Windows Sandbox vs bhyve

Struggling to choose between Windows Sandbox and bhyve? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Windows Sandbox is a Os & Utilities solution with tags like sandbox, isolation, security, testing.

It boasts features such as Isolated desktop environment, Disposable sandbox instances, Preinstalled Windows tools and utilities, Integrated with Windows 10 and 11, Hardware-based virtualization, Easy to use and configure and pros including Improved security and privacy, Prevents malware infections, Allows testing unknown software, No need to set up VMs or dual boot, Lightweight and fast, Free with Windows 10/11.

On the other hand, bhyve is a System & Hardware product tagged with hypervisor, virtualization, virtual-machines, freebsd.

Its standout features include Supports virtualization of x86-64 guest operating systems, Utilizes hardware virtualization capabilities on AMD and Intel CPUs, Supports UEFI firmware for guest VMs, PCI passthrough allows direct access to physical hardware from guest VMs, SMP allows configuring multiple virtual CPUs for guest VMs, virtio drivers provide high performance network and disk I/O, Live migration moves running VMs between hosts, and it shines with pros like Free and open source software, Good performance and low overhead, Supports modern virtualization features, Integrated into FreeBSD for ease of use and management.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Windows Sandbox

Windows Sandbox

Windows Sandbox is a lightweight desktop environment included in Windows 10 and 11 that allows users to safely run untrusted applications in isolation. It provides a secure way to test software without risking the host device.

Categories:
sandbox isolation security testing

Windows Sandbox Features

  1. Isolated desktop environment
  2. Disposable sandbox instances
  3. Preinstalled Windows tools and utilities
  4. Integrated with Windows 10 and 11
  5. Hardware-based virtualization
  6. Easy to use and configure

Pricing

  • Free

Pros

Improved security and privacy

Prevents malware infections

Allows testing unknown software

No need to set up VMs or dual boot

Lightweight and fast

Free with Windows 10/11

Cons

Limited hardware access

Temporary instances only

Requires virtualization support

Limited customization options

Not suitable for long-term use


bhyve

bhyve

bhyve is an open-source hypervisor that allows users to run multiple operating systems as virtual machines on FreeBSD. It supports features like UEFI firmware, PCI passthrough, SMP, virtio drivers and more.

Categories:
hypervisor virtualization virtual-machines freebsd

Bhyve Features

  1. Supports virtualization of x86-64 guest operating systems
  2. Utilizes hardware virtualization capabilities on AMD and Intel CPUs
  3. Supports UEFI firmware for guest VMs
  4. PCI passthrough allows direct access to physical hardware from guest VMs
  5. SMP allows configuring multiple virtual CPUs for guest VMs
  6. virtio drivers provide high performance network and disk I/O
  7. Live migration moves running VMs between hosts

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source software

Good performance and low overhead

Supports modern virtualization features

Integrated into FreeBSD for ease of use and management

Cons

Only runs on FreeBSD hosts

Limited management tools compared to other hypervisors

Less extensive documentation and community support

Fewer guest OS support than alternatives like KVM