PCSX2: Advanced Setup

Configure advanced graphics/performance settings.

P3F Community Enhancement Pack was retired on 05 January 2024.

The pack still works, but it will no longer receive updates or support. Information on this page may be outdated.

See the End of Life FAQ for more information.

Introduction

PCSX2 can do more than just run PS2 games at 480p!

We're going to do some tweaking to configure PCSX2 for Quality or Performance, depending on how much your PC can handle.

These instructions are not for total beginners to PC gaming.

You are expected to know basic information about your hardware, such as how many cores your CPU has and your display's native resolution.

What Configuration Should I Use?

Quality

If you have a gaming PC, follow the instructions to configure PCSX2 for Quality.

You don't need the latest and greatest parts, just a dedicated graphics card (GTX 950 or better) and a decent CPU.

Performance

If you're using a non-gaming laptop or are struggling to run the game at full speed, follow the instructions to configure PCSX2 for Performance.

Some settings have Performance+ configurations which can help smooth out small frame dips.

Last Resort

If even the Performance configuration doesn't let you run P3F at full speed, follow the instructions to configure PCSX2 for Last Resort optimizations.

P3F is considered one of the easier PS2 games to emulate, even on low-end hardware. However, PCSX2 cannot perform miracles.

If your PC is very old or has below-minimum specs, it may not be able to run P3F at full speed.

Launch PCSX2 Menu

• Open your P3F Mods\.PCSX2 folder and launch pcsx2-qtx64-avx2.exe.

This will open the PCSX2 emulator without running a game:

Why aren't there any games in PCSX2's game list?

If you launched Persona 3 FES from the PCSX2 game list, the game would run but the emulator would not load any mods.

In order to play P3F with mods, you must always launch the game from Aemulus or one of the shortcuts in your P3F Mods folder.

Internal Resolution

This setting controls the resolution that 3D scenes render at.

Access Setting

• In PCSX2, select Settings > Graphics to open the Graphics Settings menu.

• Select the Rendering tab from the tab bar.

• Locate the Internal Resolution setting at the top of the Rendering menu.

Change Setting

Quality

• Change Internal Resolution to match your monitor's resolution.

  • For example, select 3x Native (~1080p) if you have a 1080p monitor.

You can use values even higher than your monitor's resolution to reduce edge aliasing, if your GPU can handle it!

Performance / Last Resort

P3F CEP is configured for Performance resolution by default.

• Set Internal Resolution to Native (PS2).

Lowering the internal resolution will only improve performance if your GPU is what's holding PCSX2 back.

Lowering the internal resolution will not improve performance if your CPU is not powerful enough to run the game.

• Click Close to close the Graphics Settings menu.

Audio Synchronization

We can adjust PCSX2's audio synchronization to tell the emulator how much it should balance accuracy and speed:

• A low latency means your audio will match up with the visuals, but it requires more CPU power.

• A higher latency means your audio will start to lag behind the visuals, but it will give faster emulation performance on low-end PCs and less stuttering.

Access Setting

• Select Settings > Audio to open the Audio Settings menu.

• Locate the Synchronization and Latency settings near the top and middle of the menu.

Change Setting

Quality

• Set Synchronization to TimeStretch (Recommended).

• Set the Latency slider to 33 ms (avg).

Performance

P3F CEP is configured for Performance audio by default.

• Set Synchronization to TimeStretch (Recommended).

• Set the Latency slider to 66 ms (avg).

Performance+: Set the Latency slider to 99 ms (avg).

Last Resort

• Set Synchronization to Async Mix (Breaks some games!).

This setting tells the emulator to always play the game audio at normal speed, even if the game is slowing down.

It will reduce stuttering, but the audio might go out of sync during cutscenes and story events.

• Set the Latency slider to 66 ms (avg).

Last Resort+: Set the Latency slider to 99 ms (avg).

• Click Close to close the Audio Settings menu, then close PCSX2.