Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

OpenEmu VS PPSSPP

Compare OpenEmu VS PPSSPP and see what are their differences

OpenEmu logo OpenEmu

Console and Arcade video game emulator for macOS.

PPSSPP logo PPSSPP

PPSSPP is the leading PSP emulator for Android, Windows, Linux, Mac and more.
  • OpenEmu Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-29
  • PPSSPP Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-09

OpenEmu features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    OpenEmu offers a sleek, organized, and intuitive interface that makes it easy to navigate and manage multiple game emulators from one platform.
  • Multi-System Support
    Supports a wide range of game systems including Nintendo, Sega, Sony PlayStation, and more. This allows users to emulate multiple consoles without needing separate software for each.
  • Integration with macOS
    OpenEmu is specifically designed for macOS, allowing it to leverage the capabilities and features of the operating system effectively.
  • Game Library Management
    Features robust library management tools that allow users to organize, filter, and sort their game collections easily.
  • Save States
    Provides support for save states, enabling users to save and load their game progress at any point.
  • Controller Support
    Supports a wide range of USB and Bluetooth controllers, offering a more authentic gaming experience.
  • Community and Plugin Support
    OpenEmu has a vibrant community that offers plugins and additional emulation cores, increasing the range of supported games and systems.

Possible disadvantages of OpenEmu

  • macOS Exclusivity
    Available only on macOS, limiting its accessibility to users on other operating systems such as Windows or Linux.
  • Legal Gray Area
    Emulating games often involves downloading ROMs, which can be legally ambiguous depending on whether the user owns the original copy of the game.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users have reported performance issues with certain emulation cores, leading to lag or crashes during gameplay.
  • Limited Advanced Features
    While it is user-friendly, it may lack some advanced features and customization options that power users might seek.
  • Inconsistent Game Compatibility
    Not all games are fully compatible with the available emulation cores, potentially rendering some titles unplayable or glitchy.
  • No Native Online Multiplayer
    Lacks built-in support for online multiplayer gaming, which can be a drawback for users who wish to play with friends remotely.

PPSSPP features and specs

  • High Compatibility
    PPSSPP has a high compatibility rate with a wide range of PSP games, allowing users to play most of their favorite titles with minimal issues.
  • Cross-platform Support
    The emulator is available on various operating systems including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, providing flexibility in how and where you choose to play PSP games.
  • Enhanced Graphics
    PPSSPP offers improvements over the original PSP graphics such as higher resolutions and texture scaling, leading to a better visual experience on modern devices.
  • Save and Load States
    The emulator allows users to save and load game states at any point, making it easier to make progress in games without relying solely on in-game save points.
  • Customizable Controls
    PPSSPP lets users customize on-screen controls and map physical controllers to suit their preferences, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.

Possible disadvantages of PPSSPP

  • Performance Issues
    On some older or less powerful devices, the emulator may struggle with performance, leading to slowdowns or graphical glitches in certain games.
  • Configuration Complexity
    Setting up PPSSPP optimally for different games can be complex, requiring users to tweak graphics and audio settings to achieve the best results.
  • Legal and Ethical Concerns
    While the emulator itself is legal, downloading or sharing copyrighted game ROMs without owning the original copies is illegal, leading to potential ethical dilemmas for users.
  • Inconsistent Experience
    Although most games are supported, some may still encounter bugs or run with issues, requiring individual fixes or updates from developers.

Analysis of OpenEmu

Overall verdict

  • OpenEmu is generally considered a good choice for those looking to play classic games on a Mac. Its ease of use and comprehensive features make it a favorite among users who want a seamless retro gaming experience.

Why this product is good

  • OpenEmu is frequently praised for its user-friendly interface, wide compatibility with different game systems, and convenient features such as save states and controller support. The platform integrates multiple emulators into a single application, making it easy to manage and play retro games from various consoles.

Recommended for

    OpenEmu is recommended for Mac users who are enthusiasts of retro gaming and want an all-in-one solution to organize and play games from multiple gaming systems. It is a great choice for anyone looking to relive classic gaming memories or explore titles from past generations.

OpenEmu videos

OpenEmu - How To Run Emulators on a Mac N64 PSP SNES NES And More!

More videos:

  • Review - OpenEMU Mac Multi Platform Retro Game Emulator Review
  • Tutorial - How To Play Retro Games On Mac Using OpenEmu
  • Tutorial - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aXNC93CAxTw

PPSSPP videos

PPSSPP Review (Fast PSP Emulator)

More videos:

  • Review - PPSSPP - PSP Emulator - Android - 2020 - Easy Set Up And Games!
  • Review - So I've Been Playing: DRAGON BALL EVOLUTION [ Review PSP / ppsspp ]

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to OpenEmu and PPSSPP)
Gaming
82 82%
18% 18
Emulators
81 81%
19% 19
Gaming Tools
80 80%
20% 20
Media Player
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

