Microsoft's strict hardware limits for Windows 11 meant millions of PC owners is going to be stuck on Windows 10 forever - that list includes MacBooks. Since Windows 11 demands a TPM chip to run and the latest M1 Macs don't support Bootcamp utility (which has let Mac owners install Windows on their computers for years), it's difficult to install Microsoft's new OS on Apple-branded computers. Yet, for the last week, I've been running Windows 11 and macOS programs side-by-side on my M1 Mac Mini.

That's courtesy of Parallels, the virtualization software whose latest update makes booting up Windows 11 in a window on an M1 Mac as simple as downloading an application. It skirts Windows 11's mandatory TPM chip requirement having a virtual alternative that's enough to trick the OS into believing you're utilizing it on the compatible machine.

More importantly, Parallels makes a series of under-the-hood upgrades to obtain the most from the M1 chip, after a couple of days of usage, I can report that it'd be near on impossible that you should tell which operating-system your Mac came preloaded with. (I had been on the Windows 11 Home 22000.348 Insider build.)

Parallels 17 allows Apple's M1 chip to run Windows 11 like its routine. Although Microsoft has explicitly said hello doesn't have plans to support M1 Macs anytime soon, the chip handles Windows 11's ARM version with ease and faces zero compatibility hiccups.

How stable is really a Windows 11 virtual machine with an M1 Mac?

Windows 11 on Parallels was remarkably stable for any virtual machine, which allowed me for doing things as my primary workspace.

Everything from Windows 11's refreshed animations to resource-intensive multitasking worked as Microsoft intended it to. Plus, it can awaken from sleep immediately in the same state you left it, including all of the open apps. It supports all of the new Windows 11 bells and whistles, except for Android games since Parallels can't replicate the "hardware acceleration" option at this time.

Installing Windows on Parallels is not a multi-step process either. When you download Parallels on your Mac, its installation assistant will grab and load up the Windows 11 ISO apply for you, and also the M1 chip's performance chops wrap up that process within Half an hour.

Once you're within the Windows 11 virtual machine, there's little for you to set up. Parallels automatically shares your macOS profile's data with the VM, such as Wi-Fi and printer settings. On top of that, it provides a number of handy tools to be able to adjust the knowledge depending on your demands.

The most important tool may be the ability to configure just how much memory and CPU bandwidth is invested in the virtual machine. So if you own an entry-level Mac with only 8GB of RAM much like me, you may use this to ensure running two os's doesn't grind your machine to some halt.

If the computer doesn't have enough RAM to handle the virtual machine and macOS together, Parallels may also process tasks in your hard disk instead. This might potentially degrade the performance, but it's certainly a better option than freezing your system. You will find predefined profiles, too, for different workflows, such as "Productivity" and "Gaming," that you could pick instead of fine-tuning memory and CPU allocation.

Obviously, the largest highlight of Parallels happens to be how well it syncs the Windows virtual machine with macOS, and that experience has only improved with the latest iteration.

Using the "Coherence" mode, you can access Windows apps as though they're placed on macOS itself and effortlessly drag and drop files across them and Mac apps -- minus the constant backwards and forwards between the VM and macOS. Both desktops can remain synchronized as well, meaning the active Windows programs will appear on the macOS dock. Similarly, you are able to access Mac files in the Windows File Explorer, and Mac apps is going to be obtainable in Windows' "Open-with" menu.

The main one aspect where the Windows virtual machine is still no match for a direct installation is gaming. Since Parallels doesn't support DirectX 12, that leaves out most new video games, but for the ones it can launch, like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, you'll possess a better time playing them on macOS itself. As we found out within our M1 gaming review, the Mac Mini can create a reasonable performance for mid-tier titles, including Fortnite, Asphalt, CS: GO, and more. In contrast, when I played Counter-Strike around the Windows 11 virtual machine, it had been practically unplayable at15 frames per second.

Outlook

In a starting price of $80, Parallels is certainly not cheap, and it's important to remember it doesn't include the cost of a Windows license. However, if you do constantly need Windows programs on your Mac, it's a no-brainer, and it will, after the day, save you lots of money than shelling out for a separate Windows computer altogether.