Parallels Desktop 27 for Mac claims to provide up to 160% faster OpenGL graphics for Windows apps such as Blender 4.3, as well as AI acceleration on M4 Macs and newer.
One year later, Parallels has followed its release of Parallels Desktop 26 with new new Mac and Enterprise versions, plus an online list of compatible Windows apps.
"As customers continue to push the limits of what they do on Mac," said Elena Koryakina, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Parallels in a statement, "they're looking for virtualization that keeps pace with increasingly demanding applications and workflows."
"Parallels Desktop 27 enables customers to run more of the Windows applications they depend on," she continued, "while giving developers faster local AI performance and expanding what's possible on Apple Silicon."
This latest version uses a new Metal-based graphics driver bringing OpenGL 4.3 support to Windows virtual machines. It's claimed to meet the requirements for professional Windows apps such as ArcGIS Pro, ZWCAD, and Blender 4.3.
Parallels says that Macs with M3 processors or later will see up to 160% faster OpenGL performance than with the previous Parallels Desktop 26. The company also claims up to 35% faster 3D rendering in ArcGIS Pro.
Parallels Desktop 27 introduces Scalable Matrix Extension (SME) support for both Windows and Linux virtual machines on M4 Macs or later. It's intended to mean faster AI development on-device, with improved performance for AI tools such as Ollama and llama.cpp.
Parallels Desktop for Mac also runs Ubunto – image credit: Parallels.
Overall, the company claims up to 7 times faster AI and machine learning matrix operations compared to the previous version. There is also said to be up to 1.75 times faster neural network inference.
The new version also has tools to help Jamf users managing multiple Parallels Desktop 27 installations.
Alongside the new update, Parallels has launched an online database for users to check which Windows apps are now supported. Users must search for the app's name rather than by the name and a specific version, but when they do, they can see whether that app works or not.
There are reportedly over 200,000 Windows apps included in the database as working with Parallels. Some entries include instructions, such as with Blender, where Parallels displays notes about plugin requirements.
Parallels Desktop 27 is a subscription app with differing price tiers for individual users, business, and enterprise customers. A typical price is $185/year, but the company offers discounts for the first 12 months.
