- 3 Best Android Emulator For PC (Windows and Mac OS).
- Im not sure whats going on but I started a project today and my emulator started going very slow like 3 minutes waiting slow and when I press a.
- The main drawback that hit me is Android Emulator. When we setup Android Studio, it straight away hit us with the below message. Recollecting the days where Android Emulator is too slow to.
- Although the HAXM reports to be working, as shown below: accel: 0. HAXM version 6.2.1 (4) is installed and usable. When I disable the acceleration the emulator works, but as expected, extremely slow. I have the VT-d disabled in the BIOS and Intel Virtualization Technology enabled. I also found the reason for the black screen.
Lates & Best - 5 Android Emulators available for Mac Os/Macbook, which are easy to use, powerful and faster in operation too. Updated latest in July 2018.
Android Emulator for PC like Windows & Mac, is software that allows a PC to create an Android environment to run Android Applications. And the Best Android Emulators for PC are listed here in this article.
About Android OS
The Android OS is a pretty great Operating System that encompasses all the features that are needed by a smartphone and also provide users with amazing access to their mobile device’s features.
With Android Operating System, users can install 3rd party applications on their smartphone and also install a new UI system if they desire it. Users can fully customize the display and functions of their smartphones.
This level of customization is even greater than the one found in the iOS devices as iOS users cannot install 3rd party apps that are not on the Apple pay store and they are unable to change the UI. All these factors are why people decide to create an Android Simulator for PC and not an iOS Simulator.
What is an Android Emulator?
A software that can be used to make a PC act like another operating system is known as an Android Emulator. An Android Emulator will help create an environment on your PC that will be able to support various kinds of Android Applications and run them smoothly.
What is the Use of Android Emulators for PC?
Android Emulators can be used on the PC for several purposes ranging from Usability testing for apps to gameplay.
In order to test their apps before it goes live, developers can decide to use an Android Emulator on their PC and test the app on their PC.
Sometimes gamers also use an Android Emulator because they want to use a gaming mouse and keyboard to play their game on a PC.
Benefits of Android Emulators for PC
Android Emulators enable PC users to develop and run an Android environment on a Mac OS or Windows Operating System. However, your system features and specifications will determine how well the mobile apps will run on your PC.
If you have a PC with a good specification, you will be able to play some pretty great games on your PC. The Android Emulator will enable you to get the full Android experience on your Mac OS or Windows PC.
There are a lot of Android Emulators available on the internet, but a good number of them are unable to carry out their functions properly. This is why it can be particularly challenging to find the best android emulators on PC.
Here are some of the best android emulators on PC.
Best Android Emulators for PC
- LDPlayer
- Bluestacks
- Nox Player
- MEmu
- Gameloop
- Genymotion
- ARChon
- Android Studio
- Bliss OS
- Xamarin
- KO Player
- Droid 4X
- Andy
LDPlayer
The LDPlayer Android Emulator is one of the best Android Emulators on PC around and it was specifically developed for running mobile games on Windows devices.
This piece of software enables users to play various kinds of mobile games on their PC with their Keyboard and Mouse. It is also compatible with various multiplayer Android mobile games and it provides great graphics for games if your system specifications can handle it. This particular software also enables users to run more than one mobile game at the same time.
The default Android OS for this software is Android 5.1.1 Lollipop and it also provides access to Google Play Store. You can play FPS games like PUBG, Call of Duty: Mobile, and Black Desert online with this software.
Bluestacks
Considered to be one of the best Android Emulators on PC of all time, Bluestacks is the most popular Android Emulator available on the market. They can be used on both Windows and Mac Operating Systems. Bluestacks is one of the first Android Emulators that was developed and worked well while still getting various updates.
This amazing piece of software is able to perfectly balance graphics and processing power without having to compromise one for the other. This is one of the things that makes it one of the best Android Emulators on PC around currently.
This is also why it is often preferred by a lot of gamers that want to run their high-end and high-graphics mobile games on their PC. However, for you to be able to get these good graphics, you have to make sure that your PC has a good specification that can handle the graphic level.
Bluestack is not just one of the best Android Emulators on Computer, it is also one of the most trusted by PC users all around the world for both Windows and iOS devices. This is why a lot of people are excited about the latest “Nougat Version” which is said to be about six times faster than typical smartphones.
