ES-DE Frontend vs GameEx
ES-DE Frontend
es-de.org
GameEx
gameex.comSide by side
| Figure | ES-DE Frontend | GameEx |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 3 |
| Spec score · Game Library Managers | 9.2 (#1) | 9.1 (#3) |
| Spec score · Emulation Frontends | 9.2 (#1) | 9.1 (#3) |
| Spec score · Game launchers | 9.3 (#3) | 9.3 (#4) |
| Documentation depth | The repository publishes a user guide, Android documentation, build instructions, theme-development documentation, FAQs and a detailed changelog. | The official setup guide covers 39 configuration sections, including emulator setup, MAME, plugins, media, controls and performance. |
| Praise: customization | Android Authority highlighted the large theme selection and options such as changing layouts and font sizes. | Arcade DIY praised the Windows Media Center-style interface, clear menus and extensive customization. |
| Purpose | ES-DE browses and launches games from a multi-platform collection and can also run locally installed games and applications. | GameEx is an arcade and emulator front end for MAME, GameBase, Daphne, PC games and command-line emulators, and also offers HTPC features. |
| Support | The official installation page directs users to the user guide, FAQs and Discord for support. | The maker says commercial support and customizations are available and in many cases provided free of charge. |
| System requirements | The Linux AppImage targets modern x86-64 distributions, and the documentation says ES-DE generally requires a 64-bit operating system. | The support page lists a 1GHz CPU, 1GB RAM, Windows XP SP3 or newer, DirectX or Direct3D graphics, DirectSound audio and about 10GB free disk space. |
| What it does | ES-DE is a frontend for browsing and launching games from a multi-platform collection. | GameEx is a Windows front end for MAME, GameBase, Daphne, PC games, command-line emulators and home-theater media. |
Plans
ES-DE Frontend
- Windows, macOS and LinuxFree
- Windows, macOS and Linux desktopFree
- Android (Samsung Galaxy Store)$6.50, paid once
- AndroidPrice not published
In their own words
ES-DE Frontend
ES-DE Frontend browses and launches games from a multi-platform collection and can also run locally installed games and applications. It supports more than 150 game systems and comes configured for a large selection of emulators, game engines, game managers, and gaming services. Its built-in scraper downloads game details and media, including images, videos, and manuals. Users can adjust configuration options and themes, and download additional themes through the built-in theme downloader. The interface supports full controller navigation. Windows, macOS, and Linux editions are free to download and use, fully open source, and may be distributed freely. The Android release is a paid, partially closed-source app, and no price is listed. It is available through Patreon, Samsung Galaxy Store, and Huawei AppGallery. The Android FAQ gives 64-bit Android 10 or later as the basic requirement and says one purchase can be used on all of the buyer’s devices without a subscription or additional costs. Support links include a user guide, FAQs, and Discord.
GameEx
GameEx is an arcade and emulator front end for MAME, GameBase, Daphne, PC games and command-line emulators, with HTPC features. The site lists original GameEx, GameEx Arcade Edition and GameEx Evolution. Its feature list describes support for nearly any emulator, with advanced MAME support, and compatibility with arcade controls such as X-Arcade, Slik-Stik, JPAC and IPAC, as well as remotes and gamepads. Media features include video and DVD playback, picture viewing, internet radio, a jukebox, a news reader and a YouTube module. Named integrations include Steam, EA Origin, Uplay, iTunes, Windows Media Player, GameBase, GameEx Arcade and the TMDb API. GameEx Online and GameExtender add networked display, remote control and online game statistics. Its listed free plan costs nothing, but commercial use requires each copy to be registered or purchased. The listing includes Android, Linux, macOS and Windows; the maker describes Linux or Mac use through WINE as experimental, while the multiplatform alpha builds may lack features.