Testing on multiple mobile devices is costly, time consuming and the default Android emulator is notoriously slow. So, what should we do? That's easy - start using a properly fast Android emulator.
When developing Android applications, you have to keep in mind all the different Android OS versions and various screen sizes and resolutions. The main objective before releasing an application is to find bugs and design imperfections.
Default Android emulator
This guide explains how to configure and use the Visual Studio Android Emulator to develop Xamarin.Android apps in Visual Studio 2015. Overview Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 includes an Android emulator that can be used as a target for debugging an Xamarin.Android app: Visual Studio Emulator for Android.
The great thing about using an emulator for development is that it gives you an opportunity to develop applications without having a real Android device. The default Android emulator comes together with the Android SDK and can be found in the 'tools' folder.
So far so good, we have our cake, but can we eat it? The answer comes about 5 minutes after we hit the 'Launch' button. Go grab a coffee. Have breakfast. Come back. Wait another 5 minutes. Maybe even more.
Finally - the emulator launches, only to show how slow it actually is.
All these performance problems stem from the fact that it emulates an ARM processor so it can run the actual code of your application. It accomplishes that by providing dynamic binary translation of the device machine code to the OS and processor architecture of your development machine.
Basically, it does a lot of mumbo-jumbo to pretend it's an ARM processor - when actually it isn't.
OK, it's slow. So what can we do about it?
- Well, first, we can help our CPU out by delegating the rendering process to the GPU by checking 'Use Host GPU' checkbox in AVD's edit window. The screen should now look better and be more responsive. That's because the CPU is not dealing with the tedious work of doing rendering anymore. But, that's still not fast enough.
- We can download Intel Atom (x86) images and, while we're at it, download Intel x86 Emulator Accelerator (HAXM, for Mac and Windows only). This will enable virtual machine acceleration capabilities of the Intel CPU (for more information check this link).
Now we're getting somewhere, once this baby starts up, it should run fast and smooth.
You could say that this level of speed should be sufficient. That may be true, but an issue with the Intel x86 images is that you don't get Google Apps, they only come with ARM images. This is important if you're testing an app that uses GMaps, or Google Play Services.
So, as we've seen, ARM images aren't fast enough even with hardware acceleration. And emulators don't have the Play Store. What now?
Genymotion by Genymobile
Genymotion is a new, fast Android emulator developed by the French company Genymobile. It's based on the open-source project AndroVM, and the first beta version was released back in June.
It runs on all major platforms (Mac, Windows, Linux). For now it's freely available, but there is also going to be a paid version.
According to AndroVM blog, the free version will be feature-rich, and the paid version will be intended for large companies needing a higher level of collaboration on Genymotion.
How to use it?
Genymotion relies on Oracle VirtualBox to work (version 4.1 or above). So...
- Download and install VirtualBox. For Windows users it's not necessary to install VirtualBox separately, because it is available from the Genymotion site, bundled with the Genymotion emulator.
- Go to Genymotion website and sign up. You'll receive a validation mail, so just click on the validation link to proceed.
- Download and install the Genymotion emulator (the current version is 1.1.0).
- Start Genymotion. You might need to configure path to your Android SDK location in Genymotion settings (probably if you've installed SDK in a non default location). Since this is a first start, there are no devices. Click on 'Add' and download new device. To see available devices, write your credentials in the pop-up dialog and click 'Connect'.
- Select the device and click 'Start'.
It starts quickly and is insanely fast! It's a little awkward to start the emulator separately, but Genymotion provides Eclipse and Android Studio integration through plugins, also available on Genymotion website. To use the plugin, you have to provide a path to Genymotion installation and Android SDK, as well.
OK, it's fast. Is that it?
Well, for me, the sheer speed of Genymotion is what got me using it in the first place. Which is kind of funny, because in the first version you couldn't even rotate the device.
But, alongside the speed bump, it also provides GPS, compass and battery control via some good-looking widgets.
Battery control widget
The GPS widget even provides GMaps for selecting mock locations, which is really nice for testing location based apps.
Device angle control and Play Store
Through the Genymotion shell it's also possible to control the device's angle (accelerometer), but it would be cool to control it using a widget, something like the Windows phone emulator does.
Genymotion devices with Google Apps also come with the Play Store preinstalled. This comes in handy if you want to test an app from the Play Store quickly.
Multiple screen sizes
Multiple screen sizes are one of Android developer's worst nightmares. There is a huge number of different screen configurations of Android devices.
Genymotion, as well as the default emulator, offers custom configuration of device's screen. In the list of available devices, select the device for which you want to change screen configuration and click on the monitor icon on the right side. Then simply select one of the predefined screen resolutions or create your own.
Be careful when choosing resolution, because you may end up with something rather strange…
Where it comes short
The main setback of Genymotion is that it only provides devices with API version 16, 17 and a preview version of Android 4.3 (API 18). If we take a look at Google Dashboard, we'll see that Gingerbread still holds about 33% of all devices (API 10).
