Comparison Parallels Desktop vs VMware Fusion

Parallels Desktop

Before we get into any comparison of Parallels Desktop vs. VMware Fusion, it is important to understand why it is better to go for virtualization when using an Apple computer. When Apple switched to the Mac operating system a few years ago it also featured some other interesting options. These options included the ability to run an Apple computer with operating systems other than Mac. These operating systems included the usual Windows XP OS, Linux as well as other popular operating systems from Windows. These operating systems include 64-bit versions as well.

In order to run Windows on a Mac, all you need is virtualization software. The most popular choices in this respect include VMware Fusion and Parallels Desktop. This is where the comparison of Parallels Desktop vs. VMware Fusion comes into question. Even Apple Boot Camp can be used for this purpose however it does has have a few shortcomings when compared to Parallels Desktop as well as VMware Fusion. The biggest drawback that Apple’s Boot Camp presents is that you are forced to reboot every time you are required to switch between operating systems. It is for this reason that VMware Fusion and Parallels Desktop are usually preferred over Apple’s Boot Camp.

The biggest advantage of using virtualization software is that it gives you the freedom to use the best of various operating systems. For example critical software being offered by Windows can now be used on your Mac if you have the correct virtualization software. It is for this reason that a lot of people are looking for the results of comparison Parallels Desktop vs. VMware Fusion. Applications such as Internet Explorer and Outlook Express are good examples of the flexibility you can get on your mac once you use the suitable virtualization software.

If you have a virtualization software such as VMware Fusion or Parallels Desktop not only can you run Windows on your Mac but you can also use other OSes based on x86. All this can be done alongside your stock Mac OS. However when it comes to comparison Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion, the answer may differ for various users. The scalability and efficacy of virtualizing software depends on your usage and requirements. So at the end of the day if you are really clear on your requirements you will find the comparison much easier to carry out. Take a look at a few of these pointers to make your selection easier.

When the comparison Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion were carried out with various applications the following results were discovered.
• Parallels Desktop works much faster for the “Find and Replace” system in both Windows XP as well as Vista
• When put through the Excel Macro test Parallels Desktop performed 13%-14% faster in the case of XP and Vista respectively
• When the virtualization software was tested for the rate of slide transition in PowerPoint, VMware Fusion tends to have a slight upper hand in Windows XP. On the other hand there was not much of a difference of performance when they were tested on Vista.

These tests to facilitate a comparison Parallels Desktop vs. VMware Fusion clearly revealed that Parallels Desktop has an upper hand in most Windows applications. To take this comparison a step further the virtualization software was tested on the forum of Internet Explorer. Even in this respect Parallels Desktop tends to perform much faster when compared to VMware Fusion, a complex webpage or an SSL based webpage. In fact Parallels Desktop tends to work over 80% faster in Windows XP as well as Vista.

Another important parameter when considering the comparison Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion is the amount of CPU usage. In order to get a clear idea of this parameter the computer is allowed to boot and conclude start-up actions. Once this is done with the CPU usage is measured while sitting idle. In the third step of testing the CPU usage is quantified after running programmes such as Microsoft Outlook as well as Microsoft Word. When the CPU was left idle Parallels Desktop performs much better with CPU usage lesser by 1/3rd when compared to VMware Fusion. This was applicable for both XP as well as Vista. Similarly even when running programmes such as Outlook and Work Parallels Desktop tends to use lesser power.

Again the comparison Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion were taken one step further by testing the CPU usage during playing a DVD. While both the software had an identical performance for Windows XP Parallels Desktop tends to do a tad better in the case of Vista. Another example of Parallels Desktop being a tad better than VMware Fusion is the test of Virtual memory usage. Parallels Desktop uses 48% less RAM in the case of Windows XP. Similarly, Parallels Desktop seems to be more economical even in the case of Vista because it uses 21% less RAM when compared to VMware Fusion. Again even when programmes such as Word and Outlook are used Parallels Desktop tends to use lesser of the RAM when compared to VMware Fusion. This difference comes up to 39% in the case of XP while it adds up to 21% in the case of Vista.

Another important area of comparison Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion is battery usage. Following the same trend when a Mac using XP is operated with Parallels Desktop it lasts up to 8% longer. The same Mac with Vista using Parallels Desktop lasts up to 9% longer.
With these and many other tests,\ it has become quite evident that when carrying out a comparison Parallels Desktop vs. VMware Fusion Parallels Desktop usually comes out as the winner. There is no doubt that this virtualization software has an upper hand over many others and is the best choice if you are looking to run more than one operating system on your mac. Though there are a few exceptions that you may face when using Windows Vista it is safe to say that Parallels Desktop is the software to go for if you are looking for virtualization.