14 DAY TRIAL // VMware has just announced Fusion 6, the latest major version of its virtualization software “optimized for the latest Macs and ready for OS X Mavericks and Windows 8.1 to deliver the ultimate Windows on Mac experience,” according to the company.
VMware is out with its brand new VMWare Fusion 6 for Mac users, promising to deliver “a more Mac-like experience when running Windows applications on a Mac.”
The new Fusion 6 is said to be specifically designed for the upcoming OS X Mavericks, which extends features like multi-display support, AirPlay for viewing your Windows environment on an HDTV, and dictation to your Windows environment.
Although Fusion 6 is now fully compatible with the upcoming OS X Mavericks (10.9), the virtualization software still runs well on OS X Mountain Lion (10.8) and OS X Lion (10.7).
Mac users looking to get the best of both worlds will be able to install Windows 8.1 and integrate its new features directly into their Mac, such as running Metro apps side-by-side with Mac apps.
“With VMware Fusion 6, view Metro applications in Launchpad and the Applications folder or put Metro Apps in the dock in Unity mode. VMware Fusion 6 supports Windows 8.1, Windows 8.1 Pro and Windows 8.1 Enterprise,” VMware confirms.
VMware Fusion 6 promises to run Windows and Mac applications side-by-side faster than ever thanks to “a highly optimized 64-bit engine and multicore processing power.”
VMware Fusion 6 can handle virtual machines with up to 16 virtual CPUs, 8 TB of virtual disks, and up to 64 GB of RAM. It supports OpenGL 2.1 and DirectX 9.0c Shader Model 3 graphics, and promises to “make running highly demanding 3D applications like AutoCAD or SolidWorks a breeze.”
VMware Fusion 6 is optimized to save battery life on MacBook computers, includes Retina Display optimizations, and offers more control over your Mac’s resources.
“For example, you now get dynamic indicators to warn you if you are allocating too much of your Mac’s resources to virtual machines,” says VMware.
Virtual Machine installation is also easier, and the Learning Center has been updated with a new range of video tutorials and documentation.
System requirements for VMware Fusion 6 include a 64-bit Intel processor (Intel Core 2 Duo or newer), 2GB of memory (4GB recommended), 750MB of free disk space for VMware Fusion alone, and another 5GB for each virtual machine (OS) you plan to install.