> virtualbox running android x86

is it faster than emulator properly configured to use KVM or Haxm with x86 image?

yes. just open port 5555 and then connect via tcp on your dev box (which in my case, is another virtual box vm running ubuntu so i can wipe everything down every time a new version of android studio arrives --you DO NOT want to upgrade)

Thanks, I'll give it a shot next time I need the emulator.

I mostly use real devices.

I didn't know you could install Android on Virtualbox, thanks for the tip!