Run android apps and games on windows PC using these best Android emaulators- MEmu Play, Bluestacks, KOPlayer, Nox Player. If you want run your PUBG game in your Mac and PC? Our team researched best pubg emulator for mac, to play your game without any problem.
At the initial stage, a big question arises to a gamer is ‘how to play mobile games on pc.' The answer to this question is the Emulators. Let us have a basic knowledge of emulators first.
Emulator:
The emulator enables one computer system to behave just like another computer system. Emulators are used for running smartphone apps on PC. The apps from the store are installed on the emulator and can be accessed through the computer system. Android Emulators are used for developers testing apps as well as for gaming purposes. Let us now discuss some of the best android emulators for PC.
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Contents
- Top 9 Best Android Emulators for PC – Windows and Mac
Top 9 Best Android Emulators for PC – Windows and Mac
1. MEmu
MEmu is one of the best android emulators for PC. It was launched in 2015 and is purely used for gaming purposes. An exciting feature of MEmu is that it supports both Nvidia and AMD chips. The android emulator offers features that make an enjoyable gaming experience in PC. Its gaming performance is commendable, but the graphics performance is a bit upsetting. MEmo supports android versions like kit kat, Android jelly bean, and Lollipop. Being one of the best android emulators for PC, MEmo also enables virtualization for PC. The best thing about this android emulator is that it regularly releases updates to fix problems and add new features. It is free of cost; you don't need to pay any amount for it.
Features:
- Allows key mapping for mobile gaming control needs
- Supports NVidia and AMD
- One can set the virtual location on google map
Minimum System Requirement:
- AMD, Intel, and NVidia CPU processor
- Windows XP/ 7/ 8/ 8.1/ 10
- Graphics driver – OpenGL 2.0
- Enabled hardware virtualization in BIOS
- Hard disk – 2GB free space ( minimum )
- System memory – 2GB ( minimum )
Link to download the android emulator:
2. Nox player
Nox player is one of the best android emulators for PC ( Windows and Mac ). It is specially designed for gaming purposes. Nox allows you to map keys of mouse, keyboard, and gamepad. For the best gaming result, You can specify the RAM and CPU usage. The android emulator is free of cost; you don't need to pay any amount for it.
It also handles high FPS games without any breakage. One of the exciting features of the Nox player is that it supports screen record, which records a sequence of the main screen for later play. You can customize and optimize the controls and quality of graphics, respectively, if you feel so. Nox comes with a rooted version of Android that helps you to get full access to Android.
Features:
- Amazing user interface
- Mapping shortcuts
- Rooting is easy
- A single device supports multiple windows
Minimum System Requirements
- Windows XP/ 7/ 8/ 8.1/ 10
- DirectX 9.0C
- Dual-core processor ( Intel or AMD )
- Graphics driver – OpenGL 2.0 and above
- RAM – 1.5 GB
- Hard disk – 2.5 GB free space
Link to download the android emulator:
3. BlueStacks
Preferred for gaming, BlueStacks is the best android emulator for PC.The app is available on the play store, but you can also download it from its app store. BlueStacks is very easy to set up and is one of the oldest android emulators. It features keyboard mapping. A free version, as well as a paid version, is available. The paid version or premium version costs around $24. It is available for Windows and Mac. The user can play android games on mac as well. It has a correct mixture of graphics, processing, and power, which makes it the best android emulator for PC. As the app supports high graphics games, your system must have good specifications for running the app smoothly. It is currently running on the Nougat version. BlueStack runs android apps on mac very efficiently.
Features:
- It supports multiple accounts
- Easy to set up
Minimum System Requirements
- Windows 7/ 8/ 8.1/ 10
- AMD or Intel processor
- Updates graphics drivers
- RAM – 2GB ( minimum )
- Hard disk – 5GB free space
Link to download the android emulator:
4. GameLoop
GameLoop is purely for gaming purposes. Previously it was known as Tencent Gaming Buddy. It is one of the best android emulators for PC. The emulator only supported PUBG before the launch of Call of duty ( COD ). It has an easy user interface that has options like setting, installed apps, controls, etc. GameLoop is free of cost; you don't have to pay any amount for it.
Features:
- Official partner of Call Of Duty
- Excellent keyboard mapping
- High performance
Bluestacks Emulator For Mac
Minimum System Requirements
- Windows 7/ 8/ 8.1/ 10
- CPU processor – Dual-core ( Intel ), AMD ( 1.8Ghz )
- GPU – NVIDIA GeForce, AMD Radeon
- RAM – 3GB
- Storage – 2GB
Link to download the android emulator:
5. KOPlayer
KOPlayer is a platform that is built on kernel technology. It supports OpenGL & hardware acceleration very efficiently. Some interesting features of KOPlayer are that it supports multiple user accounts, keyboard mapping, and screen recording. KOPlayer has a built-in GMS support which helps in functionality across different devices. It is free of cost; you don't have to pay any amount for it. KOPlayer is one of the best android emulators for PC.
