Towards the end of last year, Parallels gave Chrome OS devices the ability to run full Windows 10 installations through the power of virtualization. Initially, support was limited to a handful of devices, but today, Parallels is announcing that the latest version of Parallels Desktop for Chrome OS, formerly known as Parallels Desktop for Chromebook Enterprise, now supports AMD processors in addition to Intel.
Now, you'll be able to run Parallels Desktop on a total of 21 different Chrome Enterprise devices, powered by either AMD Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7, or Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processors. 12 of the supported devices are new, and out of those, three are AMD-based. The full list of additions includes:
- HP Pro c645 Chromebook (AMD)
- Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook (AMD)
- Acer Chromebook Spin 514 (AMD)
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Acer Chromebook 714, (Intel)
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Acer Chromebook 715, (Intel)
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Acer Chromebox CXI4, (Intel)
- Dell Latitude 5300 2-in-1 Chromebook (Intel)
- Dell Latitude 5400 Chromebook (Intel)
- Dell Latitude 7410 Chromebook (Intel)
- ASUS Chromebook Flip CM5, Intel
- ASUS Fanless Chromebox, Intel
- ASUS Chromebox 4, Intel
In addition to that, Parallels Desktop for Chrome OS also now supports webcam and microphone redirection, meaning you can use those devices in your virtual environment now. This is useful for video conferencing tools like Zoom, Cisco Webex, and GoToMeeting, particularly because not every feature is supported in the web versions of those apps. Being able to run the Windows 10 versions of them could be useful. Additionally, USB devices are also supported in virtualized Windows machines, so you can use devices like smart cards.
It's worth noting that Parallels Desktop for Chrome OS is a subscription service, and it's only meant for Chrome Enterprise users, where Windows apps are still vital in many cases. If you're interested, you'll need to pay $69.99 per year for the ability to run Windows on your Chrome OS device. You can learn more about the software and request a free trial here.
