For a Windows application that does lots of complex or 3D graphics, there are two popular Windows APIs used by the developers of these applications: DirectX or OpenGL. Together with the graphics card in your Mac, these APIs determine the performance of these applications in a Windows VM running in Parallels Desktop® for Mac.
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Since so many Windows CAD/CAM applications and Windows games use DirectX or OpenGL, we try to improve support for these two APIs in almost every Parallels Desktop major release. I focused on OpenGL in an earlier blog post, and here I will focus on DirectX.
Much to my surprise, running Windows 10 on Mac using Parallels Desktop 13 is a lot easier, and you will really like using it! For those unfamiliar, a virtual machine is basically a virtual simulation of a real machine, which allows you to run a full-fledged operating system on your computer without needing to partition the hard drive. Parallels Desktop 13 License Key Download required the first time you install and license your apps, but you can use the apps in offline mode with Parallels Desktop 13 License Key Download a valid software license. The desktop apps will attempt to. Parallels Desktop 13 provides Mac Touch Bar integration for Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as browsers including Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera.
DirectX
First a little background:
“Microsoft DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces (APIs) for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms. Originally, the names of these APIs all began with Direct, such as Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectMusic, DirectPlay, DirectSound, and so forth. The name DirectX was coined as a shorthand term for all of these APIs (the X standing in for the particular API names) and soon became the name of the collection. …
“Direct3D (the 3D graphics API within DirectX) is widely used in the development of video games for Microsoft Windows and the Xbox line of consoles. Direct3D is also used by other software applications for visualization and graphics tasks such as CAD/CAM engineering. As Direct3D is the most widely publicized component of DirectX, it is common to see the names “DirectX” and “Direct3D” used interchangeably.”
[from Wikipedia]
There is a fascinating book about the behind-the-scenes story of the development of DirectX: “Renegades of the Empire: How Three Software Warriors Started a Revolution Behind the Walls of Fortress Microsoft” (Michael Drummond, Crown Publishers, 1999). DirectX is widely credited with being the single most important reason that Windows became the dominate gaming platform (prior to consoles like Xbox and PlayStation).
DirectX Versions
You might be wondering about DirectX versions. While there have been versions from 1.0 (in 1995) to 12.0 (in 2015), the only versions really in use today are 10, 11, and 12. Typically, DirectX versions are tied to a particular Windows release. DirectX 10 was in Windows Vista (or later), DirectX 11 in Windows 7 (or later), and DirectX 12 in Windows 10. A game written with DirectX 10, for example, will usually run in a version of Windows later than Vista.
Here are some of the games for DirectX 10, Direct X 11, and Direct X 12:
DirectX 10 | DirectX 11 | DirectX 12 |
From Wikipedia | From Wikipedia | From Wikipedia |
Parallels Desktop and DirectX Versions
DirectX 10 is enabled by default in Parallels Desktop 13. (This includes DirectX 9 support, too.) There is a DirectX setting you want to use in the Configuration dialog for your VM, but this is primarily used for troubleshooting. (See figure 1.) As you can see, the DirectX versions supported are 9 and 10. There is no option for DirectX 11.
Figure 1
Why isn’t DirectX 11 supported in Parallels Desktop?
One of the mandatory DX11 features is called “compute shaders.” The name “shaders” usually refers to graphical functions that calculate the appropriate color and brightness for an image, but “compute shaders” are quite different. Compute shaders help the programmer to more easily take full advantage of the many processors on today’s graphics cards, primarily by broadening shader capabilities beyond pure graphics to more general calculations, which can be done on a graphics chip.
Parallels implements DirectX emulation by translating it to the equivalent OpenGL function, since OpenGL is implemented in the macOS®. Unfortunately, the version of OpenGL in the macOS does not have compute shaders. There is nothing for Parallels Desktop to map DirectX shaders to in the OpenGL framework in the macOS.
The macOS does support another style of compute shaders in the OpenCL framework. (Don’t let the similarity in the names “OpenGL” and “OpenCL” make you think they’re similar. They aren’t. In fact, they are competing “standards.”) Unfortunately, however, OpenCL on Mac isn’t as robust and doesn’t cooperate well with OpenGL.
Besides compute shaders, there are other features missing in OpenGL on macOS, which means there are additional “feature parity holes” with DirectX. There’s simply not enough functionality to translate DX11 to in the functions available in the macOS.