Features:
- Simple user interface
- Easy to set up
- Can be used in any android device
Minimum System Requirement
- Windows 7/ 8/ 8.1/ 10
- CPU processor – Intel or dual-core AMD
- Graphics driver – OpenGL 2.1
- RAM – 2GB
- Hard disk – 10GB free space
Link to download the android emulator:
6. Android Studio
The android studio is specifically used for developing android apps. With this app, you get a set of specially designed tools that helps you to test your app with different aspects. Android studio has its android emulator that is a bit complex. It is used for testing conditions like the battery, RAM, CPU, signal strength, etc. Features of Android studio includes real-time error detection, Layout tester, code editing, APK Analyzer, and more. It is not for gaming purposes. The android studio is an integrated development environment (IDE) for developing and testing the application. It is free to use; you don't need to pay any amount for it. The app is difficult to set up but is very famous amongst the developers. It is one of the best android emulators for PC ( Windows and Mac ).
Features:
- Comes with regular updates
- It is the official emulator of google
Minimum System Requirements:
- Operating system – Windows, Linux, and Mac
- Monitor resolution – 1280 x 800 ( Minimum )
- RAM – 3GB
- Hard disk – 2GB
Best Android Emulator For Mac
Link to download the android emulator:
7. Genymotion cloud
It is an ‘easy to set up' online android emulator, which is used by the developers to test the app. Genymotion helps to run the app on the cloud as a virtual machine. Talking in a more specific manner, a Genymotion cloud is an android emulator that runs on SaaS or as a virtual image on GCP, AWS, Paas, etc. For using this android emulator, you just need to sign in and select an android machine to download and then emulate.
For conveniently using the Genymotion cloud, the basic requirements are updated browsers and great internet speed. The user interface of the Genymotion cloud is straightforward and easy to understand. This android emulator is not free to use. The basic pricing comes with two options – PaaS and SaaS. PaaS charges $0.5 per hour per device + fees of the cloud provider. SaaS charges $0.05 per minute per device. The Genymotion cloud is used both for gaming and development purposes. It is one of the best android emulators for PC.
Features:
- Offers a variety of tools for testing
- Easy to understand user interface
Minimum System Requirements
- Windows 7/ 8/ 8.1/ 10 , macOS 10.9 ( or above ) and Linux ubuntu 18.04 ( or above )
- Graphics drive – OpenGL 2.0 ( with video card )
- Intel HD Graphics 4000, Nvidia GeForce 500 Series, ATI Radeon HD 6000 Series
- Screen resolution – Greater than 1024 x 758
- Updated browser
- RAM – 2GB ( minimum )
- Hard disk – 100MB ( minimum )
Link to download the android emulator:
8. Remix OS Player
Remix OS Player is specifically used for gaming purposes. By this android emulator, you can map the buttons of your keyboard and use them as per your convenience. One of the main drawbacks of this android emulator is that it does not support AMD chipset. It also requires Enables virtualization in your BIOS settings. It is one of the best android emulators for PC. Remix OS Player has a simple and clean user interface, which makes it more convenient to use. An interesting feature of the Remix OS Player is that it allows the user to play multiple games at the same time. It is free of cost; you don't need to pay any amount to use it. The android emulator runs the games on the latest version of your OS. It runs on Android Marshmallow. It is listed especially in the android emulator for windows.
Features:
- Keyboard mapping
- One can play multiple games at the same time
- Simple user interface
Minimum System Requirements:
- Processor – 2GHz ( dual-core )
- System memory – 2GB
- Hard drive – 8GB free ( minimum )
- Any updated graphics drive
Link to download the android emulator:
9. Andy
It is a powerful emulator with a simple user interface. We can consider it as one of the best android emulators for PC ( Windows and Mac ). An interesting feature of Andy is that it syncs all the devices that are connected. The plus point of having this feature is that the user does not need to transfer the game progress. The android emulator provides facilities like unlimited storage capacity, different OS compatibility, etc. The android emulator is free of cost; you don't have to pay any amount for it.
Features:
- Syncs all the devices which are connected
- Runs a wide variety of apps
- Simple user interface
- Easy to set up
Minimum System Requirements:
- Windows 7/ 8.1
- Processor – Intel or AMD ( dual-core )
- Graphics drive – OpenGL 2.1
- RAM – 3GB
- Disk space – 10GB
Link to download the android emulator:
CONCLUSION
Here we can conclude that by using the above mentioned Android Emulators, one can run and play games on their Windows and Mac for free. These apps require specific system requirements too. The most characteristic feature amongst all the above android emulators is the Keyboard Mapping. This feature allows you to grant controls to particular keys of the keyboard. BlueStacks turns out to be the best android emulator for Windows and Mac. For developing apps, Android Studio is the best choice. The app provides features like real-time error detection.
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.
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
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
Best Android Emulator For Mac Big Sur Update
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.
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.
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 into the SocketeQwindowsandroid_rootsystem folder.
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
Best Android Emulator For Mac Big Surface
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.
Best Android Emulator For Mac Big Surf
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.