Do you want Android to run on your PC? An Android emulator is required for this purpose. As Android has become more and more popular, emulator popularity has also grown. In this article, we are. Android emulator on Mac M1 You’re now watching this thread and will receive emails when there’s activity. Click again to stop watching or visit your profile/homepage to manage your watched threads.
Android Emulators are used for various purposes. Ready to use the Best Android emulator that acts as a target device to execute and test our applications of an android device. The Best Android emulator provides almost all the functions of a simple gadget. It moreover states the location of the gadget and re-enacts the distinctive speed of the network. It even accesses the Google Play store, and much more. There are so many emulators available on the internet. However, a lot of them do not function well.
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Contents
- 1 Best Android Emulators in 2020
- 2 Frequently Asked Questions
Best Android Emulators in 2020
Here are the top 7 hand-picked Android Emulators currently available in the market which you can use for both iOS and Android. So, let’s get started.
1. Bluestacks
BlueStacks is one of the most potent emulators of all Android emulators. It works well with both Mac and Windows. It even gets real-time upgrades and works truly well. This emulator is mainly designed for gaming enthusiasts. It has numerous functions that make it superior. BlueStacks upscale its speed up to 6-8 times compared to its past adaptation, which is the speed of the major portable device. Its most recent version runs on a 64-bit processor of Android 7.1.2, which progresses the accuracy, and productive memory utilization.
Features:
- Supports keyboard mapping
- Runs on a 64-bit version of android 7.1.2
- Preset game controlling
- Replicate real-time action in multiple instances
- Allows the usage of several languages
- Smart control features
Pros:
- Easy to use for beginners
- Supports multiple accounts
- Offers high frame rates
- HD graphics
- Greater storage
Cons:
- Not suitable for devices with less RAM
2. Game Loop
GameLoop is one of the Best Android Emulators designed specifically for gamers. It came to the market with the name Tencent Gaming Buddy. The emulator can be downloaded effectively, and the games run very well. But, this emulator isn’t great for efficiency and development testing. This can be a completely reasonable conventional gaming emulator, and it facilitates a good collection of more up-to-date titles. The keyboard navigation and execution are pretty good.
Features:
- Supports multiple languages
- Equipped with an anti-cheat feature
- Selection of variable screen size
- Customizable graphic levels
- Compatible with Windows software
- Allows video streaming from two main channels-Nimo and nonolive
Pros:
- Easy installation
- Better visibility and observation
- Resist hacks and frauds
- Immersive gaming experience
- Customizable keyboard feature
- Avoid malware and viruses
Cons:
Lacks appropriate gaming titles
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3. Memu Play
MEmu is another Android emulator, which is a well-known platform for gamers. One of the most apparent highlights is that it underpins both AMD and Intel chipsets. Most of the developers particularly consider AMD’s stage. It is quite similar to BlueStacks and such emulators. Its later modification includes smooth key-mapping together with the regular execution enhancements and bug fixes. It even runs impressively with various Android versions like Android Jam Bean, Pack Kat, and Candy.
Features:
- Supports AMD & Intel chipsets
- Allows multiple interfaces at a time
- Facilitates key-mapping
- Supports various languages
Pros:
- Well-designed interface
- Easy installation
- Provides powerful performance
- Multiple Android-kernels support
- Customizable settings
Cons:
- Sometimes it may have some bugs.
4. Genymotion
Genymotion is the kind of Android emulator that you should not miss out on. It functions really well with most of the Android apps and games, and with the most recent adaptation of the Android, it supports most of the latest apps and diversions. This emulator might have some bugs and issues, but they are fixable. It is compatible with Android Studio as well and also contains a great-looking interface. You will definitely appreciate your time on Genymotion.
Features:
- Provides plugins for Eclipse and Android Studio
- Available on Windows, OS X, and Linux also.
- Drag and drop installing feature
- Allow Android 2.3, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4 emulations.
- Multi-touch interaction
- Compatible with Android SDK and Android Studio
Pros:
- Robust Environment
- Appealing design and interface
- Upgraded features like OpenGL and Hardware Acceleration function
- Faster than other android emulators (based on x86 architecture)
Cons
- Allows the users to install and configure VirtualBox separately
- Not equipped with Google applications.
- The free version is very limited.
5. Android Studio
Android Studio is another excellent Android emulator for Android applications. It provides users with a lot of tools that aid the developers in creating their apps and diversions, particularly for Android gadgets. It moreover gives a built-in emulator, which is used to check whether your app starts faster or not. But mainly, the developers use this emulator for gaming purposes. The design of the Android Studio emulator is very confusing, especially for beginners. It even supports Kotlin and is great for developers.
