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PCem VS Next.js

Compare PCem VS Next.js and see what are their differences

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PCem logo PCem

PCem emulates an IBM 5150 PC, several models of clones and successors, along with various graphics...

Next.js logo Next.js

A small framework for server-rendered universal JavaScript apps
  • PCem Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-06
  • Next.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-19

PCem features and specs

  • High Compatibility
    PCem is known for its high compatibility with a wide range of older PC systems, allowing users to emulate various hardware configurations from the '80s and '90s.
  • Wide OS Support
    PCem supports a variety of operating systems, allowing users to run DOS, Windows 95, 98, and many other legacy systems.
  • Authentic Experience
    By emulating the hardware at a low level, PCem provides an experience that is very close to using an actual vintage PC.
  • Customization
    Users have extensive control over the configuration of the emulated machine, including CPU type, amount of RAM, and various peripherals.

Possible disadvantages of PCem

  • Complex Setup
    Setting up PCem can be complex, especially for users not familiar with configuring legacy PC hardware and software.
  • Resource Intensive
    PCem can be resource-intensive compared to other emulators, requiring a relatively powerful modern PC to run smoothly.
  • Limited Graphics Support
    While it supports many early graphics cards, PCem lacks support for more advanced graphics emulation beyond older Voodoo models.
  • Requires BIOS
    PCem requires the user to provide their own BIOS files for the emulated systems, which can be difficult to legally obtain.

Next.js features and specs

  • Server-Side Rendering (SSR)
    Next.js supports SSR, allowing pages to be rendered on the server-side before being sent to the client. This results in improved SEO and faster initial page loads.
  • Static Site Generation (SSG)
    Enables pre-rendering pages at build time, which can further improve performance and scalability while allowing for dynamic generation when needed.
  • API Routes
    Next.js allows you to build API endpoints directly in the application, simplifying the process of creating back-end services and endpoints.
  • File-Based Routing
    Offers a simple file-based routing mechanism where the file structure maps directly to the app’s routes, making it easier to manage and understand.
  • Automatic Code Splitting
    Automatically splits code at the page level, reducing the initial load time and improving performance by only loading necessary JavaScript.
  • TypeScript Support
    Built-in support for TypeScript, allowing developers to use static type checking and other TypeScript features easily.
  • Developer Experience
    Provides a great developer experience with features like fast refresh, hot reloading, and detailed error reporting.
  • Rich Ecosystem
    Benefiting from the rich ecosystem of the React community and integrating well with other libraries and tools.
  • Internationalization
    Built-in support for internationalization helps developers build multilingual applications with ease.
  • Community and Support
    Strong community and extensive documentation provide ample support and resources for new and experienced developers alike.

Possible disadvantages of Next.js

  • Learning Curve
    The robust feature set of Next.js can present a steep learning curve for developers who are new to React or server-side rendering concepts.
  • Configuration Overhead
    Although Next.js aims for simplicity, complex projects may still require significant configuration and customization.
  • Performance Overhead
    SSR can introduce additional server load and latency compared to static site generators, especially under high traffic conditions.
  • Deployment Complexity
    Deploying Next.js applications that leverage SSR or API routes may be more complex and could require more sophisticated server infrastructure.
  • Vendor Lock-In
    If heavily relying on Next.js-specific features, moving away from the framework to another solution could require significant refactoring.
  • Bundle Size
    Without careful optimization, client-side bundle sizes can become large, negatively affecting the application’s performance.
  • Build Times
    For large applications, build times can be significant, impacting the development cycle and deployment times.
  • Dependencies
    Next.js introduces its own set of dependencies and tooling, which might complicate version management and compatibility with other tools.

Analysis of Next.js

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Next.js is considered a good framework. It is admired for its flexibility, developer experience, and ability to deliver high-performance applications. Its continuous updates and community support further enhance its standing as a reliable choice for building web applications.

Why this product is good

  • Next.js is a popular React framework known for its server-side rendering, static site generation, and API route features. It is built by Vercel and provides an optimized development experience with a focus on performance and SEO advantages. Its easy integration with various backends, built-in support for TypeScript, and capability to handle dynamic and static content efficiently make it a strong choice for modern web development.

Recommended for

  • Developers building SEO-friendly web applications
  • Teams focusing on performance optimization
  • Projects requiring server-side rendering or static site generation
  • Applications needing routing and API integration out of the box
  • Developers looking for a robust framework with TypeScript support

PCem videos

Installation and Review of Windows NT 3.1 Build 297 (PCem)

More videos:

  • Review - Emulating Windows 98 (D3D, 3Dfx) on PCEM running 3DMark'99 Full Speed On A Windows 10 PC
  • Demo - Blood II PC Gamer Demo (PCEM Test)

Next.js videos

Next.js: The React Framework - JS Monthly - July 2019

More videos:

  • Review - Gatsby vs Next.js: Which does SSG Better?

