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SPECIFICTION
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QuackStation

github.com

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Spec score 7.4 #12 of 25 in PlayStation Emulators

What it is

QuackStation is a free PlayStation 1 emulator with a Qt front end and a fullscreen interface for TV use. Its project goals include playability, speed, long-term maintainability, and performance suitable for low-end devices. It supports hardware rendering through D3D11, D3D12, OpenGL, Vulkan, and Metal, as well as software rendering. Hardware graphics options include upscaling, texture filtering, 24-bit true colour, and PGXP geometry precision and texture correction. Playback features include save states, runahead, rewind, fast boot, CPU overclocking, and time-stretched audio. Games can load from CDs and formats including BIN/CUE, raw BIN/IMG, MAME CHD, ECM, MDS/MDF, and unencrypted PBP. It supports digital and analog controllers, lightguns simulated with a mouse, NeGcon, and multitap for up to eight devices. A PS1 or PS2 BIOS ROM image is required and is not included; users must dump it from their own console. The project is licensed under GNU GPLv3 or later. Android is currently unmaintained and unsupported.

Spec sheet

Purpose
QuackStation is a PlayStation 1 emulator with a Qt front end and a fullscreen/TV interface based on Dear ImGui.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Product
QuackStation is a PlayStation 1 emulator with a Qt front end and a fullscreen/TV interface based on Dear ImGui.Read 29 Sep 2026 · github.com
Integrations
It supports RetroAchievements and Discord Rich Presence.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Support
The README says packages from sources other than GitHub Releases may be out of date and are not supported by the developer.Read 29 Sep 2026 · github.com
License
The project states it is licensed under GNU GPLv3 or later, while noting that it is effectively GPLv3 only for now.Read 29 Sep 2026 · github.com
Android support
The Android app is described as currently unmaintained and unsupported.Read 29 Sep 2026 · github.com
BIOS requirement
A PS1 or PS2 BIOS ROM image is required, and the emulator does not include one; the maker says users should dump it from their own console.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Disc formats
It supports CD playback and disc images including bin/cue, raw bin/img, MAME CHD, ECM, MDS/MDF, and unencrypted PBP.Read 29 Sep 2026 · github.com
Downloads
The maker provides builds for Windows x64/ARM64, Linux x86_64 in AppImage and Flatpak formats, and universal macOS binaries through GitHub Releases.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Emulation features
Features include save states, runahead, rewind, fast boot, and emulated CPU overclocking.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Graphics features
Hardware renderers support upscaling, texture filtering, and 24-bit true colour; PGXP provides geometry precision, texture correction, and depth buffer emulation.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Input
It supports digital and analog controllers, GunCon and Justifier lightguns simulated with a mouse, NeGcon, and multitap controllers for up to eight devices.Read 29 Sep 2026 · github.com
License and security
QuackStation is licensed under GNU GPLv3 or later; the README provides no security certification or compliance claim.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Linux limit
The README says the AppImage requires a distribution equivalent to Ubuntu 22.04 or newer and notes that the Flathub install command was not working as of 30 October 2025.Read 29 Sep 2026 · github.com
Linux support
The maker says the AppImage and Flatpak builds on the releases page are the only supported Linux versions; the AppImage requires a distribution equivalent to Ubuntu 22.04 or newer.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Media support
It can load games from CD and several image formats, including bin/cue, MAME CHD, ECM, MDS/MDF, and unencrypted PBP.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Platform limits
Windows 10 version 1809 or newer is required, macOS 11.0 or newer is required, and the Android app is currently unmaintained and unsupported.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Project origin
The project is a hard fork of the final GPLv3 version of DuckStation.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Rendering
It supports hardware rendering with D3D11, D3D12, OpenGL, Vulkan, and Metal, as well as software rendering.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Save and playback
Features include save states, runahead, rewind, fast boot, and time-stretched audio.Read 29 Sep 2026 · github.com
Support and community
The README says the Discord server does not currently exist and warns that builds or packages from other sources are not supported by the developer.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
System requirements
The listed CPU architectures are x86_64 with SSE4.1, ARMv7, ARM64, or RISC-V/RV64; hardware rendering requires a GPU supporting OpenGL 3.1, OpenGL ES 3.1, Direct3D 11 Feature Level 10.0, or Vulkan 1.0.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
Video capture
Video capture uses Media Foundation on Windows and FFmpeg on all platforms.Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Supports hardware and software rendering.
  • Includes save states, rewind, and runahead.
  • Loads CDs and multiple disc-image formats.
  • Multitap supports up to eight devices.
  • Licensed under GNU GPLv3 or later.

Limits

  • Requires a BIOS image not included with the emulator.
  • Android is unmaintained and unsupported.
  • Windows requires version 1809 or newer.
  • macOS requires version 11.0 or newer.

Who it suits

QuackStation suits players seeking a free PS1 emulator with multiple rendering options and playback features. Users must provide a BIOS image from their own console.

Verdict

QuackStation offers a wide set of rendering, playback, and controller options at no charge. Check the BIOS requirement and platform limits first, particularly the unsupported Android app.

Where Specifiction places it

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