ARMSX2 on Retroid Pocket Duo: setup and compatibility
PlayStation 2 emulator for ARM64 platforms.
- Systems
- PlayStation 2
- Newest checked release
- Preview · nightly-20261031Oct 31, 2026
- Two-screen support
- Not confirmed
- Duo support
- Not confirmed yetAndroid builds are available.
On this page
From Duo reviews
Reported settings and results. A tested build may differ from the latest release.
The reviewer reports improved PS2 results with custom Turnip drivers in ARMSX2, including better God of War II performance, while showing remaining graphical glitches in Virtua Fighter 4.
- graphics driver
- custom Turnip; exact tested build not stated
The Lite PS2 stream uses ARMSX2 2.7.1, Vulkan, the app’s downloadable ARMSX2 Turnip driver, 1× resolution and disabled hardware downloads. The reviewer changes EE settings later, so later games may not be on defaults.
- emulator
- ARMSX2 2.7.1 (spoken)
- driver
- ARMSX2 Turnip; exact driver build unknown
- resolution
- 1× starting baseline
- renderer
- Vulkan
- hardware download mode
- Disabled at baseline
- firmware
- Stock 1.0.0.219 (description)
More detail
- Tested on a Duo Lite; the regular Duo may differ.
- EE cycle skip and cycle rate change during Shrek 2 (25:08), and later games may have kept those changes.
Auto Modellista shows a nominal 60 fps counter but is not consistently smooth in the Lite ARMSX2 test. The reviewer reports slowdown and about 50 fps near the finish; the initial setup is 1×.
More detail
- Tested on a Duo Lite; the regular Duo may differ.
Shrek 2 is close to full speed but choppy on Lite. The reviewer tries EE cycle skip and cycle-rate changes, then says the result may be worse. No reliable underclock fix was found.
More detail
- Tested on a Duo Lite; the regular Duo may differ.
Twisted Metal: Black varies sharply in the Lite ARMSX2 test: the reviewer describes roughly half speed in busy scenes and full speed in emptier areas. They repeat 1× resolution and disabled hardware downloads. Shrek 2’s earlier EE cycle changes may still have applied.
- ee configuration
- EE cycle settings were changed during Shrek 2; whether this game inherited them is unknown.
More detail
- Tested on a Duo Lite; the regular Duo may differ.
- EE cycle skip and cycle rate change during Shrek 2 (25:08), and later games may have kept those changes.
Need for Speed: Most Wanted performs poorly in the Lite ARMSX2 test, with the reviewer reporting about 20 fps and 35% speed. Shrek 2’s earlier EE cycle changes may still have applied.
- ee configuration
- EE cycle settings were changed during Shrek 2; whether this game inherited them is unknown.
More detail
- Tested on a Duo Lite; the regular Duo may differ.
- EE cycle skip and cycle rate change during Shrek 2 (25:08), and later games may have kept those changes.
Show 6 more from reviews
Gran Turismo 4 is well below full speed in the Lite ARMSX2 test. The reviewer reports roughly 35–42 fps and around 62% speed; no fix is shown. Shrek 2’s earlier EE cycle changes may still have applied.
- ee configuration
- EE cycle settings were changed during Shrek 2; whether this game inherited them is unknown.
More detail
- Tested on a Duo Lite; the regular Duo may differ.
- EE cycle skip and cycle rate change during Shrek 2 (25:08), and later games may have kept those changes.
Final Fantasy X gets a positive verdict in the Lite ARMSX2 stream at 1×. The reviewer reports no slowdown in the shown overdrive sequence; later areas were not shown. Shrek 2’s earlier EE cycle changes may still have applied.
- ee configuration
- EE cycle settings were changed during Shrek 2; whether this game inherited them is unknown.
More detail
- Tested on a Duo Lite; the regular Duo may differ.
- EE cycle skip and cycle rate change during Shrek 2 (25:08), and later games may have kept those changes.
Fatal Frame has a slow cutscene but reaches reported full speed during the shown gameplay on Lite. The reviewer is unsure about later ghost encounters. Shrek 2’s earlier EE cycle changes may still have applied.
- ee configuration
- EE cycle settings were changed during Shrek 2; whether this game inherited them is unknown.
More detail
- Tested on a Duo Lite; the regular Duo may differ.
- EE cycle skip and cycle rate change during Shrek 2 (25:08), and later games may have kept those changes.
Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2 reaches a reported 60 fps at 1× during the shown Lite combat. Later, busier battles were not shown. Shrek 2’s earlier EE cycle changes may still have applied.
- ee configuration
- EE cycle settings were changed during Shrek 2; whether this game inherited them is unknown.
More detail
- Tested on a Duo Lite; the regular Duo may differ.
- EE cycle skip and cycle rate change during Shrek 2 (25:08), and later games may have kept those changes.
WULFF DEN says Dolphin runs great for GameCube and ARMSX2 runs great for PS2, and suggests RetroArch for systems older than GameCube.
More detail
- No games or settings are named.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance ran well at 2× and 3× in ARMSX2, and WipEout Pulse ran at around 30 fps at 3×. dash also played at 3× with NewPipe on the lower screen, and says more demanding games need 2× or native resolution.
- internal resolution
- 2× to 3×
Version and support notes
Stable and nightly builds share the release feed, and the newest release is a nightly.
Sources
Game notes using this tool
PS2God of War IIA Duo review reports improved results with a custom Turnip driver in ARMSX2. The same video notes that custom drivers can introduce glitches or crashes.Pocket Duo
PS2Auto ModellistaAuto Modellista shows a nominal 60 fps counter but is not consistently smooth in the Lite ARMSX2 test. The reviewer reports slowdown and about 50 fps near the finish; the initial setup is 1×.Pocket Duo Lite
PS2Shrek 2Shrek 2 is close to full speed but choppy on Lite. The reviewer tries EE cycle skip and cycle-rate changes, then says the result may be worse. No reliable underclock fix was found.Pocket Duo Lite
PS2Twisted Metal: BlackTwisted Metal: Black varies sharply in the Lite ARMSX2 test: the reviewer describes roughly half speed in busy scenes and full speed in emptier areas. They repeat 1× resolution and disabled hardware downloads. Shrek 2’s earlier EE cycle changes may still have applied.Pocket Duo Lite
PS2Need for Speed: Most Wanted (PS2)Need for Speed: Most Wanted performs poorly in the Lite ARMSX2 test, with the reviewer reporting about 20 fps and 35% speed. Shrek 2’s earlier EE cycle changes may still have applied.Pocket Duo Lite
PS2Gran Turismo 4Gran Turismo 4 is well below full speed in the Lite ARMSX2 test. The reviewer reports roughly 35–42 fps and around 62% speed; no fix is shown. Shrek 2’s earlier EE cycle changes may still have applied.Pocket Duo Lite
PS2Final Fantasy XFinal Fantasy X gets a positive verdict in the Lite ARMSX2 stream at 1×. The reviewer reports no slowdown in the shown overdrive sequence; later areas were not shown. Shrek 2’s earlier EE cycle changes may still have applied.Pocket Duo Lite
PS2Fatal FrameFatal Frame has a slow cutscene but reaches reported full speed during the shown gameplay on Lite. The reviewer is unsure about later ghost encounters. Shrek 2’s earlier EE cycle changes may still have applied.Pocket Duo Lite
Card screenshots come from Libretro, not from a Duo.
Other games ARMSX2 could help run
These notes cover the same system but don't say they used ARMSX2, so results may differ.
All PlayStation 2 setup
Related software
- PS2NetherSX2Community continuation and patching project based on AetherSX2.Emulator · Preview · 2.2n
- ARMSX2 TurnipMesa driver fork carrying patches and packaged drivers for ARMSX2.Graphics driver · axfl3-001
- CocoonAndroid game-library frontend with dual-screen layouts, game information and companion features.Frontend · Preview · beta-3.11
- GammaOSCustomized Android firmware family with the GammaOS Nano console interface.Operating system · v1.4.4-ANBERNICRGDS
DolphinGameCube and Wii emulator with Android and desktop builds.Emulator- Mesa TurnipMesa’s Vulkan driver for Qualcomm Adreno GPUs; community Android driver packages are listed separately.Graphics driver
Reviews covering this tool
The new Dual Screen to get: Retroid Pocket DuoWULFF DEN · Review
Retroid Pocket Duo In-Depth ReviewRetro Game Corps · Review
Hands on With The Retroid Pocket Duo; A Little More Magic This TimeGardiner Bryant · Review
Retroid Pocket Duo Lite, PS2, Auto Modellista and 32 games testforthenext · Hands-on livestream