When it comes to virtual machines, those of us in the tech field are likely familiar with them. The use cases for virtual machines are numerous, such as setting up testing environments, installing Linux on Windows systems, or running Windows on Mac machines, and they can even be used for security experiments.
The key advantage of virtual machines is the complete isolation from the host system, allowing us to conduct various tests without worrying about the host crashing.
Below, I will introduce six of the best virtualization software currently available for personal users, helping you make a better choice.
01.VMware Workstation
As one of the most well-known virtualization companies globally, VMware has over 20 years of development history. For personal users, VMware offers VMware Fusion for Apple Mac and VMware Workstation for PCs.
VMware Workstation is a powerful desktop virtualization software that can run multiple different operating systems simultaneously on a single host. It is also one of the few virtualization software that supports DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.7, allowing demanding applications like 3DMax, AutoCAD, and Maya to run smoothly on the virtual machine. Workstation also features advanced networking settings, allowing you to set up and manage more precise virtual networks, as well as configure different privacy permissions and network settings for multiple systems. Additionally, the software’s templates and cloning features make it easy and convenient to create virtual machines in bulk.
In terms of cost, VMware offers a free version of Workstation Player for personal users, while those needing more professional and complex features can upgrade to Workstation Pro.
Features:
- Offers a free version for personal users.
- Supports GPU virtualization.
- Has powerful and comprehensive features.
- Supports Windows and Linux operating systems.
02.VMware Fusion
VMware Fusion is VMware’s virtualization product for Mac users. Although it has a different name from Workstation, both products actually provide the same solutions, tailored for different operating systems. Search for the public account: Architect Guide on WeChat, reply: Architect to receive materials.
As software that allows Windows to run on Mac machines, Fusion features a UnityView mode that enables seamless integration between the interfaces of different operating systems, and it also supports direct file drag-and-drop sharing between them. For developers and gamers, Fusion is equipped with GPU virtualization capabilities, facilitating software development or enhancing game graphics.
For personal users, Fusion offers a free basic version; for commercial users or those needing advanced features, a paid Fusion Pro version is available.
Features:
- Supports macOS.
- Supports GPU virtualization.
- Offers a free version for personal users.
03.VirtualBox
VirtualBox is free and open-source virtualization software developed by the German company InnoTek, now maintained by Oracle. VirtualBox is an excellent virtualization software that can run on Windows, Linux, Macintosh, and Solaris hosts. It supports a wide range of virtualization systems, from Windows XP onwards, any Linux version above kernel 2.4, Apple Mac, Solaris, OpenSolaris, and even OpenBSD Unix. Functionally, VirtualBox supports USB device recognition, GPU virtualization, and can run multiple virtual machine system windows simultaneously.
More importantly, VirtualBox is free, including the enterprise version.
Features:
- Free
- Supports a very wide range of operating systems
- Supports GPU virtualization technology;
04.QEMU
QEMU is an open-source emulator for hardware virtualization written by Fabrice Bellard and others. Unlike other VM solutions, QEMU serves as both a virtual machine and a machine emulator.
QEMU can simulate CPUs through dynamic binary translation and provides a set of device models, allowing it to run various unmodified guest operating systems. QEMU can also be used with KVM to run virtual machines at near-native speeds.
Features:
- Free
- Machine emulator
- Easy to use
05.Parallels Desktop
Parallels Desktop is a hardware virtualization software for Apple computers launched by Parallels, first released in June 2006. It was the first virtualization software that could be used on Apple computers with Intel architecture.
If you want to run Windows on a Mac, Parallels Desktop is your best choice. It can seamlessly run Windows applications on Intel or Apple M series Mac computers, maximizing the resolution of the gap between the macOS and Windows software ecosystems.
Features:
- Easily run Windows applications
- Integrates with macOS
06.Microsoft Hyper-V
Hyper-V is a feature component provided with Windows 10 Pro and Windows Server (2012 and 2016), and users do not need to pay extra for this support. However, what you get is only a very basic hypervisor, which is far less functional than VMware.
Supported virtualization systems include Windows Server, Windows XP SP3 or higher, Linux with kernel 3.4 or higher, and FreeBSD. However, the driver support for Linux is not very good, and there is no virtual GPU support.
Features:
- Integrates with Windows systems
- No extra cost
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