TRX64 vs VICE
TRX64
github.comVICE
vice-emu.sourceforge.ioSide by side
| Figure | TRX64 | VICE |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Commodore 64 Emulators | 8.4 (#2) | 8.2 (#6) |
| Downloads | The releases page provides prebuilt assets for Linux, macOS, and Windows, including x86_64 and arm64 builds where listed. | The download page lists Windows 64-bit GTK3 and SDL2 builds and macOS 12.0 or later builds for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. |
| Integrations | TRX64 is described as the runtime backend for C64RE and the C64U / UE2 Emulator, and it offers a typed UniFFI library with Swift bindings. | The stable binary monitor interface is used by third-party tools including C64 Studio and debugger projects. |
| License | The project is licensed under GPL-3.0-or-later. | VICE is free software distributed under the GNU General Public License version 2 or, at the recipient's option, any later version. |
| Purpose | TRX64 is a cycle-accurate Commodore 64, 1541, and 1581 emulation runtime written in Rust. | VICE runs programs intended for classic 8-bit Commodore computers. |
| Support | The maker directs users to GitHub issues and says they cannot provide real support. | The project directs bug reports, suggestions, and support requests to its SourceForge trackers or team mailing list, and notes development is done in spare time. |
Plans
In their own words
TRX64
TRX64 is a free, open-source Rust runtime for cycle-accurate emulation of the Commodore 64, 1541, and 1581. Its reverse-engineering tools include rewind, byte-exact reverse stepping, write tracking, observers, traces, marks, and sandboxes. A daemon exposes JSON-RPC 2.0 over WebSocket, with project capabilities available through JSON-RPC methods. Users can work with trx64cli, a terminal cockpit with an optional native emulator window, or C64RE, a browser-based reverse-engineering workbench. The daemon supports c64, u64, and 128 machine selections, with PAL and NTSC C64 models documented. Media and hardware support includes D64/G64 disks in 1541 drives, D81 disks in 1581 drives, cartridge types, REU, GeoRAM, and the Ultimate Command Interface. It also supports machine snapshots, reverse-debug buffers, trace logs, and VICE .vsf snapshot conversion. Releases are available for Linux, macOS, and Windows, with builds for x86_64 and arm64 where listed. C64 ROMs, including the 1581 DOS ROM, are not included and must be supplied separately.
VICE
VICE runs programs made for classic Commodore 8-bit computers by emulating eight systems: C64, C64DTV, C128, VIC20, PET, PLUS4, SCPU64 and CBM-II. It aims for cycle-accurate operation, with 6502/6510 emulation covering documented and undocumented opcodes and precise timing. For C64 software, its emulators reproduce VIC-II video and SID sound, including synchronization, ring modulation and filters. Disk support covers up to four external drives, using disk images, filesystem directories or compatible real devices; joystick input can come from a keyboard or a host-connected joystick. VICE is available on Android, Linux, macOS and Windows, and is free software under GNU GPL version 2 or later. The download page lists Windows builds and macOS builds for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs; the latter require macOS 12.0 or later. Android binaries are listed separately. The manual warns that six systems—the C64DTV, C128, PET, PLUS4, SCPU64 and CBM-II—remain under construction and may be less capable than the C64 or VIC20 emulators.