There are plenty of reasons why you would want to use an Android emulator on PC. For starters, it offers you the incredible Android experience on the big screen. It provides ease of interaction by replacing taps with mouse clicks and keypad with the keyboard. Playing the games on a larger display is sometimes more fun. If you happen to be a developer, you can test your apps on the PC, which is definitely more convenient. We catalogue the top 8 Android emulators for Windows you can use. Keep reading!
1. BlueStacks
When we begin to talk about best Android emulators for Windows, BlueStacks is arguably the first name that crosses our minds, and why not? BlueStacks has been around for quite some time now and is considered to have pioneered the Android emulation technology. BlueStacks works on Android KitKat 4.4, which may seem like quite an old deal to many. But, there is no denying that it is a very well designed and highly functional Android app player for PC you will find today.
It seems that BlueStacks hasn’t been able to catch up with the competition, in spite of being one of the most popular names. Many new players have entered the market and seem to offer better performance and more features. Yet, we reckon that BlueStacks merits a mention in the list of top emulators. BlueStacks has a free version as well as a paid version. It is a user friendly interface. It is easy to use.
2. Remix OS Player
- MEmu is a lightweight and functional Android emulator with loads of features. It does not have one of the recent Android versions, but still offers plenty to the users. MEmu is fee to download and use. Nox App Player is a relatively new Android emulator. But, in a very short span of time it has made its presence felt.
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- 3 7 best Android emulators for Windows and Mac. 3.1.1 System Requirements: 3.1.2 Recommended Specification: 3.2 BlueStacks – Best Android emulator for Windows and Mac. 3.3 GameLoop – One of the best Android emulators for Windows and Mac for gamers.
MEmu is free, It is another of the up & coming Android emulators that seem to do quite well with gamers, MEmu supports AMD & Intel chipsets, it supports different Android versions such as Jelly Bean, Kit Kat, and Lollipop, You can run multiple instances at once for multiple games or testing features, It aims itself at gamers much like Bluestacks & similar emulators, However, it’s.
Remix OS Player, as the name suggests, is the Android player for Windows. It is a much more advanced emulator as compared to many other on this list. It is available on both Windows and Mac. This – totally free of cost – Android emulator, runs on a rather newer Android version 6.0 or Marshmallow. It is an advanced player and thus not supported on some of the chipsets by AMD. You must also enable Virtualization Technology in your BIOS setup in order to use this player.
Remix OS Player has a very attractive looking and yet highly functional interface. The layout is very well organized with absolutely no clutter. It has shortcut buttons nicely placed on the desktop and there is a taskbar along the bottom edge of the screen. It allows direct access to Google Play Store, which means you can get instant access to all the apps you want. If you love to play Android games on the bigger screen of your computer, you will be happy to know that this emulator has been optimized for gaming.
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3. MEmu
MEmu is another great Android emulator you would love to have on your Windows PC. This emulator uses the Jellybean 4.2 Kernel but you can upgrade to Android lollipop. All you need to do is install some extra packages. MEmu is compatible with almost all the Windows PCs but works best on the newer computers, especially the ones with graphic cards. Thankfully, it is supported on all the AMD chipsets, which isn’t quite the case with Remix OS Player.
Just like Remix, it comes packed with Google Play Store pre-installed. This allows you to quickly download all the Android apps you would like to use on your PC. In case you are looking to side-load an app not available on Play Store, you can easily unpack and install the APK files saved on your computer’s hard drive. MEmu is a lightweight and functional Android emulator with loads of features. It does not have one of the recent Android versions, but still offers plenty to the users. MEmu is fee to download and use.
4. Nox App Player
Nox App Player is a relatively new Android emulator. But, in a very short span of time it has made its presence felt. Although Nox runs on the old KitKat version, just like BlueStacks, it offers better performance and more advanced functions. Nox App Player is a feature rich emulator and yet lightweight. It barely has any effect on the performance of your computer when it is running. The interface may look a little baffling in the beginning as it packs lots of feature at one place. But, once you have familiarised yourself to it, you may not want to use any other emulator.
