[4K] PCSX2 1.6.0 Emulator Full Setup & Best Configuration Guide | Play PS2 Games On Your PC

This tutorial & guide shows step-by-step instructions for getting PCSX2 1.6.0 set up along with controller, configuration at the end of the video while using Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as the game of example.

◙ Timestamps

► Intro - 0:00
► Required Software – 0:11
► Install & Run Emulator – 0:38
► Config & Play - 1:09
► Graphics Config - 2:08
► Performance Config - 3:52
► Common Errors - 5:53

◙ Table of Contents

• Link to PCSX2 1.6.0
• Instructions
• Common Errors & Problems
• Tutorial Playlist

• PCSX2 1.6.0

• Instructions

♦ Required Software

Downloading games and/or bios by googling is illegal, here's how you extract them legally:

BIOS & ISO Rip Tutorial
__________________________

Once you've downloaded and installed ImgBurn, open it and select "Create image file from files/folders", select your disc drive letter (after inserting the disc) as the source and convert.

♦ Install & Run PCSX2

1. Click the link for PCSX2 near the top of the description.
2. Click "Download" for the standalone installer and when finished, click on the .exe.
3. Select "Normal Installation", click next, click next again, install, and finish.

♦ Config & Play PCSX2

1. Click next, next again.
2. Uncheck "use default setting", click "browse", select the folder that contains the PS2 bios file and click "select folder".
3. The bios file(s) should appear, highlight the bios you want to use and click "Finish".
4. Go to CDVD - ISO Selector - Browse.
5. Select your game (.iso format) and click open.
6. System - Boot ISO (Fast), your game should have started! If erroring, I recommend downloading from the "Essential Links" section near the bottom.

♦ Graphics Configuration

• Increase resolution: Config - Video - Plugin Settings - Change the internal resolution to something higher than native (3x recommended if you don't know your hardware).
• Anisotropic Filtering: Increase to 16x (should be easy on the GPU)
• Shader Configuration: Enabling FXAA may look better, may not
• Shader Configuration: Shade Boost and adjusting the sliders can noticeably change the look of the game.

♦ Performance & Compatibility Configuration

• Multi-Threading: Config - Emulation Settings - Speedhacks tab, check "MTVU" if you have 3 or more cores.

Warning: If your performance is fine, I don't recommend changing these until you get to Rivatuner.

• Speedhacks: Config - Emulation Settings - In the lower left where you see "Preset", move the slider to the right to attempt improving performance. Further right = maybe better performance but less stability.
• Lower Audio Processing: Config - Audio - Plugin Settings, lower interpolation from 4 to something lower. Disable effects processing
• Choose CPU-based renderer: Config - Video - Plugin Settings, under "Renderer" select something with "(Software)" in it. May be worse in graphics AND performance if CPU-limited.
• Consistent Frame Times: Download, install, and run Rivatuner. Set "Frame Rate Limit" to 60 (50 if PAL).

• Common Errors & Problems

♦ Tweaks for Some Specific Games: Config - Video - Plugin Settings - check Hardware Hacks - Advanced Settings and Hacks, many options are here for specific game fixes.
♦ Manual Controller Config: Assuming Windows detects the controller fine, Config - Controllers - Plugin Settings - Pad 1 Tab, click button keybind then press the corresponding button on your controller. Do this for all of the controls.
♦ Essential Links

It's highly recommended to at least have C++ 2008 x64 & x86 redistributables installed.

• Tutorial Playlist

[darklordkage]

Thanks to this video I can once again play the Sly Cooper games without any lag at smooth 60 fps and 1080p. Thank you sir you have made a man very happy on this day!

[Stuart]

After months of f*cking around with this, watching walkthroughs that didn't help with screen tearing & slow down. The first 4 minutes of this video has fixed everything. Cheers dude

[Salman.khan]

A 1.6 is finally out?! Damn feels like it’s been 84 years.

[mineofilms]

I had little black pixelated dots on most of my characters in FFX. I switched the Video from hardware to software and that did the trick. Thanks for the helpful tips here and delivered in a straightforward way. Thanks dude...

[kristadhikari]

Hey it actually worked. I saw the difference specially on downhill. RE4 didnt see much of a performance boost though. Still this video made my fps spike and totally playable for downhill domination. Thanks

[FriteVerte]

Best vid on the subject at the moment. good freaking work man!

[rdworldvictimyouvebeenlie]

Now THAT'S a tutorial, subscribed. Just perfect <3

[von]

Also for the fps issue, I was having that that problem too but literally all I did was turn on vsync to adaptive and I had no more fps issues after that lol. At least for the games I’ve played thus far

[Parasiteve]

thank you soo much for this, specially with those time stamps. helped me out sooo much with my emulator quality

[boitahaki]

Changing from hardware to software was the thing that made the most difference for me.

[stampiboy]

Thank god for a man like you👍❤ so well put together and easy to understand new sub for life 👏

[DreyYebel]

this video is the best quality i have ever seen for a tutorial

[vivalattena]

You don't know how much you've helped me. Thank you!

[gazeejere]

i don't speak english 100% but you saved my game man god bls u

[maticactionsports]

You are the man, now I play NCAA Football 06 and all my ps2 games work great, thank you so much and God bless you👍👏😄😄😄😄

[Nashghost]

This helped my games so much after months of searching this tutorial is so helpful!

[rizalalbar]

atleast you didn't sound like an indian guy that explain it with "little to almost can't be heard unless you put it on max volume on the speakers" voices. your tutorial video is totally onspot and the voice is clear, now that a rare tutorial video. thanks mate

[xeprn]

Thanks to this I can play persona 3 and 4 and live through this quarantine

[Thex-W.I.T.C.H.-xMaster]

It’s not “illegal” 🤔. They just don’t like it when you do it 🙂✌️

[Jeffil]

THANK YOU NOW I CAN PLAY TWISTED METAL WITHOUT LAG :DDDD