| Parallels Desktop 4.0.3844 for Mac |
Parallels Workstation 2.2 for Windows |
VMware Fusion 2.0.4 for Mac |
VMware Workstation 6.5 for Windows |
| Parallels Computing |
Parallels Computing |
VMware |
VMware |
| $80 |
$50 |
$80 |
$189 |
| Excellent guest operating system/application integration; great performance, many features. |
Good performance. |
Well integrated with OS, full screen multiple-monitor capabilities, good performance. |
Best integration, full featured, fast. |
| Controlled features sometimes obscure. |
A shadow of Parallels Mac version; lacks competitive features. |
Some features not easy to get at. |
Dual display not easy to use. |
| VirtualBox 2.2 for Mac |
VirtualBox 2.2 for Windows |
VirtualPC 7.0 |
| Oracle/Sun |
Oracle/Sun |
Microsoft |
| Free download. |
Free download. |
Free download. |
| Reasonable performer, free iSCSI support for virtual hard disks. |
Free, iSCSI support for virtual hard disks. |
Good Windows guest integration. |
| Weak integration with host operating system and hardware, buggy. |
Flaky USB support. |
Strictly Windows-focused; lacks many pieces of hardware integration. |
| 
| Application sharing (25%) |
4.5 |
4.5 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1. |
| Guest VM integration (25%) |
4.5 |
4.50 |
4 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
2.5 |
| Hardware integration (25%) |
4.25 |
4.5 |
4.5 |
3.5 |
3 |
3.5 |
1.5 |
| Performance (25%) |
4.5 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
3.5 |
2.5 |
| Total |
4.44 |
4.4 |
4.1 |
3 |
2.9 |
2.9 |
1.9 |
Scoring key: 5: Exceptional; 4: Very good; 3: Average; 2: Below average; 1: Subpar or not available. |
|
