Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac ships, faster, new features, more

Jonny Evans
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November 04, 2009
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Not a VMWare fan? There’s a new virtualisation solution for Snow Leopard in town, with Parallels’ introduction of  Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac.

This lets you run Windows, Linux and other operating systems side-by-side with Mac OS X, and the company claims it performs “22% faster than the nearest Windows-on-Mac competitor in standard productivity testing of Windows 7 64-bit on a MacBook Pro”.

Equipped with over 70 new features  offer users more flexibility, including the ability to choose how much or little Windows they want to see, from running Windows in Full Screen mode where Windows completely covers the Mac user interface to the new Crystal view mode which makes Windows completely disappear. Users can even get a Mac-like experience in their Windows applications, using the intuitive Apple Trackpad Gestures technology to pinch, swipe, and rotate as they do in Mac applications.

Desktop 5 for Mac also introduces full support for Aero in Windows Vista and 7 through Windows WDDM driver, including Aero Flip 3D. Virtual machine size is automatically optimized for best performance with Parallels Compressor and you’ll see improved performance for Linux.

"The excellent 3D graphics performance of Parallels Desktop for Mac makes it Autodesk’s preferred Mac virtualization software for customers who choose to run AutoCAD or our other design and engineering software on the Mac," said Andrew Mackles, Director of AutoCAD Product Management at Autodesk. 

Additional features include:

  • Copy & Paste fidelity for formatted text and complete layouts including images, even between Windows and Linux guest OSs.
  • Freedom and flexibility to run Windows and Mac applications across multiple monitors.
  • 7 times better graphic performance for games and 3D applications than the previous version with Direct X 9Ex with Shader Model 3 and OpenGL 2.1 support.
  • Superior graphics performance for Linux guests through OpenGL 2.1 support.
  • Full hardware resources can be utilized with support for 8 virtual CPUs, 64 bit Windows and Snow Leopard Server 64 bit.
  • Easily move PCs (including Windows 7) and 3rd party virtual machines to the Mac  with the enhanced Parallels Transporter.

Parallels Desktop 5 for Mac costs $79.99, including $175 worth of additional software for free: Parallels Internet Security 2009 by Kaspersky (1 year subscription); Acronis Disk Director Suite 10.0 (Disk Management); Acronis True Image 11 Home (Backup and Recovery Solutions). Existing users can upgrade for $49.99. Users that purchased version 4.0 on or after October 1st 2009 qualify with a proof of purchase for a free upgrade to version 5. A  free trial is available.

Comments (22)

Andrew (not verified) | November 04, 2009 - 6:59am

It's worth noting that according to Parellel's site the "nearest competitor" is VMware Fusion 2, NOT Fusion 3. This means that their benchmarks are essentially useless since it's comparing to an obsolete piece of software.

ratGT (not verified) | November 04, 2009 - 7:03am

Both VMWare and Parallels (and other 'Virtualization' software) hijack your Mac OS X system and its files, in order to 'embody themselves' and to make the 3rd-party OS of your choice (which unfortunately is Windowz in most cases) to appear as 'native' as possible.

This 'OS capturing' has of course some major flaws (most of the time), which is none other than abnormal wear-down of your Mac, suspicious hiccups of your OS X and your hard drive, various sorts of performance slow-downs, etc.

After testing all virtualization solutions throughout all these years, from these two choices, VMWare has to be the least obtrusive installation, with Parallels sometimes looking 'cooler', but which also can bring the most major flaws.

If Bootcamp is no option for you (which is safer than ALL other solutions) and you HAVE TO to use Linux or Windowz within OS X, for even less hijacking-action try the pretty cool, zero-buck solution, VirtualBox - It has never failed me up until now ;-)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 04, 2009 - 7:28am

Could you explain how it modifies system files a bit?  You're worrying me, and please explain in more detail!

NoComment (not verified) | November 04, 2009 - 7:49am

There is no modification of system files, it installs several kernel extensions (kext) to get notified if for example a USB device is attached. I've never heard that it actually "changes" anything (except that it might add launchd config file entries, but that is a common task for any system related software).

 

A friend of mine had his mac os x crashing every time when he disconnected his usb keyboard, but that was with PD 3 and after reinstalling it it worked flawless.

PZ (not verified) | November 04, 2009 - 12:14pm

Wrong on all counts. Most of all Boot Camp. A full native install of Windows is not a safe thing to do to any machine.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 05, 2009 - 7:52am

Are you fucking retarded?

Chris Countey (not verified) | November 04, 2009 - 7:48am

@Andrew: No kidding.

We have several macs in our art department and we've been looking for a solution like this, but we'll be doing the free trial first.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 04, 2009 - 9:05am

I've been using VMF2 for a while - mainly for Garmin satnav and Nokia stuff (e.g. Phoenix flashing tool). Never had a problem. Couldn't get on with PD, felt it was too gimmicky.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 04, 2009 - 10:01am

I do not like software that adds many kexts to the system, it increases the chance of kernel panics and other bad stuff.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 04, 2009 - 5:44pm

I've got a license for Parallels 4 but I'm definitely not going to upgrade to Parallels 5. I don't even use Parallels 4 any more because of its shitty Ubuntu support. They can get proprietary Direct X Aero stuff working with Windows 7 but can't be bothered to get open source Compiz Fusion desktop effects working at all? And they never bothered to update Parallels Tools to work with Ubuntu 9.04. It's bullshit.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 04, 2009 - 9:39pm

I just tried the trial ver. It is a JOKE. 

