VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion Pro compete in the virtualization software category. VMware Workstation seems to have the upper hand in terms of feature set and ROI, while Fusion Pro is favored for its Mac compatibility.
Features: VMware Workstation supports multiple operating systems and applications, including Visual Studio and Eclipse, and integrates with features like 3D Graphics and HD audio. It is beneficial for developing and testing software. VMware Fusion Pro excels in its ease of virtual machine creation and Mac compatibility, providing native integration with Apple hardware and a straightforward interface for users.
Room for Improvement: VMware Workstation is criticized for high resource consumption and lacks a built-in virtual router and comprehensive network flexibility. Fusion Pro users identify stability and resource management as areas for enhancement, along with the need for improved integration features to ensure seamless operation.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: VMware Workstation is predominantly on-premises without official VMware support, challenging for smaller companies that may rely on community assistance. VMware Fusion Pro, also mainly on-premises, benefits from better-rated technical support with a structured response system, though support improvement for smaller operations is needed.
Pricing and ROI: VMware Workstation is perceived as expensive with high licensing costs, yet offers significant ROI, especially for software testing. Fusion Pro, although reasonably priced for personal use, incurs extra costs for extended features. Users find the investment worthwhile due to regular updates.
| Product | Market Share (%) |
|---|---|
| VMware Workstation | 13.4% |
| VMware Fusion Pro | 13.7% |
| Other | 72.9% |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 2 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 6 |
| Large Enterprise | 4 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 32 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 15 |
| Large Enterprise | 17 |
VMware Fusion Pro allows Mac users to run Windows virtual machines, leveraging its interface with Windows ESXi infrastructure. The platform is user-friendly, enabling efficient OS launches and providing snapshot and cloning capabilities for a stable experience.
VMware Fusion Pro empowers Mac users with robust virtualization capabilities, including the ability to run Windows VMs and interface seamlessly with Windows ESXi infrastructure. The platform is noted for its rapid custom VM construction and remote management through full VMware server systems. Despite its advantages, users indicate areas for improvement, particularly in snapshotting, backup processes, and resource demands. Compatibility with operating systems and integration with macOS are additional concerns, with enhancements in security, cloud functionality, and API interface desired. Installation complexity and command-line interface improvements are also highlighted by users.
What are the key features of VMware Fusion Pro?VMware Fusion Pro is widely implemented for running Windows on Mac, managing networking servers, and testing on Apple laptops. It is used by developers and system administrators for creating virtual environments, while users in industries such as networking and software development utilize it for building test machines, evaluating software, and managing ERP packages on IBM AS/400 systems. The solution is preferred for virtualization tasks in sectors requiring robust, reliable tools that support both Mac and Windows environments seamlessly, supporting script writing and general virtual machine management.
VMware Workstation is part of a suite of robust Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) tools or Desktop Hypervisors that allows users to run Kubernetes clusters, containers, and Virtual Machines (VMs). Users have the option to choose between VMware Workstation Pro or VMware Workstation Player to ensure that they get the most out of their VMware Workstation experience.
Workstation Player is best used as a command line or single graphical operation. It works very well for running different operating systems using a secure cloistered sandbox on a general consumer PC. Workstation Player is an industry favorite for use in an educational environment to better expand the knowledge concerning computer systems and global information technology. Workstation Pro is created for astute IT developers and professionals. The solution provides an intuitive next-generation interface and gives users the ability to seamlessly run several virtual machines at the same time. Users can easily create clones, configure virtual networks, connect to vSphere, and more, using a crisp, visually enhanced dashboard that provides full transparency to show multiple VMs and more.
VMware Workstation solutions rely on components in next-generation 64-bit x86 CPUs to develop robust, secure VMs that are able to utilize many different operating systems and all of their applications. VMware Workstation’s modern technology intuitively links the physical hardware devices to the virtual machine's virtual resources enabling each VM to have its own I/O devices, memory, disks, and CPU in addition to the equivalent of a standard x86 actual machine. It easily installs onto the host operating system and is able to offer comprehensive hardware support by utilizing the device support from the original host.
VMware Workstation Benefits
VMware Workstation has many desirable benefits. Some of those benefits include:
Reviews from Real Users
Walter G., Owner at Secacon Gygli Engineering LLC says, “The most valuable feature of the VMware Workstation is the ease of creating a development environment. When you have different ongoing developments, you often need to create a lot of different development environments. With this workstation solution, you can have a development environment for all the things you develop.”
Toni L., CEO at Virtual Consultants Sverige AB says, “The most valuable features of VMware Workstation are the DirectX support; you can run Microsoft Hyper-V in virtual environments, which is good for me to test different installations. Additionally, you can set up different VLANs, and overall it is a complete solution.”
“Having a user-friendly interfaceis important for me. I'm not a coder, even though I do a little bit of programming. Also, I don't use the command-line interface when I can avoid it. When I do have to use it, I look up what I'm supposed to type and then type it.” A PeerSpot user who is a Chief Technical Officer at a construction company.
are Workstation is part of a suite of robust Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) tools or Desktop Hypervisors that allows users to run Kubernetes clusters, containers, and Virtual Machines (VMs). Users have the option to choose between VMware Workstation Pro or VMware Workstation Player to ensure they get the most out of their VMware Workstation experience.
Workstation Player is best used as a command line or single graphical operation. It works very well for running different operating systems using a secure cloistered sandbox on a general consumer PC. Workstation Player is an industry favorite for use in an educational environment to better expand the knowledge concerning computer systems and global information technology. Workstation Pro is created for astute IT developers and professionals. The solution provides an intuitive next generation interface and gives users the ability to run seamlessly several virtual machines at the same time. Users can easily create clones, configure virtual networks, connect to vSphere, and more using a crisp, visually enhanced dashboard that provides full transparency to show multiple VMs and more.
VMware Workstation solutions rely on components in next-generation 64-bit x86 CPUs to develop robust, secure VMs that are able to utilize many different operating systems and all of their applications. Vmware Workstation’s modern technology intuitively links the physical hardware devices to the virtual machine's virtual resources enabling each VM to have its own I/O devices, memory, disks, and CPU in addition to the equivalent to a standard x86 actual machine.VMware easily installs onto the host operating system and is able to offer comprehensive hardware support by utilizing the device support from the original host.
VMware Workstation Benefits
Vmware Workstation has many desirable benefits. Some of those benefits include:
Reviews from Real Users
“The most valuable feature of the VMware Workstation is the ease of creating a development environment. When you have different ongoing developments, you often need to create a lot of different development environments. With this workstation solution, you can have a development environment for all the things you develop.” Walter G., Owner at Secacon Gygli Engineering LLC
“The most valuable features of VMware Workstation are the DirectX support; you can run Microsoft Hyper-V in virtual environments, which is good for me to test different installations. Additionally, you can set up different VLANs, and overall it is a complete solution.” Toni L., CEO at Virtual Consultants Sverige AB
A Chief Technical Officer at a construction company says,“Having a user-friendly interfaceis important for me. I'm not a coder, even though I do a little bit of programming. Also, I don't use the command-line interface when I can avoid it. When I do have to use it, I look up what I'm supposed to type and then type it.”
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