Apple® started pushing its own Metal API recently, which is universal for Mac computers. Only time will tell if Metal will give the Parallels Desktop programmers what they need to support DirectX 11. Stay tuned, but don’t get your hopes up for any major change in the near future.
Setting Expectations
I wish I could tell you that Parallels Desktop can magically turn your four-year-old MacBook Air® into a high-end PC gaming rig with a $3000, liquid-cooled graphics card, but that is never going to happen.
Parallels Desktop can enable your Mac to run most Windows applications, some games, and some CAD/CAM applications. But this comes at a cost. The more demanding applications you run in a VM, the more resources (CPUs and memory) that VM should be assigned—and the more powerful your Mac should be. The more graphics performance you expect, the more powerful the graphics card (or graphics processor GPU) in your Mac needs to be. Also keep in mind that graphics in Mac computers are predominantly integrated; only more expensive models sport discreet chips. Overall, Mac GPUs are low to middle range by Windows PC standards.
Success Stories
The hard work of the Parallels engineering team has resulted in a number of successes with Windows applications using DirectX. In particular, the DirectX work included in Parallels Desktop 13 resulted in some new applications running quite well in Parallels Desktop. Here are some videos of these successes, and a list of other DirectX applications that work well with Parallels Desktop 13.
Overwatch, a first-person shooter from Blizzard – Here is a short video of an Overwatch game session playing in Parallels Desktop 13 on a Mac. (See video 1.) There have also been other blog posts here about Overwatch.
Video 1
Batman: Arkham Origins, an action adventure game from WB Games Montréal – Here is a shortened video of a Batman: Arkham Origins game session playing in Parallels Desktop 13 on a Mac. (See video 2.) You can see the entire session at full resolution (1920 x 1080, 954 MB) here.
Video 2
Crysis 3, a first-person shooter from Crytek – Here is a shortened video of a Crysis 3 game session playing in Parallels Desktop 13 on a Mac. (See video 3.) The fact that Crysis 3 plays so well in Parallels Desktop 13 is a nice surprise, since Crysis 3 requires Direct X 11. Although Parallels Desktop 13 doesn’t support DX11, this particular game works. You can see the entire session at full resolution (1920 x 1080, 1.37 GB) here.
Video 3
Predicting the Performance of a DirectX Application
Unfortunately, there is no easy way to predict whether a particular Windows DirectX game or application will work well in Parallels Desktop. If you are already a Parallels Desktop customer, just try it.
If you are not yet a Parallels Desktop customer, we have a trial version that you can download and install. You can also get Windows 10 installed in Parallels Desktop 13 at no charge. So try out the application or game you are interested in and see if it meets your performance needs. If it does, great! You can then purchase both Parallels Desktop and Windows to use that application. If it does not, you haven’t spent any money.
In addition, we have a forum thread where people add the DirectX applications that they would like to see supported.
I hope this blog post explains the DirectX support in Parallels Desktop 13. Please let us know in the comments about your experiences with the performance of Windows applications in Parallels Desktop 13.
Want to try DirectX applications with Parallels Desktop 13? Download a free 14-day trial!
There are many reasons why Windows simulators are popular even though macOS is already a great platform on its own. It could be because you want to enjoy features that are only available on Windows or you need to run Windows-based apps for school or work. It could also be that you’re simply more familiar with Windows and you’re more comfortable using it than your Mac.
Whatever your reason is, running Windows on Macs has become a lot easier using simulators. One of the popular virtual platforms that you can use to run a different operating system on macOS is Parallels Desktop. This virtualization platform may not be the only software that allows Mac users to run Windows apps, but expert users prefer the speed, efficiency, and ease of use provided by Parallels Desktop.
Parallels Desktop is a great way of running Windows apps on Mac, especially for regular users. Aside from Windows, you can also run other operating systems and other OS-based apps on this virtualization platform.
What is Parallels Desktop 13?
Parallels has released several versions of the Parallels Desktop software already, with each version making it easier to run Windows OS and other operating systems, including older versions of macOS and Mac OSX. But one of the best versions released of this virtualization platform is the Parallels Desktop 13. It is the first version of the software that allows Mac users to launch Windows apps and provide some control using the MacBook Pro Touch Bar. With this version, you can enable the Touch Bar to display various tools and features from the virtual machines. Aside from the Touch Bar, users can also use the new People Bar and Picture-in-Picture features on Windows 10.
