
AirDroid Cast
- Local and remote screen casting
- Android/iOS/Windows/TV screen mirroring
- Wireless and USB connections
- Full control over Android and iOS at your fingertips
- Mirror multiple screens
Many people probably want to play PS games on their smartphones or PCs. However, with so many emulators available, it might be hard to know which one to use.
Here, we present 10 recommended PS emulators. You can learn about basic information, advantages, and disadvantages of each emulator to help you choose the right one. Additionally, we also introduce methods to project gameplay from your smartphone onto a large screen, so be sure to check that out as well.
PlayStation (abbreviated as PS, including the original PS) is a home video game console released by Sony Computer Entertainment on December 3, 1994. It is said to have marked a turning point from the era dominated by Nintendo consoles, and it has had a significant impact on the gaming industry, with its successor, PlayStation 5, still being very popular today.
PS emulators are software that allow you to play PlayStation games on other platforms.
Editor’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommended Rank: 1st
Basic Information:
PCSX2 is the PS2 emulator, PCSX4 is the PS4 emulator, and PCSX5 is the PS5 emulator. All of them offer very high compatibility.
PCSX2 is a free and open-source PlayStation 2 (PS2) emulator. Its goal is to emulate PS2 hardware using a combination of a MIPS CPU interpreter, recompiler, and a virtual machine that manages hardware states and system memory.
PCSX4 is the first and only PS4/PS5 emulator that can run games on PC, Mac, Linux, and Android (arm64). Using Vulkan and DirectX 12 as backend API renderers, it is still in beta and may have some bugs, but on high-end systems, it can run almost all PS4-exclusive titles. Frequent updates are expected, and it is available for download from their website. PCSX4 is a community-driven project that anyone can contribute to.
PCSX5 is an experimental PS5 emulator project for Windows and macOS. It is the first and only legitimate emulator that allows you to play PS5 games on both PC and Mac. It uses OpenGL, Vulkan, and DirectX as backend API renderers, and can run most PS5-exclusive titles on high-end machines. Frequent updates are expected, and it is available for download.
Main Features
It supports features such as state save/load, joystick support, game speed adjustment, recording, hotkeys, etc.
Recommendation Points:
It focuses on safety, including end-to-end encryption (E2EE). You can use it with simple operations such as scanning QR codes or entering codes, and it works stably, making it ideal for those using screen-sharing apps for the first time.
Editor’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommended Rank: 2nd
Basic Information:
DuckStation is an emulator with high compatibility that supports almost all PS games. It also requires low system specs, so it can run on many devices. It aims for the best accuracy and game support.
Main Features
As a PS1 emulator, it supports save/load, joystick, game speed adjustment, and other features, making it one of the most feature-rich free emulators.
Recommendation Points:
It is easy to use, and the low system requirements mean many people can use it. Except for the lack of network play and recording features, it’s a high-performance emulator and highly recommended.
Editor’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommended Rank: 3rd
Basic Information:
Xebra (or Arbex) is an experimental PlayStation emulator developed by Japanese developer Dr. Hell. It has high compatibility with PS games, and most games run smoothly. It has simple features but should not cause any issues during gameplay. Unlike other PSX emulators like ePSXe and PCSX, it does not use the old PSEmuPro plugin system and implements everything in the main executable file, so it is a self-contained emulator that only requires the PlayStation BIOS and PlayStation discs (or disc images) to operate.
Main Features
It includes basic features such as save anywhere, joystick support, and full-screen mode. No BIOS required.
Recommendation Points:
While it lacks some features compared to other emulators, it’s stable enough for normal gameplay. It’s highly rated for ease of use because no BIOS is required.
Editor’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommended Rank: 4th
Basic Information:
AdriPSX ILE is an easy-to-setup PS emulator with high compatibility for many games. It only supports Windows, so it cannot be used on smartphones. AdriPSX ILE is perfect for nostalgic PlayStation game experiences.
Main Features
It supports save anywhere, joystick, game speed adjustment, recording, full-screen mode, and many other features, along with convenient keyboard shortcuts like F4 to save settings and F12 to toggle between dynamic and static emulation modes.
Recommendation Points:
Its high compatibility with PS games and the fact that no BIOS is required make it an excellent choice for beginners.
Editor’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommended Rank: 5th
Basic Information:
ePSXe is an older PS emulator that uses a plugin system, with high compatibility for many games. It allows for detailed configuration and is the second most popular emulator after DuckStation.
Main Features
ePSXe supports a wide range of features such as save anywhere, joystick support, game speed adjustment, online play, screenshots, recording, full-screen mode, and more.
Recommendation Points:
Because it uses a plugin system, ePSXe is user-friendly and supports most PS games. Although it requires a BIOS, it supports online play, which makes it stand out compared to other emulators.
Editor’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Recommended Rank: 6th
Basic Information:
PS2Emu is a very basic PS2 emulator. Developed by three skilled emulator developers (Roor, shunt, and scar_T), it didn’t have enough development time to reach its full potential.
