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DeSmuME vs PCSX2

Side-by-side comparison for macOS

DeSmuME

7.5
Games

Nintendo DS emulator

PCSX2

8.0
Games

Playstation 2 Emulator

Metric DeSmuME PCSX2
Category Games Games
AI Score 7.5 8.0
30-day Installs 24 167
90-day Installs 87 476
365-day Installs 338 1.5K
Version 0.9.13 2.6.3
Auto-updates No No
Deprecated Yes No
GitHub Stars 3.5K 14.5K
GitHub Forks 620 1.9K
Open Issues 89 744
License GPL-2.0 GPL-3.0
Language C++ C++
Last GitHub Commit 3mo ago 1mo ago
First Seen Dec 13, 2013 Jul 6, 2025

Reviews

DeSmuME

DeSmuME is a popular and widely-used Nintendo DS emulator that supports a wide range of DS games. It is an open-source project with a long-standing community, making it a great choice for Nintendo DS fans and retro gaming enthusiasts.

DeSmuME emulates the Nintendo DS, allowing users to play DS games on their Mac.

Pros

  • + Open-source with active community support
  • + Wide compatibility with various Nintendo DS games
  • + Regular updates and maintenance

Cons

  • - Lacks auto-updates
  • - Occasional high CPU usage

PCSX2

PCSX2 is an open-source PlayStation 2 emulator that enables users to play PS2 games on their Mac. With a large, active community and ongoing development, it's a top choice for retro gaming enthusiasts seeking to relive classic PS2 titles.

Emulates PlayStation 2 games on macOS.

Pros

  • + Open-source with a large, active community contributing to its development.
  • + Supports a wide range of PlayStation 2 games, offering compatibility and performance improvements over time.
  • + Regular updates and active issue tracking, showing commitment to quality and functionality.

Cons

  • - Lacks auto-update functionality, requiring manual checks for new versions.
  • - Some performance issues, such as stuttering and AMD-related problems, are still being addressed.