Why is my virtual machine running slowly?
The most common cause is hardware-assisted virtualization (VT-x/AMD-V) not being enabled in the system's BIOS or UEFI settings, which forces the software into much slower emulation.
Software category
Virtualization & Android Emulators
Virtual machines and Android emulators for Windows and Mac
10 programs reviewed · Updated August 9, 2026
Virtualization lets one physical computer run another operating system inside a contained, isolated environment — useful for testing software across OS versions, running legacy applications, or trying Linux without repartitioning a drive. Android emulators apply the same idea specifically to running mobile apps and games on a desktop.
Performance depends heavily on whether the virtualization software can use hardware-assisted virtualization features built into the CPU (Intel VT-x or AMD-V), which need to be enabled in the system firmware. Without it, a virtual machine falls back to slower software emulation.
This hub covers desktop virtualization software and Android emulators, along with guides for tasks like enabling virtualization in BIOS/UEFI settings, allocating the right amount of RAM and CPU cores to a virtual machine, and setting up shared folders between host and guest.
Directory
Reviewed software
VirtualBox
Windows / MacOracle's free, open-source desktop hypervisor for running Windows, Linux, and other guest operating systems in a virtual machine.
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VMware Workstation
WindowsBroadcom's desktop hypervisor for Windows offering stronger performance and 3D graphics support than most free alternatives.
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Hyper-V
WindowsMicrosoft's built-in Windows hypervisor, enabled as an optional feature rather than downloaded, for running virtual machines natively.
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Windows Subsystem for Linux
WindowsMicrosoft's built-in compatibility layer for running Linux distributions and command-line tools directly on Windows, enabled as a feature.
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QEMU
WindowsFree, open-source machine emulator and virtualizer capable of emulating diverse CPU architectures, most often used on Windows through a front-end GUI.
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Android-x86
WindowsCommunity-maintained port of Android for x86 PC hardware, typically run inside VirtualBox, VMware, or QEMU rather than as native software.
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BlueStacks
WindowsPopular Android emulator for Windows aimed at playing mobile games on a PC, with Play Store access and keyboard/mouse controls.
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NoxPlayer
WindowsFree Android emulator for Windows geared toward gaming, with keyboard mapping, macro tools, and multi-instance support.
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LDPlayer
WindowsFree Android emulator for Windows built specifically around mobile gaming performance, with keyboard mapping and multi-instance tools.
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Genymotion
WindowsAndroid emulator built for app developers and QA teams, offering device profile accuracy and automation features the gaming emulators don't prioritize.
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What to look for
- Hardware-assisted virtualization support, which requires it to be enabled in system firmware.
- Snapshot support, so you can revert a virtual machine to a known-good state.
- Resource allocation controls for RAM, CPU cores, and disk space assigned to each VM.
- Shared folder and clipboard support between host and guest for a smoother workflow.
- Whether the tool is free for personal use versus requiring a commercial license.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a virtual machine and an Android emulator?
A virtual machine runs a full general-purpose operating system. An Android emulator specifically simulates the Android OS and its app environment, usually with extra tooling for running mobile apps and games.
Can I run a virtual machine and use my host computer normally at the same time?
Yes, that's the normal use case — the virtual machine runs as an application on your host OS, sharing the physical CPU and RAM you allocate to it while your host system continues running normally.