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Aside from the Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac, Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition and Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition are also available for download.
To use Parallels Desktop 13, these are the hardware requirements you need to consider:
- At least late 2012 Mac or later
- 4 GB of memory, 8 GB is recommended
- At least 850 MB of disk space on the boot volume for the Parallels Desktop installation.
- Additional disk space for virtual machines, depending on the operating system you want to install
- If you have an SSD drive, that would be better
- An internet connection for product activation and other features
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Aside from the hardware requirements, you also need to have the necessary software requirements, which include:
- macOS High Sierra 12.13
- macOS Sierra 10.12.5 or later
- OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 or later
- OS X Yosemite 10.10.5 or later
Here are the 32-bit operating systems you can run on your Parallels Desktop:
- Windows 10
- Windows 10 Creators Update
- Windows 8.1
- Windows 8
- Windows Server 2012 R2, and SP0
- Windows 7 SP1, and SP0
- Windows Server 2008 R2, SP2, SP1, and SP0
- Windows Vista Home, Business, Ultimate, Enterprise SP2, SP1, and SP0
- Windows Server 2003 R2, SP2, SP1, and SP0
- Windows XP Professional SP3, SP2, SP1, and SP0
- Windows XP Home SP3, SP2, SP1, and SP0
- Windows 2000 Professional SP4
- Windows 2000 Server SP4
- Windows NT 4.0 Server SP6
- Windows NT 4.0 Workstation SP6
- Windows ME
- Windows 98 SE
- Windows 95
- Windows 3.11
- MS-DOS 6.22
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, 6, and 5
- Fedora Linux 26, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, and 19
- Ubuntu 18.04, 17.04, 16.10, 16.04 LTS, 15.10, 15.04, 14.10, 14.04 LTS, 13.10, 13.04, 12.10, 12.04 LTS, 11.10, 11.04, 10.10, and 10.04 LTS
- CentOS Linux 7, 6, and 5
- Debian Linux 8, 7, 6, and 5
- Suse Linux Enterprise 12, 11 SP3, and 11 SP2
- openSUSE Linux 13.2, 13.1, and 12.3
- Linux Mint 18, 17, 16, and 13
- Kali Linux 2018.1, and 2017.1
- Zorin OS 12.1
- elementary OS 0.4
- Manjaro Linux 17.0.1
- Mageia 5, 4.1, and 3
- Solaris 11.3, 11, and 10
- OpenBSD 6
- FreeBSD 11, 10, 10, 9, and 8
- OS/2 Warp 4.5 and 4
- eComStation 2 and 1.2
- Mac OS X Leopard Server 10.5.x
- Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server 10.6.x
- Android OS downloaded by the Installation Assistant)
Here are the 64-bit operating systems you can run on Parallels Desktop:
- Windows 10
- Windows 10 Creators Update
- Windows 8.1
- Windows 8
- Windows Server 2012 R2 and SP0
- Windows 7 SP1 and SP0
- Windows Server 2008 R2, SP2, SP1, and SP0
- Windows Vista Home, Business, Ultimate, Enterprise SP0, SP1, and SP2
- Windows Server 2003 R2, SP2, SP1, and SP0
- Windows XP Professional SP2
- boot2docker
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, 6, and 5
- Fedora Linux 26, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, and 19
- Ubuntu 17.04, 16.10, 16.04 LTS, 15.10, 15.04, 14.10, 14.04 LTS, 13.10, 13.04, 12.10, 12.04 LTS, 11.10, 11.04, 10.10, and 10.04 LTS
- CentOS Linux 7, 6, and 5
- Debian Linux 8.3, 7, 6, and 5
- Suse Linux Enterprise Server 12, 11 SP3, and 11 SP2
- openSUSE Linux 13.2, 13.1, and 12.3
- Linux Mint 18, 17, 16, and 13
- Kali Linux 2017.1
- Zorin OS 12.1
- elementary OS 0.4
- Manjaro Linux 17.0.1
- Mageia 5, 4.1, and 3
- OpenVZ 7
- Solaris 11.3, 11, and 10
- OpenBSD 6
- FreeBSD 11, 10, 10, 9, and 8
- macOS Sierra 10.12.x
- OS X El Capitan 10.11.x
- OS X Yosemite 10.10.x
- OS X Mavericks 10.9.x
- OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.x
- OS X Lion 10.7.x
- OS X Lion Server 10.7.x
- Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server 10.6.x
- Mac OS X Leopard Server 10.5.x
Parallels Desktop 13 Pros and Cons
One of the main features of Parallels Desktop 13 is that it brings Windows apps to the Mac’s Touch Bar. It supports Mac Touch Bar integration for Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint, and browsers, such as, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. When you open the Windows Start Menu or Desktop, you can immediately see the Taskbar pinned elements, along with Task View, Cortana, and settings in the Touch Bar. Most of the Windows programs that run in Parallels Desktop can be quickly customized with preset Touch Bar actions if the built-in set of functional keys is not sufficient.
