Parallels for only one Window's program. 8 gb RAM is enough?

K

KrzysztofI

Junior Member
I am using Macbook Pro early 2015 2,9 ghz i5, 8 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD. I am still thinking about using Parallels on it for only one program which I need at work. I am not a big fan of my current business laptop. Everything looks great to buy Parallels but I want to be sure that it will be working well. Especially if we talk about RAM.
This window's program (Subiekt GT if someone wants take a closer look-polish program) takes only 9-10 mb of RAM on Windows system. In requirements they wrote that you need 1 GB Ram for it. So that is not too much. Still 7 GB will be available. Apart from this I will be using same things like on screenshot. Maybe 3-4 more cards in Safari. I know that macOS uses ram as much as possible. Usage bar is still one green so maybe after add Parallels still will be on green side. How do you think?Zrzut ekranu 2017-06-01 o 12.28.44.png
 
Hi @KrzysztofI, when your virtual machine runs, by default it tries to lock all the memory assigned to it from the Mac RAM. However your virtual machine runs on top of the OS X, so we need to make sure the OS X is always provided with efficient memory amount to run with no glitches. It was concluded the OS X should always have access to some significant amount of RAM installed on the Mac.

The amount of memory your virtual machine will use can be devided into 3 parts: - the virtualization overhead: uses only about 8-9 % of the total amount of RAM assigned to the virtual machine, however it is always stored in the Mac physical RAM. - the "main" memory, which works as RAM as such inside the virtual machine: configured in the virtual machine configuration -> Hardware -> CPU & Memory. - video memory: Hardware -> Video (Graphics).

In Parallels Desktop for Mac you can assign up to 8GB of RAM to your virtual machine. In Pro Edition you can assign up to 64GB of memory.
NOTE: The maximum amount of virtual RAM depends on the total amount of physical RAM directly: you cannot assign more RAM than your Mac has.

So the answer is yes. It will be in Green only if you can assign 2- 4GB of RAM in the virtual machine.
 
So do you think that normal office work and Parallels for only one program (allocated 1gb) there shouldn't be any problems and machine shouldn't slow down
 
One more question about ram. For example I set 2 go ram to VM for Windows. Than system use 1 of 2 gb. So this 1 gb will be locked for VM or will be available also for mac?
 
Wiat about ram used not by windows or other system but parallels itself. It takes ram from assigned or not?
And tell me clearly. Will it work smoothly with 8 gb ram I wrote few post before?
 
Hi @KrzysztofI , lets say if you have allocated 2GB of RAM for Windows and it uses only 1GB of RAM while running, the unused 1 GB of RAM given for Windows cannot be used by Mac. It can be used if you run any additional application on Windows. Increasing the RAM on your Windows will help you to run the application smoothly , provided there is enough RAM on your Mac.
 
Ok I understand what you say but I made a test. Downloaded trial Parallels and install free Chromium. Also assigned 2 gb ram. Chromium took 500-600 mb of ram but Parallels application used 200-300 mb. So I asked about ram which used Parallels as app not system. Did Parallels take ram from assigned amount or from whole Mac.
Also I asked about your experiences. Like I said. I want to use Windows for only one light program and in the same time use excel, word, safari (maybe 7-8 cards) on Safari. How do you think? 8 gb ram is enough or not?
During test with Chromium I opened iMovie, Garage Band and few other apps to use ram as much as I can and ram usage bar was on 3/4 height but still green color.
 
Hi @KrzysztofI , the RAM used by Parallels is from the Mac as Parallels Desktop for Mac is an application installed on your Mac. If you are not using any major applications on Windows virtual machine, 8GB is enough to run Windows virtual machine smoothly.
 
I want to mention that calculating RAM amounts in modern computers is always hard and unclear thing. In some cases you just cannot sum A, B and C up and get D. Also need to say that Parallels Desktop does its best to provide good user experience even in situations with RAM "overload".

From my personal point I suggest to try trial version of Parallels Desktop in your usual working set and get to know how does it work for you. Preliminary looking at the numbers you provided everything should be ok.
 
I tested Parallels but with Chromium cause it's free. I assigned 2 go of ram. Also I had opened to test iMovie garage band Skype and something what I will be using like 10-15 safari windows excel and word. Everything was fine. Also new files also were opening as quick as usually. Ram usage bar was on 3/4 of height but still green color. So everything looks great but still it was chromium not MS Windows.
 
PaulChris@Parallels said:
Hi @KrzysztofI, when your virtual machine runs, by default it tries to lock all the memory assigned to it from the Mac RAM. However your virtual machine runs on top of the OS X, so we need to make sure the OS X is always provided with efficient memory amount to run with no glitches. It was concluded the OS X should always have access to some significant amount of RAM installed on the Mac.

The amount of memory your virtual machine will use can be devided into 3 parts: - the virtualization overhead: uses only about 8-9 % of the total amount of RAM assigned to the virtual machine, however it is always stored in the Mac physical RAM. - the "main" memory, which works as RAM as such inside the virtual machine: configured in the virtual machine configuration -> Hardware -> CPU & Memory. - video memory: Hardware -> Video (Graphics).

In Parallels Desktop for Mac you can assign up to 8GB of RAM to your virtual machine. In Pro Edition you can assign up to 64GB of memory.
NOTE: The maximum amount of virtual RAM depends on the total amount of physical RAM directly: you cannot assign more RAM than your Mac has.

So the answer is yes. It will be in Green only if you can assign 2- 4GB of RAM in the virtual machine.
Click to expand...

Correct me if I am wrong.

My iMac is an i7 has 32 GB ram installed with 4GB video card.

Using the Desktop Student Edition of Parallels the maximum RAM I can assign to Windows 10 is 8GB???

I am a student is there a student price for Pro edition of Parallels??

I run programs like AutoCAD Inventor and ANSYS that may require more than 8GB RAM.

Thanks
Allan
 
AllanR1 said:
Correct me if I am wrong.

My iMac is an i7 has 32 GB ram installed with 4GB video card.

Using the Desktop Student Edition of Parallels the maximum RAM I can assign to Windows 10 is 8GB???

I am a student is there a student price for Pro edition of Parallels??

I run programs like AutoCAD Inventor and ANSYS that may require more than 8GB RAM.

Thanks
Allan
Click to expand...
Hello AllanR1. Using Parallels Desktop Home and Student Edition, you can allocate only up to 8GB RAM for the virtual machine and there is no student pricing/offer for the Pro Edition.
 
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