Apple M2 and M3 Macs: Running Windows 11 with Parallels Desktop
Apple M2 and M3 Macs can run Windows 11 Arm64 in a virtual machine with Parallels Desktop, allowing users to access compatible Windows applications alongside macOS without rebooting.
Both M2 and M3 are Apple silicon chips based on the Arm64 architecture. On these Macs, Windows 11 on Arm runs in a virtual machine. Processor performance, unified memory, graphics capability, and the specific Mac configuration can affect performance in demanding Windows workloads.
Users moving from an Intel Mac to an M2 or M3 Mac should understand that Apple silicon changes how Windows runs. Intel-based Macs use the x86-64 architecture and support Boot Camp on compatible models, while M2 and M3 Macs use Arm64 and run Windows 11 Arm64 through virtualization.
Boot Camp is not available on Apple silicon Macs. For the standard supported Windows experience on an M2 or M3 Mac, users run the Arm64 edition of Windows 11 in a virtual machine. Learn more in our guide to running Windows on a Mac without Boot Camp.
Do you have an M2 or M3 Mac and need to run Windows? Sign up for a free 14-day trial of Parallels Desktop to run Windows on your M3 chip.
What is unique about the Apple M3 Macs?
Apple's M3 chip represents major strides in personal computing.
Apple's M3 Macbook Pros, Airs, and iMacs are built on a 3-nanometer process, which enhances the speed and power efficiency of the chip by fitting more transistors into a smaller space.
The M3 machines boast the first 3-nanometer chips in a personal computer and marking the debut of a next-generation GPU architecture.
They offer dramatic improvements in performance with a faster CPU and Neural Engine and support for even more unified memory.
The latest line-up of Macs also includes ray tracing, mesh shading, and dynamic caching.
These M3 Macs are the most sustainable yet, meeting Apple's high standards for energy efficiency.
M3 Macs offer up to 22 hours of battery life (the longest ever for a Mac), meaning they need to be plugged in for less time, resulting in less energy consumed over their lifetimes.
Apple M2 vs. M3: Windows compatibility and performance
Both M2 and M3 Macs can run Windows 11 Arm64 with Parallels Desktop. The primary differences between the configurations are CPU and GPU capabilities, unified memory, and overall performance.
The following test compares an M2 Max MacBook Pro with an M3 MacBook Pro using a Windows 11 virtual machine. Because the machines use different chip tiers and memory configurations, the results should be read as a comparison of these tested systems, not as representative of every M2 and M3 Mac.
Environment for Apple M2Max vs. M3 Chips
Hardware:
- M2Max-powered (8+4)CPU 96GiB MBP,
- M3-powered (4+4)CPU 16GiB MBP.
Software:
- macOS 14.1.1 (23B2082),
- Windows 11 22621.2715 / 2CPU / 8GiB
Results for Apple M2 Max vs. M3 chips
Single-core score:
| Test | M2Max | M3 | Δ |
| Horizon Detection | 1800 ± 40 | 2100 ± 150 | +16% |
| SQLite | 1470 ± 30 | 1720 ± 30 | +17% |
| HDR | 1950 ± 20 | 2400 ± 100 | +24% |
| Speech Recognition | 1570 ± 60 | 1800 ± 200 | +17% |
| Face Detection | 2230 ± 120 | 2400 ± 200 | +10% |
| Image Compression | 1350 ± 13 | 1650 ± 30 | +22% |
| N-Body Physics | 1880 ± 40 | 2400 ± 300 | +27% |
| Rigid Body Physics | 1680 ± 30 | 2000 ± 100 | +20% |
| Clang | 1670 ± 40 | 1840 ± 130 | +10% |
| Text Rendering | 1660 ± 40 | 1970 ± 60 | +18% |
| Machine Learning | 1290 ± 60 | 1500 ± 200 | +13% |
| AES-XTS | 3040 ± 50 | 3870 ± 50 | +27% |
| Camera | 1400 ± 20 | 1760 ± 140 | +25% |
| Structure from Motion | 1270 ± 20 | 1550 ± 60 | +22% |
| HTML5 | 1470 ± 40 | 1700 ± 140 | +16% |
| Text Compression | 1530 ± 20 | 1670 ± 20 | +9% |
| Image Inpainting | 2700 ± 40 | 3200 ± 400 | +19% |
| Ray Tracing | 2730 ± 400 | 3600 ± 100 | +30% |
| PDF Rendering | 1600 ± 100 | 2000 ± 100 | +23% |
| Navigation | 1500 ± 100 | 1670 ± 140 | +11% |
| Gaussian Blur | 1520 ± 20 | 1880 ± 150 | +23% |
In these tests, the M3 configuration produced scores approximately 10% to 30% higher than the tested M2 Max configuration. Results will vary by Mac model, chip tier, memory, virtual machine configuration, application, and workload.
Testing environment for Apple M1Max versus M3 chips
Hardware:
- M1Max-powered (8+2)CPU 32GiB MBP,
- M3-powered (4+4)CPU 16GiB MBP.
Software:
- macOS 13.6 (22G120) - host (a),
- macOS 14.1.1 (23B2082) - host (b),
- Windows 11 22621.2715 / 2CPU / 8GiB.
