The launch of the Apple M1 Macs and, therefore, the announcement of Windows 11 took a subset of Mac users for a quiet ride. For one reason or another, these are the users who need access to Windows applications or the complete Windows OS itself. Some concerns about whether the M1 Mac experience would leave an equivalent workflow, but Parallels has been quick to dispel those uncertainties. With Apple M1 support in its bag, it’s able to face the longer term with Parallels Desktop 17, optimized not only for macOS Monterey but also for Windows 11.
Supporting the new ARM-based M1 chipset was already quite an achievement, proving the might of Apple’s first Silicon. the newest versions of Windows 10 and, therefore, the upcoming Windows 11 release also raises the bar a touch higher for environments running Microsoft’s platform. With Parallels Desktop 17, the virtualization expert is trying to prove it can face those challenges with aplomb.
There is, of course, tons of improvements across the board, with the more significant ones happening for M1 Macs. One key new feature may be a new display driver that improves UI responsiveness and boosts framerates in Windows games. In addition, those running Parallels Desktop 17 on M1 Macs can now also use Windows’s battery-saving features as if the OS was running on native hardware.
One of the key requirements of Windows 11 is that the Trusted Platform Module, and therefore the latest Parallels Desktop release brings a replacement virtual TPM chip to satisfy those requirements. In addition, you’ll also configure USB fingerprint scanners for Windows applications that need even more security and privacy.
There are also improvements within the drag and drop experience between Windows and macOS apps, as well as better control over resources allocated for virtual machines. As before, Parallels Desktop 17 for Mac is out there under various subscription options. Thus, it is prepared to satisfy users’ needs when Apple and Microsoft finally release their new operating systems this year.
