Parallels Desktop 15 for Mac Released With Support for Metal

Parallels Desktop 15, the latest version of the virtualization software, is launching today on macOS.

Parallels

Parallels Desktop, for those unfamiliar, is an app that allows Mac users to run Windows seamlessly on their Apple computer without the fuss of rebooting or partitioning one’s hard drive.

According to a new press release from the company, the flagship feature of the latest version of Parallels Desktop is support for DirectX in virtual Windows machines via Apple’s proprietary Metal graphics API. Other additions include a handful of new macOS Catalina-related features and improvements to transitions between Mac and Windows software running on the same machine.

Parallels users also get access to two standalone apps that really add to the Mac user experience. Parallels Toolbox for Windows and Mac adds a bunch of one-click tools that can do things like download videos from YouTube or Facebook to watch later, reclaim disk space and RAM, make GIFs, and even batch-resize images.

“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 in a press release.

“Now Parallels Desktop 15 users can experience demanding computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) applications and Windows PC games that were previously unavailable,” continues Dobrovolskiy. “In addition, there are planned integration features with macOS Catalina—including support for Sidecar and Apple Pencil— offering customers our most comprehensive merging of Mac and Windows ever.”



Gamers can also look forward to many Windows titles running at faster speeds, with games like FIFA 19Age of Empires Definitive EditionFallout 4Madden NFL 19Crysis 3, and Mark of the Ninja: Remastered all being mentioned by the company.

However, that doesn’t mean every Windows app in the world will run smoothly on Parallels Desktop 15.

“Your experience will depend on the hardware you have, and especially on the CPU and graphic card in your Mac,” the company says. “Parallels Desktop 15 with DirectX support can achieve some truly remarkable results. But Parallels Desktop can not turn your four-year-old MacBook Air into an $8,000 Alienware gaming rig with a $1,300 liquid-cooled graphics card. That is just not possible.”

Parallels Desktop 15 is available now, with perpetual license upgrades starting at $49.99 USD. Meanwhile, new subscriptions start at $79.99 USD annually while new perpetual licenses start at $99.99.

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