Best PCSX2 Settings For High Speed Performance 2023 – Configuration Tips

Are you looking for the best settings to configure the PCSX2 emulator for high-speed performance and to fix lag issues? Then you are at the right place.

PCSX2 is a free and open-source games emulator which supports a wide range of PlayStation 2 games with a high amount of flexibility and compatibility. PCSX2 is available for almost all platforms, including Windows, Linux, and macOS.

PCSX2 supports custom resolutions, text-filtering, and anti-aliasing and so this emulator requires high-end computers to run its modules smoothly. However, PCSX2 can also be installed on a low end-with some configuration tweaks.

Let’s see, how to tweak PCSX2 on your PC to get the best performance.

How to configure PCSX2’s settings for the best performance?

The most ideal way to make the PCSX2 emulator run faster and smoother either on a high or low-end device would be to upgrade your hardware to the latest update. There are also some low-level games available that you can easily play on your computer without any lag issue.

Here is the step-by-step guide:

How to Configure PCSX2 Emulator

It is a very important setting as it helps you to configure the emotions engine and microVu compiler. The steps are very straightforward. First of all, open/launch the emulator and then follow the below tutorial.

Best Emulation Settings

#1. In the menu, you will find several options. You need to click on the ‘Config’ option and then a new menu will appear. You need to click on “Emulation Settings”.

In the ‘Emulation settings’ dashboard, you will have several options. You have to configure all the settings one by one very carefully. Under EE/ECP options, you need to configure all the options as stated below —

1. 1. 1. Emotion Engine > Select the “Recompiler”.
      2. ICP > Select the “Recompiler”.
      3. EE/FPU advanced Recompiler options > Select the “Chp/Zero”.
      4. Clamping Mode > Select the “None”.

#2. Under the VUs options, you need to configure all the options as stated below —

1. 1. 1. VU0 > Select the ‘microVU Recompiler’.
      2. VU1 > Select the ‘microVU Recompiler’.
      3. Round Mode > Select the ‘chop/zero’.
      4. Clamping Mode > Select the ‘None’.

#3. In the GS dashboard, You need to find ‘Frame Skipping’ options. And then there you need to select the ‘Constant Skipping’ option. And then enter 1 in ‘Frames to Draw’ input box and then 2 in the ‘Frames to skip’ input box.

#4. You do not need to configure anything under GS Windows settings.

#5. In the Speedhacks dashboard, you need to tick on “Enable Speedhacks” option first.And then increase the EE Cyclerate [Not Recommended] to 33% and VU Cycle [Not Recommended] to 33%.

1. Select the INTC Spin Detection.
2. Select the mVU Falg Hack.
3. Select the Wait Loop Detection.
4. Select the MTVU (Multi-Threaded microVU1).

#6. In the ‘Game Fixes’ settings dashboard, you no need to configure anything.

#7. That’s it.

Best Plugins Settings

PCSX2 offers a wide range of customization options, allowing you to tweak the settings to get the best performance and visual quality. Here are some of the best plugin settings:

GS Plugin: GSdx

The GS plugin is responsible for rendering the graphics of your game. The GSdx plugin is the most accurate and compatible plugin available for PCSX2. We recommend using the GSdx 20200506140834 (MSVC 19.25 AVX2/AVX2) 1.2.0 [GSdx32-AVX2] version, as it provides the best performance and visual quality.

To configure the GSdx plugin, you should select the “Direct3D 11 (Hardware)” option in the “Renderer” dropdown menu. This will enable hardware acceleration, which will improve performance and visual quality. You can also enable the “MTVU (Multi-Threaded microVU1)” option to further improve performance.

PAD Plugin: LilyPad

The PAD plugin is responsible for handling the input from your controller. The LilyPad plugin is the most compatible and feature-rich plugin available for PCSX2. We recommend using the LilyPad (20200506140834) 0.12.1 [LilyPad] version.

To configure the LilyPad plugin, you should select your controller in the “Device Diagnostics” dropdown menu. You can also configure the button mappings and analog sensitivity in the “Pad 1” tab.

SPU2 Plugin: SPU2-X

The SPU2 plugin is responsible for handling the audio of your game. The SPU2-X plugin is the most accurate and compatible plugin available for PCSX2. We recommend using the SPU2-X 20200506140834 2.0.0 [Spu2-X] version.