Main Features
It supports basic features like gameplay speed adjustment and external controller support.
Recommendation Points:
PS2Emu is free and has good compatibility for PS2 games, making it a worthwhile option. It offers basic functions like speed control and external controller support.
Editor’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Recommended Rank: 7th
Basic Information:
nSX2 is an open-source PS2 emulator developed for Windows/Linux and BeOS. It was developed in the early 2000s and can run only BIOS and a few demos/custom games.
Main Features
It includes basic functions such as gameplay speed adjustment and controller customization.
Recommendation Points:
nSX2 is free and supports PS2 games on Windows, making it a good choice for playing on a larger screen.
Editor’s Rating: ⭐⭐
Recommended Rank: 8th
Basic Information:
RPCS3 is a multi-platform open-source Sony PlayStation 3 emulator and debugger written in C++ for Windows, Linux, macOS, and FreeBSD. The project aims to fully and accurately emulate the PlayStation 3 Entertainment System using the power of the open-source community and reverse engineering.
RPCS4 is an experimental open-source PS4/PS5 emulator and debugger for Windows, Linux, and macOS, developed in C++. The project aims to emulate PS4 using advanced technologies like dynamic recompilation and JIT compilation, interpreting the complex architecture and instructions of the PS4.
Main Features
It supports controller customization, mod usage, cheat codes, and high-quality emulation for PS3 and PS4 games.
Recommendation Points:
It is developed to run games from PS3 and PS4, providing a high-quality gameplay experience for those platforms.
Editor’s Rating: ⭐⭐
Recommended Rank: 9th
Basic Information:
ePSXe for Android is a customized emulator for Android smartphones that allows you to play PS games on Android devices.
Main Features
It supports features such as screen splitting, touchscreen pad support, high-quality sound, and comfortable gameplay speed.
Recommendation Points:
Its high compatibility is a major benefit, as it can play more than 99% of PS games smoothly. Features like screen splitting make it a good choice for multiplayer gameplay.
Editor’s Rating: ⭐⭐
Recommended Rank: 10th
Basic Information:
FPse for Android is a customized PS emulator for Android, allowing you to play PS games on Android smartphones.
Main Features
It supports game saving/loading, touchscreen pad support, high game compatibility, and customizable play settings.
Recommendation Points:
While some games may not work properly, FPse offers high compatibility and customization options such as high-speed play, making it worth trying.
Below is a list of the top recommended PS emulators, each with its own strengths and features.
Ranking | Emulator | Price | Supported OS | Ease of Use | Compatibility |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | PCSX2 PCSX4 PCSX5 | Free | Windows macOS Linux Android | Easy | PCX2: PS2 PCX4: PS4 PCX5: PS5 |
2nd | DuckStation | Free | Windows macOS Linux Android | Easy | PS1 |
3rd | XEBRA ARBEX | Free | Windows macOS Android | Easy | PS |
4th | AdriPSX ILE | Free | Windows | Easy | PS |
5th | ePSXe | 430 JPY | Windows macOS Linux | Easy | PS |
6th | PS2Emu | Free | Windows Linux | Average | PS2 |
7th | nSX2 | Free | Windows | Average | PS2 |
8th | RPCS3 RPCS4 | 430 JPY | Android | Complex | RPCS3: PS3 RPCS4: PS4 |
9th | ePSXe for Android | 430 JPY | Android | Complex | PS |
10th | FPse for Android | Free | Windows macOS Linux FreeBSD | Complex | PS |
To play PS games on your smartphone, you’ll need an emulator, but the small screen on your smartphone can limit the dynamic gameplay experience. Wouldn’t it be great if you could project the screen to a larger display, like a PC or TV, to enjoy it even more? The AirDroid Cast app allows you to do just that.
With AirDroid Cast, you can mirror your smartphone’s gameplay onto your PC or TV and control it with a keyboard and mouse. Since AirDroid Cast is free, you should try it out.
The first thing to consider is how many PS games the emulator can run. If compatibility is low, you won’t be able to play many PS games, and the emulator wouldn’t be very useful. Choose an emulator with the highest possible compatibility with games.
Even if the emulator has high compatibility, if it's difficult to set up, it can be a challenge for beginners. You should compare the ease of installation, including whether it requires BIOS, and choose the emulator that’s easiest to set up.
Consider whether the emulator is free to use. If two emulators offer the same performance, it’s better to go with the free option. However, if you decide to go for a paid emulator, make sure to compare its performance, ease of use, and other features.
This article introduced the top 10 recommended PS emulators. You’ve likely understood which ones support Android smartphones, and the pros and cons of each emulator.
These emulators will allow you to play PS games on your smartphone, and if you want to mirror the gameplay to a larger screen like a PC or TV, you can easily do so using the “AirDroid Cast” app.
Once you’ve set up an emulator, try using AirDroid Cast to play on a large screen.
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