If you are looking for the Android Emulators for Windows PC, then we have just the right guide for you. Android Emulators let you install and run Android Apps on Windows. You can even play Android Games on Windows with Android Emulators. A list of 15 best Android Emulators for windows with download links!
Emulators are not one of the fanciest of topics discussed between ‘techy peers’ but custom ROMs are. If you ended up on this topic and do not know what are emulators then we can get you educated in this post. Some of them confuse with custom ROMs and emulators but both are totally different from each other. Android emulators enable your Windows PC to behave like another computer system which is Android in this case.
Android Emulators For Windows PC
There are multiple uses for emulators. One of the main reason why users go wild about Emulators is that of the functional capability in gaming. Literally, you can turn your Windows PC into a retro gaming console. Playing multiplayer games on smartphones is usually a tough job just by using the touchscreen. Emulators provide an extra edge which feels like you have extra hands. Adding mouse and keyboard in Android games can take you to another level.
Before going deep into the topic you should better know the pros and cons of the topic.
Pros
- Emulators are totally legal and Google even accepts some of the emulator projects from third-party vendors.
- Android emulators potentially enable better graphics quality than the original device.
- Running Android on windows ca enable additional features such as larger display, mouse, and keyboard.
- Emulators maintain the genuine behavior of the Android experience.
- Most of the Emulators are developed and released under the General Public License as open source.
- Emulators can potentially give new features to the PC such as the possibility to test the applications on a PC without going for a new Android device.
Cons
- Emulators always need better hardware than the original system already possess.
- Not all emulators are free of cost.
- Even some paid emulators do not work as smooth as advertised.
Prerequisites
- Windows enabled PC (Windows version as specified by the Emulator developers).
- For some emulators to work, the ‘Virtualization Technology’ in the PC BIOS settings.
- Some of the specified emulators do not work with AMD chipset devices.
- Some of the emulators are paid ones. So it requires online banking to buy the application from the authorized sites mentioned in the post.
Best Android Emulators For Windows PC
Here’s a list of 15 best Android Emulators for Windows PC
1. AMIDuOS
AMIDuOS is one of the most downloaded emulators that are available. This is a new and updated version. The AMIDuOS comes in two versions, one of Android JellyBean and another is Android Lollipop. Even though both perform same the price is different. The Jellybean version costs $15 and Lollipop cost little less that is $10. The charge is for the lifetime access to the software so that you don’t have to pay for future updates. AMIDuOS concentrates mainly on productivity than gaming. For those who focus more on games, there are better options. But that doesn’t make them totally incapable of gaming and less productive purposes. The fact is that AMIDuOS is better for office works or homework. For developers, AMIDuOS is a good option because it can be used for hardcore testing and developments.
2. Android Studio Emulator
Google has approved the development of emulator software. Android Studio emulator is one among them. If you are a developer and wish to test the apps along with emulations then you should definitely go for Android Studio Emulator. But if you are one among the gamers or a typical general emulator user then Android studio emulator something you shouldn’t try. The software is available as a free version. The setup and install process will take a while it’s probably complicated if you are not an expert.
3. Andy
Andy is a free emulator which had prior releases with some complications. But the updations made them act as a replacement for software like Bluestacks. Andy can reflect the entire Android experience through its interface, this includes launchers, productivity apps, games, and even root access can be emulated using Andy. There is a balance between the apps and games that can be emulated. Neither of them is better than the other. Andy is compatible both for Windows and Mac. It is a free version available for Windows. The emulator works well with Windows and the issues might arise while setting up the system and installation.
4. ARChon
ARChon is one of the most complex emulators that are available for Windows. It is also available for both Mac and Linux. ARChon is unique and it is one of its kind. The installation process itself it so hard and complex for a general user. First, you will have to download and install Google Chrome. Then you have to download ARChon as an extension for Google Chrome. To make the apk compatible you again will have to download some additional files. Before signing up for ARChon you should consider all these hurdles and still you are okay with then you can try the unique Emulators ever available.
5. LeapDroid
Leapdroid was acquired by Google. It was then shut down gradually by Google. Officially Leapdroid i is a dead project but it is listed in among the top five in this post is because of the performance the emulator delivers. The reason why the project is shut down is currently unknown. But the software is available from unofficial sources. It is one of the most downloaded emulators and it can be used for both gaming and testing. It works better for productivity-based operations.
6. Bluestacks 3
Bluestacks is the most famous among the emulators. It is compatible with both Windows and Mac. At the beginning of Android emulator blooming, Bluestacks was the one which offers the smoothest experience among all other emulators. Bluestacks had two earlier versions and it wasn’t the best. The glitches from those versions were fixed in the new version that was released in 2017. But the emulator is still in its alpha stage where a lot of issues has to be fixed. The main feature that is promised by the Bluestack 3 developers is the gaming experience. Games works smoothly with the emulator and you can even play multiple at once. The emulator is quite bloated and for gamers, you can try this one and if you focus on productivity a cleaner one should be preferred. The continuous updates make the emulator top in priority list amongst the users. Recently there was a new update to Nougat.
