Yes, you can run Windows on a MacBook Neo

Remember the good old days of 2020 when Apple’s then-new M1 Macs were setting fresh records for Mac performance? You might also recall when those same Macs were described as being the fastest PCs to run Windows when using the Parallels virtualization software. 

If you recall that, and if light use of legacy Windows utilities or tools is something you still need, then it will interest you to learn that you can run Windows using Parallels on one of Apple’s new MacBook Neo systems.

Windows on Neo

In a note on its knowledge base, the Parallels team confirms the support: “Parallels Desktop runs on MacBook Neo in basic usability testing. The Parallels Engineering team has completed initial testing and confirmed that Parallels Desktop installs and virtual machines operate stably on MacBook Neo. Full validation and performance testing is ongoing, and [an] additional compatibility statement will follow if required.”

It’s not a perfect match, however, which means what you can do is a little limited. That’s because the MacBook Neo ships with just 8GB RAM, while Windows running in VM demands 4GB minimum RAM to work.

Given that when running Windows in VM you must also be running macOS on the same device, the available memory, gets used up quickly. So, you really only want to use Windows on a MacBook Neo for light and transient tasks, such as running those legacy tools and utilities I mentioned.

“For light, occasional Windows use, like a legacy business tool, or a Windows-only utility, MacBook Neo may provide an acceptable experience. For CPU- or GPU-intensive Windows applications, this computer is not the right choice,” said Parallels.

For a fistful of dollars

Apple does have other choices, which means that for $1,099 you can already pick up an M5 MacBook Air with 16GB RAM, which should make for a better experience when you need to run full Windows apps. “If demanding Windows workflows are part of your daily work, a Mac with 16 GB or more of unified memory, such as the new MacBook Air M5 or MacBook Pro, will give you a significantly better experience with Parallels Desktop,” the Parallels acknowledges. 

In a separate note, the team points out that the more powerful Macs can run Windows sufficiently well to meet the needs of DevOps engineers, creatives, and business pros.

The thing is, I think the vast majority of enterprise professionals who only really use their computers for emails, websites, services, and spreadsheets probably only also need a little Windows support for a declining number of tasks. The extent of those tasks varies, of course. Memory allocation is important and a little 8GB MacBook Neo may lack the horsepower for the specific Windows tools and services your company requires, even with Unified Memory.

You’ll have to take a look at these Macs and decide whether a MacBook Neo is right for you. 

How much Windows do you need?

I can’t help but think that the fact that you can get a Mac for $599 that also runs Windows might make sense to admins looking to provision employees with tools they will enjoy using that can also handle a bit of Microsoft during their day. Gaining Mac, Windows, and even the best of iOS (thanks to iPhone Mirroring) on one affordable system might help stretch those budget dollars, at least for some tasks.

In the end, Apple’s strategic achievement has surprised the PC industry so much that Ausus Co-CEO, SY Hsu recently called it “a shock to the entire industry,” before adding, “In fact, in the entire PC ecosystem, there have been a lot of discussions about how to compete with this product.”

Hsu rightly points out that the limited memory in the device is its Achille’s heel, which means it won’t perform that well when handling heavy workloads. That may be true, of course, but is perhaps less of a protective talisman to incumbents in this part of the consumer notebook space; the M5 MacBook Air, which costs just a few hundred dollars more, is among the most performant systems in the business right now.

The fact all of Apple’s Macs also run Windows just reinforces the business case to switch.

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