It's no mystery that the PC can run Android apps and games, as emulators have been around for several years now, but for the uninitiated, here are five picks to start out with.
To start things off, why do people want to do that anyway? Well, everybody knows there's a huge selection of free and excellent games at the Google Play Store, including Clash of Clans and Fallout Shelter, to name a few. On top of that, some users might simply prefer a bigger screen than a mobile, or maybe they don't want to clutter up their smartphones with too many apps.
Now, on to the nitty-gritty details, here's the list:
BlueStacks
BlueStacks is the go-to emulator for mobile gamers because of the features it brings to the table, particularly multitask support, location services and BlueStacks TV that allows them to watch or broadcast streams on Twitch. It even lets users connect to the Google Play Store and download and install apps from there, providing a bona fide Android experience.
It's also worth mentioning that it lagged behind others in the competition before, and the added functions mentioned earlier only came when BlueStacks 2 rolled out.
Price: Free or $2 a month for an ad-free version.
Manymo
This one stands out of the bunch because it doesn't need any download or installation to work. Just go to the Manymo website and launch the emulator on the browser, ranging from a 1,280 x 800 to a 240 x 320 screen.
Price: $9 a month for the Basic that gives the user 100 emulator launches and one running at a time, $49 for the Pro with 1,000 launches and up to three at a time or $199 for the Ultimate for 10,000 launches and up to 12 at a time. It also has a free-trial version for those who want to take it out on a spin before committing.
AMIDuOS
AMIDuOS brings offers the perfect balance between gaming and productivity in a smooth and nice package targeted at consumers. In other words, it's not exactly for developers.
This emulator is pretty simple to install, and it comes in two versions: AMIDuOS 2.0 for Lollipop and AMIDuOS 1.1 for Jelly Bean. Compatibility-wise, it works on Windows 7, 8 and 10 PC and tablets, offering the full Android experience. That means it has support for gyrometer, accelerometer, ambient light and whatnot.
Price: $10 for Jelly Bean or $15 for Lollipop. Free trial is also available for 30 days.
Android X-86
This is the community-made Android OS for the desktop that's compatible with AMD and Intel processors. It became popular because of how it can be installed in the same manner as other operating systems such as Windows and Linux on the PC or tablet.
On the initial run, it'll ask the user to log in with a Google account and connect to Wi-Fi, the same process with other Android devices, and it can download and install apps from the Play Store too, just like BlueStacks.
The only downside with this one is that the list of supported devices is limited, but it's arguably one of the best programs to run Android on the PC out there.
Price: Free with the option to donate.
Android SDK
Designed for developers to test their apps or to try out the latest versions of Android, this official emulator isn't really meant for daily use, as it's a bit sluggish. However, for those who want to stick with what Google has in store, this could be somewhat okay.
To install it, download the Android SDK and open the SDK Manager. After that, click on Tools and then Manage AVDs. Select New, configure the Android Virtual Device and create it. When everything's set up, hit the Start button to get it up and running.
Price: Free.
Bonus: Dual OS PC
If these emulators aren't right up the alley, dual OS computers could be a good choice, particularly Intel machines that can switch from Android to Windows at a tap of a button.
Do you already have an emulator to run Android games on PC? If so, feel free to drop by the comments section below and tell us what you use and your experience with it.
Photo: Scott Akerman | Flickr
