Today, Parallels announces the launch of Parallels Desktop 18 for Mac. Parallels Desktop 18 It includes substantial improvements to the kernel, changes to enable IT managers to deploy Parallels and Windows across their environments, and support for the latest macOS operating systems. For Mac users who need to run Windows applications, Parallels 18 aims to simplify the process and speed up the workflow. Users can run over 200,000 classic Windows apps and games on macOS with Parallels 18. This new version comes in three different flavors depending on your business (or gaming) needs. Let’s delve into what’s new.
Equivalent to 18 Standard Edition
Parallels 18 Standard Edition is optimized for macOS Ventura Release to support new features and functionality and deliver exceptional performance. It includes full Apple ProMotion display support with automatic refresh rate changes and unleashes the performance of the Apple M1 Ultra, allowing users to map more resources and get up to 96% faster in Windows 11. For those running Windows games on macOS through Parallels, it adds Version 18 Automatic sharing of Xbox or DualShock Bluetooth game consoles with Windows and Linux. It also improves compatibility of Intel applications when running the ARM version of Windows 11. Finally, you’ll find USB 3.0 enhanced support for live data streaming devices, including the Elgato HD60, Startech USB 3.0 Video Capture, and more. Once macOS Ventura is released, you will have the option to run the Windows app inside Stage Manager.
Pro Edition
Parallels Desktop 18 for Mac Pro Edition includes all the power of the Standard Edition, plus a few other improvements. It consists of a network adaptor on the Apple M1 Mac, allowing users to set up different network conditions for the virtual machine (bandwidth, packet loss, and delay). It isolates the Mac virtual machine network on Apple M1 Mac computers to improve security and starts the Minikube suite with Parallels Desktop as the default provider. It includes the use of network booting with ARM Linux virtual machines now available on Macs with Apple Silicon. With the Parallels plug-in optimized for Visual Studio, you can quickly analyze application performance in a separate virtual machine.
Business Edition
By adding all Standard and Pro features, the Business Edition adds SSO/SAML licensing support. For IT managers looking to deploy Windows support across their Mac fleet, these features will greatly simplify the licensing process. The included SSOs are Azure AD, Okta, Ping, and more. IT administrators can also deploy, provision, or move a Windows 11 virtual machine across employee computers. Finally, it allows teams to centrally manage Parallels customer experience program engagement in a single portal.
“We are proud of our engineering team who remain at the forefront of innovation to deliver the most powerful and remarkably smooth Parallels Desktop experience to our users, which integrates with the latest macOS Ventura, optimized for the latest Apple devices, and delivers valuable features to deliver productivity,” said Prashant Ketkar, Chief Technology and Product Officer at Corel. and better performance.” “This is as simple and easy to use as it gets, and our users can rely on Parallels Desktop for Mac to focus on the task at hand.”
Compatibility
At Intel, Parallels 18 supports everything from Windows 2000 to Windows 11 by Microsoft. On the Mac side, it supports every operating system going back to Lion. For Linux, it supports Ubuntu, Fedora, CentOS, Debian GNU, Mint, Red Hat, Suse Linux, and Kali.
On Apple Silicon, it supports Windows 11, Windows 10, macOS Ventura, Monterey, Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian GBU, RHEL, CentOS, and Kali.
Parallels reported that 99.99% of Intel-based PC applications run great on macOS, including some of the heaviest CAD programs thanks to built-in Windows 11 emulation.
Parallels 18 Pricing
Parallels Desktop 18 It is sold either as a subscription for $99.99 annually or as a perpetual license for $129.99. The Pro version is $129.99 per year, while the Business version is $149.99 per year (per license). If you have an existing Standard Edition license, a perpetual license upgrade is $69.99, while a Professional subscription upgrade is $69.99 annually.
Take 9to5Mac
I’ll get a full review in the coming weeks, but it looks like another solid release from the team at Parallels. I’m particularly interested in supporting the new SSO/SAML licensing. I think this improvement, while not focused on the product, will make product deployment and licensing management much easier. Parallels simplified the installation process for Apple Silicon and removed the need to join the Microsoft Insider Program to download an ARM-compatible build. During the installation process, Parallels will automatically download the correct version. With SaaS apps, Catalyst apps, and web apps – Windows apps may be less needed on macOS for some users. For those who like to play Windows games, use the PC version of Microsoft Office, or have specific PC use cases, Parallels 18 appears to be a solid upgrade built on the previous version. Download a free trial.
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