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Emulators · 49 · 26 platforms

Console emulators on PC

The FPSHQ database lists 49 emulators for 26 platforms. The most demanding is shadPS4 (PlayStation 4): 791 of 1,965 catalogue GPUs (40%) pass its GPU minimum; the lightest is Mesen (NES / SNES), which runs on almost any PC.

Key figures

Unique FPSHQ metrics from this page's data

49
emulators in the database
26
platforms
7
heavy (minimum ≥ RTX 3060 class)
21
light: run on integrated graphics
1,965
GPUs in the catalogue to check against
456
CPUs in the catalogue

How demanding each emulator is

Minimum GPU score (synthetic benchmark, FPSHQ database) for each emulator. The longer the bar, the stronger the GPU you need. The marker is the RTX 3060 level.

shadPS4shadPS44,000 GPU scoreEdenEden3,200 GPU scoreRyujinxRyujinx3,200 GPU scoreYuzu (legacy)Yuzu (legacy)3,200 GPU scoreSudachiSudachi3,150 GPU scoreSkyline (legacy)Skyline (legacy)3,100 GPU scoreXeniaXenia3,000 GPU scoreRPCS3RPCS32,800 GPU scoreYuzuYuzu2,600 GPU scoreCemuCemu2,600 GPU scoreVita3KVita3K2,200 GPU scoreDolphinDolphin1,400 GPU scoreAetherSX2 (legacy)AetherSX2 (legacy)1,300 GPU scoreNetherSX2NetherSX21,300 GPU scorexemuxemu1,300 GPU scorePlay!Play!1,250 GPU scorePCSX2PCSX21,200 GPU scoreSupermodelSupermodel1,100 GPU scoreAzaharAzahar1,050 GPU scoreCitra (legacy)Citra (legacy)1,000 GPU scoreLime3DSLime3DS1,000 GPU scoreDemulDemul900 GPU scoreBizHawkBizHawk800 GPU scoreCitraCitra800 GPU scoreRTX 3060shadPS4shadPS44,000 GPU scoreEdenEden3,200 GPU scoreRyujinxRyujinx3,200 GPU scoreYuzu (legacy)Yuzu (legacy)3,200 GPU scoreSudachiSudachi3,150 GPU scoreSkyline (legacy)Skyline (legacy)3,100 GPU scoreXeniaXenia3,000 GPU scoreRPCS3RPCS32,800 GPU scoreYuzuYuzu2,600 GPU scoreCemuCemu2,600 GPU scoreVita3KVita3K2,200 GPU scoreDolphinDolphin1,400 GPU scoreAetherSX2 (legacy)AetherSX2 (legacy)1,300 GPU scoreNetherSX2NetherSX21,300 GPU scorexemuxemu1,300 GPU scorePlay!Play!1,250 GPU scorePCSX2PCSX21,200 GPU scoreSupermodelSupermodel1,100 GPU scoreAzaharAzahar1,050 GPU scoreCitra (legacy)Citra (legacy)1,000 GPU scoreLime3DSLime3DS1,000 GPU scoreDemulDemul900 GPU scoreBizHawkBizHawk800 GPU scoreCitraCitra800 GPU score

25 more — All emulators: platform, requirements, share of suitable GPUs

Can my PC run this emulator?

Pick your GPU and CPU — the table shows which emulators will run and with what headroom (internal resolution).

Console generations and emulator release years

The newer the console, the higher the requirements: 8th-generation emulators (Nintendo 3DS, PS Vita, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, PlayStation 4) need on average a GPU about 7× stronger than emulators of consoles up to the 5th generation (NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, Nintendo 64, PlayStation 1).

