The usage of smartphones and tablets has become more and more commonly met nowadays. Along with that, the Android devices have become the most used mobile OS in the world, taking above 85% percent of the mobile market. This is why the Android applications for mobile devices are enjoying a boom in demand. Here is where software such as Nox comes in – it allows you to run these applications directly on your computer using the latest in technology. But is it good and can it cope with the demands of today’s most demanding Android apps? We have decided to do a detailed software review to see what exactly Nox has to offer to the public.
App Profile
| Name | Nox App Player |
| Type | Virtual Drive Player, Android |
| Developer | Beijing Duodian Online Science and Technology Co., Ltd. |
| Official Website | Nox App Player |
| Operating System | Windows OS |
| License Price | Free |
| User Experience | Discuss Nox App Player In Our Forum |
Nox App Player – Main Features
After the fast installation of the 3.83 GB program, we have established that it uses .vmdk file extension to manage virtual drives of Android devices. This is really amazing, because it means that this software does not simply run standalone apps. Instead, it runs the latest Android version directly on your computer with a very standardized UI that you will meet if you are using any standard Android device:
Furthermore, Nox even supports the ability to run multiple virtual drives of Android on your computer:
In addition to this, the application ran without any hint that it is a virtual drive. In fact, its settings allow you to change your resolution and run it completely on full screen as if Android is directly installed on your hard drive.
In addition to that, we enjoyed the fact that the application had many customization options, some of which include the customization of the keyboard. They allow you to play games for touchscreen comfortably by allowing you to change the keys, instead of just “tapping” with your mouse on the virtual screen. There are even preferences for tilting the screen.
Of course some tilting games may rotate the screen which is quite annoying but most of them have the option to turn that off or use other controls.
When we analyzed the performance of Nox, we established that it allows you to set up how much resources from your PC you will separate for the virtual drive to run on them and what resolution you want to run it with. This allows you to play even demanding games such as “Asphalt 8” even on old, outdated devices, which is simply amazing:
Playing demanding mobile games may have an impact on your PC’s resources, which is completely normal. However, Nox is made to be as light as possible if you have a relatively average PC regarding performance, you may not even notice it while running idle. Here is how the results of our resources test looked at the end:
In addition to those, the virtual Android drives are not there just for show. They may also allow you to play online games, have a Google Play account and hence be more competitive on those via your PC. Besides this, the possibilities that this opens up are many:
- Allows you to test games.
- Allows the testing of various useful apps.
- Gives you advantages during online gaming.
- Gives opportunities for running multiple devices to test communication apps.
- With the full-screen option, you can use the virtual drive for your everyday needs, since Android is highly customizable, making you a bit safer.
What We Like
There are many features which we enjoyed while using this amazing software:
- Portability – It uses virtual drives which can be saved and exported to other computers.
- Highly customizable – the program gives you the opportunity to customize settings which remove the barrier between touch screen and keyboard and mouse.
- Fast performance and almost no bugs – besides one app crash, we experienced an overall smooth running of the apps and were satisfied.
- The modern design of the UI.
- Blog with customer support.
What Is Missing
There were several features we decided were missing from this software:
- You can choose only 1 version of Android to run. You should be able to choose between installing older versions as well.
- It runs only Android. There are many good apps for other mobile OS’s well(IOS, Windows Mobile, Cyanogen mom, Ubuntu mobile, etc.), so the software may look for a way to diversify there and become even more sought after.
- Lack of multitouch.
Conclusion
In brief, the benefits of having this software allow you to have the ability to use apps that are otherwise unavailable for computers, test such and even gain an unfair advantage if you are a fan of mobile gaming. We recommend using this program in case you are interested in such experiences.
Note: This test was performed on a Lenovo B50-70 with 64-bit Windows 10
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Ventsislav Krastev
Ventsislav is a cybersecurity expert at SensorsTechForum since 2015. He has been researching, covering, helping victims with the latest malware infections plus testing and reviewing software and the newest tech developments. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for learning new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management, Network Administration and Computer Administration of System Applications, he found his true calling within the cybersecrurity industry and is a strong believer in the education of every user towards online safety and security.
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