Android emulators are considered technological blessings to many gaming buffs as they fulfill the dream of playing games on a widescreen.
Mobile phones have the downside of quick battery drain leading to short gaming sessions.
With Emulators, one can enjoy surplus hours of great Android experience with the luxury of a big screen.
Not just that, games played on desktops give the best visual experience. For all these reasons, people are flocking towards Android Emulators.
As there is a steady rise in popularity for emulators, there are heaps of applications available on the internet. You might be super puzzled about which one to opt for.
Want to run Android apps or games on Windows or Mac computers? Here are the 14 best free Android emulators for PC and Mac recommended to you.
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- Genymotion:Native:goo.gl/w7tmhq Droid4x:http://www.droid4x.com.
Hence, here we are with much gleaned and analyzed information about the top 10 Android Emulators in 2021. So without further ado, let’s get cracking:
GameLoop (Tencent Gaming Buddy)
Users are in awe of GameLoop (Tencent gaming buddy) as it is on a high pedestal for its fastest gaming experience. It is hailed as one of the best android emulators in the market.
Ever since the craze towards PUBG started, gamers were on the serious lookout for a near-perfect emulator.
This is because on a desktop you can see visuals clearly and it is super accurate to aim with the mouse than touch gestures on a smartphone.
GameLoop does that job pretty well and has become a hit among shooting game lovers.
Not just shooting games, other games like Free fire, Fortnite, Call of duty, etc. One also gets access to the google play store which enables users to experience non-gaming apps as well.
One of the pleasing features of GameLoop is the precise keymapping feature which creates a comfortable gaming environment for the users.
It also offers optimized graphics options for all games. On the whole, GameLoop is a premium gaming experience platform that satisfies all gamers to the fullest.
Official Website: GameLoop
Android Studio
There’s more to emulators as some are used for serious things like developing and testing Mobile Apps.
Android studio is one such best android emulators that are widely used by Android App developers.
It is also the official android testing App released by Google. One of the efficient features is you can launch Android SDK directly from Android studio.
Android Studio cannot be claimed as the fastest emulator but it comes with the best features for a developer.
It always features the latest Android version for its users to not miss out on any new updates. Not just Android Apps, the Android Studio Emulator supports Android wear apps like smartwatches.
It works well on high-end PCs but if you are owning a low-end one, you might face low-speed problems with Android studio. And it’s not the suitable one for gaming as it is explicitly made for development purposes.
Best features:
- Motion Editor helps greatly with managing animations and motion-related features.
- Layout inspector gives real-time LIVE info about the UI of the apps which greatly helps to find bugs and fix them in a jiff.
- Check the same screen on multiple devices with ease using the Layout validation option.
Official Website: Android Studio
Prime OS
Prime OS is not an android emulator exactly. We can say it is more of an Android Operating System and it is completely different from other emulators out there.
Prime OS acts as an OS wherein it replaces Windows OS and lets you operate in a completely Android mimicked environment.
It is one of the popular Web Android OS providers with a user base of 2 million. There are a large number of games available in the Gaming Centre for easy search and access.
Best features:
- Prime OS is not just limited to gaming and app development. It also houses streaming services, communication tools, and such.
- It comes with the same interface functions as that of windows which doesn’t make it alien from other platforms.
- You can use different apps simultaneously on a single screen allowing multitasking for customers.
- Simple and user-friendly emulator which gives ease to all its users.=
Prime OS gives a holistic Android experience without installing any Android Software. It is designed to give you a combined experience of Android and Desktop experience.
Official Website: Prime OS
Genymotion
Genymotion is an instant hit in the emulator market to the level that it is said to be on par with Google’s Android studio.
It is acclaimed for being one of the fastest emulators and it is primarily used for testing apps by developers and proves as one of the best android emulators.
Even shifted apps perform so well on Genymotion. The emulator uses OpenGL-capable graphics which gives it the capability to run the platform at a swift speed. It offers a pretty easy and simple installation process for the users to start with.
- It doesn’t consume much RAM which is a big relief for using it on low-end laptops.
- Genymotion easily adapts to Linux, Mac OS X, and windows.
- Name any device, Genymotion has. Its wide range of virtual devices is well-received among its users.
- It allows users to make mock-calls and mock-SMS features to check the interruption response of the apps.
- Most emulators receive backlash for being down after a few minutes of use. Not with Genymotion! One of the remarkable things about Genymotion is that it rarely crashes.
Genymotion has both free and paid versions. Even with freemium, users get a lot of benefits. The paid version comes with two options: indie (99 €) and business (299 €).
Official Website: Genymotion
ArChon
ArChon isn’t your regular Android Emulator. It is the first emulator that is officially available as a Chrome app.
Yes! You heard it right. Like any other chrome extension or app, you can easily download and access ArChon. Upon installing you’ll be able to run apps with ease on your desktop.
Best Features:
- It is lightweight and easy to use.
- Archon acclimatizes to Linux, Mac OS X, and windows easily.
- It is completely free of cost as it comes under Chrome.
- It provides access to the latest Android version.
This best android emulator falls more on a lighter side. If you just wanna experience basic android apps on a desktop screen, go for it.
