MaliSX2 reaches more hardware
ARMSX2 2.8.3 expands its MaliSX2 custom Vulkan driver to the Mali-G57, G68, G77, G78 and G78AE, according to the project’s release notes. An earlier version appeared in ARMSX2 2.8.2 under the name libmali, but supported only the G615 and G715.
On newly supported GPUs, MaliSX2 can be downloaded from the emulator’s driver list, while its Auto setting now selects Vulkan. The driver needs a fairly recent Mali kernel driver; on older kernels, it cannot load and the emulator falls back to Arm’s driver.
One promising test, with limits
The project says Ace Combat 4 and Ace Combat 5 were unplayable with the stock driver on one Mali-G57 test device but ran at full speed with MaliSX2 0.1.4. That does not guarantee the same result across every title or device. Digital Trends reports that older Pixels, some Galaxy phones and devices using MediaTek Dimensity chips may benefit, depending on their GPU and kernel compatibility.
More than a graphics update
Version 2.8.3 also fixes a background battery-drain bug by letting paused games and related services sleep when the app is out of sight. Other changes include simultaneous rumble for two controllers assigned to one player and fixes for per-game GPU-driver settings.