Google Play Store is built in to Nox and thus getting the mainstream apps is incredibly easy. If you have an APK for a third-party app, just drag and drop it over the interface and let the emulator do rest of the installing. If you like to use rooted Android, there is a rooter version as well. All the iterations and variants are free of cost.
5. LeapDroid
LeapDroid is considered to be one of the most solid Android emulators of all times. LeapDroid has been officially discontinued. Google acquired the company and later shut its shops. But, this does not mean you cannot get it for your Windows PC. There are plenty of third-party sources from where you can download the installation files.
LeapDroid is an old emulator based on Android KitKat 4.0 (which was new when the emulator was launched). However, it is still one of the best options to gain access to Android ecosystem from your computer. Like the others on the list, it comes pre-installed with Play Store. It also lets you install the apps using the APK files saved on your hard drive. Since the emulator has been discontinued, do not expect any support from the developers. While it is a well designed program, it may still contain some bugs that have not been fixed and there have been no updates. And of course, it is free to download and use.
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6. Genymotion
Genymotion was primarily designed to be used by the Android developers but became popular among the personal users as well. It is a more advanced emulator, as you may have guessed already, since it is used by the developers. It requires you to turn on the virtualization technology in BIOs before you can use it. You will also need to install the most updated edition of VirtualBox to use Genymotion. Once you have downloaded it, simply create and account and start using the emulator.
One of the most amazing things about Genymotion is that you can install almost any version of Android on it. So, whether you wish to use the latest Nougat 7.0 or the old KitKat 4.4, you can get it all.
Genymotion has a free version for personal users. But, if you need it for commercial or development purposes, you will need to buy the premium version. The paid iteration of the app unpacks loads of advanced features. Genymotion is great for developers. If you are a casual user, you would rather want to use one of the other emulators on this list.
7. AMIDuOS
If you are looking for an advanced, feature-rich, developer friendly Android emulator, AMIDuOS is another option for you. Like the other advanced emulators, AMIDuOS requires you to enable the virtualization technology in BIOS. You also need to make sure your computer has Microsoft Net 4.0 or above.
There is one glaring problem with DuOS, especially if you want it for personal use. It does not support Google Play Store. Instead, it has built in Amazon App Store. When it comes to the collection of apps, Amazon’s Store is no match to Google Play Store. Of course this emulator lets you install the apps from the APKs. But, it might be quite a hassle. You will need to find the APK files for all the apps and download it on your PC. AMIDuOS is not free but it offers a 30 day trial. If truth be told, we would recommend you to use other emulators for personal use.
8. Andy
Andy is also a good option if you are looking for a fuss-free, minimal, and lightweight Android emulator. In fact, if you are used to BlueStacks but want a replacement, Andy could be a viable alternative. It offers quite satisfactory Android experience on your PC. It can run all the mainstream as well as third-party apps. It has a user friendly and easy to use interface. It is completely free of cost.
The only reason why it makes to the bottom of the list is because it is not as stable as the others. But, over time, it has become less problematic as compared to what it used to be once.
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At the initial stage, a big question arises to a gamer is ‘how to play mobile games on pc.’ The answer to this question is the Emulators. Let us have a basic knowledge of emulators first.
Emulator:
The emulator enables one computer system to behave just like another computer system. Emulators are used for running smartphone apps on PC. The apps from the store are installed on the emulator and can be accessed through the computer system. Android Emulators are used for developers testing apps as well as for gaming purposes. Let us now discuss some of the best android emulators for PC.
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Contents
- Top 9 Best Android Emulators for PC – Windows and Mac
Top 9 Best Android Emulators for PC – Windows and Mac
1. MEmu
MEmu is one of the best android emulators for PC. It was launched in 2015 and is purely used for gaming purposes. An exciting feature of MEmu is that it supports both Nvidia and AMD chips. The android emulator offers features that make an enjoyable gaming experience in PC. Its gaming performance is commendable, but the graphics performance is a bit upsetting. MEmo supports android versions like kit kat, Android jelly bean, and Lollipop. Being one of the best android emulators for PC, MEmo also enables virtualization for PC. The best thing about this android emulator is that it regularly releases updates to fix problems and add new features. It is free of cost; you don’t need to pay any amount for it.
