86Box vs gem5
86Box
86box.net
gem5
gem5.orgSide by side
| Figure | 86Box | gem5 |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Emulator Software | 8.2 (#12) | 7.8 (#24) |
| License | 86Box is released under the GNU General Public License version 2 or later. | The simulator is released under a Berkeley-style open-source license, with portions derived from other sources subject to their original licenses. |
| Purpose | 86Box emulates x86-based IBM PC systems and compatibles from 1981 through systems based on the PCI bus. | gem5 is a modular platform for computer-system architecture research, covering system-level architecture and processor microarchitecture. |
| Support | The project offers community discussion through IRC and Discord and links to a documentation site. | Users can ask questions through GitHub Discussions, Slack, or mailing lists; bug reports should be submitted through GitHub issues. |
Plans
In their own words
86Box
86Box is a free emulator for x86-based IBM PC systems and compatibles, covering machines from 1981 through PCI-bus systems. It emulates processors from the 8086 through the Pentium with an emphasis on accuracy and supports configurable machines such as the IBM PC 5150 and IBM PS/2 line. Users can select video adapters, sound cards, network adapters, hard-disk controllers, and SCSI adapters. Supported guest systems include MS-DOS, older Windows releases, OS/2, many Linux distributions, BeOS, and NEXTSTEP. MIDI output can use Windows MIDI support, FluidSynth, or emulated Roland synthesizers. 86Box runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS and is released under the GNU General Public License version 2 or later. The project offers stable and experimental builds; experimental versions may be less stable or slower. Most emulation logic runs in one thread, so results depend on host and guest configuration. A BIOS is required. The project recommends manager applications for multiple virtual machines, while its built-in manager is still a preview.