Parallels 15: turning an iPad into a Surface
The latest version of Parallels brings improved gaming performance and integration with all the new features that Mac OS Catalina has to offer.
Parallels usually talk gaming when it comes to showing off how much better each iteration of its trademark software is, and this year’s Parallels 15 proved no exception. After all, if you are looking to play games on a Mac, Parallels is close to a must-have. And the new version of Parallels is the first to support both DirectX 9, 10 and 11 via Apple’s Metal API. However, if you are an IT pro and need to run virtualised environments from your Mac, it is also one of the top choices.
“Parallels made significant investments to support Apple Metal API, so today our customers can enjoy the fastest and most efficient version of Parallels Desktop to date,” said Nick Dobrovolskiy, Senior Vice President, Engineering and Support at Parallels.
As a result, Parallels say the new version of their dual-booting software is able to run many applications and games that did not work on previous versions. The company also claim that the new version of Parallels offers a more responsive UI, up to 15% faster 3D graphics performance and up to 80% faster Microsoft Office start-up times.
Parallels also now supports Bluetooth LE connectivity, making it easier to pair up an Xbox controller and play games using the new Xbox App.
Of course, with Mac OS Catalina on the horizon, Parallels 15 comes ready to emulate the latest beta of Apple’s new desktop operating system. When Catalina does arrive, it will be supported by Parallels both as a host machine and a virtual one. At the moment though, you are just limited to the latter.
Still, if you are keen on making use of some of the newer functions that Catalina offers, such as Sidecar, which lets you use an iPad as a secondary display for your laptop, Parallels will absolutely play along. You can even boot up a VM of Windows 10, drag the window over to your Apple tablet and then enable Windows 10’s tablet mode to use your iPad as if it was a Surface tablet — even with the Apple Pen!
For business users, there i’s also the promise of greater security. The new version of Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition and Business Edition feature a Virtual Platform Trusted module, enabling additional security features that previously were not supported.
Last but not least, Parallels Desktop 15 is also the first version of Parallels that will not be available on a perpetual license. Parallels Desktop Pro Edition for “Developers, Testers and Power Users” is available for €99.99 per year, as is the Parallels Desktop Business Edition “For Use in Work Settings”.
IDG News Service
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