1985199019952000200520102015NES · 1983NESNestopia · 2003NES / SNES · 1983NES / SNESMesen · 2017Amiga · 1985AmigaWinUAE · 1995Sega Genesis · 1988Sega GenesisBlastEm · 2013SNES · 1990SNESSnes9x · 1997PlayStation 1 · 1994PlayStation 1DuckStation · 2019Nintendo 64 · 1996Nintendo 64simple64 · 2022Sega Model 3 · 1996Sega Model 3Supermodel · 2011Dreamcast · 1998DreamcastFlycast · 2019Dreamcast / Naomi · 1998Dreamcast / NaomiDemul · 2006PlayStation 2 · 2000PlayStation 2AetherSX2 (legacy) · 2021Game Boy Advance · 2001Game Boy AdvancemGBA · 2017GameCube / Wii · 2001GameCube / WiiDolphin · 2003Original Xbox · 2001Original Xboxxemu · 2020Nintendo DS · 2004Nintendo DSDeSmuME · 2007PSP · 2004PSPPPSSPP · 2012Xbox 360 · 2005Xbox 360Xenia · 2014PlayStation 3 · 2006PlayStation 3RPCS3 · 2011Nintendo 3DS · 2011Nintendo 3DSAzahar · 2024PS Vita · 2011PS VitaVita3K · 2018Wii U · 2012Wii UCemu · 2015PlayStation 4 · 2013PlayStation 4shadPS4 · 2024Nintendo Switch · 2017Nintendo SwitchEden · 20241983NESNestopia · 20031983NES / SNESMesen · 20171985AmigaWinUAE · 19951988Sega GenesisBlastEm · 20131990SNESSnes9x · 19971994PlayStation 1DuckStation · 20191996Nintendo 64simple64 · 20221996Sega Model 3Supermodel · 20111998DreamcastFlycast · 20191998Dreamcast / NaomiDemul · 20062000PlayStation 2AetherSX2 (legacy) · 20212001Game Boy AdvancemGBA · 20172001GameCube / WiiDolphin · 20032001Original Xboxxemu · 20202004Nintendo DSDeSmuME · 20072004PSPPPSSPP · 20122005Xbox 360Xenia · 20142006PlayStation 3RPCS3 · 20112011Nintendo 3DSAzahar · 20242011PS VitaVita3K · 20182012Wii UCemu · 20152013PlayStation 4shadPS4 · 20242017Nintendo SwitchEden · 2024

Emulators by platform

PlayStation 4shadPS4Min GPU score: 4,000–4,000 Nintendo SwitchEden, Ryujinx, Yuzu (legacy), Sudachi, Skyline (legacy), YuzuMin GPU score: 2,600–3,200 Xbox 360XeniaMin GPU score: 3,000–3,000 PlayStation 3RPCS3Min GPU score: 2,800–2,800 Wii UCemuMin GPU score: 2,600–2,600 PS VitaVita3KMin GPU score: 2,200–2,200 GameCube / WiiDolphinMin GPU score: 1,400–1,400 PlayStation 2AetherSX2 (legacy), NetherSX2, Play!, PCSX2Min GPU score: 1,200–1,300 Original XboxxemuMin GPU score: 1,300–1,300 Sega Model 3SupermodelMin GPU score: 1,100–1,100 Nintendo 3DSAzahar, Citra (legacy), Lime3DS, CitraMin GPU score: 800–1,050 Dreamcast / NaomiDemulMin GPU score: 900–900 Multi-systemBizHawk, RetroArch, Mednafen, DinguxXMMin GPU score: 400–800 ArcadeMAME, FinalBurn NeoMin GPU score: 600–700 DreamcastFlycast, RedreamMin GPU score: 600–650 Multi-system (Mac)OpenEmuMin GPU score: 650–650 Nintendo DSDeSmuME, melonDSMin GPU score: 500–600 PlayStation 1DuckStation, ePSXeMin GPU score: 500–600 PSPPPSSPPMin GPU score: 500–500 Nintendo 64simple64, Mupen64Plus, Project64Min GPU score: 400–500 AmigaWinUAEMin GPU score: 400–400 Game Boy AdvancemGBA, VisualBoyAdvanceMin GPU score: 250–300 Sega GenesisBlastEm, Kega FusionMin GPU score: 200–250 SNESSnes9x, ZSNESMin GPU score: 200–200 NES / SNESMesenMin GPU score: 150–150 NESNestopiaMin GPU score: 150–150
In short

Which emulator is the most demanding?

In the FPSHQ database it is shadPS4 (PlayStation 4): minimum GPU score 4,000, CPU score 8,000. 791 of 1,965 catalogue GPUs (40%) pass that bar. For comparison, Mesen (NES / SNES) needs a GPU score of just 150.

emulators in the database
49
heavy (minimum ≥ RTX 3060 class)
7
light: run on integrated graphics
21
GPUs in the catalogue to check against
1,965
updated · source: official shadPS4 documentation, FPSHQ model estimate

