The main Android emulator for PC, Bluestacks, has been around for the better part of the last decade, allowing users to run Android apps and games on PC seamlessly.
I remember using it to run a modified version of Pokémon Go (yeah, not proud of it, but catching and displaying Pokémon that weren’t available in my country was cool at the time), playing Flappy Birds on big screen and even use WhatsApp for messaging when it wasn’t available as a web version.
I’ve been out of the Bluestacks loop since then and recently came to know that the company has launched a new free-to-use cloud gaming service ‘Bluestacks X’.
The emulator allows you to log into your Google Play account and virtually download any apps or games you like and run them on your computer. Also, since Bluestacks is an Android emulator that can run games through the cloud, it doesn’t require a powerful computer.
Bluestacks X is available on the web and as a downloadable emulator that exists on your PC. The former allows you to play titles in the cloud without having to download files or software to your computer, while the latter stores data on your machine and does not offer cloud gaming, while offering a larger selection of applications.
For the web version of Bluestacks X, the company has partnered with now.gg and hosts the service on Amazon’s AWS Graviton servers. At the time of launch, Bluestacks X web included about 15 games, although that number has grown to over 60 titles, with new ones being added every week.
Some of the featured games include Grand Mafia, Nova Empire: Space Commander, PUBG: Mobile, State of Survival, Guns of Glory and many more.
It’s worth noting that I initially thought the games would run the way I’m used to playing PC games, with high resolutions and fast refresh rates, though I was quickly disappointed. This has less to do with Bluestacks and more to do with games. Given that these are mobile titles, they only run at the maximum settings they’re designed for, which might feel smooth on a smartphone but not satisfying on a PC.
Regardless, if you’re an Android gamer and want to experience the games you play on a bigger screen with a wider range of controls (Bluestacks supports both keyboard, mouse and controllers) without having to download an app and save those games on your device, it’s worth trying the Bluestacks X web service. Oh, and it’s free to use.
On the other hand, if you have space on your machine and are not particularly interested in cloud gaming, but still want to experience Android titles on the big screen, Bluestacks X emulator is your choice.
The emulator, unlike the web version of the application, does not have any restrictions in terms of titles or applications. It has built-in Google Play Store and can run all the apps available on it, from Netflix, Instagram, Spotify, Pinterest, Duolingo and TikTok to EA’s FIFA Soccer, NBA 2K: Mobile, Call of Duty Mobile, Genshin Impact, Among Us , Final Fantasy VII and even Apex Legends Mobile.
The emulator acts like an Android device with a dedicated home screen with your downloaded apps available in one place.
The emulator also lets you set macros, clear memory, install APKs from third-party websites like APKMirror, take screenshots, change app orientation (portrait and landscape), set shortcuts, and more.
Going into settings allows you to set the maximum frame rate of the emulator and games, but no matter how high you set it, the game will only run at the frame rate it allows. Additionally, all audio, controller and performance related settings can be adjusted depending on your device.
From my experience with the emulator over the past week, I can say that it’s a big upgrade from the old Bluestacks that I knew and loved. The UI is much more polished and doesn’t freeze unnecessarily like it used to. The ability to customize resolutions and frame rates is a big plus. When you first launch the app and jump into a game, the controls will feel all over the place, though they can easily be fixed to set as regular PC gaming keyboard shortcuts.
That being said, playing mobile games feels best when played on—you guessed it—a mobile device, but being able to experience your favorite titles on the big screen is always a plus.
If you want to check out the Bluestack X cloud gaming service, go here. If you want to download Bluestacks emulator for Android, go here. The service is available for both Windows and Mac users.
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