Does Parallels Desktop use OpenGL?

[White fox]

Does Parallels Desktop use OpenGL and in that way gets a speed improvement when ran on a Mac with a separate graphics card?

 

[Eru Ithildur]

I'm pretty sure Parallels uses OpenGL... Google thinks so too http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=parallels+opengl&btnG=Google+Search

 

[White fox]

I didn´t mean if it could virtualize OpenGL, I mean´t if it used it to handle the virtual machine windows.
Could I expect slower responsiveness from the VM specified below if it was ran on a MacBook(with Intel GMA 950)?
I was also thinking of the improved OpenGL performance included in Leopard. Will Parallels run faster or is the screen refresh already threaded to the other CPU core?

 

[Eru Ithildur]

Oh! Sorry, I entirely missed your point. I would imagine that it does, but I do not know for sure.

 

[Stacey M]

Hello,

within VM Parallels do not use OpenGL, but emulate it. So unfortunately it is unlikely that the speed will improve, because Parallels can use only limited amount of video memory.

Best regards,
Stacey

 

[Eru Ithildur]

Stacey, but the actual Parallels application for the OS X side... Doesn't that use OpenGL?

 

[White fox]

I´m sure it does, but so do all other applications including Mac OS. The answer was regarding the VM window that is used. As Parallels Desktop is threaded, one thread obviously already handles the VM window update. OpenGL can´t be used for that task.

 

[Eru Ithildur]

Ah. Makes sense now.

 

[Xenos]

White fox, you are right. And to avoid misunderstandings here I'd like to emphasize that Parallels Desktop uses OpenGL both for better VM windows performance and for 3D graphics support.

Best regards,
Xenos