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

OpenEmu Reviews

7 Best Mac Emulators For Gamers In 2022
OpenEmu is free, easy to setup, easy to use, supports external controllers, and just makes keeping your retro game collection in one place as easy as possible.
Source: retrododo.com
4 Free Open Source Game Emulators For Windows PC, Linux, and macOS
OpenEmu is modular, and thanks to the work of other great open source projects, it can emulate a wide variety of video game systems (we call them โ€˜coresโ€™). OpenEmu emulates the following systems:
12 Best Gaming Console Emulators for Mac in 2022
OpenEmu is steadily taking over the emulator market for Mac OS as it is compatible with Mac OS 10.7 and higher.
Source: thebingeful.com
10 Emulators To Turn Your Computer Into A Retro Console
If you have a Mac and a lot of old video games lying around, OpenEmu is most definitely the one to get. With it, you can manage your collection with a beautiful front-end, as OpenEmu can help you name the games and get the box art online automatically.

PPSSPP Reviews

15 best emulators for Android to play old favorites!
PPSSPP is, without question, the best PSP emulator on the market. It features the best stability, best ROM support, and best features of any of the other PSP emulators. Additionally, the emulator includes the usual array of features for an emulator. It is still a work in progress. Some games may not play at full speed, even on the latest devices. However, itโ€™s definitely...
10 Emulators To Turn Your Computer Into A Retro Console
Playstation Portable Simulator Suitable For Playing Portably (PPSSPP) is a fairly new emulator with the purpose of running PSP games. It was created by one of the cofounders of Dolphin and just like Dolphin, is easy to set up and can play a large number of PSP games.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, OpenEmu seems to be a lot more popular than PPSSPP. While we know about 92 links to OpenEmu, we've tracked only 9 mentions of PPSSPP. 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.

OpenEmu mentions (92)

  • The UI Future Is Colourful and Dimensional
    "I did a quick mockup" Sure you did.. https://openemu.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Apple now allows retro game emulators on its App Store
    Tangentially related: if anybody is looking for a good way to organize a library of retro emulators and games on their MacOS laptops/desktop computers then I recommend OpenEmu. It is designed from the ground up to look and feel like a Mac app. https://openemu.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • How do I play TurboGrafx 16 in 2023?
    The Pocket is a great device, highly recommended, get the Dock if you want to buy one. While waiting, I recommend using https://openemu.org/ on your Mac to run "roms", which are files that represent old games. To get the ROMs, google for "tubrografx roms archive.org". Then for a controller on a Mac, you can use a PS4/PS5 or Xbox (One/Series), if you have one lying around. That said, I recommend buying an SN30 Pro. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Help PSX / NEOGEO games
    Huh? Try http://openemu.org/ and download the experimental version (with arcade support). Source: over 2 years ago
  • Lucky Luke Western Fever
    Yeah should be pretty easy if you have the ISO or a disc copy, OpenEmu should do it without issue - https://openemu.org. Source: over 2 years ago
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PPSSPP mentions (9)

  • MH:R RELEASED! LET'S FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
    PPSSPP is the emulator that you need to play the games. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Which persona do I get when the ports come out? Alot of people say 4 is really good but I've never played 3 or 4 myself
    I used the PPSSPP emulator that emulates PSP games as it allows me to emulate several of the games, though I do recommend using PCSX2 for ps2 games, specifically so that you can play P3 FES, which I prefer to P3P. (which is the one getting the steam port) I won't link you to any of the game ROMs bc I think that can get me in trouble, but looking up persona [number] PSP ROM will probably get you what you're looking... Source: over 3 years ago
  • PPSSPP (1.12.3) crashing at startup
    The standalone PPSSPP app crashes no matter which version I use, including the latest 1.12.3. I can't even get error logs because the app does not even start, just crashes out to the home screen. I used the Google Play version, as well as the APKs on the official ppsspp.org site. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Persona game questions.
    If you're asking about emulation, that has nothing to do with modding the games (no one's made any translation mods for the Japanese PSP games that have official translations anyway). It's playing them on a different device (such as PC) using an emulation program such as PPSSPP. You'll have to acquire the game ROMs separately, but the only way to do that legally is if you rip it from your own copy (which you'd... Source: over 3 years ago
  • Posted a few days ago.
    If you want to emulate the PSP version just get the ISO of P3P from CDRomance or Vimm's Lair, and just download PPSSPP http://ppsspp.org/ from here or download it from the Play Store if you're on Android. Source: over 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing OpenEmu and PPSSPP, you can also consider the following products

RetroArch - RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines and media players.

Dolphin Emulator - Official website of Dolphin, the GameCube and Wii emulator. Download the latest version (5. 0-5763) now or ask questions on our forums for help. Enter your search in the box aboveDownloadDownload the latest version of the Dolphin Emulator (5.

PCSX2 - PCSX2 a Playstation 2 emulator for android, Linux and Mac

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

Play! PS2 Emulator - Play! is an attempt at creating an emulator for the PlayStation 2 console on the Win32 platform.

ePSXe - ePSXe (enhanced PSX emulator) is an emulator of the PlayStation video game console for x86-based PC...