DOSBox-X vs Magic DosBox

DOSBox-X7.7Visit Magic DosBox6.7Visit

Higher score DOSBox-X #3 in MS-DOS Emulators 7.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit DOSBox-X

vs

Magic DosBox #8 in MS-DOS Emulators 6.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Magic DosBox

• DOSBox-X fits best

  Advanced DOS and legacy Windows emulation

• Magic DosBox fits best

  Android users playing DOS games

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Side by side

Feature	DOSBox-X 7.7/10 Visit ↗	Magic DosBox 6.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	7.7	6.7
Ranking	#3 in MS-DOS Emulators	#8 in MS-DOS Emulators
Best for	Advanced DOS and legacy Windows emulation	Android users playing DOS games
Pricing model	Free	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Not published	Not published
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Mobile
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Android
Support	Community, Docs	Email, Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features DOSBox-X 0/4 · Magic DosBox 3/4
Gamepad support	Not published	✓ (best)
Save states	Not published	✓ (best)
Audio CD support	Not published	Not published
Source available	Not published	✓ (best)
Specs
Supported host platforms	Not published	Android
DOS target versions	Not published	Ms-dos
Disk image formats	Not published	ISO, GOG, INST, CUE
Our review
Pros	Supports DOS, Windows 3.x/9x/ME, PC-98, AX, and J-3100 systems Includes save states, networking, shaders, pixel scaling, and 3dfx emulation Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux with graphical configuration tools	Custom profiles, collections, layouts, and virtual controls Supports keyboard, mouse, stylus, gamepad, audio, CD-ROM, and ISO input Includes save states, networking, and layout import/export
Cons	No officially supported Android platform Its broad configuration may exceed the needs of simple DOS use Focused on DOS-era systems rather than arcade emulation	Free Lite limits users to one game profile Free Lite allows only three widget types Games are not included, and save states have reliability limitations
Our verdict	DOSBox-X is a free, open-source, cross-platform emulator for DOS applications and games, with additional support for DOS-based Windows 3.x, 9x, and ME. It also covers NEC PC-98, AX, and J-3100 systems, making it suited to historical… Read the review →	Magic DosBox is an open-source Android port of DOSBox for running users’ own MS-DOS games and applications on phones, tablets, and other Android devices. It is aimed at Android users who want configurable touch controls alongside physical… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• DOSBox-X — where it wins

  • Supports DOS, Windows 3.x/9x/ME, PC-98, AX, and J-3100 systems
  • Includes save states, networking, shaders, pixel scaling, and 3dfx emulation
  • Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux with graphical configuration tools

  Where it doesn't

  • No officially supported Android platform
  • Its broad configuration may exceed the needs of simple DOS use
  • Focused on DOS-era systems rather than arcade emulation

• Magic DosBox — where it wins

  • Custom profiles, collections, layouts, and virtual controls
  • Supports keyboard, mouse, stylus, gamepad, audio, CD-ROM, and ISO input
  • Includes save states, networking, and layout import/export

  Where it doesn't

  • Free Lite limits users to one game profile
  • Free Lite allows only three widget types
  • Games are not included, and save states have reliability limitations

• DOSBox-X7.7/10 · Free plan

  A free, highly configurable choice for advanced DOS and legacy Windows emulation.

  Visit DOSBox-XFull verdict →
• Magic DosBox6.7/10 · Free plan

  A feature-rich Android DOS emulator with a capable free Lite tier.

  Visit Magic DosBoxFull verdict →