PrimeOS

Pros

• Supports native keybindings
• Features a full multi-window display
• Includes a Windows-like taskbar

Cons

• Can be used to erase partitions
• Features a full set of format tools

PrimeOS is an Android environment that can run on a standard x86_64 PC and allow players to start mobile phone-based games on them. It packages a complete version of the Java Virtual Machine in an ISO file, which enables it to run smartphone apps. While this is technically an emulator in its own right, PrimeOS itself isn't a phone emulator. It's actually a separate PC operating system that you can boot into once you've disabled secure boot.

This gives you the ability to run a large percentage of games developed for Android, even if they're graphically intensive. In fact, it might be able to run some MMORPG and FPS titles much better than a mobile device could. That's because the physical hardware in a desktop or laptop computer is better than that in a phone or tablet most of the time. While Android isn't normally associated with the x86_64 platform, there's no reason that the underlying kernel can't be recompiled to work with nearly any chipset.

Considering that PrimeOS is basically a full Linux live CD with some JVM-based additions, it can also be used in ways that are potentially harmful. You could theoretically delete a partition table with the PrimeOS live environment or even reformat a disk.

Experienced gamers might consider these tools a feature, however. If you were ever trying to erase a hard drive in order to install a new OS, then the Prime desktop is a great place to get this done. It's also a good tool if you ever had to remove an update in order to get Windows to boot up again. As long as you remember that these tools are very powerful, you can get along in PrimeOS just fine.

Gamers who already have some experience with Linux will actually find that PrimeOS provides them with an ideal environment to run emulators that they might not otherwise have wanted to install on their main Windows partition. Those who are having problems with Steam and other online distribution services should find it quite useful as well. While it might seem very bizarre to run an emulator inside of another emulator, PrimeOS' codebase has been optimized to the point where this is possible.

That enables users to play both Famicom as well as Super Famicom games with the software, as long as they have the right ROM files to do so. Adding new games requires nothing but an extra APK archive. The installation process is automatic and can easily be undone simply by rebooting the system.

While this means that you won't normally be able to make additional save states, it's easy enough to move these over to another partition. Gamers are free to format USB sticks with the FAT32 file system and exchange these with both PrimeOS and Windows.

Pros

• Supports native keybindings
• Features a full multi-window display
• Includes a Windows-like taskbar

Cons

• Can be used to erase partitions
• Features a full set of format tools