VMware is about to level up Windows on Apple silicon with huge performance gains

Windows 11 on macOS through Parallels Desktop

(Image credit: iMore)

A future version of VMware Fusion promises to bring some big improvements to the experience of running Microsoft Windows on an Apple silicon Mac.

The new version, which is actually available via the free Fusion 2023 Tech Preview download, offers a number of improvements but at the very top of the pile is undoubtedly the addition of full 3D hardware acceleration support for Windows.

That means that everything from the day-to-day use of Windows 11 to the playing of games will feel more snappy and performant thanks to the ability to use the full GPU powers of Apple's latest Macs, including the new M2 Ultra-powered Mac Pro and Mac Studio.

Full acceleration

VMware announced the new update in a blog post, saying that "this upgrade brings a new level of graphics performance to Fusion, empowering users to run full DirectX 11 3D games and apps with stunning fidelity and speed." It goes on to say that people can expect the UI to be "much more responsive," adding that "resolution changes are nearly instant."

The addition of 3D hardware acceleration means that Mac owners can potentially run emulated 32-bit and 64-bit Windows games in ways that were simply not possible previously. "Now, not only can you take full advantage of your Mac’s computing power for productivity tasks, but you can also immerse yourself in a breathtaking gaming or multimedia experience," the blog post says.

In addition to making gaming on Apple's best Macs even better, this new update adds improved versions of VMware Tools on Apple silicon. "This Tech Preview now delivers support for the vast majority of VMware Tools features available for Windows VMs on Fusion for Intel Macs," VMware says.

Want to take all of this for a spin on your own Mac? VMware Fusion 2023 Tech Preview is available for download now.

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.