Unleashing the Power of Windows 11: VMware Revolutionizes 3D Graphics for Apple Silicon Macs

When it comes to running Windows on an Apple silicon Mac, many consider Parallels as the leading choice. However, there are several other apps available for the task, including VMWare Fusion. VMWare has recently released its latest Tech Preview of VMWare Fusion, which features various updates that primarily aim to improve compatibility with Mac computers using Apple Silicon chips, rather than the older Intel-based Macs. Notably, one exciting addition is the introduction of full 3D hardware accelerated graphics for Windows 11 on Arm on Apple Silicon Macs. This upgrade significantly enhances graphics performance, enabling users to play DirectX 11 3D games with a near-native experience, complete with almost-instantaneous resolution changes through autofit. With this change, VMWare Fusion is now on par with Parallels Desktop 15 and subsequent versions.

Mac users can now harness the computing power of their devices for both productive tasks and engaging gaming and multimedia experiences. Additionally, the update allows for the emulation of 32-bit and 64-bit games, broadening the range of compatible software.

Furthermore, the integration of VMware tools provides users with access to a wide range of features commonly available on VMware Windows virtual machines. These features, which were previously limited to Intel Macs, enhance the overall user experience by enabling seamless interaction such as drag-and-drop and clipboard sharing between macOS and Windows 11.

This tech preview introduces security enhancements and implements an upgraded encryption scheme using XTS instead of CBC. During boot, VMs that are currently encrypted with CBC (including those with TPMs like Windows 11) will receive a prompt to upgrade to XTS. It's important to note that this new scheme is only available on this version of the software and all future versions. Therefore, if you ever choose to downgrade to an older version, you will not be able to do so.

To try out this new preview of VMware and assess compatibility with your Mac and Windows, you will need to download the installation file from VMware’s website. Additionally, refer to the testing guide for instructions on how to install Windows 11 on it.

Source: VMware