Android emulators are the handy applications that allow you to access the Android apps and games on your computer. If you’re tired of playing your favorite game on the small mobile screen, you can download the android emulators and start enjoying your mobile games on the computer.
Simply put, emulators are hardware and/or software programs that allow one system to act like another. It is software that behaves like a piece of hardware, in this case, your android mobile. An Emulator can imitate all the hardware components (host) to the software (guest).
In this post, I will be explaining why you need to use android emulators and the best android emulators available in the market. Let’s start.
Why Use Android Emulators on Computer?
Android has the best applications and features, and it keeps growing with time. Android Emulators is also known as Android Virtual device that runs on your desktop including Windows and Mac.
Here’s why you will want to use Android Emulators on your computer-
- Developers can use Android emulators as a target platform to test applications
- You can debug applications on your PC
- You can enjoy Android games on your desktop
- Which also means you can use mouse and keyboard to play games
Now you know Android Emulators can be a best friend for the Android users. However, emulators can be fussy, and hence they don’t believe in advertising.
We have researched and compiled some best Android emulators that are growing insanely fast. Let’s check them out-
Best Android Emulators for Windows and Mac
Although all the Emulators provide you similar services, there are different features with different emulators. It is based on their price and functions.
I have listed both free and paid emulators with their available websites.
1. BlueStacks
Bluestacks has to be on the top of our best Android emulators list undoubtedly. It is the most famous Android emulator among Android users as it is available for both Mac and Windows desktops.
It is one of the oldest emulators to bring Android on PC. It mainly focuses on gaming and is very easy to set up. However, BlueStacks was criticized as bloated but came back into action with its new version in 2018.
The free version has a lot of sponsored unwanted application advertisements. The premium version of BlueStacks is $3.33 per month. You can also buy the entire premium version which is for $ 24 .
2. Nox App Player
This one is for all the gamers who don’t want to spend any money and enjoy all high-end games on their PC. The emulator supports other Android applications but is loved amongst its users for playing massive file games including PUBG or Battle Royale.
It is available for Windows with incredible features. You might find the user interface a bit confusing initially but surely will love it as you get hold of it.
Nox App Player is one of our favorite picks from the best emulators list. It has inbuilt support for Google Play Store, and you can install this feature-rich emulator for FREE .
3. MEmu
Another Windows-based Android emulator is the new MEmu launched in 2015. MEmu has some advanced features compared to the other emulators. Let’s check them out-
- It supports both Nvidia and AMD chips
- It also supports various versions of Androids like- Kit Kat, Lollipop, and Android Jelly Bean
- MEmu offers high-performance gaming
- Associates with APK files on Windows
- Supports Keyboard mapping and full-screen mode
- Has an Operation record tool to record some actions and play them anytime.
However, the image quality and graphics performance are not that great as you may see lack of textures.
MEmu also comes pre-loaded with Google Play Store so you can quickly browse, download and enjoy MEmu’s features. All of that for free of cost!
4. KoPlayer
KoPlayer Android Emulator is another new emulator in the market but has made it to the best emulator list. Let’s see why-
- Allows Keymapping to imitate a controllers function with your Keyboard
- You can record your gameplay and mail it your friends
- You can enjoy a lag-free gaming experience
- Has a simple User Interface, easy to set up
KoPlayer Android emulator does have some bug issues as it may freeze out to blue screen and it also gets difficult to uninstall. However, it is still worth it as is it’s free .
5. Android Studio
It is one of the most favorite emulators for developers as it is a Google-approved emulator for Android. It has special tools for developers to create and test their Applications and games.
Android Studio emulator is not ideal for playing games or for regular use. It is it on the technical side and has a robust User Interface.
Android Studio is the official IDE (Integrated development environment) for Android developments and is entirely free .
Click Here to Download Android Studio
6. Genymotion
Genymotion has to be on our list as it an excellent alternative to Android Studio. It is an excellent package for developers, as you can use it for both for personal as well as development use.
One of the main features of Genymotion is- it even works with macOS and Linux. However, for those who are searching for an emulator for gaming purposes, we don’t recommend you to consider this one. It has all developer-friendly aspects.
It is available for all the Android versions and is not available on Google Play Store by default. You’ll have to indulge in the setup process. Genymotion has both free and paid versions. Download it here.
7. LeapDroid
LeapDroid is one of the most robust Android emulators on the list. It was acquired by Google but got shut down for unknown reasons. However, you can easily search and download it from other sites or on the link we have mentioned below.
The user interface of this emulator is attractive as it provides you to download games with shortcuts. Some of the main features of LeapDroid emulator are-
- Full support for Google Play Store
- Supports full-screen mode, has a screenshot tool
- Supports keymapping
- Allows you to set gesture details
- Come with Android KitKat
LeapDroid is my favorite Android emulator from the list as it has all the best features for free .
8. AMIDuOS
AMIDuOs is a bit different from all the emulators from the list. Unlike other emulators, AMIDuOs is based on Android 5.1 Lollipop. However, you get an option to download the Jellybean-based version as well. Some main features of AMIDuOs are-
- Supports external hardware GPS and gamepads
- Can run in Root mode
- Allows you to set the amount of RAM and also DPI and frames per second
You don’t have the keymapping feature in AMIDuOs emulator and it only available on Amazon App Store surprisingly.
You can install the free trial which is for 30 days. You’ll have to pay $ 15 for the full version and $ 10 for the lite version for Android Jellybean.
9. Droid4X
Droid4X is available for both Mac and Windows computers. It is one of the old Classic Android emulators and is a pure gaming based product. It has an easy user interface and set up the process.
It doesn’t hold up that great in the market as its last update was back in 2016. It is reported to be unstable software, but you can perform specific tasks like other emulators on the list.
Searching for the installer for Droid4X can be a tough job. Nevertheless, it’s free .
10. RemixOS
Remix OS is a very different product compared to other emulators in our list. Remix OS is more specialized in productivity applications than supporting large gaming functions. You can boot Remix OS on any computer in the world by putting it in a USB device.
Remix OS was a Jide Technology Product but is no more available. However, you can search and download the Android Marshmallow version. The Android version of Remix OS is free .
That’s not all! You can even try some other Android emulators like ARChon , Xamarin , Make Your Own and YouWave emulators to get the best Android Experience on your Windows or Mac desktop.
Let us know your favorite emulator in the comments section below.
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