5 Best Android Emulators For Windows PC And Mac [2020 Edition]
Android emulators serve a variety of purposes: from developers testing apps to gamers playing on a large screen. Regular users also yearn to experience Android OS on a Windows PC, complimented with a mouse and keyboard.
Maybe you are switching from iPhone to Android, or you merely want to test out a Custom ROM, the possibilities with Android Emulators on Windows 10 are endless. While BlueStacks has always topped the list of phone emulators for PCs, few others are catching up insanely fast.
So, here is the list of the top Android Emulators for PC. Further down the article, we’ll be discussing the pros and cons of these emulators in detail.
Top Android Emulators
- GameLoop
- BlueStack
- Nox Player
- Ko Player
- Genymotion
Best Android Emulators for your PC and Mac: 2020 Edition
GameLoop
Game Loop, previously known as Tencent Gaming Buddy, recently made it to the top Android emulators for PC, thanks to exclusive support for Call of Duty Mobile game on PC..
Before the launch of COD, the emulator for Android only supported PUBG and a bunch of gaming titles from the Tencent Developer.
GameLoop is truly dedicated to Android gaming, hence the lack of support for other Android apps. But the silver lining is GameLoop is one of the best Android emulators for Android gaming.
One thing you will notice right away is the lack of numerous good gaming titles, not to mention the Android emulator cannot be used for testing and other Android apps.
Download from here:Click here
Price:Free
BlueStack
BlueStacks is probably the best known Android emulator among Android users. The emulator is preferred for gaming and is ridiculously easy to set up. Other than the Play Store, you have the option to download BlueStacks optimized apps from its own app store.
While BlueStacks supports keyboard mapping, it does not go well with gestures. A major drawback of the BlueStacks emulator is that it gets sluggish in productivity apps. Other than that, the sponsored ads make the emulator lose behind other best free Android emulators for PC.
As for gaming performance, Blustacks does outperform several other Android emulators, however, you would still notice lags, especially on underpowered PC’s. BlueStacks Android emulator is currently based on Android 7.1.2 (Nougat).
One thing you will notice right away is the lack of numerous good gaming titles, not to mention the Android emulator cannot be used for testing and other Android apps.
Download from here:Click here
Price:Free | Premium $24
Ko Player
Like other Android gaming emulators out there, Ko Player focuses on delivering a lag-free gaming experience with lightweight software.
As Ko Player is free of cost yet you might see a few ads here and there. The app player is easy to install and navigate through the apps. It also supports keyboard mapping and gamepad emulation.
The downside of this Android emulator is that it sometimes freezes out of the blue. Also, the player is a little buggy and makes it difficult for the user to uninstall the Android emulator.
Download from here:Click here
Price:Free
Nox Player
Nox Player specifically targets Android gamers. While the emulator is perfectly fine for using Android apps and enjoying the whole Android experience, it is best suited for playing massive games like PUBG or Justice League.
The Nox Player allows you to map keys of keyboard, mouse, and gamepad. You can even assign keyboard keys for gestures, for instance, mapping shortcuts or for swiping right..
Moreover, you can specify the CPU and RAM usage in the settings option to get the best gaming results. If rooting Android is your focus, Nox Player makes it easy to root the virtual device in under one minute
One big problem with Nox is that it puts a lot of load on the system, therefore, you can’t use tons of other apps. The Android emulator is based on Android 5 Lollipop which might be a concern for many.
However, the best part of the Nox Emulator is that it’s absolutely free with no sponsored ads at all. Over the last year, the Nox app player went from the best emulator for Android to the worst of all. While it’s still free, the emulator comes bundled with unwanted software that users have described as “difficult to delete.” Moreover, several popular antiviruses have described Nox system files as suspicious.
Download from here:Click here
Price:Free
Genymotion
Genymotion is not your casual Android emulator for PC; it is only targeted at developers. The Android simulator lets you test apps on a variety of virtual devices with different versions of Android. The emulator is compatible with Android SDK and Android Studio. It even works on macOS and Linux.
Since Genymotion is inclined towards developers, it is equipped with lots of developer-friendly features. And it might not be the right choice for people looking to test Android on PC.
Download from here:Click here