So, for testing on that platform you still need either a default emulator or real device, which kind of defeats the purpose of Genymotion as a testing platform.
And there is no camera, which I don't miss, but could be really useful.
In the future, we can expect even more features, like taking screenshots or video screen capturing (which would be great for making demonstration videos). An accelerometer widget would be cool, and even a camera would be nice, but we can only wait and see.
Final thoughts
Well, you can never really get rid of real devices, because you'll always want to test an app on a real device before releasing it. But during development I recommend using a Genymotion emulator. Even though it doesn't cover all major Android OS versions. It's fast, stable, the GPS sensor manipulation is awesome and with the device rotation feature added to the 1.1.0 version - it's truly the way to go.
Also, deploying apps is almost instant and that can save you a lot of time when you're doing small changes to the app. But you have to watch out since the Genymotion emulator runs faster than real devices themselves, giving you a false impression of the performance of the app.
Always test on a real device!
Like this article? Sign up for our monthly newsletter and never miss any of them.
Android emulator is used to benefiting from the range of Android apps directly on a computer. They are the best way of running Android apps on PC.
So, today, we have come up with a compilation showcasing 10 Best Android Emulator for Windows.
Android Emulators have become highly fashionable nowadays.
It’s not surprising as they are easy to access and provide the best means of benefiting directly.
In fact, there are many reasons for running Android emulators on a PC.
- App developers go on to use emulators for testing their application before shipping it out.
- Emulators offer a better gaming experience due to the availability of a mouse and keyboard.
- Emulators allow you to configure hardware specifications depending on your requirements.
- They offer a workaround when you don’t possess an Android phone or high-end Android device.
- Sometimes you want it there to have it.
So, in any case, Android emulation on PC is highly useful for any PC user.
As there are numerous benefits of using Android emulators, you might be tempted to try one.
However, before you and use any Android emulator, it’s always handy to know the best ones in the business.
Moreover, a lot of them tend to be finicky and do not work as advertised.
We have put a lot of effort and have figured out the best Android Emulators for Windows PC.
However, it should be noted that the fluidity & speed of task execution with these Android emulators depends on the performance of your PC.
It should also be noted that most Android emulators are made more or less the same way.
So, you just have to find the one that works the best way for you.
Simply scroll down our list of best Android emulators for Windows and know for yourself which among these qualifies as the best.
Herein, we have featured both free as well as paid Android Emulators.
Let’s get started.
Here’s the list of best Android Emulators for PC:
10 Android Emulator for Windows
1. BlueStacks
BlueStacks has been rated as one of the best Android Emulator on PC. In fact, BlueStacks is regarded as one of the early pioneers of this whole “Android on PC” thing. BlueStacks is based on Android 4.4 KitKat. It is a very capable Android emulator.
BlueStacks comes with the Google Play Store pre-installed. So, you get access to over 2 million Android apps and games.
Plus, BlueStacks offers easy installing of APKs.
There are a couple of highlights of BlueStacks which make it stand out from rest of its competitors.
First, you get the ability to live-stream to Twitch.
So, you can show-off your gaming skills to your followers.
Second, you get to live-stream to Facebook Live by using BlueStacks TV.
Plus, BlueStacks supports multi-tasking, same as that an actual Android phone.
BlueStacks is available in both free as well as premium versions.
However, the free version is bloated with ads.
You can go for the premium version which offers an ad-free experience together with priority support.
2. Nox Player
Nox Player is another very popular Android emulator for Windows PC. It is based on Android 4.4 KitKat. Nox Player offers class-leading performance and has many advanced features.
However, some may find its interface a little overwhelming at first (as it is empowered with lots of features). That said, you are bound to fall in love with it.
Nox Player allows you to change the number of CPU cores, FPS, or the RAM that you would like to allocate to it.
Nox offers two graphics rendering modes such as the DirectX and OpenGL. So, you can easily overcome compatibility problems with some games.
Nox Player has inbuilt support for Google Play Store.
Plus, it allows you to drag and drop APKs for installing them.
Its “simulate touch” functionality aids you in playing games.
With the “script record” functionality, you can record specific events on screen and replay them later. It is also useful in case you need to automate an action on Android.
Nox Player also offers a rooted version of Android out-of-the-box.
Its multiplayer feature enables you to run multiple instances of Android at the same time.
So, Nox Android Emulator is an amazingly feature-rich android emulator for Windows. It is only let down by an older version of Android.
3. MEmu
MEmu is based on Android Lollipop.
It comes with a high-performance Android emulator for Windows PC.
MEmu is preinstalled with Android Jellybean 4.2. For upgrading to Lollipop, you are required to download additional packages.
MEmu is compatible with Intel, Nvidia powered Windows PCs, and also with AMD chipsets.
MEmu comes pre-loaded with the Google Play Store.
So, you can download Android games and apps of your choice.
MEmu supports keyboard mapping. So, you can assign certain keys for simulating touch in specific areas of your screen.
Plus, it supports full-screen mode, screen record, screenshot tool, a handy “kill process” tool, amongst many other features.
