your system and what you're running. Provide details and we can try to answer. Running a virtual solution obviously consumes more system resources than not running one but whether or not you'll see a significant degradation in performance depends on your system specs and what you intend to have up and running at the same time.

Which version of windows should be used for best performance?

Same as above applies.

I read somewhere to install windows via bootcamp before installing parallels (to keep it seperate?) Can anyone explain more?

Depends on what you want to do. If you think you might need Boot Camp this can be a good approach. If you'll never use Boot Camp there's not much point to this. Based on this:

My plan is to install Parallels 8 and run windows cohesively so I can use the trading platform, along with the mac stuff. I will really only use windows for this and possibly ms office excel. I am not doing any gaming/photo editing/videos, and only use the machine for internet based trading.

it doesn't sound like you'd want or need Boot Camp but that's a call that you need to make.

If the setup does not satisfy, can i return the mbp (ordered online) to an apple store for a refund/exchange?

http://store.apple.com/us/help/returns_refund

Why don't you just install the parallels trial,
setup a win7 installation in trial, and begin to use it without bootcamp.

^ This would really be the best way to answer your question.

 

[benham88]

With the parallels trial can you also free trial windows? And if so which version(s)? Can i try different versions within the trial period? Also, what is the cost of windows 7 / windows 8 through parallels. And which is better through parallels 8?
Many thanks to all.

 

[benham88]

I am running 6 - 10 web pages streaming data and displaying (simple) charts but no video/graphics. Then I use Skype for voice calls, ms office for excel, and the trading platform which is downloaded to the laptop and also streams prices from the net. I currently have a Sony z series 3 years old with intel P9700 2.8ghz, 6gb ram, running windows 7, connected to 2 external monitors via usb. It runs everything ok but gets v hot with noisy fan all day, yet only shows it is using 3.5gb ram. I plan to use the Mac OS for everything, and only the windows in parallel for the platform that is non mac compatible. From what I've read each os likes 2gb so in theory I should be ok but how much real world performance I will lose is the big unknown...
Anything I can do to eliminate sluggish performance is welcome...
Thanks.

 

[nopw]

Well parallels 7 or 8 does not mind if you are using a trial or not for windows.
The Windows License can not be purchased through Parallels, simply go on ebay or amazon and get one for 40-90€, one you decide to go for it.

You can create as much virtual machines as you like. So you can out W7 and W8 to the test. I have had the best experience with W7 so far.

For incompatible Software, Parallels has the so called coherence mode.
The best would be: visit the parallels website, view the product tour, download it, try it out + windows, and be happy.

There are plenty ways to get a windows trial. Either one of your friends has some install disc you can use,... Not using a serial during installation, or ask some student around you as they usually get windows + the images free via msdnaa.

I guess from what you ve said so far you dont need a boot camp partition, and would be happy with a parallels virtual machine.
The Performance should be good.

 

[mankar4]

Why would you not install windows on boot camp? if its on boot camp, then parallels can utilize that installation to run windows in OS X. If you don't install it via boot camp, it takes the exact same amount of space, and you don't have the option to run it through boot camp if the need ever arises. I found that once in a while I would have to go into native windows via boot camp because something wouldn't work properly in the virtualized version.