Nox Player
One of the best Android Emulators around currently is the Nox Player. Nox Player is compatible with both Windows and Mac devices. Although this piece is based mainly on the Android version Lollipop 5.1.1, users can still decide to run more than one Android version (up to the Nougat version at least) on the software using its Multi-Drive option.
Nox Player is one of the best Android Emulators on PC for gaming on Windows and Mac devices. It is capable of running high FPS games like PUBG Mobile and CODM without any issues.
It also features support for a keypad, script recording, and gamepad. And, if you notice that the graphics you need to play the game are a little higher than your system can handle, you can decide to optimize the quality and tweak the controls in the settings.
MEmu
When compared to Bluestack, MEmu is a relatively new piece of software. However, although it is still relatively new, it is still a pretty great Android Emulator for PC, which is why it is considered one of the best Android Emulator for PC, both Windows and Mac devices.
One of the things that make MEmu stand out from other Android Emulator for PC is the fact that it is compatible with both AMD, NVIDIA and Intel Chipsets. It also supports more than one version of Android including Kit Kat, Lollipop, and the Android Jelly Bean.
It also comes with a pre-installed Google Play Store. And if your system has the specification, you can use it to play high-end games with great graphics.
Gameloop
If you are the type of person that like mobile games, then there is a chance that you are familiar with the famous gaming developer company commonly known as Tencent.
Tencent is responsible for the development of some of the most popular mobile games around and some of the most common ones are Call of Duty Mobile (CODM) and PUBG Mobile. However, Tencent is also responsible for the development of the amazing Android Emulator for PC known as Gameloop (previously known as Gaming Buddy).
Gameloop is one of the best Android Emulators for PC available, even though it was specifically developed for playing mobile games on PC. The company even went as far as announcing that Gameloop is the official Android emulator for mobile games. However, this piece of software can also be used for other high-end (mostly FPS) games apart from the ones created by Tencent.
Genymotion
If you are a developer and you are looking for the best Android Emulator for Computers to test out your latest app projects, then you should definitely try out this piece of software.
This particular Android emulator enables users to customize their own ecosystem for a range of devices with different Android versions to test out their latest applications before it is made live. This software is very easy to use and you can easily switch between various Android devices.
ARChon
ARChon is not exactly like other Android Emulators for Windows and Mac PC due to the fact that it is installed in a completely different way.
In order to use this particular Android Emulator on your PC, you will have to install it just like you will install a Google Chrome Extension. Apart from that unique difference it has with other Android Emulators, it can also be used to operate Android Applications and Games on the PC.
However, it requires users to use a particular tool to change the APK file in order to make it more compatible with the Android Emulator. Currently, ARChon often comes with Android 4.4 as its default Android version.
Android Studio
Android Studio is one of the best Android Emulator on PC and it is also one of the most common Android Emulator for App testing.
This software is used by a lot of Android App developers to test their new mobile apps and games before they go Live. It also comes with a wide range of amazing features that are designed to help developers test and improve their mobile apps.
Developers can monitor the performance of their apps in different Android environments with this software. They can test the apps with different RAM, Battery, GPU, Signal Strength, and storage.
Bliss OS
This particular PC Emulator for Android is also a bit different than most of the other Android Emulators due to the act that it operates through a Virtual Machine. This software can however also be used on the PC with the aid of a USB Stick.
This particular Android Emulator is often used by developers that are looking for a great Android OS to test out their mobile apps. Unlike most of the other Android Emulators, it can run on Android Pie and not just Marshmellow Version of Android. However, there is a chance that this piece of software will not be compatible with your PC.
Xamarin
Another great Android Emulator for Developers to test out their apps on Windows devices is Xamarin. This particular software is preferred by a lot of professional app developers.
Xamarin is just like the Android Studio software except for the fact that it is capable of creating a bigger ecosystem for development by plugging into tools like Microsoft Visual Studio.
It also comes with a lot of features to help the developers test and debug the new app. This software can also be used to test new iOS apps before they go live.
KO Player
The KO Player emulator runs on Android 4.4.4, which is a bit dated, but that won’t stop your applications from working.
