Parallels Desktop for Mac Updated With Support for ProMotion Displays and M1 Ultra Chip

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Parallels for Mac has announced Parallels Desktop 18, a new update that brings full support for the ProMotion displays in the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, improved performance on the M1 Ultra chip, easier Windows 11 setup, and more.

Windows 11 Parallels Feature Blue
Parallels Desktop 18 is designed to take full advantage of the latest Mac hardware, including the highest-end ‌M1 Ultra‌ Apple silicon chip. With the ‌M1 Ultra‌ in the Mac Studio, Parallels Desktop 18 "delivers up to 96% faster Windows 11" performance compared to previous versions of Parallels.

Full support for Apple's ProMotion display with automatic refresh rate changes and unleashed Apple M1 Ultra performance allowing users to assign more resources and get up to 96% faster Windows 11.

Parallels Desktop 18 also brings with it an improved Windows 11 installation experience and the ability to use a game controller on Windows 11 on the Mac.

Enhanced Windows game-play experience on a Mac: Users can now simply connect a game controller to their Mac, switch to Windows, and start playing. Enjoy smooth Windows UI and video playback, a higher frame rate, and much more.

Ahead of release later this fall, Parallels Desktop 18 includes support for new macOS Ventura features and functionalities. Additional new features include improved USB 3.0 support, improved compatibility of Intel (x86) applications, and more.


The Standard Edition of Parallels 18 for Mac is priced at $99.99 per year or $129.99 for a one-time perpetual license to the current version, with students eligible for a discounted price of $49.99 per year. The Pro Edition is priced at $119.99 per year, while the Business Edition is priced at $149.99 per year.

Tags: Parallels Desktop, Windows 11

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Top Rated Comments

snnrman Avatar
snnrman
37 months ago
I love Parallels business model. Whole year they did nothing with 17 version and now they give us 18 version with M1 Ultra support only for $99,99. For real? They couldn't just add M1 Ultra support in 17 version?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
steve62388 Avatar
steve62388
37 months ago

price of the update has increased by 40%, I pass
Fusion is free for personal use.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Larsvonhier Avatar
Larsvonhier
37 months ago

Can anyone who uses this software on m1 confirm if it can emulate standard x86 windoze? I need to run proprietary software that is windows only and it’s the reason I’m clinging to my Intel macbook for as long as I have.
The other way round: Windows on ARM emulates x86 instructions (just like Rosetta 2 does on macOS for Apple Silicon).
I have successfully run even complex commercial software like Altium Designer (ECAD) and simulation software for engineering tasks.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tobybrut Avatar
tobybrut
37 months ago
It seems to work pretty well. I already had an insider preview edition of Windows 11 ARM installed on Parallels 17. Upgrading to 18 had no issues. I tried out the easy install for Windows 11 just to see how it worked. Surprisingly, it worked pretty well. It downloads a version that seems older than the Insider Preview (not sure if there's a public release version) but it installed nicely.

There was a point where I thought the install froze, but it didn't. It's at the part where Windows shows Getting Ready and there's a rotating circle of dots. The rotating circle freezes. I couldn't get it to continue, so I killed it and the whole install vanished.

I tried the install again and it froze at the same spot. But instead of killing it, I kept clicking to free up the mouse and then clicked back into the install window and the install resumed. Odd. Apparently if the mouse isn't in the installer, it freezes until you click back into it.

I used my Windows 10 code that I've had for a long time and it worked great. Just remember to select which version of Windows 11 to install before you tell the install to start. I forgot the first time and started installing Home when my key is for Pro. There's a popup window to let you select the version.

So far, it seems to run great. I'm going to try to install some x64 apps and see how well they run. TBC...
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JokoWidodo Avatar
JokoWidodo
37 months ago

Can anyone who uses this software on m1 confirm if it can emulate standard x86 windoze? I need to run proprietary software that is windows only and it’s the reason I’m clinging to my Intel macbook for as long as I have.
Yes, im actually surprised how well windows 11 ARM handles x86 (32 and 64 bit) emulation
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tobybrut Avatar
tobybrut
37 months ago

Would be nice but I doubt that is high on Apple’s priorities.
It's not really up to Apple, though. Microsoft has an exclusive contract with Qualcomm to use only their processors, so running ARM Windows on Mac isn't really licensed, which is why we have to settle for technological previews, instead of shipping OS'es. Once that agreement runs out, MS will be free to let Apple do a Boot Camp for ARM Windows. Federighi has said as much. Apple is ready to implement it, but they have to get the OK from Microsoft first.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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