Official Website: ArChon
NOX Player
NOX player is a great choice in the array of emulators for its top-notch performance.
It has made a name for its hassle-free interface for playing high-end games. It scores a lot over other Android emulators with its plethora of features.
Nox Player also bestows its users with 720p and 1080p resolution level graphics which makes the emulator truly immersive.
Best Features:
- Rooting is easy as pie compared to Bluestacks.
- It can be easily controlled by external outputs like keyboard, mouse, joysticks, etc.
- One of the riveting aspects of NOX Player is its multi-stance feature. You get the in-built keyboard, open multiple apps at one time and play games at your pace.
- The keyboard mapping feature in the NOX player does its job well.
- Gameplay optimizations on the NOX player are spot-on. This improves gaming performance in spades.
Even though you can run multiple apps, when the number exceeds four, obviously there’ll be trouble.
One drawback with Nox player is that it doesn’t support AMD systems. It is free and compatible with Windows and MAC.
Official Website: NOX Player
LDPlayer
LDPlayer is an up-and-coming emulator that is already hitting the ground running. It is also a gamer exclusive app with spell-bounding visuals with user-friendly interface.
Users profit off of it with a ton of features it offers. LDPlayer has made a name for being the best BGMI emulator in the emulator ecosystem.
If you are looking for a lightweight yet power-packed emulator, the LDPlayer is the perfect pick for your work as one of the best android emulators.
Best Features:
- LDPlayer adapts well in the Windows 10 OS while some emulators exude malfunctions in the same OS.
- It provides a separate app store for games.
- Virtualization technology improves gaming performance to the next level.
- Basic Apps also run flawlessly on LDPlayer.
- Like Nox player, it also allows multiple app usage at the same time. Many people like to browse through social media apps while gaming. LDPlayer even fulfills this wish for its users.
- Many Emulators are not compatible with Linux. But LDPlayer plays there as well.
- LDPlayer is a crash-resistant app as it withstands pretty complex situations remarkably.
- Experience an Ad-free gaming experience at absolutely zero cost with LDPlayer.
LDPlayer is a secured emulator which doesn’t allow any malware making it a safe emulator for its customers.
Official Website: LDPlayer
Bliss OS
Bliss OS is an open-source Operating System that brings in the whole Android environment conveniently on your desktop.
With this emulator, you can play games, browse apps, enjoy streaming sessions and also test apps for mobile app development. Bliss OS runs on desktops, mobile phones, and even on tablets.
Customization is where Bliss OS truly shines. It bestows users with lots of customization options according to the small and big screen.
The speed at which games and apps play out is spectacular on this emulator. It also focuses on energy-saving options while playing high-end games.
Like Windows OS, you can pin the frequently played apps on the taskbar and can group apps too. It is more like a normal OS and also has additional features too.
Official Website: Bliss OS
MEmu Player
Memu player is one of the finest apps in the emulator arena and it is likely here to stay because of its excellent performance.
One can play games and access daily life apps like Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc with Memu Player because this is one of the best android emulators available in the market.
It is often compared with Bluestacks and Memu player outshines it in most areas of comparison. It allows many keyboard shortcuts with its par excellence keymapping feature.
- You may be surprised to find that it works well on both AMD and Intel CPUs.
- The multi-stance feature lets you access two or more apps at the same time with high efficiency.
- It is very much compatible with the latest Android versions. You can even open separate windows with different android versions and run them simultaneously.
- It also adapts well on Windows 7 to the latest Windows 10 making it accessible for all user ranges.
- You can play games and browse apps on Memu player free of cost.
It is not Ad-free. So that might irk some of the Ad disliking users. Other than that, the Memu player makes a secured and powerful space for a web-based Android environment.
Official Website: MEmu Player
Bluestacks
Bluestacks has come a long way and is one of the oldest and popular Android Emulators in the industry.
It has always been the benchmark platform with which every emulator is compared and competed and has reserved a renowned place in the emulator ecosystem.
Many emulators come and go, Bluestacks is still in high regard as it pretty much upgrades every time and stands renewed with the new competitors. The latest version of Bluestacks is Bluestacks 5 which was released in Feb 2021.
Andyroid
Best Features:
- Users can log in with their Google account to begin on Bluestacks.
- It has an enormous number of apps loaded since it is the popular emulator out there.
- Bluestacks sports minimalistic UI offering a clean and elegant interface to use so it is also one of the best android emulators.
- It gives up to 100+ FPS even on low-end PCs so that even a low-resolution monitor can also give some super-duper gaming experience.
- With Bluestacks 5, you can experience a smoother gaming experience than ever. Even the most complex and demanding games were also played with ease on Bluestacks.
- Bluestacks supports lengthy gaming sessions with utmost stability throughout the time.
- Eco Mode feature on Bluestacks helps in low resource consumption that is 87% less CPU consumption and to stay stable during multiple gaming experiences.
- It is a robust emulator that keeps malware or viruses at Bay. You can trust Bluestacks and have a secured gaming experience.
It is an out-and-out free emulator that offers countless features and a big App library.