Results for Apple M1Max versus M3 Chips
Single-core score:
| Test | M1Max | M3 | Δ |
| AES-XTS | 2850 ± 20 | 3870 ± 50 | +35% |
| Text Compression | 1320 ± 80 | 1670 ± 20 | +26% |
| Image Compression | 1230 ± 10 | 1650 ± 30 | +34% |
| Navigation | 1440 ± 50 | 1670 ± 140 | +16% |
| HTML5 | 1380 ± 40 | 1700 ± 140 | +23% |
| SQLite | 1390 ± 16 | 1720 ± 30 | +24% |
| PDF Rendering | 1550 ± 60 | 2000 ± 100 | +26% |
| Text Rendering | 1600 ± 17 | 1970 ± 60 | +23% |
| Clang | 1530 ± 40 | 1840 ± 130 | +20% |
| Camera | 1281 ± 40 | 1760 ± 140 | +37% |
| N-Body Physics | 1670 ± 30 | 2400 ± 300 | +42% |
| Rigid Body Physics | 1600 ± 30 | 2000 ± 100 | +26% |
| Gaussian Blur | 1430 ± 12 | 1880 ± 150 | +31% |
| Face Detection | 2080 ± 10 | 2400 ± 200 | +18% |
| Horizon Detection | 1720 ± 40 | 2100 ± 150 | +22% |
| Image Inpainting | 2550 ± 50 | 3200 ± 400 | +26% |
| HDR | 1880 ± 15 | 2400 ± 100 | +29% |
| Ray Tracing | 2500 ± 300 | 3600 ± 100 | +44% |
| Structure from Motion | 1190 ± 10 | 1550 ± 60 | +30% |
| Speech Recognition | 1400 ± 50 | 1800 ± 200 | +32% |
| Machine Learning | 1240 ± 30 | 1500 ± 200 | +19% |
In these tests, the M3 configuration produced higher scores than the tested M1 Max configuration. Results will vary by Mac model, chip tier, memory, virtual machine configuration, application, and workload.
Can M2 and M3 Macs run x64 and x86 Windows applications?
Windows 11 on Arm runs Arm64 Windows applications natively. It can also run many x64 and x86 Windows applications through Microsoft’s built-in emulation.
Compatibility is not universal. Applications that depend on drivers, kernel-level components, plug-ins, or other dependencies that require native Arm64 support may not work or may have limited functionality.
Do you need a Windows license on an M2 or M3 Mac?
Yes. A Parallels Desktop license and a Windows license are separate.
Windows 11 Arm64 can be installed before activation, but a valid Windows license is required to activate it. A separate eligible Windows license is generally required for each Windows virtual machine.
Review Microsoft’s guidance on activating Windows before purchasing or transferring a license.
Nested virtualization limitations on M2 and M3 Macs
Some Windows features and development tools require nested virtualization inside the Windows virtual machine. Nested virtualization is currently not supported in Parallels Desktop on Apple silicon Macs. This affects workloads that depend on it, including Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL 2), and some virtualization-based security features.
Users should review the current Parallels Desktop technical documentation for compatibility before relying on these workflows.
Gaming and graphics limitations on M2 and M3 Macs
Parallels Desktop provides hardware-accelerated graphics for supported Windows applications and games, but not every PC game will run on an M2 or M3 Mac.
Compatibility depends on Windows 11 on Arm support, graphics and processor requirements, drivers, and technologies such as kernel-level anti-cheat.
Games or applications that require unsupported graphics features, specialized drivers, or incompatible kernel-level anti-cheat may not work in the virtual machine.
How to assess if a faster processor will improve performance using Task Manager
The benchmark results above show differences between the tested M3, M2 Max, and M1 Max configurations. Whether a newer or higher-tier processor improves a Windows workload depends on whether that workload is limited by CPU performance.
If you want to determine whether upgrading to a Mac with a faster processor will enhance your computing experience, the Task Manager on Windows can provide valuable insights.
Here's how to evaluate your current performance and understand the potential benefits of a faster processor using a Microsoft Windows virtual machine running under Parallels Desktop for Mac.
1. Run a workload that you want to improve
2. Access Task Manager from Windows Start Menu or using the processor icon in the VM title bar
- Hint: Ctrl + Shift + Esc
3. Monitor Current CPU usage:
- Observe your current CPU usage in the “Processes” or “Details” tab. Pay attention to the percentage of CPU resources being used.
- Identify CPU-Bound processes: Sort the processes by “% CPU” to identify which applications or processes consume the most CPU resources. These processes are potential candidates for performance improvement with a faster processor.
- Look for consistency: Note if certain processes consistently utilize a high percentage of CPU. If some tasks are CPU-bound, a faster processor can likely accelerate their execution.
- Check for CPU Core usage: In the “Performance” tab, monitor the utilization of individual CPU cores. If you notice that one or more cores are consistently maxed out while the others remain idle, your tasks may benefit from a processor with higher single-thread performance.
Run Windows 11 Arm64 on Apple M2 and M3 Macs
Apple M2 and M3 Macs can run Windows 11 Arm64 alongside macOS with Parallels Desktop. Many Arm64, x64, and x86 Windows applications can run in this environment, although compatibility depends on the application's architecture, drivers, graphics requirements, and reliance on low-level Windows components.
The M2 Max and M3 benchmark results also show that both tested systems can run Windows virtual machines. Users deciding between an M2 and M3 Mac should evaluate the specific chip tier, unified memory, storage, and application requirements rather than relying on the generation name alone.
For newer hardware, see the dedicated guides to Apple M4 Macs and Apple M5 Macs.
If you are not a current user, find out how Parallels Desktop lets you maximize performance and unlock the full power of your M3-powered Mac.
Ready to run Windows 11 Arm64 on your M2 or M3 Mac? Sign up for a free 14-day trial of Parallels Desktop to run Windows on your M3 chip.
