For example, nearly any computer can emulate an '80s-era Nintendo Entertainment System without much delay. This is especially true if you're emulating a new system. The downsides to emulatorsīecause emulators need to reproduce the behavior of an entirely different device, without having their own dedicated hardware or power source, emulators are often slower than the system they're simulating. However, there are some risks that you should be aware of. If you're someone who likes to be able to run all their programs anywhere, at any time, then an emulator is what you need. For instance, old video games made for 4:3 televisions can be upgraded to run in widescreen resolution, as well as at a higher framerate. Some emulators can even enhance the hardware that they're simulating.

Here, Windows 10 and an older version of MacOS are running on a new MacBook using emulators. Parallels will, in a sense, create a Windows computer inside of your MacBook - this will let you run any Windows app you need. Emulators can bridge the gap between these devices, allowing programs to work on all sorts of hardware.įor example, if you have a Windows app that you need to run on your MacBook, you can download the Parallels emulator. This is especially true when comparing operating systems like Windows and MacOS, or completely different devices like a laptop and a PlayStation.

This often means that a program or app that works on one system won't work on another. Why people use emulatorsĮvery kind of computer and operating system is unique. Here's what you should know about emulators, including why people use them, how they commonly work, and what kinds there are. These are all different types of emulators. Even Logic Pro X, the popular music recording app for Mac, lets you simulate the sound of a guitar amplifier within your computer. Dolphin is an app that lets you play Nintendo GameCube and Wii games on your computer.

Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories.Īn emulator is a computer program (or occasionally custom computer hardware) that's designed to simulate another kind of device.įor example, WINE is a program that allows you to run Windows software on certain Linux and Mac computers.

Most emulators tend to run slower than the device they're simulating, and can potentially take a lot of processing power.

Emulators can allow you to run apps that normally wouldn't work on your computer.

The most common uses for emulators are to play video games and run different operating systems - for example, you can put a Mac operating system on your Windows computer.

An emulator is typically a program that lets you run software from a completely different device on your computer.

Emulators can be an incredibly useful tool on your computer.

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