ePSXe Download

ePSXe is the most popular PlayStation emulator available that is also free. ePSXe is also referred to as enhanced PSX due to the enhancements made to the emulator in order to be a better version of the original emulator, capable of playing more games than it’s predecessor.

This emulator was developed by three individuals known only by their internet handles and so we know them as Kalb, Galtor, and _Demo_. They spent six months developing this game quietly and finally released it on December 14th, 2000. The emulator met great success as it has higher capabilities and better performance than the earlier versions like the PSX emulator.

What does an Emulator Do?

An emulator is a piece of computer software that allows the user to run the host computer as if it were a different platform, in this case like a PlayStation. ePSXe allows the user to use it as both a PlayStation and as a PlayStation One, the newer version that still has the cherished games that certain gamers don’t want to stop playing.

Required

You need to have at least an Intel Pentium 3 CPU to be able to run this software smoothly on the computer you are installing ePSXe on. This is to insure that the graphics plugins you need as well as the PlayStation BIOS you must install to run the software will work properly and be able to run the program to the specifics that the ePSX needs.

BIOS

The ePSXe software also requires you to download and install a PlayStation BIOS, which is what runs the software. A BIOS is a Basic Input/Output System and this enables you to install and run the program as if it were actually on a PlayStation gaming system. Without the BIOS installed, then the ePSXe would not recognize or be able to mimic the functions of the PlayStation and the software would be useless.

Configuring the software and the BIOS will allow you to set up a specific order that the components and software will operate for maximum  performance, or to run in the manner that you need for the software. This is important when using an emulator, since you need to be able to arrange the software in the proper way to allow the program to run smoothly and without stutters, which is also necessary when you are mimicking the functions of another module on a computer that acts as the host.

Plugins

You will need a total of four plugins that mimic the functions that the gaming console would have were you not using an emulator to play. You need a GPU, or graphics processing unit, an SPU or sound processing unit, a CD-ROM plugin to mimic the read modes that the PlayStation would use, and finally, an Input plugin that acts as the core plugin and allows everything else to function as it should when you run the emulator.