Windows x86 works on new ARM Macs thanks to this tool

In 2020, Apple made an important decision: abandon Intel processors (which use the x86 architecture) to create its own chips, called Apple Silicon (which use the ARM architecture).

This transition created a significant challenge: new Macs could no longer run Windows as easily as before. For what ? Because Windows is primarily designed to run on x86 processors (like Intel), not the ARM architecture of Apple chips.

Parallels’ solution

This is where comes in Parallels with its version 20.2. This company has created a “translator” that allows new Macs to run Windows and Linux x86.

Gone are the days when Mac M1, M2, M3 and M4 users had to make do with just ARM versions of Windows. This update adds a “proprietary emulation engine” for running 64-bit x86 operating systemsincluding Windows 10, 11, and various Linux distributions.

What makes this update special is its ability to translate x86 instructions into ARM instructions in real time compatible with Apple Silicon chips. This is reminiscent of how Rosetta 2 works, but this time applied to complete operating systems.

However, let’s not get carried away too quickly. Current performance is far from optimal. Boot times can stretch up to 7 minutes, and the general responsiveness of the virtualized system sometimes leaves something to be desired. This is the price to pay for this real-time translation of instructions.

Quite a few limitations

Let’s talk frankly about the limitations, because there are many. First annoying point: the absence of USB support in the emulated environment. It is therefore impossible to connect an external device to use it directly in Windows. Older versions of Windows (XP, 7) are also left behind, with emulation limited to 64-bit systems.

The current version looks more like a demo than a definitive solution. Mikhail Ushakov, product manager at Parallels, recognizes this himself by presenting this version as an important step in collecting user feedback.

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