I used to use parallels 3 & 4. I cant see any big different that worth the $80 USD (or $40 for upgrade) in parallels 5. The speed is similar to P4 and also not much new feature.

I admitted there was a big jump from P3 to P4. I doubt with this P5

I have a strong feeling that those guyz in parallels just rush for this product because Vmware3 released the new ver which is much  better than Vmware2.

(ONE MORE THING NEED TO MENTION: This stupid P5 is not even 64 bit application (some of you may know Vmware3 is 64 bit))

Byebye parallels, I am going to buy Vmware3 for my next virtual machine when I want to install win7

Eelco Cramer (not verified) | November 04, 2009 - 11:57pm

I think this upgrade is a scam! It is not even a year ago (11/11/08) since they released their last version and now they come with a $50 upgrade?!

 

They should feel ashamed. 

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 05, 2009 - 3:23pm

I also think this upgrade is a scam, especially for those that bought Desktop 4 30-60 days before this release of Desktop 5.  If anything for those who purchased Desktop 4 within 60 days of this release, should have gotten the upgrade for free.  Those over a certain period should have paid a minimal $19.99 or something similar.....not $49 bucks.  Are they kidding?  This is how you treat your existing customers?  Fuck these guys.  I'll go back fo VMWare and tolerate a slower result than to feed these Parallels gangsters more of my hard earned money for something I already bought.  If that doesn't work for me I'll go back to BootCamp.  Fuck these Parallels Bastards!!!!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 06, 2009 - 3:27pm

Yes, FUCK those Parallels Bastards in the ass for ripping people off selling their shit software that ultimately fucks up your Mac by fucking with your system files - Fuck them!

Fucking Parallels promises a money back guarantee but they do not deliver

I am switching to Fusion 3.

FUCK YOU PARALLELS cock SUCKERS!

Parallels is run by fucking monkeys! Fucking software assholes!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 08, 2009 - 8:43am

PD 4 has been working allright on my MBP, but 5 is much faster and better, certainly in graphics performance. I never noticed anything of the horrors some people describe, although most of the language they use seems to imply they are not well at all.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | November 13, 2009 - 4:57am

Having purchased version 4 only 6 weeks ago and now I am expected to pay for this version (v4 has limitations on current OSs supported to I cannot stick on v4).  Charging for upgrade after only 6 weeks is disgusting and I will have nothing to do with a company that holds customers in such contempt.

Greg Welkins (not verified) | November 14, 2009 - 9:34am

Great blog, this could be the best blog I ever visited this month. Never stop to write something useful dude!

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alcor (not verified) | November 29, 2009 - 4:47pm

Simply a rip off.

Not only this PD 5 is not 64 bits, they charge you for every upgrade and they do not deliver.

 

Plus, PD5 forced me to upgrade my VM and it won't boot anymore.

 

Parallels Desktop is a terrible product. I will be looking for Vmware again.

 

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | December 02, 2009 - 5:16pm

Parallels Desktop 5 is such a horrible product. It will destroy your Mac. It overwrites everything.

Parallels does not deserve to even be called crapware. It is shitware at best!

VM Fusion is to virtual machines what Apple is to computers.

 

shellnet (not verified) | December 03, 2009 - 8:13am

Parallels 2 & 3 for Mac was decent for XP vm's and my Vista Business VM worked well enough but, after upgrading to 4, I've had nothing but extremely slow performance; even before upgrading to Snow Leopard.  I miss my Parallels 3, but am just sick of wasting time on it.  Fortunately, I admin a plenty of Windows XP, Vista, and 7 machines and am able to hijack them whenever I need them. 

I think upgrading to Snow Leopard was my most costly purchase this year.  I am encountering on a daily basis, software that no longer works: Aperture, Delicious Library, No more Treo Sync with iSync, Bento ...  I'm just about done being an Apply Fanboy.   Fuck the Snow Leopard if you're going to fuck anything.

shellnet (not verified) | December 03, 2009 - 8:13am

Parallels 2 & 3 for Mac was decent for XP vm's and my Vista Business VM worked well enough but, after upgrading to 4, I've had nothing but extremely slow performance; even before upgrading to Snow Leopard.  I miss my Parallels 3, but am just sick of wasting time on it.  Fortunately, I admin a plenty of Windows XP, Vista, and 7 machines and am able to hijack them whenever I need them. 

I think upgrading to Snow Leopard was my most costly purchase this year.  I am encountering on a daily basis, software that no longer works: Aperture, Delicious Library, No more Treo Sync with iSync, Bento ...  I'm just about done being an Apply Fanboy.   Fuck the Snow Leopard if you're going to fuck anything.

shellnet (not verified) | December 03, 2009 - 8:16am

Parallels 2 & 3 for Mac was decent for XP vm's and my Vista Business VM worked well enough but, after upgrading to 4, I've had nothing but extremely slow performance; even before upgrading to Snow Leopard.  I miss my Parallels 3, but am just sick of wasting time on it.  Fortunately, I admin a plenty of Windows XP, Vista, and 7 machines and am able to hijack them whenever I need them. 

I think upgrading to Snow Leopard was my most costly purchase this year.  I am encountering on a daily basis, software that no longer works: Aperture, Delicious Library, No more Treo Sync with iSync, Bento ...  I'm just about done being an Apple Fanboy.   Fuck the Snow Leopard if you're going to fuck anything.