Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · TurboGrafx-16 Emulators

RetroArch vs PCE.emu

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score RetroArch #2 in TurboGrafx-16 Emulators 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Visit RetroArch
PCE.emu #7 in TurboGrafx-16 Emulators 8.3/10 Paid ✓ 1 of 4 features Visit PCE.emu

RetroArch leads on 1 check, PCE.emu on 0, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreRetroArch · 9.2/10
  • Free planonly RetroArch

RetroArch scores higher on our rubric for turbografx-16 emulators: 9.2 against 8.3 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #7.

RetroArch offers free plan; PCE.emu doesn't.

RetroArch is the better fit for broad multi-platform emulator management. PCE.emu is the better fit for android users wanting broad PCE support.

  • RetroArch fits best

    Broad multi-platform emulator management

  • PCE.emu fits best

    Android users wanting broad PCE support

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature RetroArch 9.2/10 Visit ↗ PCE.emu 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.2 8.3
Ranking #2 in TurboGrafx-16 Emulators #7 in TurboGrafx-16 Emulators
Best for Broad multi-platform emulator management Android users wanting broad PCE support
Pricing model Free Paid
Starting price Free plan —
Free plan ✓ (best) —
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Desktop, Mobile Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android Android, Linux
Support Community, Docs Email, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business
Features RetroArch 1/4 · PCE.emu 1/4
Save states Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Cheat support Not checked yet Not checked yet
Netplay ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Video filters Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Supported platforms Not checked yet android, linux
Console coverage Not checked yet Tg16_and_pce
License Not checked yet Open_source
Our review
Pros
  • Downloadable cores and system-based game collection playlists
  • Controller remapping, shaders, recording, rewind, and netplay
  • Free, open-source apps for web, desktop, and mobile platforms
  • Supports PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 software, including CD content
  • Handles PCE, SGX, ZIP, RAR, and 7Z files
  • Offers save states, external controllers, and Arcade Card options
Cons
  • Core-specific BIOS requirements can add configuration work
  • Available features and cores vary by platform and distribution
  • TurboGrafx-16 buyers should verify the relevant core and distribution
  • Official builds target Android and Linux only
  • The Android app is paid rather than free
  • Users must supply their own ROMs and system files
Our verdict

RetroArch is an open-source frontend for the libretro API, designed for launching and configuring emulator, game-engine, and media-player cores from one graphical interface. It suits players managing collections across web, Windows, macOS,…

Read the review →

PCE.emu is an open-source emulator for PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 software, based on Mednafen. It is aimed at Android and Linux users who want support for both cartridge and CD content, rather than a tool focused on one format or one…

Read the review →
  1. RetroArchTurboGrafx-16 Emulators 9.2Free plan
  2. PCE.emuTurboGrafx-16 Emulators 8.3Paid

Strengths and trade-offs

  • RetroArch — where it wins

    • Downloadable cores and system-based game collection playlists
    • Controller remapping, shaders, recording, rewind, and netplay
    • Free, open-source apps for web, desktop, and mobile platforms

    Where it doesn't

    • Core-specific BIOS requirements can add configuration work
    • Available features and cores vary by platform and distribution
    • TurboGrafx-16 buyers should verify the relevant core and distribution

  • PCE.emu — where it wins

    • Supports PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 software, including CD content
    • Handles PCE, SGX, ZIP, RAR, and 7Z files
    • Offers save states, external controllers, and Arcade Card options

    Where it doesn't

    • Official builds target Android and Linux only
    • The Android app is paid rather than free
    • Users must supply their own ROMs and system files

More comparisons

All TurboGrafx-16 emulators comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update