Remix and Phoenix OS, The Android Based Computer Systems

Android x86 has always been a project that aimed to bring Android OS to traditional desktop computers and it has been successful for the past few years. But for the most part, it was more of something to try and not a platform you'd really rely on because it brought mere tablet Android OS experience to desktops and as far as we could tell, it has a lot of limitations since that kind of OS is specifically designed for tablet experience that are obviously touch based. Also, the experience wasn't far from and Android phone user's experience. Basically, it wasn't there yet, per say. There was a lot lucking that wouldn't let anyone consider as something worth sticking with.

Thankfully, we've got a group of people that have taken it and stepped it up a notch, rebuilt and redesigned Android x86 to suit the perfect desktop experience. The first group of people are the ones over at Jide who released Remix OS. A one of a kind Android OS based on Android x86 project that has a user experience not far from Windows.

But, as per most users reviews at the time this post is published, there is slow development at Jide on Remix OS and it's still a beta build so many have opted for the newer iteration; Phoenix OS that feels more like a finished product and more appealing to the majority. Slow development doesn't mean there will not be any Remix OS updates however.

Phoenix OS, just like the latest Beta update of Remix OS, let you either install the OS on a flash disk that can be used in any computer it's plugged in or be installed permanently on a hard disk. You can also decide to dual-boot it alongside your current OS for example Windows with no hustle. They both come with an easy to use installer so you don't have to get all geeky installing either on PC.

As earlier said, the experience you'll get from either of these two is a more Windows-like experience. You'll have a start menu, taskbar where any app that is running or one you'd like to pin gets docked, multi-window display and multitasking, recycle bin, file explorer, notification panel and also get to use your keyboard and mouse the way you would on Windows. The only difference here is the fact that this is Android underneath and therefore you'll need Android Apps to run on this OS. Either of these two will be recommended for any PC that tends to run slow on Windows for the fact that they're light systems.

We may argue that Windows will be stronger in performance in comparison with either of these two but realistically, Android has come too far and everyday there is an app published that may help do what Windows can. There is nothing huge you will be losing unless you're hardcore Windows user or some kind of developer.

Take for example, with either Remix or Phoenix you can have media players for both audio and video of all formats (MX Player), file explorer (Es File Explorer), archive creators and extractors, document viewers and word processors (Microsoft Office available on Android), Web Browsers, Photo editors, Games to mention but a few. This may include all advances you may have using Android over Windows. Typical functionality for any regular user unless you want to run a specific application not available on Android.

Currently, I personally recommend Phoenix OS.

It can operate on Intel x86 devices. It can be installed either on a USB key or the hard disk (keeping the original file system untouched).

Recommended computer configuration: recent Intel x86 computers from within the last 5 years and memory being larger than 2G.

How to install:

Download the Phoenix OS (x86) installation program. Run the installation program in Windows selecting USB or hard disk install.

Precautions:

It is recommended to use Intel Atom CPU devices for best compatibility.
When installing to a USB key use a high-performance one with more than 4G capacity. Lower-speed USB key will slow down the system.
While the installation to the hard disk will not touch the existing data, it is always best to make a full backup beforehand.

Download Phoenix OS Installer --1.0.8-RC (Or visit official download page)