Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

GBA4iOS VS RetroArch

Compare GBA4iOS VS RetroArch and see what are their differences

GBA4iOS logo GBA4iOS

iOS: The popular Game Boy Advance emulator, GBA4iOS has been updated to version 2.

RetroArch logo RetroArch

RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines and media players.
  • GBA4iOS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-02
  • RetroArch Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-12-22

GBA4iOS features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    GBA4iOS is designed with a simple and intuitive interface that makes it easy for users to navigate and quickly start playing their favorite games.
  • Wide Game Compatibility
    The emulator supports a vast library of Game Boy Advance games, allowing users to play a diverse selection of titles on their iOS devices.
  • Customization Options
    GBA4iOS offers customization features, such as different controller skins and control layouts, to enhance the gaming experience.
  • Save States
    Users can save their progress at any point in a game and load it later, providing the flexibility to continue the game from where they left off.
  • Cheats Support
    The emulator allows the use of cheat codes, which can make playing certain games more enjoyable by unlocking features or providing advantages.
  • No Jailbreak Required
    GBA4iOS can be installed on iOS devices without the need for jailbreaking, preserving the device’s warranty and security features.

Possible disadvantages of GBA4iOS

  • Potential Legal Issues
    Using GBA4iOS to emulate games can raise legal concerns, as downloading ROMs of games that the user does not own may infringe on copyright laws.
  • App Stability
    As an emulator not officially supported by Apple, GBA4iOS may experience crashes or bugs, particularly after iOS updates that could affect its performance.
  • Limited iOS Compatibility
    At times, GBA4iOS may not be compatible with the latest iOS versions, requiring users to wait for updates or seek workarounds.
  • No Official Support
    The lack of official support means users may not receive regular updates or customer service assistance, potentially leading to unresolved issues.
  • Battery Consumption
    Running games on GBA4iOS can consume significant battery power, which may be a concern for users looking to conserve their device’s battery life.

RetroArch features and specs

  • Versatility
    RetroArch supports a wide range of gaming platforms and can emulate many different system cores, making it highly versatile for users who want to play games from various consoles.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    RetroArch is available on multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, enabling users to have a consistent experience across different devices.
  • High Customizability
    Users can customize keybindings, video, and audio settings extensively. There are numerous shaders and overlays that can be applied to enhance the gaming experience.
  • Rich Feature Set
    Features like save states, netplay, rewind, and achievements add a modern twist to retro gaming and are robustly implemented in RetroArch.
  • Active Development Community
    An active development community continually updates RetroArch with new features, bug fixes, and emulation cores, ensuring ongoing improvements and support.

Possible disadvantages of RetroArch

  • Complex Setup
    The setup process for RetroArch can be complex, especially for newcomers. Configuring cores, bios files, and controller setups might require a steep learning curve.
  • Performance Issues
    Some cores may not run smoothly or may have compatibility issues depending on the user's hardware or the specific game being emulated.
  • User Interface
    The user interface, while powerful and feature-rich, can be daunting and unintuitive for those not familiar with emulation software.
  • Legal Concerns
    Users must be cautious about the legality of ROMs and BIOS files, as downloading them without owning the original game or system is illegal in many jurisdictions.
  • Resource Intensive
    RetroArch can be resource-intensive, potentially causing lag or crashes on older or less powerful hardware, especially when using advanced features like shaders.

Analysis of RetroArch

Overall verdict

  • Yes, RetroArch is generally considered a good platform for emulating and playing retro games.

Why this product is good

  • RetroArch is a powerful, open-source front-end for emulators, game engines, and media players. It offers a unified interface and a wide range of features such as real-time rewind, run-ahead input latency reduction, and dynamic rate control to reduce audio stuttering. It also supports advanced configurations and has a vibrant community that contributes to its continuous development and wide-ranging emulator core support.

Recommended for

  • Gamers who enjoy retro and classic video games
  • Users looking for an all-in-one emulator solution
  • Customization enthusiasts who want extensive configuration options
  • Individuals interested in multi-platform support, as RetroArch runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and more

GBA4iOS videos

GBA Emulator iOS - How To Download GBA4iOS Without Revoke/Jailbreak? IS IT POSSIBLE?

