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Virtualization: Windows on a Mac

The best ways to run other operating systems on OS X

In 2006, Apple began to use Intel CPUs in its Macs. Because of that switch, we’ve been able to run Windows (and other operating systems) natively (without using emulation) on our Macs ever since. In fact, that flexibility is one of the Mac's most significant competitive advantages over Windows PCs.

But in order to run those other OSes side-by-side with OS X, you first need to install virtualization software on your Mac. There are three leading virtualization apps: Parallels Desktop, VMWare Fusion, and VirtualBox. Each of them was updated in 2009; each of those new versions introduced some kind of significant new functionality. And so, while I compared the three of them just over a year ago, I decided I needed to take a look at these latest editions and compare them once again.

In the pages that follow, you’ll find the results of my testing and evaluation. In addition to individual reviews of the software, I've assembled a buyers’ guide to explain which of these apps will work best for different uses. So whether you need to run Windows apps for work or want to play the latest Windows games, I think I can help you find the virtualization program that’s right for you.

Virtualization

The best ways to run Windows on a Mac

Virtualization: Which one to use?
Which of the three major Mac virtualization apps (Parallels Desktop, VMware Fusion, or Sun's VirtualBox) is right for you? Depends entirely on what you plan to do with it.
Virtualization: Performance testing
We put the latest version of Parallels Desktop 5, VMware Fusion 3, and Sun's VirtualBox through a series of tests to determine real world performance.
Parallels 5 (build 9308)
Parallels 5 is a feature-rich and speedy virtualization solution that does an excellent job with DirectX and OpenGL video acceleration.
Fusion 3.0.1
VMware's Fusion 3.0.1 adds many new features, including a full-screen toolbar, improved DirectX support, 64-bit native core, and a modestly revised interface to what was already a very good virtualization solution.
VirtualBox 3.1.2
The latest version of VirtualBox supports multiple CPU cores and accelerated DirectX graphics in Windows. But its biggest advantage compared to other virtualization apps is price: It's free.