Review: VMWare Fusion 5 – A Solid Solution for Running Windows on a Mac

I’ve been a Mac user since 2007, and while I very seldom visit the land of Microsoft much any more, it’s always nice to know that I can access a Windows desktop when I need to. God knows I don’t want to keep a Windows PC sitting around taking up space for the occasional Windows fix, so I do the next best thing, and in most cases the best thing, I run VMWare Fusion on my Mac. It’s just been updated to version 5, let’s take a look.

Overview

For those unfamiliar with VMWare Fusion, it’s an application that runs on the Mac that will allow you to run Windows, and numerous other operating systems right on your Mac OS X desktop alongside your Mac applications. (You will need an installation package and a valid license to install and run any Operating Systems inside Fusion.)

The Windows “virtual machine” can be setup to run full screen, in a window, or in what is called “Unity View,” which allows you to run Windows apps without actually seeing Windows. The Windows applications run on your Mac desktop just like your Mac apps do. You can switch back and forth between the Windows apps and your Mac apps using the same familiar interface you use every day.

VMWare recently released version 5 of the Fusion software, and it’s a worthwhile upgrade, some of the new features include:

• Enhanced Performance –Performance enhancements include up to 40% faster general performance speeds compared to the previous version of the product, improved power management for longer battery life and faster 3D graphics. (The graphics are faster and smoother over previous versions I’ve tried.)
  
• It’s Optimized for Windows 8 –VMware Fusion 5 supports Windows 8 standard, pro and enterprise editions so consumers can optimize the new Windows 8 “Metro” environment directly on a Mac. (I ran a developer’s preview version of Windows 8, and it worked like a dream.)
• Enhanced for the Latest Mac Hardware – Support for the latest Mac technologies include compatibility with Mountain Lion, retina display optimization, USB 3 connectivity, and improved support for large memory Macs. (I am running Mountain Lion, and ran into no difficulties. Unfortunately my MacBook Pro does not have a Retina display, (I wish!), or USB3. I do have 16GB of RAM installed and it happily allowed me to use the available elbow room for Windows apps.)
• Mountain Lion Only Features – Run Windows on Mountain Lion and search Windows programs in Launchpad, use “AirPlay Mirroring” to stream Mac and Windows applications on an HDTV and get VMware Fusion notifications in Mountain Lion’s notification center.

Compared to Version 4 which I have run in the past, version 5 ran smoother, and also didn’t grab all of the processor cycles like earlier versions of Fusion, and other virtual machine applications I had tried. I was able to run a virtual machine under Fusion 5 and multiple native Mac apps on my 1 year old MacBook Pro with no noticeable slowdown.

I reviewed the standard edition which should meet the needs of the average user. A professional version is also available for user with more advanced needs. Some of the added features of the professional version are:

• Easy Management – VMware Fusion 5 Professional is a full perpetual license which activates both VMware Fusion 5 Professional and VMware Player 5.
  
• Ease of Deployment Across Multiple Platforms – VMware Fusion 5 Professional also includes a commercial license of VMware Player™ 5 to deploy and run restricted virtual machines on Macs, Windows and Linux systems.
  
• You Can Create Restricted Virtual Machines –Create an encrypted corporate image that meets the needs of employees and enables productivity from their first power-on. Restrictions can be set up to prevent users from changing virtual machine settings or attaching USB devices to Windows.
• Helps You Reduce Support Costs – Direct end-users to customized Web resources directly from VMware Fusion 5 Professional’s Help menu.
• Allows use of Macs in the Enterprise and Retain Maximum Compatibility –It doesn’t matter if yourbusiness applications run on Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8 or one of more than 200 other operating systems, VMware Fusion 5 ensures maximum compatibility with the applications you already run.

Verdict: 4.5/5[rating:4.5]

I am very impressed with VMWare Fusion 5. It seems to be a solid release with no glaring bugs or issues so far. Installation of the Application is Mac simple, and creating virtual machines running Windows or other operating systems is a snap, with guidance along the way. I even imported a virtual Windows 7 image I had been using under a version of another virtualization app, and Fusion 5 imported it in with no hiccups or issues. In just a few minutes the virtual machine was imported into Fusion, and ready to go. I experienced the same ease of use when I imported a Chrome virtual machine, and created a new Ubuntu machine from a DVD image.

If you want to still have access to the huge library of Windows apps, or your job just demands access to a Windows desktop and you don’t want to keep an extra computer around just for that, VMWare Fusion 5 is the solution for you. Easy installation and operation of the program make this a smart choice for your Windows needs.

Price: VMWare Fusion is available in both standard and professional versions for $49.99 and $99.99, respectively, and upgrade pricing is available for owners of previous versions. Users who purchased Fusion on or after July 25th can upgrade for free! More information can be found on the VMWare Fusion 5 website.

Pros:

• Fastest and easiest way to run Windows apps on a Mac.
• The speed enhancements are quite noticeable.
• The ability to use full, screen, in a window, or right along side your native Mac apps is a winner!

Cons:

• The application froze on me when I was installing the VMWare tools on the imported Windows 7 image. This may have been because of the other app’s tools being present on the image. I was able to get the VMWare Tools to install properly on the second attempt.