To stay at the "top" of the performance curve, your hardware matters. PS2 emulation is demanding. Snapdragon 845 / Helio G90T with 4GB RAM. Recommended: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or higher with 8GB+ RAM. Software: Android 8.0 or newer.
While NetherSX2 leads the pack, other projects are filling specific niches: aethersx3 emulator top
: A racing classic that shines with a Bluetooth controller mapped to Aethersx3's analog inputs. To stay at the "top" of the performance
To get the absolute most out of AetherSX3, your Android device needs decent processing power. PS2 emulation is notoriously demanding because the original console used a highly complex, custom architecture called the "Emotion Engine." Minimum Specs (For Less Demanding Games) 64-bit Processor (ARMv8-A) Chipset: Snapdragon 660 / MediaTek Helio G80 GPU: Mali-G52 / Adreno 512 RAM: 4GB Recommended Specs (For Top 60FPS Performance) CPU: Flagship 64-bit Processor Chipset: Snapdragon 870 / 8 Gen 1 or newer / Dimensity 1200 GPU: Adreno 650 / Mali-G78 or better RAM: 6GB to 8GB+ Step-by-Step Setup Guide Recommended: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 or higher with 8GB+ RAM