Most Android devices run ARM processors. Likewise, the out-of-the-box AVDs are based on the ARM system image called the APM EABI v7a System Image. Although the ARM processor architecture is highly efficient and suitable for mobile device applications, it is also quite different from Intel architecture. As a result, the ARM system image performs very poorly when emulated on an Intel chipset.

Intel is aware of this performance issue and has responded by creating its own system image called Intel x86 Atom System Image. This image was designed for the specific purpose of running AVDs on Intel-based machines, and it can significantly improve AVD startup and operational performance. The only drawback is Intel x86 Atom is not available for every target API level at this time.

Let's create a new AVD from scratch, but this time target the Intel x86 Atom System Image:

Try using your new Nexus 7 AVD and compare the speed to that of the original, ARM-based AVD. You should see a marked improvement in both startup and operational performance.

So, you've tried out your new Nexus 7 AVD running on the Inter x86 Atom image. Now you're thinking, "This is good, but can it be better?". To coin a phrase, "Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the technology."

If you are running a fairly up-to-date computer with an Intel chip that has Intel^® Virtualization Technology enabled, you can utilize the Intel Hardware Acceleration Execution Manager (HAXM). HAXM is capable of easily improving performance by an order of magnitude. Coupled with an AVD built on the Intel x86 Atom system image, the improvement is almost astounding.

AXM can be installed in three steps. First, you need to make sure that virtualization technology is enabled in the BIOS. Then, you need to install the HAXM add-on through the SDK Manager. Finally, you need to run the executable for your system.

Since virtualization technology is typically turned on by default on most systems, we'll start by installing the HAXM add-on through the SDK Manager by using the following steps:

At this stage, you should be enjoying much faster performance of your AVDs. In fact, HAXM can make those AVDs based on the Intel x86 Atom image run at near native speeds! Initial startup of the AVD takes around 25 seconds on my machine, while subsequent startups take around 17 seconds. There's still one more item we can tweak in our AVD setup to squeeze out just a little more startup performance.

If you edit one of your AVD definitions, at the bottom you will see a group titled Emulation Options. Within that group there are two options that improve performance, Snapshot and Use Host GPU. One improves start up performance and the other improves general operating performance. Unfortunately, you can only use one of these improvements at a time. For the sake of our discussion, let's assume we are more concerned with faster start up times, so we will set the option to Snapshot:

This new AVD is based on the Intel x86 Atom system image and is set to run from Snapshot. As long as HAXM is running on our system, your initial start up time will still be about the same, but subsequent startups should clock in much faster. On my development machine, start up time still averaged about 25 seconds, but subsequent start up times averaged 5 seconds! Now when your fellow developers tell you that the AVDs running on the packaged SDK are painfully sluggish, you'll know they just haven't applied themselves to finding a solution to the problem.

Do you still feel the need for more speed? No worries, I won't judge. At this stage, if you want to improve performance even further, you need to start looking at alternatives to the SDK Emulator platform. There are several third-party packages that provide comparable and, in some cases, even better performance over the SDK emulators. GenyMotion is one popular alternative that is currently available for free to individual developers and small companies. GenyMotion provides an alternative to the entire emulator paradigm, replacing emulation with virtualization. I personally use the GenyMotion Free edition and I have been very pleased with its performance.