You don’t always need an Android device to try out an Android game or PC. Thanks to the open source nature of Android, it is possible to run Android on your PC. And this does not need to be a native install; all you need to do is use an Android emulator to be able to run Android on your PC without much of a hassle.
Android emulators allow you to test your apps and games before you release them on the Google Play Store. You can also use them to get a taste of Android in case you have never used the OS previously. Whatever the reason might be, we have got you covered in your quest to find the best Android emulators for PC. Check out some of our recommendations below. Do note that none of the emulators below right now have been updated for Nougat, with most of them only allowing you to emulate Android 5.1 Lollipop on your PC.
Genymotion
If you are an Android developer looking for an Android emulator to test your app or game, Genymotion is for you. By far the most popular Android emulator among developers, Genymotion comes with a number of features to help you in your testing. This includes being able to simulate 3000+ device configurations with support for over 40 Android devices, advanced automation options, and collaboration features. The emulator also allows you to test how your app behaves and performs at various battery levels, and it even lets you use your laptop’s webcam as a camera source for the Android camera app. What makes Genymotion even better that it is compatible with Android SDK, Eclipse, and Android Studio to make your life easier.
Genymotion is available for all three major PC platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux. At $136 for a yearly license for 2 people with access to only basic features though, Genymotion can turn out to be a bit expensive. The company also offer a free version of their emulator with only basic development tools for individual users.
BlueStacks
BlueStacks is among the most popular Android emulators for PC, if not the most popular. The emulator also comes with the ability to directly stream on Twitch or Facebook Live to make your gaming experience even better. BlueStacks is the most polished emulator in this list, and it also comes with its own custom Torque launcher, BlueStacks account, and more. BlueStacks also comes with its own App Store where developers can upload their own apps to get exposure to millions of users.
BluStacks also has a wide user base community that will readily help you with any problem that you might run into with your emulator. BlueStacks is available for Windows and macOS based PCs. If you want the most hassle-free experience with ready support, BlueStacks is the emulator to list from this roundup. Its performance might not be as good as Droid4x or Andy, but it more than makes up for it with its stability.
Droid4x
This lightweight emulator might seem similar to other emulators at first glance, but it sets itself apart with a controller app. The controller app can be installed on your smartphone and allows you to use it to control certain aspects of the Android emulation running on your PC. So, for example, you can use your Android smartphone as a controller for games running inside the Droid4x emulator on your PC.
Droid4x also boasts about its performance which does seem to be slightly better than other Android emulators out there, but you are likely to run into some stability issues with it every once in a while.
➤ Droid4x
Andy
Andy is a completely free to use Android emulator that works on macOS as well as Windows. It comes with multi-touch support, OpenGL hardware support, Xbox/PS controller support, keyboard mapper, and more — all for free. Similar to Droid4x, Andy also comes with a companion smartphone app that you converts it into a controller for apps and games running on Andy on your PC. The app will also provide you push notifications for updates on the Andy emulator running on your PC. You can also use the 1ClickSync Application in Andy to automatically sync all the apps on your phone to your PC.
What makes Andy a must-try is its free price tag and the plethora of functionality that it offers along with it.
➤ Andy
KoPlayer
If you are looking for an Android emulator for your PC to only play games, KoPlayer is what you should try. The emulator’s performance has been optimised for games, so you can easily play demanding games like Asphalt 8 and Asphalt Xtreme on your PC without any performance hiccups.
KoPlayer comes with Google Play Store baked in, so you can directly download games from the Play Store as well. The emulator also lets you run multiple emulations at the same time, which only a few other emulators allow you to do.
➤ KoPlayer
MEmu
MEmu is another Android emulator for PC that boasts about its gaming performance. The emulator is compatible with all versions of Windows beginning with Windows 7 and supports all the latest chips and graphics cards from Intel, AMD, and nVidia. Similar to KoPlayer, you can run multiple instances of MEmu to run multiple Android apps or games at the same time. The emulator also supports keyboard, mouse, and Xbox/PS controllers. Like with other emulators on this list, MEmu only provides emulation support for Android 5.1.1 Lollipop, with no word on when Marshmallow or Nougat emulation will be available.
➤ MEmu
Remix OS Player
Remix OS Player Android emulator comes from the team behind Remix OS for PC. It is also the only emulator in this list as of now that provides Marshmallow emulation without any deal-breaking bugs. Unlike other emulators, the UI of Remix OS Player has been optimised to make it more PC friendly. Based on the Android Studio technology, Remix OS has been optimised for app development and gaming performance. Besides coming with a one-click setup, Remix OS Player is also completely free to use which is an added bonus.
The only bummer with Remix OS is its high system requirements. The emulator requires at least a Core i3 processor at the very minimum with 8GB storage. It also does not have support for AMD chipsets.
Which is your Android emulator of choice? And why? Drop a comment and let us know!
