RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines and media players.
Among other things, it enables you to run classic games on a wide range of computers and consoles through its slick graphical interface. Settings are also unified so configuration is done once and for all.
In addition to this, you are able to run original game discs (CDs) from RetroArch.
RetroArch has advanced features like shaders, netplay, rewinding, next-frame response times, runahead, machine translation, blind accessibility features, and more!
RetroArch/Libretro is an open-source project and has been around since 2012. It has since served as the backend technology to tons of (unaffiliated) platforms and programs around the world.
Get RetroArch Try RetroArch Online
| Feature | Why It Matters | |---------|----------------| | | AMD/Intel’s “Thermal Design Power” is a thermal guide, not an electrical one. Good calculators use measured data. | | GPU transient spikes | Modern cards (RTX 30/40 series) can double their wattage for 10-100 microseconds. | | USB device power | Phones charging, VR headsets, external drives – they all draw from the PSU. | | Capacitor aging slider | Adjusts for how old your PSU is (or will be in 2 years). | | Efficiency curve | Recommends wattage where the PSU runs at 50-70% load (its most efficient zone). | How to Use a Wattage Calculator (Without Fooling Yourself) Step 1: Be honest about your parts. Don’t say “future upgrade to RTX 5090” if you’re buying a 4060 today. Do plan for RAM or storage additions.
A wattage calculator would have flagged . Anatomy of a Good Wattage Calculator Not all calculators are equal. The best ones include:
And nothing kills a new PC’s vibe faster than random shutdowns, coil whine, or a small electrical fire. That’s where the comes in. It’s not just a tool; it’s insurance for your $2,000 investment. What Is a Wattage Calculator? A wattage calculator is a digital tool (usually found on websites like PCPartPicker, Cooler Master, or Be Quiet!) that estimates the total electrical power your computer components will consume under load. You input your hardware list, and it spits out a number: “Recommended PSU Wattage: 650W.”
Take the calculator’s “minimum” number and multiply by 1.2 to 1.5. Example: Calculator says 500W → Buy 600-750W. Why? PSUs run quieter, cooler, and longer at 50-60% load than at 90% load.
If a calculator doesn’t ask for your specific GPU model (e.g., “ASUS TUF 4070 Ti OC” vs. “RTX 4070 Ti reference”), it’s likely guessing. Go to one that maintains a live database (OuterVision, PCPartPicker, or manufacturer tools). The Most Common Mistake: Forgetting “Boot Power” Your PC draws more power in the first 2 seconds of turning on than during gaming. Every motor (fans, pump, hard drives) spins up simultaneously. CPUs and GPUs run uncapped until drivers load.
During a gaming session, the CPU boosts to 250W, the GPU spikes to 350W, and total system draw hits 680W . The 550W PSU trips its overcurrent protection. The PC shuts off mid-boss fight. Twice. Then never turns on again.
A 12-inch RGB strip draws 6-10W. Six of them? 60W. That’s an extra CPU’s worth of power.
RetroArch is available for download on a wide variety of app store platforms.
NOTE: Functionality can sometimes be different from that of the version available for download on our website. We sometimes have to conform to certain restrictions and standards that the app store platform provider imposes on us.
RetroArch/Libretro has over 200 cores, and the list keeps expanding over time. These include game engines, games, multimedia programs and emulators.
OpenLara is an early Tomb Raider game engine recreation.
Core available now for Windows/Linux.
For more information, read our article on this release here. wattage calculator computer
It uses the original data files in order to work. What is nice about this one is that it has some very fancy graphics effects added on top of the old game engine without it resulting in any stylistic clashes.
LRPS2 is a PlayStation2 emulator. It has a brand-new Vulkan-powered LLE renderer called ParaLLEl GS.
ParaLLEl-GS' goal is to be as accurate as software rendering but using the GPU instead of the CPU. Thanks to this we can also do enhancements which would be too slow to do on software, such as supersampled antialiasing and other enhancements. | Feature | Why It Matters | |---------|----------------|
For more information, read our article on this release here.
DOSBox Pure is an easy-to-use plug and play version of DOSBox written specifically for Libretro/RetroArch. It supports MS-DOS and Windows 9x games. You can use savestates and even rewind. Automatic game detection with custom gamepad to keyboard mapping for many DOS games. | | USB device power | Phones charging,
For more information, read our article on this release here.
PX-68K is a Sharp X68000 emulator. This is a Japanese home computer from the late '80s/early '90s that was used by Capcom as devkits for their arcade games. It played host to many popular games from the likes of Namco, Konami and Capcom.
Core available now for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.
For more information, read our article on this release here.
RetroArch has been first to market with many innovative features, some of which have became industry standard. Because of its dynamic nature as a rapidly evolving open source project, it continues adding new features on an annual basis.
| Feature | Why It Matters | |---------|----------------| | | AMD/Intel’s “Thermal Design Power” is a thermal guide, not an electrical one. Good calculators use measured data. | | GPU transient spikes | Modern cards (RTX 30/40 series) can double their wattage for 10-100 microseconds. | | USB device power | Phones charging, VR headsets, external drives – they all draw from the PSU. | | Capacitor aging slider | Adjusts for how old your PSU is (or will be in 2 years). | | Efficiency curve | Recommends wattage where the PSU runs at 50-70% load (its most efficient zone). | How to Use a Wattage Calculator (Without Fooling Yourself) Step 1: Be honest about your parts. Don’t say “future upgrade to RTX 5090” if you’re buying a 4060 today. Do plan for RAM or storage additions.
A wattage calculator would have flagged . Anatomy of a Good Wattage Calculator Not all calculators are equal. The best ones include:
And nothing kills a new PC’s vibe faster than random shutdowns, coil whine, or a small electrical fire. That’s where the comes in. It’s not just a tool; it’s insurance for your $2,000 investment. What Is a Wattage Calculator? A wattage calculator is a digital tool (usually found on websites like PCPartPicker, Cooler Master, or Be Quiet!) that estimates the total electrical power your computer components will consume under load. You input your hardware list, and it spits out a number: “Recommended PSU Wattage: 650W.”
Take the calculator’s “minimum” number and multiply by 1.2 to 1.5. Example: Calculator says 500W → Buy 600-750W. Why? PSUs run quieter, cooler, and longer at 50-60% load than at 90% load.
If a calculator doesn’t ask for your specific GPU model (e.g., “ASUS TUF 4070 Ti OC” vs. “RTX 4070 Ti reference”), it’s likely guessing. Go to one that maintains a live database (OuterVision, PCPartPicker, or manufacturer tools). The Most Common Mistake: Forgetting “Boot Power” Your PC draws more power in the first 2 seconds of turning on than during gaming. Every motor (fans, pump, hard drives) spins up simultaneously. CPUs and GPUs run uncapped until drivers load.
During a gaming session, the CPU boosts to 250W, the GPU spikes to 350W, and total system draw hits 680W . The 550W PSU trips its overcurrent protection. The PC shuts off mid-boss fight. Twice. Then never turns on again.
A 12-inch RGB strip draws 6-10W. Six of them? 60W. That’s an extra CPU’s worth of power.