To configure the SPU2-X plugin, you should select the “Portaudio” option in the “Module” dropdown menu. This will enable low-latency audio, which will improve audio quality and reduce audio lag.

CDVD Plugin: cdvdGigaherz

The CDVD plugin is responsible for handling the disc image of your game. The cdvdGigaherz plugin is the most compatible and feature-rich plugin available for PCSX2. We recommend using the cdvdGigaherz 20200506140834 0.11.0 [cdvdGigaherz] version.

To configure the cdvdGigaherz plugin, you should select your disc image in the “Plugin Settings” tab. You can also enable the “No disc” option to bypass the disc check.

USB, FW, and DEV9 Plugins: USBnull, FWnull, and DEV9null

The USB, FW, and DEV9 plugins are responsible for handling the USB, Firewire, and Ethernet functions of your game. If you’re not using these features, you can safely use the USBnull Driver 20200506140834 0.7.0 [USBnull], FWnull Driver 20200506140834 0.7.0 [FWnull], and DEV9null Driver 20200506140834 0.5.0 [DEV9null] versions. These plugins are lightweight and won’t affect performance.

Best Video(GS) Plugin settings

1. Adapter > Select the ‘Inter(R) HD Graphics’.
2. Renderer > Select the ‘OpenGL (Hardware)’.
3. Interlacing (F5) > Select ‘Auto’.
4. Internal Resolution > Select the ‘Native’.
5. Texture Filtering > Select the ‘Nearest’.
6. CRC Hack level > Select the ‘Full (Safest)’.

Best Audio (SPU2) Plugin settings

1. Interpolation > Select the ‘Linear (simple/okay sound)’.
2. Disable Effects Processing.
3. Module > Select the ‘XAudio 2 (recommended)’.
4. Synchronizing Mode > Select the ‘TimeStretch (recommended)’.
5. Select ‘Use a Winamp DSP Plugin’.

And then save the settings. That’s it.

I have tested all the configurations stated above on my laptop. However, these settings might not work for you. You may get a black screen if your computer is not compatible with these settings.

I request you to add your queries in the below comment box so that I can help you to sort out any issues that you are facing.

Thanks. I hope that I was successful in sorting out your all issues regarding the best PCSX2 settings and configuration.

FAQs

1. What are the best PCSX2 settings for high-speed performance?

The best PCSX2 settings for high-speed performance depend on your computer’s hardware specifications. However, you can use the GSdx, LilyPad, SPU2-X, and cdvdGigaherz plugins to improve performance. Additionally, you can enable hardware acceleration, multi-threaded microVU1, and low-latency audio to further improve performance.

2. How can I enable hardware acceleration?

To enable hardware acceleration, select the “Direct3D 11 (Hardware)” option in the “Renderer” dropdown menu in the GSdx plugin settings.

3. What is multi-threaded microVU1, and how can I enable it?

Multi-threaded microVU1 is a feature that improves performance by distributing tasks across multiple CPU cores. To enable multi-threaded microVU1, check the “MTVU (Multi-Threaded microVU1)” option in the GSdx plugin settings.

4. How can I enable low-latency audio?

To enable low-latency audio, select the “Portaudio” option in the “Module” dropdown menu in the SPU2-X plugin settings.

5. Can I improve performance by overclocking my CPU or GPU?

Overclocking your CPU or GPU can improve performance, but it can also cause stability issues and reduce the lifespan of your hardware. We recommend using the recommended plugin settings and enabling hardware acceleration, multi-threaded microVU1, and low-latency audio before considering overclocking.

6. Are there any other settings I can adjust to improve performance?

Yes, you can adjust the internal resolution, texture filtering, and other graphics settings to improve performance. However, keep in mind that higher graphics settings may decrease performance. It’s also important to ensure that your computer meets the recommended hardware specifications for PCSX2.

7. How can I ensure that my computer meets the recommended hardware specifications for PCSX2?

The recommended hardware specifications for PCSX2 depend on the games you want to play. However, you can generally improve performance by using a modern CPU and GPU, at least 4GB of RAM, and a solid-state drive (SSD). You can also ensure that your drivers and operating system are up to date, and close any unnecessary programs while running PCSX2.

Final Words