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Windows 11 vs Android Emulators: Support & Comparison
11 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Windows 11 is here and for the first time, users are able to run Android apps without any emulators. But what does that mean for the future of Android emulators on Windows 11?
Today we’re going to answer that and compareAndroid emulatorswith Windows 11 and see how can they handle running Android apps.
Android emulators have been a go-to choice when trying to run Android software on Windows, but they aren’t a perfect solution.
Emulators require hardware power to run smoothly and native support for Android in Windows 11 should hopefully help with that.
Can you say goodbye to Android emulators once you switch to this operating system? Keep on reading to find that out.
Windows 11 vs Android emulators: compatibility & performance
Androidemulatorsare applications that allow you to runAndroidapps in a virtual environment on your PC.Theywork similarly tovirtual machines, but they are easier to set up.
Emulatorsuse the QEMU (Quick EMUlator) library that mimics the hardware of anAndroiddevice and translates the Application Binary Interface, so it can be understood by the host device.
Newermodelsare based on hypervisors that don’t require the translation of the ARM architecture. Instead, theemulationwill occur without binary translation if the host device and theemulatorhave the same instruction architecture.
This means that theemulatorwill run directly on your PC thus improving your performance. However, not all processors support hypervisors, so be sure to check if your CPU supports this feature.
Windows 11 Android support
Windowscurrently has a feature called Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) that allows you to use the Hyper-V functionality to run applications with real Linux kernel onWindows.
SinceAndroiddevices are based on the Linux kernel, Microsoft decided to build a special framework on top of the WSL calledWindowsSubsystem forAndroid.
Since WSL was using Hyper-V functionality, Windows Subset for Android will do the same and allow Android apps to utilize your hardware fully. The goal is to rely on emulation as little as possible and to deliver the best performance to the users.
If that’s not possible, Intel Bridge Technology should be able to address that. The Intel Bridge technology is a runtime post-compiler that will translate Android app code and make it compatible with x86-based devices, such as your PC.
As a result, app developers won’t have to do anything in terms of app optimization, and the Android apps should be able to work out of the box with Windows 11.
Even though this is Intel’s technology, AMD processors can handleAndroidapps as well, so there’s no reason to worry about compatibility.
Will Windows 11 support app sideloading?
Windows11 will support app sideloading, so you should be able to install apps from third-party sources. This could lead to some compatibility issues though, especially with apps that depend on Google Play services sinceWindows11 won’t work with Google Play.
You’ll just need to download the APK file from any source, and you should be able to install it onWindows11 without any difficulty.
There’s a catch though, with the introduction of the Android App Bundle that is planned to replace the APK format. Will this be an issue forWindows11 and sideloading? Only time will tell.
Windows 11 vs BlueStacks
Hardware requirements
Windows11 is still in the testing phase, so certain features, especially major ones such asAndroidemulationaren’t yet available.
However, we do know that runningAndroidapps onWindows11 will utilize Intel Bridge Technology. Despite being Intel’s technology, theAndroidemulationshould work with AMD processors as well.
Unfortunately, there’s still no official information about hardware requirements when it comes to runningAndroidapps.
However, you should be able to runAndroidapps as long as your PC meetsWindows 11’s hardware requirements, and your CPU is on the list of compatible devices.
As forBlueStacksrequirements, here’s a quick overview:
As you can see, the requirements are relatively basic, and BlueStacks will work even if your PC doesn’t meet these requirements, however, you’ll encounter performance issues.
SinceBlueStacksrelies on virtualization, more hardware power is usually better and it will result in improved performance.
App availability
Microsoft is collaborating with Amazon to bringAndroidapps toWindows11, and it seems that Amazon App Store is the main way of distributing apps on the platform.
The main problem is the number of available apps, and Amazon App Store currently has almost 500,000 apps to choose from. This is impressive, but it can’t be compared to Play Store that has more than 3.5 million available apps.
On the other hand,BlueStacksandAndroidemulatorsoffer full support for Google Play Store, allowing you to download almost any app.
Although Amazon App Store has less app variety, it still has a great choice of apps, and you’ll most likely find what you’re looking for without too much trouble.
However, Google Play Store has a better variety of available apps, and maybe we’ll see support for Google Play Store someday onWindows11.
Even if you can’t find a specific app on Amazon App Store, you should be able to sideload apps from third-party sources, so you’ll be able to run almost any app that doesn’t rely on Google’s services.
When we compareWindows11 vsBlueStacksin terms of app availability,BlueStacksis the obvious winner because it works with Google Play Store, but that may change ifWindows11 gets support for Play Store someday.
Ease of use and multitasking
WithWindows11, support forAndroidapps will be completely native, meaning that you should be able to useAndroidapps just like any otherWindowsapp.
You’ll be able to move them, create shortcuts, pin them to the Taskbar, and copy text from them seamlessly. You shouldn’t notice any difference betweenWindowsandAndroidapps onWindows11.
