The Best Emulators for PCs

There are situations when it’s more convenient to open an app on a larger computer screen. For example, you want to play a game at https://bizzocasino.com/en_ca, but your smartphone can’t handle it. Or you want to transfer notes from your mobile notebook to your computer, but the web version is unavailable.

On a Windows computer, mobile games and Android applications are opened with special programs – emulators.

What Are Emulators and Why Are They Needed?

There are different operating systems – programs to control your computer, tablet or smartphone. Programs create the interface – everything that users see on the screen.

The most popular are Microsoft Windows, Android, Apple Mac OS X, and Linux. They consist of different programs that work according to their own rules. Because of these rules, one operating system will not understand the programs of another. This peculiarity is called incompatibility.

Application and game developers take into account that different operating systems are incompatible. That is why they either create different versions of products for each system, or only one for a particular system.

For example, a user needs to run a game for Android on Windows. Ideally, this is not possible. Windows won’t understand how to use files of such a game. But it will work with the emulator.

Emulators are translator programs. They copy the behavior of one operating system inside another. For example, Android inside Windows. The computer still runs Windows, but it’s as if it also runs Android.

In fact, there is no Android on Windows. It’s just that the emulator makes Windows mimic Android’s behavior. For the user, this means one thing: you can run any Android mobile games and apps on your Windows computer or laptop.

The Best Emulators on PC

BlueStacks

Tailored for gamers who run Android games on a Windows PC.

One of the advantages is the ability to change the process of the game. You can choose effects and filters. The new version can be shared with other players.

You also customize the way you control your games: you open the element editor, click on any of them, and click on the key you want to assign to that element. When you’ve set everything up, you save the scheme.

Access is free. After installing, you choose a title and you’re in the game.

NoxPlayer

Originally an emulator for gamers, but through it you can open any application, such as messengers.

You can not only play games, but also use other Android applications: messengers, photo editors, notebooks, social networks

NoxPlayer Imitates control as in a smartphone – there is a zoom, slide, shake. Everything can be customized. You decide which button on the keyboard imitates the usual swipe.

If you don’t want to control games and apps from the keyboard – connect the emulator to the steering wheel, pedals and other types of joysticks.

The Android emulator is in no way connected to the Windows operating system, so direct file transfer is not possible. However, in NoxPlayer you can do so via “My computer” → “Move files”

The emulator is free. Just download the file to your computer and install it.

Andy

Andy Can work on older computers with low power. It won’t play 3D games, but it will work with apps like Vyber or WhatsApp.

You cannot adjust the control for yourself: it doesn’t have any settings. The only thing you can do is to change the orientation of the display and switch the image to full screen mode.

Some games are not compatible with the emulator. There can also be problems with graphics, especially if you try to run a 3D game.

MEmu Play

MEmu Play Specializes in games, but you can run other applications as well.

MEmu Play determines which mobile device it simulates. Choose from popular models like the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge or the ONEPLUS A5010 – or customize your screen to match the format of your gadget.

You can specify false geolocation in MEmu. In augmented reality games like Pokemon Go, this is useful. You can collect Pokémon anywhere: in Hungary, Poland, or Japan.

The MEmu is played by gamepad, mouse, or keyboard. If you play through the keyboard, you decide which button simulates zoom, touchscreen, or shake.

Genymotion

Genymotion is designed primarily for mobile development to test games and apps.

If you don’t want to download Genymotion, work in the cloud, but you have to pay for the cloud version

Genymotion doesn’t just emulate the Android operating system, it reproduces an exact copy of the operation of specific phones. Thanks to this, the emulator has a high compatibility with games: all popular games run.

If you don’t want to play from the keyboard, connect a joystick, steering wheel, or pedals.

GameLoop

Emulator with its own catalog of games. It’s designed for gamers, but you can run applications too.

GameLoop connects joysticks. Set them up if you like to play with a steering wheel and pedals.

In the emulator’s working window, there are tabs called “Live” and “Novel”. Go into them, stream movies and TV shows, or find books.

GameLoop has no pre-installed games. But you can play free ones from the “Library” tab.

You will not be able to run multiple apps at once. But you don’t have to pay for anything: the emulator is free.