Frequently asked questions

Which emulator is the most demanding?
In the FPSHQ database it is shadPS4 (PlayStation 4): minimum GPU score 4,000, CPU score 8,000. 791 of 1,965 catalogue GPUs (40%) pass that bar. For comparison, Mesen (NES / SNES) needs a GPU score of just 150.
What matters more for emulation — CPU or GPU?
For most emulators it is the CPU: emulating a console means recompiling its instructions in real time, which needs high per-core performance (49 of 49 emulators in the database have a higher minimum CPU score than GPU score). The GPU decides how far you can raise the internal resolution. PS3/Switch/Xbox 360 emulators are the exception — they need both.
Do emulators run on integrated graphics?
Yes: 21 of 49 emulators in the database ("light": NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 64, Amiga, PlayStation 1, Nintendo DS) need a minimum GPU score of 600 or less — the level of a modern iGPU. Heavy ones (PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360) need a discrete GPU of RTX 3060 class or better (score 2,900+).
How much RAM does emulation need?
Per the projects' official requirements (summarised in the table below): minimum RAM in the database ranges from 1 to 8 GB, light emulators are fine with 2 GB, and 16 GB is recommended by shadPS4, Eden, Ryujinx, Sudachi, RPCS3, PCSX2.
Is it legal to use emulators?
Emulators themselves are legal open-source software (Dolphin, PCSX2 and RPCS3 are GPL, for example). Game images and BIOS/firmware are copyrighted: the legal route is dumping your own discs and your own console. FPSHQ does not distribute images or keys.
Which emulators are discontinued or no longer updated?
The database has 16 projects with legacy/discontinued status: Yuzu (legacy), Skyline (legacy), Yuzu, AetherSX2 (legacy), NetherSX2, Citra (legacy), Lime3DS, Demul. They still run, but get no new versions — prefer the active forks (Eden or Sudachi instead of Yuzu, Azahar instead of Citra).

Methodology and sources

This page uses the FPSHQ database: the GPU and CPU catalogue with synthetic benchmark scores, official game system requirements, FPS measurements from users of the FPSHQ app and the FPSHQ performance model. Calculated values are estimates, not a measurement of your exact configuration: the real result depends on drivers, settings and the rest of the hardware. More about the methodology →