We like it very much, for several reasons. First, it is easy to configure and we can do it in detail: keyboard settings, resolution adjustment, increased game performance, and even access to your practical webcam for certain applications, on which you must put your face.
KO Player also has a button to record your screen, which will delight YouTubers and creators of tutorial or live game session content. Like its competitors, KO Player plays applications that you download directly from the Play Store, but also APK files.
The only downside, it is rarely updated and it sometimes freezes from time to time, which is annoying! But apart from this concern, it is one of the best Android PC emulators of the moment.
Droid 4X
Complete and appreciated by FPS players or racing games, this emulator allows you to run larger software on your PC. It also has a graphics performance booster and is fully configurable. Those who swear by the mouse + keyboard combo will be happy to apply their method on favorite Android games.
The interface, which is quite cold, will not, however, be exotic for those who frequently use their smartphones and tablets. We would have liked a little more color, but the set is quite easy to use. In addition, we like the possibility of launching an APK by simply dragging it onto the Droid 4X program. Fast and efficient, we don’t ask for more!
Andy
Here is an emulator completely free and very easy to access.
We tested it when it first came out. Although it had some problems at the time, it still managed to prove that it could replace apps like Bluestacks. Today it is really functional. In our opinion, it remains a little worse than the emulator proposed above, but it is still nice.
Finally, note that the Andy Emulator software is available on Windows PC, but also compatible with Mac.
Bottom Line – Best Android Emulators for PC
Android Emulator
I’ve listed all the best Android Emulator for PC that can be installed and run on both the Windows and Mac OS to test or run Android applications. You can download, install and run desired Android Emulator on your PC according to your requirements.
Android Emulators FAQs
What is the best Android Emulator?The Bluestacks is considered the best Android Emulator of all time.
Is there any PC emulator for Android?No, there is no PC emulator for an Android device.
Is Android Emulator free?Yes, most of the Android emulators mentioned in this post are free to use.
Is Android Emulator safe?You can consider the above mentioned Android emulators safe, as they have good reputation. But you’ve to check the online reviews before using anyone of them.
Which Android emulator is best for 4GB RAM PC?The Bluestacks is the best Android emulator of all time for all kind of PCs. But you can also use use any of the Android Emulators mentioned in post.
An Android emulator is an Android Virtual Device (AVD) that represents a specific Android device. You can use an Android emulator as a target platform to run and test your Android applications on your PC.
We do not recommend that you attempt to use an Android emulator:
- If you have an Android device, use your Android device instead.
- You can also use Mobile Preview to do initial debugging of an Android app.
Minimum Requirements for an Android Emulator
To create an Android emulator (made available by Google as part of the Android SDK), we recommend using at least the following:
- Intel Core i5 CPU
- 4GB of RAM
- GPU emulation must be listed in the hardware list of the emulator image, as explained in Running Your Android Application on an Android Emulator.
We do not recommend using an Android emulator on a virtual machine (VM), because GPU support for the emulator is generally not available on VMs. However, if you are running Delphi on a VM on a Mac OS X computer, you can consider using a remote emulator on the Mac, given that the emulator does not work on VMs. For more information, see http://delphi.org/2013/09/debugging-against-a-remote-android-emulator/.
RAD Studio supports the emulator for Android versions 4.x.
We do not support emulators for the 2.x version (Gingerbread) because emulators for Android versions 2.x target an ARMv6 CPU, which Delphi does not support.
Android Emulators Require a Separate GPU
Android emulators are heavily hardware-dependent, and this includes the hardware being emulated as well as the hardware on which the emulator runs.
For this reason, we recommend that you verify the presence of a suitable graphics card on your development system.
- Open Control PanelAppearance and PersonalizationDisplayScreen Resolution.
- Click Advanced Settings.
- Take a look at the displayed properties of your graphics card.
- If you do not have a suitable GPU, it is probably not worth your time to create and attempt to run an Android emulator. Find another development system that does have a suitable GPU.
- We do not recommend Intel GPUs.
- If you receive error messages about OpenGL ES when you try to run your Android emulator, this means that your GPU is probably not suitable.
Creating an Android Emulator Is Optional
If you decide to create your own Android emulator, consider creating an emulator for each Android device you want to support. Keep in mind that Android emulators often run so slow that some people consider them unusable.