More videos:

  • Review - GBA Emulator iOS (GBA4iOS) - Can You Get GBA Emulator for iOS In 2022 Without Jailbreak or Revoke?
  • Review - GBA4iOS review |PokebrandonHD|

RetroArch videos

RetroArch - Getting Started! Your Ultimate Retro Gaming PC! [Setup and Demonstration]

More videos:

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to GBA4iOS and RetroArch)
Gaming
8 8%
92% 92
Emulators
7 7%
93% 93
Android Emulators
100 100%
0% 0
Gaming Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare GBA4iOS and RetroArch

GBA4iOS Reviews

Top 3 Reliable and Tremendous Android Emulators for iOS Devices
GBA4iOS is focused on Android Emulators for iOS Devices for enjoying GBA classic games on iPhone and iPad. It has been well received by users and it's said to be "the best GBA/GBC emulator on Apple". If you're a gamer or a Nintendo user, don't miss it.

RetroArch Reviews

Best DS Emulator: Are These Emulators Safe And Legal To Use?
RetroArch also supports a wide range of controller types, making it a great choice for gamers who want to use their favorite controller.
Source: appletoo.us
5 Best Nintendo DS Emulators for PC
It has highlights like RetroArch are shaders, netplay, rewinding, next-frame response times, run ahead, machine translation, blind accessibility features, and much more.
Best emulators for Android in 2023
RetroArch is a popular open-source front-end for emulators. If you’re into playing retro games, RetroArch is your one-stop shop for all your emulating needs. It's not an emulator by itself but instead allows you to add "cores" that act as the backend to emulate several legacy consoles. While most of its most popular emulators are already covered here by dedicated apps, it...
5 of the Best GameBoy Advance (GBA) Emulators for Android
RetroArch is a poster child worldwide of emulation, specifically due to the fact that it’s not precisely an emulator. The retroArch is best refer to as a solitary, unified application where you can communicate with other emulators.
4 Free Open Source Game Emulators For Windows PC, Linux, and macOS
In addition to this, you are able to run original game discs (CDs) from RetroArch. RetroArch has advanced features like shaders, netplay, rewinding, next-frame response times, runahead, machine translation, blind accessibility features, and more! What systems does it play?

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, RetroArch seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 20 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

GBA4iOS mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of GBA4iOS yet. Tracking of GBA4iOS recommendations started around Mar 2021.

RetroArch mentions (20)

  • RetroArch cannot be found on the PlayStore, the first result is a copycat. It is just me?
    No, isn't just you. Every 64-bit phone haves the Play Store Retroarch available, the 32-bits no. But you can still download the 32-bit version on the Retroarch website. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Cause of the intrusion has been found and isolated. Sites are operational again.
    It was only the download links on retroarch.com on the Platforms page that got (briefly) redirected for a few hours. That should all be safe now. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Malicious download links?
    Yes, only the retroarch.com and libretro.com websites were affected. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Recent update from supposed hackers
    I went to retroarch.com and it said "discord.gg/evaderz is big haxors" its unrespectable. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Latest RetroArch on Xiaomi Mi box
    I've got installed RetroArch Plus from Google Play on my Xiaomi Mi box 4k and I want to update it to the latest version. I downloaded apk from retroarch.com but when I use apk installer to update it say is not compatible. I removed version from Google Play but fresh install 1.15.0 is not compatible too. I tried 32 and 64 version. What I'm doing wrong? Is any other AndroidTV version? Source: about 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing GBA4iOS and RetroArch, you can also consider the following products

MEmu Play - MEmu is the best android emulator to play Android games on PC and performs better than Bluestacks. MEmu provides the best perforamance (2X benchmark score comparing to the latest flagship Android phones) and superb experience.

OpenEmu - Console and Arcade video game emulator for macOS.

BlueStacks - BlueStacks is a website designed to format mobile apps to be compatible to desktop computers, opening up mobile gaming to laptops and other computers. Read more about BlueStacks.

LaunchBox - LaunchBox is a portable, box-art-based games database and launcher for DOSBox, emulators, arcade cabinets, and PC Games. Download it free!

Droid4X - Droid4X – #1 Android Emulator

Batocera.linux - Batocera.linux is an open-source and completely free retro-gaming distribution that can be copied to a USB stick or an SD card with the aim of turning any computer/nano computer into a gaming console during a game or permanently.