Features:
- Allows key mapping for mobile gaming control needs
- Supports NVidia and AMD
- One can set the virtual location on google map
Minimum System Requirement:
- AMD, Intel, and NVidia CPU processor
- Windows XP/ 7/ 8/ 8.1/ 10
- Graphics driver – OpenGL 2.0
- Enabled hardware virtualization in BIOS
- Hard disk – 2GB free space ( minimum )
- System memory – 2GB ( minimum )
Link to download the android emulator:
2. Nox player
Nox player is one of the best android emulators for PC ( Windows and Mac ). It is specially designed for gaming purposes. Nox allows you to map keys of mouse, keyboard, and gamepad. For the best gaming result, You can specify the RAM and CPU usage. The android emulator is free of cost; you don’t need to pay any amount for it.
It also handles high FPS games without any breakage. One of the exciting features of the Nox player is that it supports screen record, which records a sequence of the main screen for later play. You can customize and optimize the controls and quality of graphics, respectively, if you feel so. Nox comes with a rooted version of Android that helps you to get full access to Android.
Features:
- Amazing user interface
- Mapping shortcuts
- Rooting is easy
- A single device supports multiple windows
Minimum System Requirements
- Windows XP/ 7/ 8/ 8.1/ 10
- DirectX 9.0C
- Dual-core processor ( Intel or AMD )
- Graphics driver – OpenGL 2.0 and above
- RAM – 1.5 GB
- Hard disk – 2.5 GB free space
Link to download the android emulator:
3. BlueStacks
Preferred for gaming, BlueStacks is the best android emulator for PC.The app is available on the play store, but you can also download it from its app store. BlueStacks is very easy to set up and is one of the oldest android emulators. It features keyboard mapping. A free version, as well as a paid version, is available. The paid version or premium version costs around $24. It is available for Windows and Mac. The user can play android games on mac as well. It has a correct mixture of graphics, processing, and power, which makes it the best android emulator for PC. As the app supports high graphics games, your system must have good specifications for running the app smoothly. It is currently running on the Nougat version. BlueStack runs android apps on mac very efficiently.
Features:
- It supports multiple accounts
- Easy to set up
Minimum System Requirements
- Windows 7/ 8/ 8.1/ 10
- AMD or Intel processor
- Updates graphics drivers
- RAM – 2GB ( minimum )
- Hard disk – 5GB free space
Link to download the android emulator:
4. GameLoop
GameLoop is purely for gaming purposes. Previously it was known as Tencent Gaming Buddy. It is one of the best android emulators for PC. The emulator only supported PUBG before the launch of Call of duty ( COD ). It has an easy user interface that has options like setting, installed apps, controls, etc. GameLoop is free of cost; you don’t have to pay any amount for it.
Features:
- Official partner of Call Of Duty
- Excellent keyboard mapping
- High performance
Minimum System Requirements
- Windows 7/ 8/ 8.1/ 10
- CPU processor – Dual-core ( Intel ), AMD ( 1.8Ghz )
- GPU – NVIDIA GeForce, AMD Radeon
- RAM – 3GB
- Storage – 2GB
Memu Android Emulator Mac
Link to download the android emulator:
Memu Android Emulator For Mac
5. KOPlayer
KOPlayer is a platform that is built on kernel technology. It supports OpenGL & hardware acceleration very efficiently. Some interesting features of KOPlayer are that it supports multiple user accounts, keyboard mapping, and screen recording. KOPlayer has a built-in GMS support which helps in functionality across different devices. It is free of cost; you don’t have to pay any amount for it. KOPlayer is one of the best android emulators for PC.
Features:
- Simple user interface
- Easy to set up
- Can be used in any android device
Minimum System Requirement
- Windows 7/ 8/ 8.1/ 10
- CPU processor – Intel or dual-core AMD
- Graphics driver – OpenGL 2.1
- RAM – 2GB
- Hard disk – 10GB free space
Link to download the android emulator:
6. Android Studio
The android studio is specifically used for developing android apps. With this app, you get a set of specially designed tools that helps you to test your app with different aspects. Android studio has its android emulator that is a bit complex. It is used for testing conditions like the battery, RAM, CPU, signal strength, etc. Features of Android studio includes real-time error detection, Layout tester, code editing, APK Analyzer, and more. It is not for gaming purposes. The android studio is an integrated development environment (IDE) for developing and testing the application. It is free to use; you don’t need to pay any amount for it. The app is difficult to set up but is very famous amongst the developers. It is one of the best android emulators for PC ( Windows and Mac ).
