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DOSBox-X vs DOSBox Staging: catalog facts
DOSBox-X	DOSBox Staging
Free Free and open source under the GPL 2.0.	Free Free and open source under the GPL.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux
Runs DOS games and also installs Windows 3.x, 95, 98 and Me Emulates the Japanese PC-98 and DOS/V environments	Sensible modern defaults, so most games run without editing a config file CRT shaders, Voodoo emulation and MT-32 sound built in
Far more settings than plain DOSBox, and you will meet the config file Installing an old Windows inside it is a project, not a click	Configuration syntax differs from classic DOSBox in places Very demanding late-DOS titles still need manual cycle tuning
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-2.0	License: GPL-2.0
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.