Category Popularity

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Text Editors
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User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare PCem and Next.js

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Next.js Reviews

Top 10 Next.js Alternatives You Can Try
Next.js is a well-known platform most of you utilize to build a responsive website. However, if you are annoyed by its limited features, consider Next.js alternatives because flexibility and faster loading speed are always the top concerns of every developer. For this reason, you might need to read this article to explore the top 10 Nextjs Alternatives for the exciting world...
20 Next.js Alternatives Worth Considering
When it comes to building modern web applications, finding the right framework can be a game-changer. Next.js is often a top choice, but there are several Next.js alternatives worth considering.
10 Best Next.js Alternatives to Consider Today
For those who have been accustomed to the benefits of React Next.js, keeping an eye on the latest version is crucial. Next.js's continuous improvement and updates in Next.js enhance its capabilities, ensuring developers can access cutting-edge features and optimizations. Whether starting a new project or maintaining an existing Next.js website, staying informed about the...
9 Best JavaScript Frameworks to Use in 2023
Next.js uses JavaScript and React components to create the UI. Next.js is influenced by React Router, Webpack, Node ecosystem, and community libraries. The feature that sets Next.js apart from other frameworks is its ability to automatically generate pages based on the file system structure of the project. For example, if there is a _posts folder in the root directory,...
Source: ninetailed.io
JavaScript: What Are The Most Used Frameworks For This Language?
Some of its top features include server-side rendering, automatic code splitting, client-side routing, built-in CSS support, static site generation and API routes. Overall, Next.JS is a powerful and flexible framework that provides developers with a simple and intuitive way to build complex React applications with ease. It is widely used in the React community and has a...
Source: www.bocasay.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Next.js seems to be a lot more popular than PCem. While we know about 1077 links to Next.js, we've tracked only 34 mentions of PCem. 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.

PCem mentions (34)

  • Popularity of DOS/4GW made Win95 game compat easier, but with higher stakes
    Absolutely check out PCem for a closer to hardware emulation than dosbox, https://pcem-emulator.co.uk/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Anyone get Sid Meier's SimGolf Working?
    One option is to try PCEm https://pcem-emulator.co.uk/ which is a emulator for old computers that runs on Windows and Linux, I actually learned about it via this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9HP9W88Wew of a guy playing Sim Golf on his Windows PC using PCEm, this should be similar on Linux but I'm not sure if the SteamDeck will have enough power but maybe worth a try. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Is there anyway to port old abandonware Windows 95/98 game to Apple Silicon?
    For hardcore mode, compile PCEm - I think brew has most of the dependencies available ... https://pcem-emulator.co.uk/ - have fun! Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Is VirtualBox still really bad with Windows 9x?
    You use 86box or PCem which are not virtualizers but hardware emulators so you will need a really fast CPU (especially in single thread). The advantage is that Windows 98 will be running on period appropriate hardware, since all of it is being emulated real-time. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Intel Explores Transition to 64-Bit-Only X86S Architecture
    QEMU [0] emulates many systems, including the 32-bit Intel architecture. For retro gaming specifically I can recommend PCem [1], which also emulates a wide range of sound and graphics cards, from IBM MDA to 3dfx Voodoo 2. [0] https://www.qemu.org/ [1] https://pcem-emulator.co.uk/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
View more

Next.js mentions (1077)

  • Critical Next.js Middleware Bypass Affects Popular AI Apps (CVE-2025-29927)
    In March 2025, a high-risk vulnerability was disclosed in the popular React-based framework Next.js, maintained by Vercel. Tracked as CVE-2025-29927, this flaw allows attackers to bypass middleware logic, which can impact authentication, security headers, and access controls—especially in apps using Edge Middleware, enabled by default. - Source: dev.to / about 21 hours ago
  • Diving into Next.js - My 2-Week Learning Experience
    The reason: file-based routing, SEO support, multiple CSS features, instant UI retrieval from the server, creation of API endpoints within the project itself, and loads of other features. You can read about this in detail here - link. - Source: dev.to / 5 days ago
  • Build a Collaborative App with Real-Time Comments & @Mentions Using Velt, Clerk Auth, Prisma & Radix UI⛵
    If you’ve followed this article so far, great job on putting together a commenting system that combines secure authentication with real-time collaboration using Next.js, Prisma, Radix UI, Clerk Auth and Velt. While this is a simple demo, you can build upon it for your projects using these tools. - Source: dev.to / 7 days ago
  • I replaced Next.js for my application with this module 🔥
    But I want to say that this topic is clearly not new in 2025, I will not reveal anything supernatural here. HTMX and Alpine.js have already fully proven to everyone that this is not nonsense. I am just retelling everything, but with one interesting remark - this is the HMPL template language which is better than the previous two in some tasks. Next, I will describe why and how it will help you replace Next.js. - Source: dev.to / 23 days ago
  • How to add markdown to a Next.js project
    This article assumes the reader is a developer that knows their way around Markdown, TypeScript, React.js, and [Next.js] https://nextjs.org/). Familiarity with Tailwind-css would also be useful. - Source: dev.to / 25 days ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing PCem and Next.js, you can also consider the following products

NASM - The Netwide Assembler, NASM, is an 80x86 and x86-64 assembler designed for portability and...

Vercel - Vercel is the platform for frontend developers, providing the speed and reliability innovators need to create at the moment of inspiration.

86Box - 86Box is a hypervisor and IBM PC system emulator that specializes in running old operating systems...

React - A JavaScript library for building user interfaces

flat assembler - A fast and efficient self-assembling x86 assembler for DOS, Windows and Linux.

Nuxt.js - Nuxt.js presets all the configuration needed to make your development of a Vue.js application enjoyable. It's a perfect static site generator.