The 8 Best PlayStation Emulators for Desktop PCs in 2019

A PlayStation emulator is a program that emulates, or imitates, the popular gaming console, and allows gamers to enjoy their favorite PlayStation games on their computer. All you need is the game disc or a copy of the disc image.

There are emulators for the PS1, PS2, PSP, and PS3 in addition to experimental emulators for the PS4 and PS Vita.

You can even find PlayStation emulators for Android, but you're better off playing PlayStation games on a high-end gaming PC. Here's a roundup of the best PlayStation emulators available in 2019.

The PlayStation emulators below are free to use unless otherwise noted; however, although emulators are completely legal, it is unlawful in the U.S. to download or distribute copyrighted software.

You can create your own backup copies of games you already own, but you cannot legally share them or download games others have copied.

Nonetheless, there's no shortage of places on the internet where you can find ROMS and disc images of popular PlayStation titles. Likewise emulator you also get free PSN gift card codes on ICardGenerator.com

Some emulators require you to have the appropriate PlayStation console BIOS, which are also illegal to download or distribute.

The only way to obtain them legally is to transfer them from your console onto a memory card, but doing so might void the console warranty. See the specific instructions that come with each emulator for help getting started.

If you prefer a standalone PS1 emulator, the obvious choice is PCSX Reloaded. It's a lot easier to configure than RetroArch, and it supports virtually every game for the classic console. PCSX Reloaded also supports any PC compatible gamepad, so attach your DualShock controller for an authentic experience.

RetroArch isn't a single emulator, but rather a collection of emulators, called “cores,” that let you play thousands of classic games for dozens of consoles all on one PC. The PS1 core is called Beetle PSX, and its superior to most standalone original PlayStation emulators. If you love old school video games, RetroArch is worth a look.

Trying to set a new world record by speedrunning your favorite game? In addition to recording gameplay, BizHawk lets you take advantage of save states and frame-rate manipulation to capture your perfect playthrough. BizHawk is a plugin that runs on top of a PS1 emulator called Mednafen, so you'll need to download both programs.

XEBRA is a simple PlayStation emulator for Windows and Android that prioritizes authenticity.

It doesn't add any graphical enhancements or fancy UI elements, but it does hold the distinction of being the only program that can successfully emulate PocketStation games so you can finally play the Japanese version of Chocobo World.

PCSX2 takes advantage of texture filtering and anti-aliasing to give PS2 games a polished look superior to most modern HD remakes.

A built-in HD video recorder and numerous cheating features make PCSX2 a popular program for speed runners. You may never want to play PS2 games on your console ever again.

RPCS3 is an impressive program that's still in development, but you can play and debug thousands of PlayStation 3 titles with it.

The developers gained notoriety in 2017 when a version of Persona 5 for RPCS3 began circulating online before the game's official U.S. release.

PPSSPP does to PSP games what PCSX2 does for PS2 games: It upscales textures and resolution to make old titles look better than they did on their original consoles.

This feature is especially helpful since the PSP screen is so tiny. You can easily transfer save data from your PSP to your computer with an SD card.

Vita3K is an incomplete project that deserves mentioning on this list because it's the only PlayStation Vita emulator to date.

The Vita probably didn't do as well as the PSP, but that hasn't stopped gamers from trying to build a PS Vita emulator.