Features:
- Comes with regular updates
- It is the official emulator of google
Minimum System Requirements:
- Operating system – Windows, Linux, and Mac
- Monitor resolution – 1280 x 800 ( Minimum )
- RAM – 3GB
- Hard disk – 2GB
Link to download the android emulator:
7. Genymotion cloud
It is an ‘easy to set up’ online android emulator, which is used by the developers to test the app. Genymotion helps to run the app on the cloud as a virtual machine. Talking in a more specific manner, a Genymotion cloud is an android emulator that runs on SaaS or as a virtual image on GCP, AWS, Paas, etc. For using this android emulator, you just need to sign in and select an android machine to download and then emulate.
For conveniently using the Genymotion cloud, the basic requirements are updated browsers and great internet speed. The user interface of the Genymotion cloud is straightforward and easy to understand. This android emulator is not free to use. The basic pricing comes with two options – PaaS and SaaS. PaaS charges $0.5 per hour per device + fees of the cloud provider. SaaS charges $0.05 per minute per device. The Genymotion cloud is used both for gaming and development purposes. It is one of the best android emulators for PC.
Features:
- Offers a variety of tools for testing
- Easy to understand user interface
Minimum System Requirements
- Windows 7/ 8/ 8.1/ 10 , macOS 10.9 ( or above ) and Linux ubuntu 18.04 ( or above )
- Graphics drive – OpenGL 2.0 ( with video card )
- Intel HD Graphics 4000, Nvidia GeForce 500 Series, ATI Radeon HD 6000 Series
- Screen resolution – Greater than 1024 x 758
- Updated browser
- RAM – 2GB ( minimum )
- Hard disk – 100MB ( minimum )
Link to download the android emulator:
8. Remix OS Player
Remix OS Player is specifically used for gaming purposes. By this android emulator, you can map the buttons of your keyboard and use them as per your convenience. One of the main drawbacks of this android emulator is that it does not support AMD chipset. It also requires Enables virtualization in your BIOS settings. It is one of the best android emulators for PC. Remix OS Player has a simple and clean user interface, which makes it more convenient to use. An interesting feature of the Remix OS Player is that it allows the user to play multiple games at the same time. It is free of cost; you don’t need to pay any amount to use it. The android emulator runs the games on the latest version of your OS. It runs on Android Marshmallow. It is listed especially in the android emulator for windows.
Features:
- Keyboard mapping
- One can play multiple games at the same time
- Simple user interface
Minimum System Requirements:
- Processor – 2GHz ( dual-core )
- System memory – 2GB
- Hard drive – 8GB free ( minimum )
- Any updated graphics drive
Link to download the android emulator:
9. Andy
It is a powerful emulator with a simple user interface. We can consider it as one of the best android emulators for PC ( Windows and Mac ). An interesting feature of Andy is that it syncs all the devices that are connected. The plus point of having this feature is that the user does not need to transfer the game progress. The android emulator provides facilities like unlimited storage capacity, different OS compatibility, etc. The android emulator is free of cost; you don’t have to pay any amount for it.
Features:
- Syncs all the devices which are connected
- Runs a wide variety of apps
- Simple user interface
- Easy to set up
Minimum System Requirements:
- Windows 7/ 8.1
- Processor – Intel or AMD ( dual-core )
- Graphics drive – OpenGL 2.1
- RAM – 3GB
- Disk space – 10GB
Link to download the android emulator:
CONCLUSION
Here we can conclude that by using the above mentioned Android Emulators, one can run and play games on their Windows and Mac for free. These apps require specific system requirements too. The most characteristic feature amongst all the above android emulators is the Keyboard Mapping. This feature allows you to grant controls to particular keys of the keyboard. BlueStacks turns out to be the best android emulator for Windows and Mac. For developing apps, Android Studio is the best choice. The app provides features like real-time error detection.
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