7. Droid 4x
Droid 4x is one of the simplest of emulators. The designs are minimalistic and it is highly useful for starters. The operations are less complex compared to the other emulators. Droid 4x officially claims that their software is mainly for gamers and it was well-received by the gaming community. The Droid 4x not only focuses on gaming but also in productive functions. Droid 4x is not the most stable emulator you can get on the market, but we suggest this particular software because it is very less complex if you are a starter.
8. Genymotion
Genymotion is a free emulator that offers its service mostly for the developers. The main highlight is the feature that allows the user to test multiple android devices without physically owning them. The different devices with its different Android versions are available in its in-built library. This process is very helpful for developers in testing bugs in devices they cannot access at the moment. Genymotion is clearly not for general users.
9. KoPlayer
Koplayer is another top free emulators that are available in the market. It is mainly for gamers. The gamers can record and upload the gameplay whenever they want. This feature enables users especially YouTube live streamers or gamers to upload their content to the web. The KoPlayer offers easy to use gaming controls and keyboard mapping for touch. It supports eternal gamepad and also fake GPS for users. If you want a gaming-friendly emulator we suggest you go for KoPlayer. The issue with KoPlayer is that there are no continuous updates from its developers. As a result, the emulator is still buggy and crashes are experienced by the users.
10. MEmu
MEmu is a powerful emulator based on Android Lollipop. The emulator comes with Android jellybean out of the box. To get updated to Lollipop version then you will have to download external packages. MEmu is compatible with chipsets like Intel and Nvidia. It is also compatible with AMD based Windows PC too. Since the MEmu comes pre-installed with Google Play Store, you can easily download applications directly from your PC and use it. If you find applications interesting you can also transfer it to the phone directly via the USB cable. The emulator enables the user to open apk files anywhere in the PC to work directly with the MEmu emulator. It supports features like Keyboard mapping, Full-screen option, kill-process tools, screen record, stream option and more.
11. Nox Player
Nox player delivers great performance in emulation. Nox Player comes as rooted right out of the box which helps the developers furthermore to push the limits. It is based on Android 4.4 KitKat version. It is possible to control the core allocation and RAM allocation for Nox player in the Windows PC. There are two graphics rendering modes which are Direct X or Open GL if you experience any compatibility issues. Nox comes with support for Google Playstore and you can simply drag the apk right into the emulator and install them. The feature like Script record enables the user to record any activity on the screen for either analysis or to upload. The Nox player supports keyboard mapping.
12. Remix OS Player
Remix OS player is a version based on Android x86 project. It is a free emulator that is based on Android Marshmallow. The main thing you have to note is that Remix OS Player is not compatible with AMD chipset PCs. You will also have to enable Virtualization Technology in the BIOS settings of your PC. It supports Google Play store so that application install is never a tiresome process. Using Remix OS Player you can easily manage more than two apps simultaneously. It basically promotes gaming and also works well in productivity functions. Remix OS player supports keyboard mapping.
13. Xamarin
Xamarin is similar to Android studio. It is an IDE. The Xamarin can be connected on to Microsoft visual studio. It is a feature that no other emulators offer. Xamarin is good for personal use and a team or company has to buy the product for commercial purposes. For personal users, Xamarin is totally free of cost. It can be used both in gaming and for productivity applications. It is one of the emulators that contain very fewer bugs and glitches. The Xamarin is updated regularly.
14. YouWave
YouWave was one of the main players while the early ages of emulator releases. Its latest update was in 2016. It is not the best-updated emulator but the performance is stable. There are two versions available. One is based on Android Icecream Sandwich which is free of cost and another is based on Lollipop version and this is not free. The Lollipop version costs about $29.99. It doesn’t focus mainly on games but the games can be played in YouWave. It is basically a standard emulator with classical features. The Emulators installation processes are simple. The UI is minimalistic.
15. Xe Player
Xe Player is the fastest in all the emulators mentioned in this post. It is specially built for Windows 10. It has one-click Root settings pre-installed and also it supports keyboard mapping. It is compatible with devices of low hardware specifications makes it unique. It can be used for both Gaming and general-purpose or testing.
Final Thoughts
Those were our picks for the best Android Emulators for Windows PC. Always be sure to download this kind of software from trusted sources and always have an anti-virus installed. It is important to note here that some of the Android Emulators listed above are Paid. But do not worry, they offer a free trial. If you really like them, then you can go ahead and purchase them.
So, what do you think is the best Android emulator for Windows PC? Did we miss the one that you use? Do you have a better recommendation? Do let us know in the comments below!
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