# Best PSP emulator: PPSSPP, the Gold Cartridge pick

Page: https://whichemulator.wtf/psp/ · Reference: WEM-PSP-P7U4

The Ask API at `GET https://whichemulator.wtf/ask` answers questions from the same data as this page, and it is the only place the setup steps are published. It takes `q` (the question, 3 to 500 characters) and an optional `page` (a local path such as `/psp/`). It returns JSON `{answer, consoles, sources, follow_ups}`, or Markdown when the request sends `Accept: text/markdown`. No key; 30 requests a minute per IP. Guide: https://whichemulator.wtf/skill.md

PlayStation Portable, Sony, 2004.

## Recommended: PPSSPP

whichemulator.wtf calls its recommendation for each system the Gold Cartridge pick. For the PSP, the Gold Cartridge pick is PPSSPP.

PPSSPP has been the answer for over a decade and nothing has come close. It runs almost the whole library, scales games well beyond the original 480×272, and works on everything from a cheap Android phone to a desktop PC. No BIOS needed.

Runs on Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iOS. Open source. Download: https://www.ppsspp.org

**Gold is a donation:** PPSSPP Gold costs money but does exactly the same thing as the free version. Buy it if you want to support the developer, not because you think you're missing features.

## Alternatives

No other PSP emulator is worth recommending right now. If PPSSPP can't run something, nothing else will either.

## RetroArch cores

- PPSSPP: Same emulator, a little behind standalone

Fine if you live in RetroArch, but standalone PPSSPP gets fixes first and has the better UI.

## Hardware

- CPU: Allegrex (MIPS32), up to 333 MHz
- Memory: 32MB (64MB on later models)
- Resolution: 480×272
- Media: UMD, 1.8GB
- Library: ~1,900 games

## Notes

### Why there's no real alternative

Other PSP emulators have come and gone, but PPSSPP absorbed all the momentum years ago. It's open source, actively maintained, and covers so much of the library that the useful question is which settings to use, not which emulator.

Start with the defaults. If a game misbehaves, check the community compatibility reports before fiddling with rendering options.

## Support the developers

- [Buy PPSSPP Gold](https://www.ppsspp.org/buygold)
- [Star on GitHub](https://github.com/hrydgard/ppsspp)

## Questions the Ask API answers

- [How do I set up PPSSPP for the PSP?](https://whichemulator.wtf/ask?q=How+do+I+set+up+PPSSPP+for+the+PSP%3F&page=%2Fpsp%2F&via=page)
- [Which PSP emulator should I use on macOS?](https://whichemulator.wtf/ask?q=Which+PSP+emulator+should+I+use+on+macOS%3F&page=%2Fpsp%2F&via=page)
- [Which RetroArch core should I use for the PSP?](https://whichemulator.wtf/ask?q=Which+RetroArch+core+should+I+use+for+the+PSP%3F&page=%2Fpsp%2F&via=page)