On the other hand, when usingBlueStacksor any otherAndroidemulator, you first need to start theemulatorand then the desired app from the virtual environment.
Withemulators, you can’t create shortcuts for a specific app to launch it quickly, and instead, you have to do that from the virtual environment.
Multitasking can also be a problem, and withWindows11 you can have multipleAndroidapps open and switch between them with a single click.
WithAndroidemulators, you’re restricted to multitasking in the virtual environment, meaning that you can’t have multiple applications open. Instead, you need to manually switch to the desired app like you would on anAndroidphone.
BlueStackstackles this issue and it has a Multi-Instance feature that lets you run several applications side by side. However, not allAndroidemulatorshave this feature.
If you’re comparingWindows11 vsAndroidemulatorsin terms of multitasking and ease of use,Windows11 is a better choice.
With native support forAndroidapps, you can use them just like anyWindowsapp which makes multitasking superior and more intuitive onWindows11.
Gaming
When it comes to gaming, it’s hard to compareWindows11 andBlueStacksor any otherAndroidemulatorbecauseAndroidapps aren’t yet available to the public, and we can’t test how wellWindows11 supportsAndroidgames.
However, we assume that as long as you have capable hardware that can work withWindows11, you should be able to handleAndroidgames without too many issues.
SinceAndroidsupport onWindows11 is a brand-new feature, we expect to see some minor issues, so you might not be able to run your favorite games out of the box, but we’re positive that Microsoft will optimize everything for the final release.
BlueStackson the other hand is heavily optimized for gaming, and it comes with mouse and keyboard support, plus it allows you to customize your controls.
It also has a Shooting Mode that allows you to aim with your mouse in first-person shooter games like you would on any FPS game on a PC.
In addition toFPS games,BlueStacksis optimized for MOBA games allowing you to play them with your keyboard and mouse exactly like on PC.
We already mentioned that the software supports Multi-Instance mode, allowing you to have open several games side by side. This is achieved with the support of an Eco mode that drastically reduces CPU and GPU usage.
The software also has multi-instance sync allowing you to replicate your actions in all open games.
Lastly, with the macro and script support, you can execute multiple commands or automate tedious tasks with a single click on a press of a button.
ComparingWindows11 vsBlueStacksin terms of gaming doesn’t seem fair becauseBlueStackshas been developed and optimized specifically for gaming.
BlueStackshas advanced gaming features and it runsAndroidgames with almost no issues, so it’s a perfect choice in that regard.
On the other hand,Windows11 does look promising, but support forAndroidapps isn’t even released toWindowsInsiders yet, so we still don’t know how well it works in action.
We’re positive thatthe OSwill be able to handleAndroidgames eventually, but for now, the better choice isBlueStacks.
Performance
SinceBlueStacksruns in a virtual environment, it does require a lot of hardware power if you want to experience the maximum performance or run multiple games simultaneously.
Your performance can vary significantly, depending on the amount of RAM, CPU, and the GPU that you’re using.
In addition, your settings can also somewhat affect your performance, so you might have to adjust them accordingly to get the best performance.
According to the developers,BlueStacksnow uses up to 50% less RAM and it’s optimized for high FPS. However, this feature needs to be manually enabled.
BlueStacksalso has an Eco Mode feature that is used to have multiple instances ofBlueStacks, and while using it, the software uses up to 87% less CPU and up to 97% less GPU according toBlueStacksinternal tests.
Windows11 has native support forAndroidapps, so we assume that it will offer better performance since it doesn’t require you to run a virtual environment. That’s what the spokesperson fromBlueStackssaid:
Running apps natively on Windows 11, while an ambitious goal, implies that developers might need to adapt their code and optimize for this platform, leading to additional development costs and time for launching apps, which is something that most developers will want to avoid unless absolutely necessary. To keep costs within budget, some teams choose to optimize and launch on a single platform, which comes at the cost of not appealing to the entirety of the mobile gaming community.
How will Microsoft and app developers handle optimization forWindows11 remains to be seen, but we’re confident that they will overcome most obstacles.
Should I be using Android emulators on Windows 11?
Windows11 vsAndroidemulators– this isn’t an easy comparison to make since not much is known about native Android support at the moment.
What we do know from Microsoft is that you will be able to run apps natively, and you can multitask and use them just like regularWindowsapplications.
Sadly,Windows11 won’t support Google Play Store, so you might not be able to run every single app. However, you should be able to circumvent this limitation somewhat by sideloading apps.
On the other hand,Androidemulatorsare readily available, and they support Google Play Store, so you can download and run almost any app that you want.
Emulators such asBlueStacksare optimized for gaming, so they might be a better solution if you want to playAndroidgames on your PC.
If your PC can handleWindows11, it most likely can handleAndroidemulatorsas well, so try them both and see which one works the best for your needs.
Do you also intend to stop usingAndroidemulators? Let us know in the comments section below.
More about the topics:Android emulators,Bluestacks issues,Windows 11
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
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Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s specialized in Windows errors & software issues.
