2009 Benchmark Tests
In March, 2009, Volume 25, Issue 04, MacTech published the results of a new series of benchmark tests that compared the performance between VMware Fusion 2.0.1 and Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac (build 3540), both running Mac OS X 10.5.5.
In most of MacTech’s tests, Parallels Desktop performed 14-20% faster than Fusion; however, Fusion ran 10% faster than Parallels Desktop when running Windows XP 32-bit on 2 virtual processors.
| OS/Environment | Result |
|---|---|
| Windows XP, 32-bit, 1 Processor | Parallels Desktop runs 14% faster |
| Windows Vista, 32-bit, 1 Processor | Parallels Desktop runs 14% faster |
| Windows XP, 32-bit, 2 Processors | VMware Fusion runs 10% faster |
| Windows Vista, 32-bit, 2 Processors | Parallels Desktop runs 20% faster |
| Windows XP, 64-bit, 2 Processors | Parallels Desktop runs 15% faster |
The tests were performed on the White MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac and MacPro. Both Fusion and Parallels Desktop were optimized for virtual machine performance. MacTech’s test included launch and CPU tests, File and Network IO, Footprint, Application Launch, Application Performance and 3D and HD Graphics. In many cases, tests were performed after both Adam and Successful launches and were timed using a stopwatch.
| Test Suite | Performance Winner |
|---|---|
| Windows Launch Performance | Parallels Desktop for Mac |
| CPU | Parallels Desktop for Mac, except for 2 of the 14 tests |
| Footprint on Mac | Parallels Desktop for Mac |
| Application Launch | VMware Fusion |
| Application Performance | Both products did well, except for IE where Parallels Desktop is 80-91% faster |
| 3D and HD Performance | Dependent on game1, video and Windows environment. |
1 3D Games tested were Civilization IV: Colonization and Portal. In Civilization, Parallels Desktop has faster FPS (Frames Per Second) and performed better on slower machines while Fusion has better, more detailed graphics. Fusion has difficulty showing the startup video, but Parallels Desktop's graphics are not as rich. When running Portal, Fusion is faster but its graphics are visibly lighter, while Parallels Desktop has better graphics and visual details.
Read more about this topic: Comparison Of VMware Fusion And Parallels Desktop
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