Has there ever been a case of emulation working with less compute than the original platform?
That would be a valid concern if we emulated the entire CPU on a different CPU. But in fact the CPU type is the same on PS5 and Deck (and your desktop PC). That means it does not need to emulate the entire CPU. From: https://github.com/sharpemu/sharpemu
Native CPU instruction execution doesn’t guarantee 1:1 throughput, let alone account for the fact that the PS5 has over double the raw power of a Steam Deck.
Translating API calls from the guest software to the host’s equivalent isn’t free, either. If the emulator uses hardware virtualization, you can also add the extra cycles spent every time the guest needs to perform a hypervisor call.
In a decade, maybe the IPC gains would be enough for something with fewer cores and lesser clock speeds to be able to do the equivalent work of a PS5. Right now? With a Steam Deck? Good luck running anything more intensive than an indie title at full speed.
That’s my point. I don’t know what else to say and what you think I’m saying. No one asks for AAA PS5 games to run at 60 fps on Steam Deck through emulation… Can’t I be happy just to run ANY PS5 game on the Deck? That alone would be enough, because that proofs so much alone. My point was, we can expect PS5 games to run soon. That was my reply to the response that we cannot expect anything anytime soon.
Fair enough. This is true, apologies for being so hostile.
I’m pretty stoked about PS5 emulation in the future too, though honestly I have a pile of other console games I should have, but have not tried to, emulate yet.
Did you read the comment I’m responding to? Not everyone has the same argument, as there are different people responding with different. Some say it will not happen with any game, others say it will only happen with trivial games. And I explain why that may happen sooner than you think.
We’re strictly talking about games that are more-or-less trivial for a PS5 to run.
and
With a Steam Deck? Good luck running anything more intensive than an indie title at full speed.
Is this a general question why someone would want to emulate the games? It’s mostly about preservation. In example I also play the original Super Nintendo games on a good emulator of my choice, rather than the official versions from Steam, because I like that more. From the Steam Decks perspective, I’m more interested into the technical perspective that this is even possible. Even if we just play small indie games on it. It would mean we don’t need monstrous PCs after all, because developers try to make it run on small handhelds.
That would be a valid concern if we emulated the entire CPU on a different CPU. But in fact the CPU type is the same on PS5 and Deck (and your desktop PC). That means it does not need to emulate the entire CPU. From: https://github.com/sharpemu/sharpemu
Native CPU instruction execution doesn’t guarantee 1:1 throughput, let alone account for the fact that the PS5 has over double the raw power of a Steam Deck.
Translating API calls from the guest software to the host’s equivalent isn’t free, either. If the emulator uses hardware virtualization, you can also add the extra cycles spent every time the guest needs to perform a hypervisor call.
In a decade, maybe the IPC gains would be enough for something with fewer cores and lesser clock speeds to be able to do the equivalent work of a PS5. Right now? With a Steam Deck? Good luck running anything more intensive than an indie title at full speed.
I don’t think anyone said or expect AAA games running at full speed over PS5 emulation on the Steam Deck. Nobody said that.
But even if you set engineering concerns aside, and Sony makes a the Steam deck PS5 native themself, the gulf is still large.
We’re strictly talking about games that are more-or-less trivial for a PS5 to run.
I’m not trying to rag on the Deck, but that’s just what the specifications dictate.
That’s my point. I don’t know what else to say and what you think I’m saying. No one asks for AAA PS5 games to run at 60 fps on Steam Deck through emulation… Can’t I be happy just to run ANY PS5 game on the Deck? That alone would be enough, because that proofs so much alone. My point was, we can expect PS5 games to run soon. That was my reply to the response that we cannot expect anything anytime soon.
Fair enough. This is true, apologies for being so hostile.
I’m pretty stoked about PS5 emulation in the future too, though honestly I have a pile of other console games I should have, but have not tried to, emulate yet.
Your point is we can expect PS5 games to run soon on the steam deck.
Their point is that we cannot expect ps5 games to run at any playable framerate, maybe ever, due to serious hardware hurdles.
Not AAA games, any games. You disagree on a key point there, and they were just trying to explain why they disagree with you.
Did you read the comment I’m responding to? Not everyone has the same argument, as there are different people responding with different. Some say it will not happen with any game, others say it will only happen with trivial games. And I explain why that may happen sooner than you think.
and
So clearly it is not about any games.
I suppose an aside, why would you emulate those games when they are available on PC anyway?
Is this a general question why someone would want to emulate the games? It’s mostly about preservation. In example I also play the original Super Nintendo games on a good emulator of my choice, rather than the official versions from Steam, because I like that more. From the Steam Decks perspective, I’m more interested into the technical perspective that this is even possible. Even if we just play small indie games on it. It would mean we don’t need monstrous PCs after all, because developers try to make it run on small handhelds.