Some users complain of memory hogging and crashing all of a sudden on Bluestacks. Many low-end PCs and middle-range PCs often face this scenario.
Official Website: Bluestacks
Guide to using Best Android Emulators:
- Before using any Android Emulator, enable the virtualization option in the BIOS section for optimized performance.
- You can remap and set the desired keyboard shortcuts using the keymapping feature. This feature is available in most emulators.
- Always use a backup email account and never the main email to save yourself from any security issues like data breaches or malware. Not all emulators are secured. So it’s better to be on the safer side by using a secondary account.
- Though one can run emulators on low-end PCs, for an efficient emulator experience, 8 GB RAM is recommended.
Conclusion
With this, we have come full circle with a wide range of emulators for all budget ranges.
We hope this will help you to select the best Android emulator and our practical points would help you along the way.
You might think this title contrary. In the first place if a person prefers iOS over Android, then they simply get an Apple device or vice versa. So where does getting an Best Android Emulators for Mac fit in in all this?
Well there are many reasons why you might want to get a best Android emulators for Mac. The first being that you recently transferred from Android to iOS and are now missing out on some solely android apps. The other reasons is that you’re an app developer and are looking for ways to debug your apps. There are a lot of options out there, some of which you might already have tried out and hated. They may or may not have come bundled with Android Studio. Whatever the case may be we have a list of best Android emulators for Mac. These emulators not only work well with Mac but are also faster that your default Android Emulator.
Bluestacks as one of the best Android emulators for Mac:
This is one emulator everyone has probably heard of. Plus it is easy to install too. You simply download it onto your mac and install it and you’re done. There’s no need for further set up. Bluestacks automatically connects to the network that your Mac connected to. It also comes with an in- built Play Store. So as soon as you install it you can begin to install apps from it. If you happened to have apk app files on your Mac you can also double click on it to get the app downloaded onto Bluestacks. Hence there is no tension of transferring files from APK to the emulator.
Android App Emulator For Pc
Besides all that, this Android emulator for Mac allows users to live stream to Twitch. This makes it easier for gamers to live stream their gaming to their twitch followers. Besides that it also supports non- gaming apps too. So you can install your favorite chat apps on Bluestacks and chat with friends and family directly from your Mac.
There’s also the feature of multi- tasking that Android supports that you can get on the emulator too. At present this is the best of the best Android emulators for Mac.
Nox App Player:
This emulator gives you wide support for gaming. You can drag and drop parts in a game much like a joystick would allow. This is similar to what you have in games like PUBG and Garena Free Fireand other FPS games. Besides applying controls to the apps you can also customize the performance settings of the emulator as well. Besides that you can even designate how much RAM or CPU Cores you would like your android applications to take up.
Android Emulator For Pc
You can even customize the resolution as well as use the in- built recorder to record what’s on the screen of your virtual Android device. You can download android apps by side loading APK files with the inbuilt option. This makes this app not only useful but also one of the more preferred Android emulators for Mac.
Genymotion as one of the best Android emulators for Mac:
The emulator mainly geared to developers. Genymotion emulates nearly 40 different types of Android devices and gives you access to almost all versions of Android. Also it allows for unlimited downloads of android apps. The emulator also connects to the macOS ecosystem. This means that you can use you mac’s camera without setting up an additional one.
The emulator features are such as to cater to developers and their work. So it comes with features such as Eclipse, Android SDK tools and Android Studio. Via the emulator you can also change up battery levels to check the response of you app to various battery levels.
The emulator also holds support for multi touch, and other sensors like accelerometer and gyroscope. You can even get unlimited screen casts. This allows for smooth recordings of videos.
MuMu Player:
Android Emulator Download
This emulator is great for both Android apps as well as games. The only downside to this app is that it is in Chinese. However this is not an insurmountable problem as you can change the language to English by going to Settings of the Virtual Android Machine. Just like in other emulators you can assign controls by dragging and dropping them over buttons. You can also designate how much RAM you want consumed by the emulator much like other emulators.
To better control the interface, each app comes in a new tab thus eliminating the need for a recents button. However you can install a custom button on the top to enable the feature. If Getting around Chinese is something you can do, then this emulator becomes an excellent option for an Android emulator for Mac.
Andy for light Android Apps:
Free Android App Emulator
This Android emulator is great for testing light Android apps. You get the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen with toggles for microphone access, screen rotation, keyboard controls and the hamburger menu. But as mentioned earlier this emulator is great for light weight apps such as messaging ones. Not so much for others.
Android App Emulator For Mac Pro
Andy does have some set- backs such as it comes with bloatware and not a lot of options to customize a person’s experience. Another major let down with this emulator is that it runs only the old Android 4.2.2 Jellybean which means only the basic of apps will work with this emulator.
The only positive with this app is that it can be navigated using the keyboard which is something the other Android emulators for Mac cannot do.
These are some of the best Android emulators for Mac that we’ve covered. Some are meant for basic use like Andy while others allow you to do more. There are options to suit you if you’re a developer or simply someone one who wants to enjoy Android on iOS. These emulators also enable you to run multiple instances of an app on different devices too.