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When people think of ways to run Windows on an Apple silicon Mac, many think of Parallels as the top option, but there are a few other apps for the job. VMWare Fusion is also in that category, and it's getting better on Apple Silicon Macs.

VMware has announced the release of its latest Tech Preview of VMware Fusion, which includes various updates, most of which focus on improving compatibility with Mac computers using Apple Silicon chips (instead of the older Intel-based Macs). One of the most exciting additions is the introduction of full 3D hardware accelerated graphics for Windows 11 on Arm on Macs powered by Apple silicon. This upgrade significantly enhances graphics performance, allowing people to run DirectX 11 3D games in a way that feels very close to native, with almost-instantaneous resolution changes with autofit. The change puts VMware roughly on par with Parallels Desktop 15 and later versions.

VMware

This development allows Mac users to leverage their device's computing power not only for productivity tasks but also for immersive gaming and multimedia experiences. The update even supports running emulated 32-bit and 64-bit games, expanding the range of compatible software.

Another notable improvement here is the inclusion of VMware tools, which are regularly available on most VMware Windows VMs. Users now have access to the majority of VMware Tools features available for Windows virtual machines (VMs). These were already available on Intel Macs, and help make the experience feel more native, enabling stuff such as drag-and-drop and clipboard sharing between macOS and Windows 11.

This tech preview introduces security fixes and implements an improved encryption scheme using XTS instead of CBC. VMs that are currently encrypted with CBC (including those with TPMs like Windows 11) will be prompted to upgrade to XTS during boot. Keep in mind, however, that this new scheme is only available on this version of the software and for all subsequent versions --- this means that if you were ever to downgrade to an older version for whatever reason, you can't do so.

If you want to give this new preview of VMware a spin and see how your Mac fares with Windows, you'll need to download the install file from VMware's website. Then, check out the testing guide to know how to install Windows 11 on it.

Source: VMware