Features:
- Rich layout editor
- Supported by Google
- Based on the well-functioning IntelliJ IDEA
- Built-in powerful Gradle tool
- Compatible with Linux, Windows, and Mac
- Allows GPU tracking feature
- Real-time regular updates
- Android debug bridge
Pros:
- Ability to test tons of API calls
- Automatic and replaceable references
- Extremely fast as compared to the previous versions
- Provides excellent support to integrate Google services
- Simulates the rotation and hardware sensors
- Support multiple devices
- 24/7 Google support
Cons:
- Uses a lot of memory
- Connectivity issues
- Sluggish on ARM version
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6. Bliss OS
Bliss OS is not like other android emulators. Rather, it is unique. This android emulator functions as an Android emulator for PC, which uses a virtual machine. Like a virtual machine, the downloading method turns out to be much simpler, but boring and conventional in case you never created your own virtual machine before. But, it’ll easily run on your device through a USB stick. However, the USB installation process might be a little cumbersome, but it lets your device run Android natively from the boot.
Features:
- Based on Android-x86
- Features AOSP Launcher 3
- Compatible with Linux and Android
- Offers multiple gamepads
- Additional security features
- Customizable settings
Pros:
- Robust performance
- User-friendly interface
- Tune battery consumption to an optimal level
- Aided with a desktop styled taskbar launcher
- Support ARM virtualization
- Fully open-source
Cons:
- Fewer features to support hardware.
- Not equipped for power users.
7. KO Player
KOPlayer is an Android gaming emulator that was mainly designed to deliver a free gaming thrill with a lightweight program. Due to its free availability, it has plenty of advertisements and pop-ups. It comes with keyboard mapping and gamepad emulation. It is based on x86 architecture, comes with advanced functions like OpenGL and hardware acceleration, which makes it more compatible than the other emulators. Moreover, this emulator may be a little buggy and makes it troublesome for the client to download the Android emulator on your device.
Features:
- Allows Multiple accounts
- Equipped with video-recording features
- Offers gamepad and key-mapping
- Compatible with a lot of applications
- Supports OpenGL and hardware acceleration
Pros:
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- Inbuilt android marketplace
- Faster performance
- Infused with incredible video recording features
- Easy installation
Cons:
- Ad-supported
- Control mapping might be complicated for beginners.
- Sometimes the app may not run smoothly.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is an android emulator? What does it do?
The Android Emulator simulates Android gadgets on your device so simply you can test your application on a wide array of gadgets and Android API levels without requiring to have each physical device. The emulator facilitates nearly all of the capabilities of a simple Android gadget.
You can simulate incoming calls and text messages. It indicates the location of the device, simulates distinctive network speeds, simulates rotation and other equipment sensors, allows access to Google Play Store, and serves many different purposes. For instance, you may transfer data instantly to the emulator instead of a device connected over USB.
Furthermore, testing android applications on emulators progress the speed and efficiency of the activity more than doing it on the real device. The Android emulator facilitates predefined configurations for some Android phones, Wear OS, tablets, Android TV devices.
2. What is the minimum requirement for the successful installation of Best Android Emulators on a device?
The Android Emulator includes additional requirements apart from the basic system requirements for Android Studio which are as follows:-
- SDK Tools 26.1.1 or even higher
- 64-bit processor
- Requires Windows- CPU with UG (unrestricted guest) support
- HAXM 6.2.1 or later (like HAXM 7.2.0 or more)
3. Which Android emulator is best for a very low-end PC?
Android Emulators usually require a lot of space to function smoothly. There are various lightweight android emulators suitable for PCs with two or 4GB of RAM and a below-average video card available on the internet like MEmu for gaming, Nox Player for multitasking and productivity. However, they might not be suitable in case of heavy usage. Preferably, in that case, Android Emulators like Bluestacks is highly recommendable as it requires PCs to be at least 8GB RAM, 32GB Free storage space, 4GB Graphic card to run nicely.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, it can be said that all the emulators bring something unique and distinctive in themselves. Some are a little easier to operate while others are a bit complex and may even require the use of tutorials. But all of these emulators serve your purpose pretty much. The best android emulators in 2020 stated above are all that a user, especially a gamer ever wanted, because it brings tons of exciting features with itself. Now, I would end my statement by stating that Android Studio is the best featured on our list. However, some of them are free while others are paid, but they all are well-equipped with impressive functionality.
