Android-x86 vs MEmu Play

Android-x86 ports the Android Open Source Project to x86 devices, providing a complete Android system for common x86 platforms. Its universal android_x86 and android_x86_64 targets cover 32-bit and 64-bit hardware, and images are intended for physical devices as well as virtual machines such as QEMU or VirtualBox. Listed capabilities include Wi-Fi with a graphical interface, suspend and resume, battery status, audio, camera, Bluetooth, and G-sensor support. It also lists native netbook resolutions, mirrored external-monitor output, external keyboards, a software mouse cursor, and mouse-wheel support. External storage can mount automatically, and the project documents ways to save user data to USB or hard disk. Releases include ISO images and RPM packages for Linux installation on a standalone ext4 root partition; source and build instructions are provided. Android-x86 is free, under Apache Public License 2.0, with some components under GPL 2.0 or later. The newest named release line is Android-x86 9.0 (pie-x86); release 9.0-r2 is dated 2020-03-25. Multiple-display support, better power management, and Miracast remain on its to-do list.

MEmu Play is Windows software that simulates Android so users can install, use, and uninstall Android apps on a PC. It supports Google Play and lets users control apps and games with a keyboard and mouse, with external controllers supported in some cases. Features include keyboard mapping, macros, game automation, video recording, GPS simulation, and command-line scripts. Multi-instance mode can run multiple accounts for one game or different games at the same time. The maker describes enhanced OpenGL and DirectX 3D rendering for larger screens. MEmu Play is free and may contain advertisements. It requires Windows 7 or later, a 2-core Intel or AMD processor, enabled hardware virtualization, at least 2 GB RAM (4 GB for x64), and 5 GB of free disk space. The maker says it does not currently offer Mac or Linux versions. Its online installer includes ad plugins users can reject; the maker describes the offline installer as a cleaner version.