Android Studio Emulator Download
RAD Studio supports the following targets:
- Android emulators that are version 4.0 or newer
- Android devices that are ARM version 7 or newer
Android emulators cannot be run on a Virtual Machine (VM). Although an emulator might run on a VM, the emulator will not actually run an application.
- Note: It is a well-known performance issue that Android emulators are extremely slow.
Installing an Android System Image (Required)
Before you create an Android emulator, you need to install an Android system image that your emulators can use.
- Note: If you installed the Android SDK and NDK during RAD Studio installation, a valid Android system image (such as Android 4.2.2 API 17) should already be shown as Installed in the Android SDK Manager. In this case, you do not need to install another Android system image.
Follow these steps:
Android Studio Emulator Slow Mac Air
- Start the Android Virtual Device Manager (select Start > All Programs > Embarcadero RAD Studio XE6 > Android SDKs > Android AVD Manager).
- In the packages tree, locate and check the ARM EABI v7a System Image node within the first Android node in the list.
- For example: Android 4.2.2 (API 17) or Android 4.3 (API 18)
- Click Install 1 package. (Clear any checkboxes that were auto-selected.)
- In the Choose Packages to Install page, click Accept License, and then click Install to install the system image.
Creating an Android Emulator Using the Android Virtual Device Manager
To create an Android emulator on your system, follow these steps:
- Start the Android SDK Manager (select Start > All Programs > Embarcadero RAD Studio XE6 > Android SDKs > Android AVD Manager).
- In the Android Virtual Device Manager, click the New button to create a new virtual device.
- In the Create new Android Virtual Device (AVD) dialog box, select an Android device to emulate, and enter the details describing the Android device you want to emulate. In order to run a FireMonkey mobile application, your Android emulator must meet the following requirements:
- In Target, select an Android SDK with an API level that is 17 or higher. The drop-down list contains your installed versions of the Android SDK.
- Under Emulation Options, check Use Host GPU.
- In Device, select the Android device to emulate.
- Tip: Emulating an older Android device like the Nexus S might be faster than emulating a newer, larger device like the Nexus 10.
- Click OK twice to create your new Android emulator.
- You can now view your emulator in the Android Virtual Device Manager.
RAD Studio lists your Android emulators in the Project Manager, within the Target node of the Android target platform node. See Using the Target Node.
Note: As reference, here are the default installed locations of the Android development tools as installed by the RAD Studio installer:- If you need to start the Android SDK Manager directly, here is its location:
C:UsersPublicDocumentsEmbarcaderoStudio14.0PlatformSDKsadt-bundle-windows-x86-20131030
- If SDK Manager.exe does not start, use Android.bat, which is located here:
C:UsersPublicDocumentsEmbarcaderoStudio14.0PlatformSDKsadt-bundle-windows-x86-20131030sdk
Creating an Android Emulator Using the Command Line
You can create an Android emulator in the command window by entering a command such as this:
For the skin, you might want to add this option:
For more information, see the Android documentation.
Starting an Android Emulator
When the emulator is the current target platform, you do not have to start the emulator before running your Android app on the emulator. However, we recommend that you start your Android emulator separately, perhaps before you start RAD Studio. Emulators are notoriously slow to start and to run, so starting the emulator beforehand means that your app can get to the emulator more quickly.
The recommended way to start an Android emulator is by using the Android Virtual Device Manager, which can be started from the Android SDK Manager.
To start an Android emulator such as the default emulator installed in RAD Studio:
- Start the Android Virtual Device Manager (select Start > All Programs > Embarcadero RAD Studio XE6 > Android SDKs > Android AVD Manager).
- Select the emulator and click Start.
- Then click Launch on the Launch Options dialog box.
- Your emulator should now start (this might take five or ten minutes):
- In the Project Manager, your emulator should appear in the Target node of the Android target platform, with its assigned port (such as (5554)):
- Tip: If the Project Manager does not show your running Android emulator as running, with the same icon as in the screenshot above, see Using the Target Node.
Your next step is to run an Android app on your emulator. In the Project Manager, ensure that the emulator's name is in boldface and the port number is indicated in parentheses (such as (5554)), indicating that the emulator is running and is the current selected target platform.
For more information, see http://developer.android.com/tools/devices/managing-avds.html.