Emulators are a good way to test the Android OS on your computer. With an Android emulator, you can test apps, features and tweaks without the worry of messing up your smartphone’s software.
Developers use Android emulators on both Mac and Windows to ensure that their apps do not have bugs or glitches before sending them to the Google Play Store. There are the best Android emulators for both Mac & Windows.
Best Android Emulators For PC/Windows
Android Studio Emulator
Google recommends Android Studio Emulator as one of the best emulators for app development. That is, if you want to run Android apps on your PC, this is a good start.
- Choose from multiple APIs.
- Easy setup and low learning curve.
- The emulator is free.
- Google officially supports it.
But, if you’re not a developer, then there are other Android emulators for Windows that caters to the regular folk like you and I.
Bluestacks 3
Bluestacks 3 let’s you run Android on your PC and it one the oldest and most reliable emulators available.
- Simple interface.
- Easy to use.
- Bluestacks 3 supports most apps on Google Play Store or otherwise.
- Run multiple instances of apps.
- Adjust keys to suit your needs.
It’s user friendly. Hence, even if you are not tech savvy, you can get by. There is a free version and a paid version.
I use Bluestacks mostly for playing games. I can access all the games on the Play Store and play them on my Windows 10 PC. There’s even a nice selection of games that don t need WiFi.
Andy
Andy is an emulator for Windows that can run any and all Android apps. Moreover, it has support for root access. So, for apps that need it, it’s as simple as a click.
Remix OS Player
As one of the first Android simulators for Windows that ran Android Marshmallow, Remix OS Player is great for both testing apps and for casual gaming.
But, the only drawback is that it does not support AMD Chipsets. It works with Windows 7 (64-bit) and above.
AMIDuOS
AMIDuOS claims to be the fastest Android emulator to run Android on Windows.
There claim isn’t far off. AMIDuOS really is fast. For now, it runs Lollipop or JellyBean (both paid). But, there is a free trial.
- Test your apps for bugs (developers).
- Unlimited installation of Android applications.
- Light on system resources.
As of writing, AMIDuOS has been discontinued. As, I had already purchased the software, I still have access. However, for new users, please use an alternative.
Virtual Box
If you ever wanted to build your very own emulator from scratch, then Virtual Box lets you do just that.
Android Studio Emulator Mac M1
The learning curve is high. And, if you are not already accustomed to building your own OS, then, this software is not for you.
However, there are lots of guides online and if you’re determined to learn to code and build your own OS on the emulator, then you can give it a try.
MEmu
This emulator allows you to play Android games on PC with ease. It’s easy to install. Easy to set up. And, best of all, it’s free.
Genymotion
Archon Emulator
This emulator emulates the Android OS from 4.1 to 6.0. For most common fold, this may seem trivial. But, for a developer, it’s always good to know how your apps work on different versions of Android.
Xamarin
Xamarin now belongs to Microsoft. And it is a cross-platform emulator that can emulate the Android OS. It’s good for developers and gamers alike and is free for personal use.
Nox Player
This is another free emulator that prioritize games. It even goes a step forward and lets you use a gaming controller to play your favorite Android games.
Android Studio Emulator M1 Mac Os
Windroy
Windroy is an emulator that works just as well on older PCs as well as new PCs. It’s not so good for gaming. Better to use an alternative on the list for that.
Android Studio Emulator Not Working Mac M1
But, for productivity, it checks out. It can run most of the office apps without an issue.
Also, in Windroy, you won’t find Google Play, the Android’s app store. To run applications, you have to download the APK file, and put it
Droid4X
Droid4X focuses mainly on Android games. Hence, it’s not the best option for other purposes. On the bright side, the emulator is free to use. There are a few glitches here and there so don’t expect a smooth ride.
Best Android Emulators For Mac
ARChon
ARChon is a web-based emulator and thus works on Mac and other platforms. It comes in the form of a Google Chrome extension.
It’s free to use and has instructions on how to use it readily available. All you need is the APK file for your app or game.
Droid4X
Droid4X is also a good Android emulator for Mac. However, as mentioned, it’s more for people wanting to play Android games on their MacBooks.
Conclusion
These are some of the best Android emulators for both Windows PC and Mac. Feel free to try them out or try out the free trials for the paid ones.
Most work great. And, some are better at gaming than others. There are also emulators that work best for developers. There’s one for every need.