2 Macbooks or 1 Macbook and 1 Windows Laptop

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Level 1

9 points

2 Macbooks or 1 Macbook and 1 Windows Laptop

Our existing hardware died slowly over the last year. And the household has the money to buy both my wife and I new machines.

Wife loves the Macbook so I got her one of the Macbook Air M1 2020 models and she loves it. I love it too!

Now my choice is to get another Macbook Air for myself OR get a Windows laptop for myself. IF I get another Macbook Air I would have to use something like Parallels so that I can run a virtual machine of Windows. There is software I will need in the Dark Side (Windows) that just does not exist for a Mac

My question is would we be better off sharing the one Macbook Air and getting a dedicated Windows Laptop or would I be happy with Windows running virtually on a Macbook Air?

MacBook Air (2020 or later)

Posted on Dec 19, 2021 7:02 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 19, 2021 7:47 AM in response to LIAMSRPM

Just in case you did not get the message, a production release of Windows does not run on a M1 Mac.

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Answer 2

dialabrain

Level 10

136,127 points

Dec 19, 2021 7:13 AM in response to LIAMSRPM

Just to add, It is possible to run an ARM64 Insider Preview version of Windows 11 as a VM. However, there is no indication it will be released or that the specific Windows apps you need will run on it.

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Answer 3

dialabrain

Level 10

136,127 points

Dec 19, 2021 7:06 AM in response to LIAMSRPM

An M1 Mac will not run Windows in Boot Camp or as a VM.

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Answer 4

LIAMSRPM Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 19, 2021 8:34 AM in response to woodmeister50

Ah, so now I understand. I apologize. the Windows 11 Home version the trial of Parallels 17 allowed me to download cannot be activated? It is itself some kind of trial? And thus not supported?

Well that helps make the decision. I need to have a legit Windows OS to work from "sometimes". I wish I could stay on the Mac side all the time but there simply are no Mac substitutes for some Windows software.

Thank you everyone for you opinions. I think the decision is made

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Answer 5

dialabrain

Level 10

136,127 points

Dec 19, 2021 7:32 AM in response to woodmeister50

+1 Exactly.

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Answer 6

LIAMSRPM Author

Level 1

9 points

Dec 19, 2021 7:12 AM in response to dialabrain

Sorry. But that is not true. I downloaded a trial of Parallels 17 on the new MacBook Air M1. It ran the install, then downloaded Windows 11 Home and installed and appears to be running just fine. NOT in Bootcamp but vm.

now I will have to buy Parallels 17 after 14 days. And cannot customize Windows 11 Home unless I activate with a valid license (which I would need to buy also). But they work on the M1

my question is has anyone else done this AND been happy with the performance or would I be happier with 2 standalone machines, 1 MacBook and one dedicated Windows machine?

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Answer 7

Dec 19, 2021 7:30 AM in response to LIAMSRPM

LIAMSRPM wrote:...And cannot customize Windows 11 Home unless I activate with a valid license (which I would need to buy also). ...

You cannot purchase a valid license for an ARM64 version of Windows. The only valid licenses are for Intel machines. In other words, an Intel license will not work on an ARM64 machine since it is not a released product.

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Answer 8

VikingOSX

Level 10

123,458 points

Dec 19, 2021 11:54 AM in response to LIAMSRPM

Microsoft has already stated that the ARM version of Windows 11 is not a supported product at this time.

,

What you might consider is a mini-desktop (e.g. Intel NUC, etc.) form factor that can run Windows 10 Pro (and Win 11). Enable Remote Desktop on the windows side, and then use the currently available Microsoft Remote Desktop from the Mac to access Windows 10 Pro. This allows you to have a new M1/Pro/Max Mac and drive Windows on it via the RDP connection.

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Answer 9

lllaass

Level 10

210,513 points

Dec 19, 2021 8:44 AM in response to LIAMSRPM

See:

https://www.macrumors.com/2021/11/22/microsoft-qualcomm-arm-windows-exclusive-deal/

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2 Macbooks or 1 Macbook and 1 Windows Laptop

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