The developers of the PlayStation 2 emulator ARMSX2 for Android have released a major update with the subtitle Refresh. The main technical change was the abandonment of x86-to-ARM code translation, which was used in the standard version of the application since its release at the end of 2025.
The new build is written from scratch for native ARM code. This allowed reducing the load on the processor, increasing performance in demanding games like Shadow of the Colossus, and improving out-of-the-box compatibility for projects.
In addition to architectural optimization, ARMSX2 Refresh switched to the current PCSX2 graphics core version 2.7. The emulator also received a redesigned settings menu with flexible customization of GPU profiles for Mali, Adreno, and PowerVR video chips. This should improve performance on smartphones without Snapdragon processors.
Currently, the native Refresh version is available for download only through the project's GitHub. The developers promise to transfer all changes to the official Google Play client in the near future.