Sources:
FPSHQ Team · Data updated

All emulators: platform, requirements, share of suitable GPUs

EmulatorPlatformYearLoadMin CPU scoreMin GPU scoreRAM, GBGraphics APIPass the minimumStatus
shadPS4 PlayStation 4 2024 heavy 8,000 4,000 8 / 16 Vulkan 1.3 40% active
Eden Nintendo Switch 2024 heavy 5,500 3,200 8 / 16 Vulkan 1.1, OpenGL 4.6 52% active
Ryujinx Nintendo Switch 2018 heavy 5,500 3,200 8 / 16 Vulkan, OpenGL 4.5 52% active
Yuzu (legacy) Nintendo Switch 2018 heavy 5,500 3,200 8 / 16 Vulkan 1.1, OpenGL 4.6 52% discontinued
Sudachi Nintendo Switch 2024 heavy 5,450 3,150 8 / 16 Vulkan 1.1, OpenGL 4.6 54% active
Skyline (legacy) Nintendo Switch 2021 heavy 5,400 3,100 6 / 8 Vulkan 55% discontinued
Yuzu Nintendo Switch 2018 medium 6,200 2,600 8 / 16 Vulkan 1.1, OpenGL 4.6 64% discontinued
Xenia Xbox 360 2014 heavy 5,200 3,000 4 / 6 Direct3D 12, Vulkan 56% active
RPCS3 PlayStation 3 2011 heavy 5,000 2,800 8 / 16 Vulkan, OpenGL 58% active
Cemu Wii U 2015 medium 4,500 2,600 4 / 8 Vulkan 1.2, OpenGL 4.5 64% active
Vita3K PS Vita 2018 medium 4,000 2,200 4 / 8 Vulkan, OpenGL 4.4 70% active
Dolphin GameCube / Wii 2003 medium 2,800 1,400 2 / 4 Vulkan, OpenGL 4.4, Direct3D 11.1/12, Metal 81% active
AetherSX2 (legacy) PlayStation 2 2021 medium 2,700 1,300 4 / 6 Vulkan, OpenGL ES 3.1 82% discontinued
NetherSX2 PlayStation 2 2023 medium 2,700 1,300 4 / 6 Vulkan, OpenGL ES 3.1 82% legacy
Play! PlayStation 2 2012 medium 2,600 1,250 2 / 4 OpenGL, Vulkan 83% active
PCSX2 PlayStation 2 2002 medium 2,500 1,200 8 / 16 Vulkan 1.1, Direct3D 11/12, OpenGL 3.3, Metal 83% active
xemu Original Xbox 2020 medium 2,600 1,300 4 / 8 OpenGL 4.0 (Vulkan experimental) 82% active
Supermodel Sega Model 3 2011 medium 2,400 1,100 2 / 4 OpenGL 2.1+ 87% active
Azahar Nintendo 3DS 2024 medium 2,300 1,050 4 / 8 Vulkan, OpenGL 4.3 87% active
Citra (legacy) Nintendo 3DS 2014 medium 2,200 1,000 2 / 4 OpenGL 4.3, Vulkan 88% discontinued
Lime3DS Nintendo 3DS 2024 medium 2,200 1,000 4 / 8 Vulkan, OpenGL 4.3 88% discontinued
Citra Nintendo 3DS 2014 light 3,000 800 2 / 4 OpenGL 4.3, Vulkan 92% discontinued
Demul Dreamcast / Naomi 2006 light 2,000 900 2 / 4 Direct3D 11 90% legacy
BizHawk Multi-system 2011 light 1,900 800 2 / 4 Direct3D 11, OpenGL, Vulkan (cores) 92% active
RetroArch Multi-system 2010 light 2,000 800 2 / 4 Vulkan, OpenGL, Direct3D 11/12, Metal 92% active
Mednafen Multi-system 2005 light 1,400 500 1 / 2 OpenGL, SDL 98% active
DinguxXM Multi-system 2015 light 1,100 400 1 / 2 OpenGL 99% legacy
MAME Arcade 1997 light 1,700 700 2 / 4 OpenGL, Direct3D 11, BGFX 95% active
FinalBurn Neo Arcade 2019 light 1,500 600 1 / 2 Direct3D 9, OpenGL 97% active
Flycast Dreamcast 2019 light 1,600 650 2 / 4 OpenGL, Vulkan, Direct3D 11 96% active
Redream Dreamcast 2015 light 1,500 600 2 / 4 OpenGL 97% active
OpenEmu Multi-system (Mac) 2013 light 1,600 650 2 / 4 OpenGL, Metal 96% legacy
DeSmuME Nintendo DS 2007 light 1,600 600 1 / 2 OpenGL 97% active
melonDS Nintendo DS 2017 light 1,400 500 1 / 2 OpenGL 3.2 (Compute), Vulkan 98% active
DuckStation PlayStation 1 2019 light 1,500 600 2 / 4 Vulkan, Direct3D 11/12, OpenGL 3.1, Metal 97% active
ePSXe PlayStation 1 2000 light 1,300 500 1 / 2 OpenGL, Direct3D (plugins) 98% legacy
PPSSPP PSP 2012 light 1,300 500 2 / 4 Vulkan, OpenGL, Direct3D 11 98% active
simple64 Nintendo 64 2022 light 1,300 500 1 / 2 OpenGL, Vulkan 98% active
Mupen64Plus Nintendo 64 2007 light 1,200 450 1 / 2 OpenGL (video plugins) 99% active
Project64 Nintendo 64 2001 light 1,100 400 1 / 2 OpenGL, Direct3D (plugins) 99% active
WinUAE Amiga 1995 light 1,000 400 2 / 4 Direct3D 11 99% active
mGBA Game Boy Advance 2017 light 800 300 1 / 2 OpenGL, Vulkan 99% active
VisualBoyAdvance Game Boy Advance 2004 light 700 250 1 / 2 OpenGL 99% legacy
BlastEm Sega Genesis 2013 light 600 250 1 / 1 OpenGL 99% active
Kega Fusion Sega Genesis 2000 light 500 200 1 / 1 Direct3D 9, OpenGL 99% discontinued
Snes9x SNES 1997 light 500 200 1 / 1 OpenGL, Direct3D 9, Metal 99% active
ZSNES SNES 1997 light 500 200 1 / 1 Direct3D, OpenGL (legacy) 99% discontinued
Mesen NES / SNES 2017 light 800 150 1 / 2 Direct3D 11, OpenGL, Vulkan, Metal 99% active
Nestopia NES 2003 light 400 150 1 / 1 Direct3D 9, OpenGL 99% legacy

Requirements come from the project's official documentation (check date below). FPSHQ scores are our synthetic performance scale used to match against the catalogue.