How is the Windows 11 Gaming Experience on Parallels 17?

You must be well aware of the fact that you can play Windows 11 games on Mac. You can also Windows 11 on Mac devices without Boot Camp. Parallels Desktop 17 allows users to use the latest Windows OS experience on Mac. Both M1 Macs and Intel are supported by Parallels. If you are using an Arm-based machine, then there is a catch for you.  You can also use it to run Windows 11 preview. 

M1 Mac's case is no different from the time when Parallels introduced support for the latest Apple machines. This clearly states that you are limited to Windows on arm. However, you are going to witness some improvements in comparison to the last version of the software. The officials from Parallels have mentioned that M1 Macs will get 28% better in terms of performance. 

Gaming Experience on Parallels 17

So, if you are a Mac user and you want to enjoy Windows 11 games, then you are now aware of all the things that this OS has to offer. Even though there are many upsides of parallels 17 in terms of performance and graphics, it still may not be the best choice for you to play games. 

It indeed has one of the most powerful graphics chips i.e., the M1 chip but you still can't play games in ultra-quality here. Moreover, there are many other problems that are attached to it. Plus, you can only use 50% of the total RAM. It can give you an incredible Fallout 4 gaming experience inside but the whole experience turns bad when you are in the open world. 

Additionally, if you set the graphics settings to the minimum, then also the game becomes a slideshow, which makes it impossible to play. This is what happens when you play a game on an 8GB M1-powered laptop. The game experience is highly dependent on the device you are using. The more powerful the device is, the smoother is the gaming experience. If you are using a 16GB M1 Mac laptop, then you can use half of it on gaming i.e., 8GB. 

Are There Any Other Alternatives? 

If you find that Parallels 17 isn't for you, then you must be wondering what other ways are there that can allow you to play Windows 11 games on your Mac computer. Crossover is a great choice. It is better in terms of performance when we talk about gaming and there aren't any constraints like Parallels. 

This method converts Windows API calls into Mac API calls. This makes it easier for a Mac user to use Mac's resources to have a smooth gaming experience. Crossover's performance is virtually native in comparison to Parallels. However, there is one shortcoming. Crossover doesn't offer high compatibility, which means you may not be able to play some Windows 11 games on Mac. 

The decision to choose the right alternative is in your hands but it is crucial for you to consider every factor mentioned here before you make a final decision. Furthermore, you should not forget that Windows 11 just made an entry into the market. With time, a new method will be introduced that will allow you to play Windows games on Mac more efficiently.