I posted a similar topic in Computer Help, but then realized this is a more appropriate spot.

I recently got a MacBook Pro with 4 gigs of ram and a 2.16 ( ) Ghz processor. I read that one can run windows and Leopard at the same time using one of the following programs: VMware Fusion or Parallels Desktop.

I was wondering if anyone has had any interaction with either or has heard anything about either. I have read MANY articles and blogs, but I still want to know more.

It seems as though Fusion is better with Vista ( *sigh* ) and Parallels is better (somewhat) with XP.

What are your opinons (if any) and advice?

Gowings0

Do you really need them to run side by side? If not, just use the built in Application called Boot Camp. That's all I'm going to use with my MacBook when I get it. Boot Camp allows you to start in Windows if you want it to. The only thing is that you have to restart your computer to go back to Mac OS X.

After looking through some reviews, it seems that Vmware Fusion is a better choice. They're the same price. If you're unsure, try the free 30-day trial and see if you like it. If you do, buy it.

Just make sure you want to spend $100 on a program. These things add the ability to drag and drop between Windows and Mac OS X and the ability to run the two side by side.

If you're looking just to be able to run a few Windows applications, I'd recommend staying with Boot Camp.

~Bcloutier~

My dad runs VMWare Fusion and XP Pro on his Leopard MacBook so that he can run Visio. With VMWare Fusion and 2gb RAM it's lightning fast, although he can't run games on it, but then I can't see how Parallels would be any better. Bear in mind you can't resize the Boot Camp partition without wiping it all, and Virtual Machines have unlimited space until you run out of hard drive space, so they're resizeable.

The setup on my dad's old MacBook was using the Boot Camp as a Virtual Machine, thus allowing him to either boot up in OS X or XP (which means we can play Empire Earth against each other ). According to him, it's marginally slower and it has the size restrictions of Boot Camp, but with 4gb RAM it should run like a dream

-EoV
..hates the fact that you can't play games in VMWare Fusion..

VMware Fuzion is great, but i think you have to buy it? You'll need a vista license as well so it will work out more expensive then just using bootcamp. It'll run fine on that laptop, and if you use windows applications a LOT then its useful. However take into account you will suffer a major performance hit - which you wouldn't with bootcamp