The Android desktop scene is relatively new, with a handful of distributions like in the early days of Linux. In theory, Android desktops sh...
The Android desktop scene is relatively new, with a handful of distributions like in the early days of Linux. In theory, Android desktops should provide a new way of using your PC, with a conventional desktop harnessing the enormous Android ecosystem. That’s the idea at least. But how do they stack up really? We put the four main players to the test to decide which Android desktop is the best.
What Is Android Desktop?
Before we dive into comparing Android desktops, let’s talk about what they actually are. If your first thought is your computer will look like your mobile phone, you’re pretty much right. Basically, the system itself is similar to what’s on Android smartphones but designed to work with desktop/laptop hardware and environment.
Despite the word “desktop,” an Android desktop is a full operating system, just like Linux or Windows. You can run it as your only operating system, dual boot it, or even create a Live CD (or USB) to run the OS independently without installing anything on your computer.
1. Android-x86
Some years back, not many saw the appeal of using Android on a PC. That was because of Android-x86 – one of the few options back then. It used to be the vanilla build, bare-bones, no-frills choice. The newer Android-x86, however, is based on Lineage OS, with no attempt to hide it, with giant Lineage logos appearing throughout its setup. Its cool splash screen does add a little panache.
Android-x86 used to be difficult to navigate without a touch-screen, but now it comes with Taskbar as standard, a desktop menu popularized by Bliss OS. Users can still choose a touch-style interface if desired (Trebuchet), which breaks down your apps into a nice alphabetical system and adds a close button to apps when multitasking.
App-wise, you get AudioFX, a browser, YouTube and a few other apps, but this is still a pretty barebones system. You won’t get very far without logging into Google Play and grabbing what you need from there.
One thing we’re unsure of is its “Sleep” function. There’s no obvious “Sleep” button anywhere, and although it at least disabled the screens of our test laptops when we closed the lids, their fans were still running. Other reports suggest it suspends fine, though, so we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.
In the last few years, Android-x86 has gone from being just a smartphone x86 port to becoming a viable desktop solution. It is still pretty minimalist, but it works. There are no nasty surprises waiting for you, no junkware, and it should work on any virtual machine without too many problems.
2. Bliss OS
The Bliss team has been at the forefront of Android desktop development for a number of years. Run by a team of volunteers, they have a vision of a synchronized OS spread across multiple devices and form factors. If you want to know which features will be in other Android distros in coming years, you can give Bliss a try.
Its interface is innovative and extremely engaging, letting you switch at will between a desktop system and a touch-style interface. Experimental Vulkan support is also available, along with a “Blissify” option that lets you fine-tune your GUI in minute detail. Firefox is also preinstalled, and the good news is that it suspends properly.
Some older releases were notoriously unstable – even the menu itself wouldn’t always load properly. The current release appears to be more stable than previous versions, so the Bliss team may be reigning back the innovation a little in favor of tightening up the code.
Bliss certainly has its fans, and some hardware seems to work well – especially touch devices like the Surface Pro. Older versions didn’t function as well with a keyboard and mouse, but newer versions seem to work better. If you’re interested in Bliss, now is a good time to check it out – just be prepared for some possible glitches.
3. Phoenix OS
Phoenix OS is a difficult one to rate. The OS is now full of adware (it wasn’t previously), with the intention that you subscribe to its service to remove ads. It doesn’t appear to be open source. It’s also full of Chinese software that could possibly be used in data collection, and occasional parts of the OS haven’t been translated into English.
But underneath all of this is the most solid Android desktop, with a familiar window manager somewhat like Windows 7 and a good set of desktop tools and keyboard shortcuts to keep Windows users happy. It also has a working “Sleep” function and seems to have a decent hit ratio for working apps. There are also ways to remove ads besides subscribing, at which point Phoenix becomes very enticing.
Were it not for Chinese data concerns, it could probably be deployed on a large scale. It’s definitely worth considering, but that junkware makes us nervous.
4. PrimeOS
Of all these systems, PrimeOS is the fastest and smoothest, giving the best first impression with an almost Scandinavian level of tasteful minimalism. Unique to PrimeOS is its “Native Bridge” feature, which uses native ARM libraries to allow better compatibility between ARM and x86 systems. This makes it the winner here when it comes to successfully running apps.
The Prime team have put an emphasis on gaming with their “DecaPro Gaming Center.” This has specific game optimizations to map touch-screen controls to the mouse and keyboard, which will be especially popular with those who like PUBG Mobile.
However, it’s also a massive letdown due to its broken “Sleep” function. When we tried to suspend the machine, the screen simply went black while the backlight stayed on, and machines with mechanical hard disks emitted an awful noise that had us reaching for the power button. Furthermore, PrimeOS isn’t open source, and documentation is severely lacking.
On the off chance you don’t need a “Sleep” function, PrimeOS would make the nicest package. However, this is unlikely among Android users who will probably be using some kind of portable device that needs to be quickly switched off.
Winner of Best Android Desktop
Android-x86, but not by much. It’s not fancy, but it will provide the best results on average for the greatest number of people – and probably with the least hassle. If you want something more sophisticated, try one of the other distros.
As Bliss continues to improve, it’s a close second to Android-x86, especially with a focus on innovation and new versions of Android. If you’re not bothered by Chinese data issues and are willing to either put up with ads or remove them yourself, Phoenix OS has the most mature desktop. And if only PrimeOS could suspend properly, it would easily be our pick. Should later releases fix the issue, then PrimeOS would be our recommendation, but for now, it’s plain old Android x86.
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