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Windows Sandbox VS VMware Workstation

Compare Windows Sandbox VS VMware Workstation and see what are their differences

Windows Sandbox logo Windows Sandbox

a new lightweight desktop environment tailored for safely running applications in isolation.

VMware Workstation logo VMware Workstation

VMware Workstation is a multiple operating system handler to easily evaluate the any other type of new operating systems.
  • Windows Sandbox Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-22
  • VMware Workstation Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-22

Windows Sandbox features and specs

  • Security
    Windows Sandbox provides a lightweight, isolated desktop environment where you can run applications safely without affecting the host system.
  • Convenience
    It comes pre-installed with Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise, so there's no need for separate installation or configuration. It's ready to use out of the box.
  • Integration
    Seamlessly integrates with Windows, allowing easy access to copy and paste functions between the main OS and the sandbox.
  • Efficiency
    It's a lightweight virtual machine, consuming relatively few system resources compared to traditional virtual machines.
  • Disposable Environment
    Each session is temporary. Upon closing, everything is discarded with no impact on the host OS, offering a fresh environment each time.

Possible disadvantages of Windows Sandbox

  • Limited Configuration
    Users have limited control over the sandbox environment, with minimal options for configuration and personalization.
  • Windows 10 Pro/Enterprise Requirement
    Windows Sandbox is only available for Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise users, excluding those on the Home edition.
  • Hardware Requirements
    Requires a machine with virtualization capabilities enabled in BIOS, as well as specific system requirements that not all hardware may meet.
  • Resource Consumption
    While more efficient than full virtual machines, it still utilizes system resources that might impact performance on low-end computers.

VMware Workstation features and specs

  • Cross-platform Compatibility
    VMware Workstation supports a wide range of operating systems, allowing users to run multiple OS environments on a single physical machine.
  • Snapshot and Cloning Features
    Users can take snapshots of virtual machines for easy backups, experimentation, or rolling back changes. Cloning allows for easy duplication of VMs.
  • Advanced Networking
    Offers robust networking capabilities including support for virtual networks, NAT, and bridged configurations, giving users significant flexibility in setting up network environments.
  • High Performance
    VMware Workstation is optimized for performance, offering high-speed processing and efficient use of hardware resources.
  • Seamless Integration
    Integrates well with other VMware products, easing the migration of virtual machines between systems and cloud environments.

Possible disadvantages of VMware Workstation

  • High Cost
    The software can be expensive, especially for the Pro version, which may not be cost-effective for individual users or small businesses.
  • Resource Intensive
    Requires substantial hardware resources, including significant CPU and memory usage, which can be a limitation for users with older or less powerful systems.
  • Learning Curve
    The advanced features and capabilities may demand a steep learning curve for new users, requiring time and effort to master.
  • Limited Mac OS Support
    While VMware has Fusion for Mac, VMware Workstation is primarily designed for Windows and Linux, which may not be ideal for Mac users.
  • Dependency on Physical Hardware
    Performance and capabilities are dependent on the underlying physical hardware, making it necessary to have high-spec machines for optimal performance.

Analysis of VMware Workstation

Overall verdict

  • VMware Workstation is generally considered a good solution for users looking for a comprehensive and efficient virtualization tool. It is particularly appreciated for its stability, versatility, and extensive feature set, catering to both beginners and advanced users.

Why this product is good

  • VMware Workstation is widely regarded as a reliable and powerful virtualization tool. It allows users to run multiple operating systems simultaneously on a single physical machine, making it ideal for testing, development, and running applications in various environments. It offers a wide range of features, including support for 3D graphics, multiple monitors, and seamless integration with cloud services and other VMware products. Its user-friendly interface and robust performance are consistently praised in user reviews.

Recommended for

    VMware Workstation is recommended for IT professionals, software developers, testers, and tech enthusiasts who require a reliable platform for running multiple operating systems, testing software, or developing applications in isolated environments. It's also suitable for users looking to experiment with different OS configurations without risking their primary system.

Windows Sandbox videos

Review Topic #5 (Windows Sandbox)

VMware Workstation videos

VMware Workstation 10 Program Review

More videos:

  • Review - Intro VMware Workstation Player
  • Review - VirtualBox vs VMware Player - In-Depth Comparison on Ubuntu 18.04
  • Review - Parallels Desktop vs VMware Fusion Review | Best Mac Apps
  • Review - Is VMware Workstation Player for Linux a Virtualbox Replacement?
  • Review - VMWare Fusion 11 Performance
  • Review - Vmware Player VS Vmware Pro VS Virtualbox
  • Review - Parallels Desktop vs VMWare Fusion - PERFORMANCE Comparison! Who WON?

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Windows Sandbox and VMware Workstation)
Monitoring Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Cloud Computing
9 9%
91% 91
Email Marketing
100 100%
0% 0
Virtualization
11 11%
89% 89

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Windows Sandbox and VMware Workstation

Windows Sandbox Reviews

We have no reviews of Windows Sandbox yet.
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VMware Workstation Reviews

Best Alternatives of VirtualBox for Windows
Workstation Player is also capable of running restricted virtual machines, that is, machines created with VMware Workstation Pro. This makes it the ideal solution to deploy in an educational environment without incurring exorbitant hardware and software expenses. Workstation Player virtual machines are portable too, so you can transfer the entire VM file to a flash drive or...
10 Best VMware Alternatives and Similar Software
VMware’s services include virtualization, networking and security management tools, and storage, to name a few. VMware vSphere is a server virtualization tool for deploying and managing large-scale virtual machine infrastructures. VMware vSphere, often known as a virtualized data center system, allows IT departments to deploy workloads on the most cost-effective...
Best Free Virtual Machine Software in 2022 – Start Your New Career
Both these applications have similar features and user-friendliness, but the configurations are developed for their respective Operating Systems. VMware player is a free product if you are looking to use this program personally. But it lacks some of the important features to use as a complete virtual machine software compared to VirtualBox or VMware workstation. If you are...
12 Best FREE Virtual Machine (VM) Software in 2020
VMware Fusion for Mac is Virtual Machine software. This tool is known for cloud computing and virtualization software. It allows you to use multiple applications on different OS at the same time.
Source: www.guru99.com
7 VirtualBox Alternatives You Can Consider
This virtualization software gives tough competition to big names like VMware Fusion and VMware Workstation pro when it comes to simultaneously running two OS. It is advertised for running Windows on Mac because for years it was only available for Mac users. But now a Windows version is also available with support for Linux and Chrome OS as a guest operating system. It works...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Windows Sandbox seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1 time since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Windows Sandbox mentions (1)

  • Am I on the right track here? I'm new to setting up VMs
    Also, did you look into just working with Windows Sandbox for your purposes? Source: about 4 years ago

VMware Workstation mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of VMware Workstation yet. Tracking of VMware Workstation recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Windows Sandbox and VMware Workstation, you can also consider the following products

VirtualBox - VirtualBox is a powerful x86 and AMD64/Intel64 virtualization product for enterprise as well as...

QEMU - QEMU (short for "Quick EMUlator") is a free and open-source hosted hypervisor that...

Sandboxie - Sandboxie is a program for Windows that is designed to allow the user to isolate individual programs on the hard drive.

Proxmox VE - Proxmox is an open-source server virtualization management solution that offers the ability to manage virtual server technology with the Linux OpenVZ and KVM technology.

Kernel Virtual Machine - Kernel Virtual Machine is a highly advanced and professional level virtualization program designed for the Linux operating system based on the x 86 hardware systems.

Hyper-V - Install Hyper-V on Windows 10