Aside from enhancing existing Mac features, Parallels Desktop is also able to build on Windows tools as well. Parallels Desktop 13 integrates the Windows 10 Insider Preview’s People Bar, a Windows 10 feature that allows users to pin contacts to the Taskbar. Although Windows you can only pin up to three People Bar contacts, the Dock on macOS doesn’t limit favorite contacts. It even displays larger photos for easy viewing.
The new Parallels Desktop 13 also includes Picture-in-Picture (PiP) View, a Windows feature that creates windows of other active virtual machines (VMs). These VMs are always visible on top, even when an application is in Full Screen mode. With this, you can easily monitor and work with multiple operating systems and apps simultaneously on one screen. It also allows you to watch a video while switching between macOS Spaces and other programs. Aside from PiP View, here are other popular Parallels Desktop customization settings you should try:
- Coherence – Windows is invisible while using Windows apps on a Mac
- Full Screen mode – Enjoy your windows and apps on fullscreen
- Window mode – Windows in a window in macOS
The Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition also features a customer-inspired Single Application mode. This mode lets IT admins deliver, lock, and secure invisible Windows virtual machines with specific applications to the Dock. This makes it easy for users to discover and use Windows apps just like Mac apps. Parallel Desktop 13 also provides a couple of visual and display improvements for better transitions and improved scaling resolution.
There are also more than 30 easy-to-use utilities for Mac and Windows included in Parallels Desktop 13. Some of the more popular utilities include:
- Clean Drive – This tool allows users to easily free up disk space.
- Presentation Mode – This mode prevents embarrassing notifications, accidental display of personal files, and screensaver lockout delays when doing a presentation.
- Download Video – Download videos from YouTube, Facebook, and other streaming websites in just one click.
- Find Duplicates – This allows you to easily search any drive or folder to filter identical files, even with different names, and free up your storage space.
- Record Screen – Record a video of your entire screen, an active window, or a selected area with audio.
Parallels Desktop 13 Pricing
Parallels Desktop 13 is available for new subscribers and upgraders from the 11th and 12th version. If you have an existing Parallels Desktop software, you can upgrade to the Parallels Desktop 13 version using this link.
For new subscribers, you can get your copy of Parallels Desktop 13 from the developers’ website or at online stores around the world. Here are the prices for the various Parallels Desktop 13 packages:
- Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac – $79.99
- Upgrades for existing Parallels Desktop 11 and 12 for Mac – $49.99
- Parallels Desktop Pro Edition subscription – $49.99 per year
- Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition – $99
- Parallels Desktop for Business – $99
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Parallels Desktop 13 has a free 14-day full-featured trial period so you can see how the app works and try out the different features.
How to Use Parallels Desktop 13
To use Parallels Desktop 13, you need to download the software from the website. You can directly buy the app or download a trial version. Once the installer has been downloaded, click on the file to install it on your computer.
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After the installation has been completed, you’ll find Parallels Desktop in your Menu Bar at the top of the screen. Click on the Parallels icon, which is two red vertical lines, to launch the software. This menu allows you to choose your view, manage your devices, enter a different mode, and other actions.
There are several ways to open a Windows app. You can choose to launch the apps from the Windows Applications folder in the Dock, the Windows Start menu, the Dock, via Spotlight searching, or using Launchpad. You can identify Windows apps easily by the Parallels Desktop symbol found in the lower-right corner of the app’s icon. You can also install new apps from the Windows Store, from the internet, or via CD/DVD.
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