New MATLAB user: Rosetta 2 or Parallels for Apple M1 MacBook pro?

Hello,

I'm new to MATLAB and would like to install it on my M1 MacBook Pro. I'll be using MATLAB for some projects that involve machine learning and since I'm a new user, l'll porbably just go for the latest version available which seems to be 2022b at this point. My understanding is that if I were to install MATLAB directly on my laptop, it will be installed using Rosetta 2 emulator. But it seems that I could also install it on a virtual windows machine such as Parallels.

Aside from missing some toolboxes, I'm unable to decide whether I should install MATLAB directly on my laptop or through a virtual windows machine? I tried to search in the community for an answer, but I didn't come across one so far.

Appreciate sharing your experience on this. Thanks!

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

As of R2023b, MATLAB has had a native port for Apple Silicon series (ARM CPU)

Answer 2

[Anushka]

Hi @Sam,

I would recommend installing MATLAB directly on your M1 Mac using ‘Rosetta2’. It will be significantly faster and more stable than running through a VM. It is simpler and works well for most MATLAB ML workflows. You should only consider ‘Parallels’ if you have a strict need for Windows-specific functionality or software not available on macOS.

You can also consider using MATLAB Online for some quick tasks or prototyping as it is platform-independent and fast for light usage.

You can refer to the following documentation for guidance on MATLAB compatibility and support for Apple Silicon M1 Macs, including version requirements and known limitations: https://www.mathworks.com/support/requirements/apple-silicon.html

Hope this helps!