Software Alternatives & Startups

RetroArch VS ShellNewHandler

Compare RetroArch VS ShellNewHandler and see what are their differences

RetroArch

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

Rating
0 reviews
ShellNewHandler

SourceForge.net: ShellNewHandler details page

Rating
0 reviews
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, RetroArch should be more popular than ShellNewHandler. It has been mentioned 20 times since March 2021.

social mentions
20 vs 2
Gaming popularity
100% vs 0%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

RetroArch
ShellNewHandler
Website retroarch.com sourceforge.net
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

RetroArch 5 features
ShellNewHandler 0 features
  • 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

  • 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.

No features have been listed yet.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

RetroArch
ShellNewHandler

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

Overall verdict

  • ShellNewHandler is a niche, lightweight utility hosted on SourceForge designed to give users more control over the Windows 'New' context menu (the ShellNew menu). It can be considered good for its specific narrow use case, but it is an older, minimally maintained tool that may not suit all users, especially those on modern Windows versions.

Why this product is good

  • Provides direct control over customizing the Windows right-click 'New' menu, allowing users to add or remove file type entries
  • Lightweight and free, without bundled bloatware typical of some other free utilities
  • Simple and focused in scope, making it easy to understand for its specific purpose
  • Open distribution via SourceForge allows transparency and no-cost access

Recommended for

  • Power users who want to declutter or customize the Windows New context menu
  • IT administrators managing standardized desktop environments across multiple machines
  • Users comfortable with older utility-style tools and Windows registry-related tweaks
  • Not recommended for casual users seeking modern, actively supported software with regular updates

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

RetroArch 2 videos + Add
ShellNewHandler 0 videos + Add

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

More videos

  • - RetroArch overview

No ShellNewHandler videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
RetroArch
ShellNewHandler
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

RetroArch no reviews yet
ShellNewHandler no reviews yet

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

RetroArch 20 mentions
ShellNewHandler 2 mentions
  • 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: over 3 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: over 3 years ago
  • Malicious download links?
    Yes, only the retroarch.com and libretro.com websites were affected. Source: over 3 years ago

View more

  • I recently got libreoffice, but now the new option in right click looks like a mess. Can someone help me get rid of them please?
    Use Shell New Handler. Run the portable app and simply untick the items you don't want to appear in your new context menu. Source: about 4 years ago
  • This menu should be easy to add/remove programs to... Who is really creating Access Databases from this menu often enough to keep it here? (Not me!) Is there an easy way to edit this?
    I've always used ShellNewHandler for this. It's a really simple portable utility that allows you to remove most of the items from that menu. Tested it out on Windows 11 and it's still compatible. Source: over 5 years ago

Alternatives to RetroArch and ShellNewHandler

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