AVX/AVX2 instructions + DirectX 12

Same here. I installed Helldivers 2 via Steam on my Windows 11 Pro VM. It gave me an AVX error. I hope the Parallels Team can fix this
 
Mikhail Ushakov said:
Hello Stefan,
I can tell you for sure that Parallels is interested in implementing DirectX 12. But we all have to note that it requires such a huge amount of work that it definitely takes time. Unfortunately, we can't share more details about that for many reasons.
Click to expand...
I too have just bought Parallels to play bellwright and manor lords however it is still not supported. We'd all appreciate if there was any sort of update on when DirectX 12 may be available.
 
More than 2 years of this issue and nothing has eventuated
You should have giant titles "Parallels does not support AVX/AVX2 instructions"
A money back guarantee for destroyiing our work flow's wasting our time and energy would be good as well!
 
It has now been one year since I posted on this forum. Can any Parallels member provide un update on the status of AVX/AVX2 integration?
 
It is sad that support for AVX/AVX2 is still not complete. As I read this thread, it started back in 2021 and it is now 2024. One of the reasons I purchased parallels was to be able to play windows game on my mac. Guess my subscription will just have to expire if this is not resolved.
 
I bought a parallels subscription yesterday, installed the newest version and tried to play Age of Empires 2 on Windows 11. The game performed very poor. I have a MacBook M4 Pro with 48 GB Ram. With game settings set to the absolute minimum I get a benchmark score of no more than 955, which is not sufficient to play a ranked multiplayer game. My 5 year old MacBook i7 got a score of 1200+ in dual boot. This M4 Pro should run circles around the i7. Is there anything I can do differently? I followed all the instructions on this site: https://www.parallels.com/games/age-of-empires/
 
Last edited by a moderator:
alev said:
Hi Carlos,

Microsoft is working on AVX support on Arm in the Windows update:
https://blogs.windows.com/windows-i...1-insider-preview-build-27744-canary-channel/
https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/6/24289844/microsoft-windows-on-arm-emulator-prism-update
https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/6/24289844/microsoft-windows-on-arm-emulator-prism-update
What games are you looking for?
Click to expand...

Normally I would keep quiet like I have been, but seeing as my discovery hasn't been readily reported, I'll finally break my silence.

For those who are desperate for AVX support without DX12, I can testify to alev's message, and thank them for informing me about this Windows Insider build. My resulting approach:

1. Downloaded the build after registering in Microsoft's Insider Program
2. Converted the download using qemu-img to cooperate with my copy of Parallels on an M3 Max MBP, 48GM RAM and 16 CPU cores.
3. Some minor hassles with setup, particularly that I needed to manually install the Parallels network driver early on, but I did eventually get set up successfully.
4. Installed Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, which happens to be a game that falls under both issues (AVX instructions and DX12 requirement)

Result:

While I fully expected the game to crash due to no DX12, I'm happy to report that it DOES successfully do some things at last thanks to meeting the AVX requirements, particularly merely loading the launcher, and trying to load the game after it, even if it failed.

Also, side note: judging from the log I got specific to the game, I feel like DX12 support may slowly be getting there because DirectStorage, the big caveat for the Crossover/Wine approach to run the game, DOES seem to load correctly just before it crashes! In addition, while the crash caused by no DX12 is an unfortunate roadblock, it does put it on par with trying to run the game in Parallels on an Intel Mac (sans the Bootcamp approach): both builds of Parallels are limited by no DX12, though in both cases, making use of DXCPL's WARP can technically get the second-most recent Steam build of the game to render, at the cost of beyond-unuseable speed and intense heat.

Long story short: thanks for informing of this now-confirmed way to get AVX working in Parallels, at least, and hopefully it should means a little less development stress for Parallels 21 on your end!
 
Honestly, it's been years now for the lack of DirectX12, literally preventing me from getting Parallels Desktop because I can't use Unreal engine without having a black viewport. Not to be rude, but can't you make it a priority? CrossOver took the step look time ago so why Parallels Desktop takes ages to implement a such important feature?
 
+1
The main reason I use Parallels is to play Steam, Epic or GoG games without MacOS support on my Mac. Then to fail due to DX12 missing is - extremely meeeh
 
I've reached the end of my patience. Honestly, I'm questioning why I even need a Mac with Apple Silicon. My Intel-based Mac served me well, but ever since Apple transitioned to their own chips, compatibility has become a major issue. I've had to set up an Azure VM just to run my essential professional applications (Simaris Configuration and EPLAN), which adds unnecessary cost and complexity.



