PlayStation 2
Sony's DVD-playing console
- 2000Released
- 6thGeneration
- SonyDeveloper
PlayStation 2 Specifications
- Processor
- Emotion Engine (128-bit)
- Processor Speed
- 294.912 MHz (Original) | 299 MHz (New)
- Co-Processor
- Floating -point unit (FPU) (32-bit)
- Co-Processor Speed
- 147.456 MHz
- RAM
- 32 MB DRAM
- GPU
- Graphics Synthesizer
- GPU Speed
- 147.456 MHz
- Video RAM
- 4 MB
- Resolution
- 256 x 224 to 1280 x 1024 pixels
- Audio Processor
- SPU
- Audio Processor Speed
- 8 MHz
- Audio Processor RAM
- 2 MB
- Audio Channels
- 48
- Audio Sample Frequency
- 44.1 kHZ or 48 kHZ
Overview
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a sixth-generation console and Sony’s successor to its hugely successful PlayStation. It became one of the best-selling consoles of all time, selling over 155 million units during a long lifespan that ran from 2000 to 2013.
The PS2 faced some of the stiffest competition in gaming history, including a new entrant, Microsoft. Its rivals were SEGA’s final console, the Dreamcast, Nintendo’s GameCube and Microsoft’s Xbox.
A key feature of the PS2 was backward compatibility with PlayStation games, so buyers of the new console did not have to abandon their game library or keep their old console. This was unusual at the time, when a new console generally meant starting again with a new library. The PS2 also supported the original PlayStation’s DualShock controllers.
PS2 emulation owes its success largely to the PCSX2 project, which was started by members of the team behind the PlayStation emulator PCSX.
PCSX2 proved that PS2 emulation was possible, and after many years of development it has matured exceptionally well. Almost every game is now playable, with good accuracy and speed.
Key Features
Backward Compatible
Plays original PlayStation games, so no library is left behind.
DualShock Support
Works with the original PlayStation's DualShock controllers.
Emotion Engine
A 128-bit Emotion Engine with the Graphics Synthesizer GPU.
Best-Selling Console
Sold over 155 million units in a lifespan from 2000 to 2013.
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PlayStation 2 Emulators
Which one to pick
Known forRuns the large majority of the PS2 library, with upscaling, widescreen patches and texture replacement. Needs a BIOS dumped from your own PS2.
Known forRecreates the PS2 BIOS itself, so no BIOS file is needed, and runs on phones and tablets. Compatibility is lower than PCSX2's.
Known forOne of the first open source PS2 emulators. It never ran commercial games, but its documented code helped others understand the PS2.
Known forAn experiment in faster PS2 emulation by the author of AndriPSX. It cannot run any games.
In short
On Windows, Linux or macOS, PCSX2 is the one to pick: it runs the large majority of the PS2 library, often in HD, and its setup wizard finds the BIOS and games. Play! needs no BIOS and also runs on Android and iPhone, though its compatibility is lower than PCSX2’s. NeutrinoSX2 and PS2emu never ran commercial games and are kept here as an archive.
