BSNES or Snes9x?

[KittenLikeYou007]

Hello everyone,
I’m looking to emulate SNES on PC and would like your advice on the best choice nowadays. Which emulator would you recommend—BSNES or SNES9x , in terms of compatibility, graphics, and performance ?
My goal is to play in the best possible conditions while keeping the original 4:3 aspect ratio. Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[zacharinolongpants]

SNES9X is the old faithful workhorse. I will say, I think BSNES has some experimental graphics options that are fun to tinker with if I recall correctly. Stuff like high res mode 7 upscaling and all that.

 

[KittenLikeYou007]

In the end, I’m going to stick with SNES9x, but I’m having a hard time figuring out which settings are best (DirectX, Vulkan, OpenGL) and which filter to use for remastering my SNES games. Some of them seem to distort the original look, while others make things look a bit too smooth.

 

[NardoBoom]

In the end, I’m going to stick with SNES9x, but I’m having a hard time figuring out which settings are best (DirectX, Vulkan, OpenGL) and which filter to use for remastering my SNES games. Some of them seem to distort the original look, while others make things look a bit too smooth.
View attachment 102046

If you want Filters and shaders, use Ares.

 

[KittenLikeYou007]

If you want Filters and shaders, use Ares.

What extra filters does it offer? I already see a good dozen on SNES9x.

As for shaders, I honestly don’t care much. It’ll already be better than what I’m used to—I’m still playing PS1 games on a Phillips CRT in 2025, so my eyes are used to pixels.

For example, on my Sega and Sony emulators, I never use shaders; just upscaling with a filter is enough for my gaming.

 

[Deleted member 132407]

What extra filters does it offer? I already see a good dozen on SNES9x.

As for shaders, I honestly don’t care much. It’ll already be better than what I’m used to—I’m still playing PS1 games on a Phillips CRT in 2025, so my eyes are used to pixels.

For example, on my Sega and Sony emulators, I never use shaders; just upscaling with a filter is enough for my gaming.

 

[KittenLikeYou007]

thecrow2313
I just tried your settings with Zelda: A Link to the Past and I’m satisfied—they worked even better than I expected. Thanks, so the issue is resolved!

 

[RETRO-VETRO RETRO-VETRO]

If you're deciding between BSNES and Snes9x @KittenLikeYou007, it really comes down to what you value most in your emulation experience. BSNES is known for its near-perfect accuracy, replicating the original SNES hardware down to the tiniest detail. This makes it ideal for purists who want an authentic experience, but it does require more powerful hardware to run smoothly. On the other hand, Snes9x offers excellent performance and broad compatibility across a wide range of systems. It’s user-friendly, supports features like RetroAchievements, and runs well even on older machines. While it may not match BSNES in terms of cycle-accurate emulation, it’s still highly reliable and more accessible for casual players. So, if you're chasing perfection, BSNES is your go-to. But if you want something lightweight, flexible, and packed with features, Snes9x is hard to beat but I personally use Snes9x

 

[ThunderBoy]

I prefer Snes9X

 

[mangamannn]

Bizhawk (bsnes + snes9x in the same emulator)

https://tasvideos.org/BizHawk/ReleaseHistory

 

[Mopeybloke]

BSNES is the more accurate and compatible one, SNES9x runs leaner on hardware and is almost identical in terms of compatibility with some 3-game edge cases that you probably won't run into.
I think the best option is Ares. Ares is a project started by Near, and it contains BSNES, but it also provides access to CRT shaders like retroarch does. If you're going to use BSNES, do so through Ares.

Ares also has a good Mega Drive emulator if you're into that.

 

[SherionVane]

Snes9x

 

[aquova]

I'm surprised how popular snes9x still is. I'll admit I never really used it, I always went for bsnes, or Ares these days. I'm a fan of Ares, which has the added benefit of including a number of other emulators. I've also heard that it's the only emulator that does Super Game Boy "properly" as it requires a mixture of the two emulators that only it manages, but I'm not sure if that's still the case.

 

[petran79]

Snes9x has also run ahead option for lower input lag.

Ares has it too but on Windows it is busted.

 

[Additional Damage]

SNES9x of course

 

[snes9x]

SNES9x is cool and works

I agree.

 

[Sinsic30]

i remember mesen on the O.G. xbox console - ahhh the good old days (^-^) - coin ops - almost brings a tear to my eye :-(

 

[starseeker300]

I've only used snes9x and have never even tried anything else but i have never had any problems

 

[DaveTheMan]

I would recommend Ares or BSNES.

Why?

 

[χKai]

The only BS thing about it is "why didn't Nintendo make it this good".

 

[NovumVeritas]

Why?

Ares is a highly accurate, open-source, multi-system emulator focused on preservation, known for its clean codebase, deep accuracy, and support for many consoles (NES, SNES, N64, PlayStation, etc.). Though it prioritizes precision over raw speed, leading to simpler but slower emulation for some systems, and offers native UI across platforms.

Regarding bsnes:

bsnes is a SNES emulator known for its accuracy, advanced features, and low-level emulation, making it ideal for purists and enthusiasts who want the most faithful experience, including HD enhancements like Mode 7 upscaling and deep settings for coprocessors, Super Game Boy, and precise audio/video control, even supporting online play in special builds. Its focus is on perfect game reproduction, distinguishing it from performance-focused alternatives.

 

[Mopeybloke]

I'm sure the SNES emulator on ARES is BSNES.

 

[NovumVeritas]

I'm sure the SNES emulator on ARES is BSNES.

Yeah kind of:

ares is a multi-system emulator that began development on October 14th, 2004. It is a descendant of higan and bsnes, and focuses on accuracy and preservation.

GitHub - ares-emulator/ares: ares is a cross-platform, open source, multi-system emulator, focusing on accuracy and preservation.

ares is a cross-platform, open source, multi-system emulator, focusing on accuracy and preservation. - ares-emulator/ares

github.com

 

[Mecharocca]

Mesen - Emulator

Mesen is a multi-system emulator for Windows, Linux and macOS.

www.mesen.ca

ares

 

[cjl8336]

ares/bsnes has a weird file browser, I have found mesen to be quite good especially with multi console support (nes/snes/sms/megadrive/gbc)
gba does not have cheat device support though