At this point, I feel like I'm paying a premium and enduring constant frustration just to stay on macOS. But why? If Apple isn't addressing these compatibility challenges, why should I remain a loyal customer instead of switching back to Windows?



The recent news about the Insider Program has given me a glimmer of hope, and I'm currently downloading build 27788 to see if it resolves my issues. If it does, great. But if not, I think it's time for me to move on from Apple.
 
It's now March 19 2025. I've been using Corel Draw on Windows in a Parallels PVM since Windows XP.
My new build featuring an M3max MBP w 64GB RAM, running Windows 11 in Parallels Desktop for Mac (something I've been doing for over 15 years happily) now gives me these CPU GPU AVX, AVX2 errors, and also the unstable, slow and missing features behaviour described therein. I've been going around and round with Parallels and Corel "Support" trying to figure out why my new (Silicon) build is now making a happy scenario of many years, now infeasible; and on a new suite of hardware and software no less. Is Parallels leading out with qualifying information (especially to long time Users) flagging this new diminished capacity in Parallels Desktop for Mac with Apple Silicon processors? Or are you just selling selling selling, and letting your long time users invest in new builds to then be your R and D department? I don't like the lack of answers I'm finding all the while the sales pages work very well, and Users (old and new) will continue to come to the Parallels PVM value proposition with functional expectations that are.... what? Unreasonable? Am I running "Windows" or not? If I'm not running Windows proper, than say so and explain what the new diminished capacity is! Front and centre! I assumed my workflow would be the same as it has been for nearly 20 years - surprise!
Who is going to fix this?
How long will Parallels pretend that their current offering is as feature rich as it used to be, when it demonstrably isn't?
Waiting.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot 2025-03-19 at 10.47.49.png
    Screenshot 2025-03-19 at 10.47.49.png
    82 KB · Views: 1
Zamadatix said:
According to your own quote AVX/AVX2 can't be brought through virtualization only emulation. Parallels is not an emulator, it's a hypervisor. If you want an emulator that supports x86 VMs go look at UTM w/ QEMU backend and see how dog slow emulators are compared to hypervisors.

As for DirectX 12 it's absolutely technically feasible to paravirtualize it, I've never heard them claim it wasn't? Lack of support is due to work effort.
Click to expand...
Actually DirectX 12 would be implemented via Paravirtualization not emulation.
 
I created a linked clone from my usual Windows 11 VM, enabled Windows Insider and installer the release mentioned in the linked blog post above. CpuInfo64.exe finally shows the AVX/AVX2 support. Unfortunately, I haven't found any Windows 11 ARM releases which include these features except the mentioned release in the blog post.
For me, this works now with the software which is requesting these features.

I agree with Parallels that this is a "Windows"-feature and not something that can be added by Parallels Desktop. I would assume that sooner or later, AVX/AVX2-support will eventually come to Windows 11 ARM, but from what I see regarding releases, I would assume it will be at least another year. But this is just an educated guess, no one knows how and if MS will incorporate these features into public releases.
 
AVX/AVX2 emulation support is in the latest Windows 11 ARM64 release. Annoying it has to be enabled using the properties tab for each .exe individually.
 
AndrewC46 said:
AVX/AVX2 emulation support is in the latest Windows 11 ARM64 release. Annoying it has to be enabled using the properties tab for each .exe individually.
Click to expand...
Is this why when I go to System Properties it says I have DirectX 12 but that DirectX12 Ultimate is disabled? I have tried several games (mainly Diablo IV and Diablo II Resurrection that will install but won't run. I was told in either this or another forum that it's because of the Directx Ultimate not being supported. Thanks.
 
Just to make the issues clear as there is some confusion.
  • Parallels on Apple Silicon can run a VM with Windows 11 ARM64.
  • If your game or other software does NOT run on a genuine Windows 11 ARM64 machine (check Windows 11 on ARM forums) then there is nothing Parallels can do about that. You are SOL
  • Windows 11 ARM includes a x86 and x86-64 emulation layer to run older Intel CPU based software. Again, this has NOTHING to do with Parallels. If this emulation layer does not support your game/application then you are SOL( again).
  • One of the limitations was that this emulation layer did not support x86-64 AVX so some games and software would not run.
  • The latest Windows 11 update includes an update to this emulation layer that supports AVX so some games might now run.
A x86-64 game is running in a Windows 11 emulation layer in a Virtual Machine running on Apple Silicon. Somehow Parallels has to translate the graphics layer to Metal ( I guess) Every step is a performance killer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top