Arm Fast Models vs MAME
Arm Fast Models
arm.comMAME
mamedev.orgSide by side
| Figure | Arm Fast Models | MAME |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Emulator Software | 7.8 (#24) | 8.5 (#8) |
| Integration | SystemC interfaces allow integration with third-party models to create virtual SoC prototypes. | Included plugins include Discord Presence and a GDB Stub. |
| Purpose | Fast Models are functionally accurate programmer’s view models of Arm CPU and System IP for developing software before hardware implementations are available. | MAME is a multi-purpose emulation framework intended to preserve software history by documenting hardware and how it functions. |
| Security | The Arm support site provides a product security center for security advisories, updates, and guidance; the Fast Models product page does not state a product-specific security certification. | MAME says it is not designed for secure sites, has not been audited for such use, and should not be run as administrator or root. |
| Support | The product page links to a Fast Models user guide, reference manual, technical support, and software tools forum. | Users can report information or code through the MAME GitHub page, MAME Forums, or the project contact page. |
Plans
In their own words
Arm Fast Models
Arm Fast Models has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
MAME
MAME is a free emulation framework intended to preserve software history by documenting and reproducing the inner components of arcade machines, computers, consoles, calculators, and other electronic amusement systems. It can emulate over 32,000 individual systems from the last five decades. Alongside emulation, it includes an interactive low-level debugger for investigating software behavior, diagnosing emulation issues, and developing software for vintage systems. Its Lua interface can inspect device state, access CPU registers, read and write memory, and draw overlays, though the API may change without notice. Plugins support uses such as external-program communication and alternate interfaces; included examples are Discord Presence and a GDB Stub. MAME can save and load states, record inputs for playback, and capture screenshots or video. It is available for Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows; official Windows binaries require Windows 10 or later. BIOS dumps and copyrighted software are generally not included. The project is distributed under GPL-2.0 overall, while more than 90% of files, including core files, are under BSD-3-Clause.