Running Android apps or games on your PC could be fun. However, these are two different OS and you can’t run them without third party help. To run them on your PC you need to run an Android emulator.
In this article, we are going to list some of the best Android emulators that you can use. But first, let’s learn what an Android emulator is.
What is an Android emulator?
An Android emulator is a PC software that emulates the Android OS on your computer. When you run an Android emulator on your PC you can run any Android application or Android game on your PC. Fortunately, there are tons of Android emulators on the internet today that you can choose from.
We are going to discuss some of them in this particular post and you can choose the best one for your PC.
1. Bluestacks
If you are into applications and games for PC you have probably have heard about this Android emulator. Bluestacks is quite a popular Android emulator that lets you download any Android application on your PC. Over the years Bluestacks has undergone a lot of improvements meaning that this software is currently flawless in terms of quality.
If you are worried about compatibility, Bluestacks is the Android emulator for you. The emulator will effectively work on any type of Windows be it either Intel or AMD thus eliminating the compatibility issue. Through the several refinements that the app has gone through, the software is now dealing with Android 7.1.2.
The software has even gone as far as partnering with Samsung to bring Samsung galaxy into the platform. The platform gives you access to many Android games that you can think of. There is no limitation to which game or app that you can download on your PC.
Let’s talk about the performance of this platform; the Bluestacks developers claim that this software is even 6X more powerful than the normal Android device that you use. Moreover, the software has a good ranger of useful features. The features include an AI-based gaming engine for better performance when playing your favorite Android game on your PC. Other features of this software include multi-instance, key mapping, and others.
So if you are looking for an Android emulator that will suit your Android needs then Bluestacks is the best emulator for you.
2. Nox App Player
The second on our list is the Nox App Player Android emulator. If you are looking for an Android emulator that will offer tons of other features apart from letting you download and use Android apps? Then this is the best Android emulator for you. The software is lightweight and very fast. The software will not affect the functioning of your PC because it is lightweight.
Among the many emulators currently available in the market, Nox App Player is the only emulator with a plethora of features that can be used in the app’s functioning. Such features include an easy-to-use interface, gameplay optimizations, controller compatibility, and many others.
3. KOPlayer
This is an Android emulator that is built with gaming in mind. You will note that this emulator has two modes. These include speed and compatibility. To maximize the game performance, you should try the speed option first. However, if you encounter any challenges along the way, you can consider the compatibility option. This way, you will be able to mitigate some issues.
This emulator normally has a multi-manager tool that allows you to run two or more instances of the emulator at once. Despite having these incredible features, this emulator can crash when it is on the compatibility mode. This is usually the case if you have not updated it for at least one year.
However, once you get the newer version of this emulator, you can be sure that it will enable you to run a wide range of other apps on your computer seamlessly.
4. Genymotion
Apart from the above-mentioned emulators, you can readily use this emulator on your computer. You will realize that it usually works well with most apps and games. Being on the latest version of Android, this emulator is normally compatible with most of the latest apps and games.
When using this emulator, you might encounter some bugs. However, the good news is that they are fixable. Since it comes with a good looking interface, you can be sure that you will enjoy using it on your computer.
5. GameLoop
Also known as Tencent Gaming Buddy, this emulator is one of the best Android emulators that can work optimally on your PC. If you are a fan of gaming, chances are that you have some applications in mind that you would like to run on your computer.
Before you download them, you should download this emulator first. You will realize that it truly dedicated to Android gaming. Therefore, it might not support other android apps on your computer. However, it has proved to be ideal when it comes to Android gaming. With this emulator, you will have a wonderful experience when using Android gaming apps.
This emulator is free to download. It comes with an excellent keyboard and mouse integration. Also, it comes with a call of Duty official partner and has been known for great performance when running on PC.
6. Android Studio
This is a development IDE from Google itself and normally caters to developers out there. By IDE, we mean Integrated Development Environment. One advantage of the emulator is that it comes with several tools and plugins to help developers to build and even test their apps.
Since this emulator is meant for developers only, beginners might counter some issues when using it. For instance, it might take time to set up this emulator and so on. Therefore, as you plan to use this emulator, you should be patient enough. Despite this challenge, this emulator does its job well. Most developers like using this emulator to test different applications out there.
7. Remix OS
Remix OS emulator is very different from other Android emulators out there. You will realize that this is an entire Android OS that you can boot into. For you to use this emulator, you need to install it on a separate partition.
The most surprising thing is that you can put this emulator on a US device and boot it from there when using any computer out there. This emulator works well with productivity apps and some gaming apps. However, if you are a fan of heavy gaming, this emulator might not be ideal for you.
Once you download this emulator, you can be sure that you will enjoy an Android OS experience on your computer. Besides this, you will be able to use the file manager feature that comes with this emulator.
8. MEmu
Most people like this emulator as it is known to be light and easy to use. The good news is that it normally gets installed quite fast and you can readily start using it once you install it. You will realize that this emulator does not lag whatsoever. Also, it is very customizable. Here, you will be able to customize the setting that you will find on this emulator.
This emulator is ideal for those who like using gaming apps on a computer. When it comes to speeds, it works perfectly well just like its counterparts, the Nox app player and BlueStacks.
One of the most important features of this emulator is that it normally supports AMD and NVidia chips. Besides this, it supports different versions such as the Android Jelly Bean, Lollipop, and Kit Kat. Although this app supports high-performance gaming, its graphic performance is relatively poor.
When using it you might note that some texture and smoothness are missing compared to other emulators. Despite all this, this emulator is liked by many as it works well with most productivity apps out there.
9. PrimeOS
If you have been using the Remix OS, this is a perfect alternative for not. It is worth noting that this emulator is booted using a USB drive. Also, it can be dual booted on a PC.
When it comes to gaming performance, this emulator works optimally. However, the real potential of this emulators is to provide an Android-like experience when one is using a computer. Since it has a stunning user interface and Android support, this emulator can be likened to ChromeOS in several instances.
Besides gaming, this app features multi-window support and keyboard mapping in games. This makes it more incredible for those people who like playing games on a computer.
10. Phoenix OS
This is one of the newer Android emulators for PC. Besides being a new emulator, it boards a gamer experience. Since it boasts a desktop-like experience, you can be sure that it will work well with productivity apps as well.
It comes with Google play services that allow you to update different Android apps on your computer. This emulator runs Android 7.1 which is relatively modern for an Android emulator.
If you want to run any Android app more effectively on your computer, you should not hesitate to download any of these emulators first. This way you will be able to operate any Android app just as you would, on your Android mobile device. Download any of these emulators on your PC today and you will not regret it. They are truly the best.