MEmu also has an interesting “operation record” tool with which you can record some touch-screen actions and replay it anytime.
MEmu is certainly one of the most capable Android emulators out there. The only downside is that it is shipped with a really old version of Android.
4. Remix OS Player
Remix OS Player comes as a free Android emulator for Windows PC.
It is based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
It should be noted that Remix OS Player doesn’t support some AMD chipsets. It also requires “Virtualization Technology” enabled in your BIOS before you go on and install Remix OS Player.
Remix OS Player offers a fresh-looking interface. It has the taskbar on the bottom. You are also provided with a shortcut button for accessing all the installed apps.
Remix OS Player supports the Google Play Store. So, you can download apps and games easily.
Moreover, with the Remix Central app, you can get recommendations for trending games and apps that you can download.
The Remix OS Player is heavily optimized for gaming.
It allows you to map keyboard buttons. You can even manage multiple games simultaneously on one screen.
So, Remix OS Player offers much for gameplay.
Developers can also expect a lot of goodies from Remix OS Player. It allows to manually setting signal strength, location, network type, battery, and lots more helping to debug Android applications easily.
5. Andy Emulator
Andy comes as a free Android Emulator.
It was launched in 2011.
Andy works very well.
It is recognized as a major player in the Android emulator market.
Andy is great as productivity concentrated emulator and it can play games too.
However, you may encounter some setup difficulties.
That said Andy is still easier to install compared to other emulators such as Xamarin and GenyMotion.
Moreover, there are games which perform better in Andy when compared with other emulators. You can control the gameplay with your Android device when it is synced with the emulator. So, there is no need for wired/wireless controllers. In fact, you can use your Android cell-phone as a remote control while playing Android games.
Andy can run most of the apps available in the app store such as Hangouts, IMO, and others.
Andy is different and pleasant to use.
6. KoPlayer
KoPlayer is relatively new Android Emulator for PC.
Plus, KoPlayer has managed to fly under the most radar until recently.
KoPlayer main focus is on gaming.
It allows you to use key mapping for emulating a controller with your keyboard.
You can even record a gameplay and upload it wherever you want.
The install process is pretty straightforward, and it works alright.
Altogether, KoPlayer is a good free option as an Android Emulator.
7. AMIDuOS
AMIDuOS is also a relatively newer Android emulator for PC. It comes in two version for Android Lollipop and Jelly Bean. Apart from the version type, the only other difference between them is that Jelly Bean costs $10 while Lollipop costs $15. However, these are only one-time charges.
The good thing about AMIDuOS is that it runs well for multiple purposes. And most of its features are productivity based. So, it turns out to be a good option for those who want to use it for things such as office use, homework, etc.
It does not come with any specific gaming features. However, it does run games very well. Developers can use it for basic testing, but it’s not great for advanced stuff. AMIDuOS is good overall and worth a shot.
8. Xamarin
Xamarin is an IDE.
It is similar to Android Studio.
The difference is that it can plug into things such as Microsoft Visual Studio.
Xamarin comes with a built-in emulator for developers.
It’s particularly meant for developers only unless you want to set up an entire development environment for using it.
However, its emulator is not as powerful as that of GenyMotion. That said, it gets the job done if you intend on using it.
Xamarin is free for personal use.
Companies, as well as larger teams, need to negotiate a payment plan.
9. Android Studio
Android Studio comes as a Google-approved development IDE for Android. It has a bunch of tools helping developers make apps and games for Android. It also has a built-in emulator that you can use for testing your app or game.
Clearly, it’s not the best option if you want to use it as a consumer level. It’s difficult to set up, but easy to use once you do it. Android Studio has now grown by leaps and bounds since its initial release in 2013 as beta. Android Studio is mainly meant for developers and not for consumers. So, this emulator is most suitable for developers.
10. GenyMotion
GenyMotion is a great alternative to Android Studio’s default emulator.
It is mainly meant for development purposes. However, it can also be used for personal use.
Before downloading it, you need to enable the “virtualization technology” in your BIOS and make sure to install the latest version of Virtual Box. You are also required to sign up for an account before using it.
One of the main aspects of GenyMotion is that it allows you to select any Android phone to simulate. Plus, you can also choose to install any Android version of Android 4.4 KitKat to Android 7.0 Nougat.
Its free version includes support for manually setting GPS coordinates, camera, and battery level. In the premium version, you get features like screencasting and remote controlling GenyMotion through an actual phone.
GenyMotion doesn’t feature Google Play Store by default, but you have it by manually installing GApps.
GenyMotion can be used for casual gaming.
GenyMotion also offers a cloud-based online emulator. However, you need to contact them and request for getting private access.
On the whole, it’s the perfect Android tool for developers.
We hope that you liked this presentation on 10 Best Android Emulator for Windows and it proves highly useful to you. This list will help you to choose the best Android Emulator for Windows PC. If you liked the post, do share it with your friends and loved ones. We welcome your comments and suggestions.