86Box vs VirtualBox

Struggling to choose between 86Box and VirtualBox? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

86Box is a Gaming Software solution with tags like emulator, dos, windows, vintage-computing, retro-gaming.

It boasts features such as Emulation of x86-based PCs from the 1980s and early 1990s, Supports emulating DOS, early Windows, classic games and apps, Modular and plugin-based design, Cycle-accurate emulation for high compatibility, Supports graphics, sound and input devices from the era, Customizable configuration of emulated hardware, Save states and snapshots, Debugging tools and pros including High accuracy and compatibility, Active development and support, Open source and free, Allows using old software easily, Customizable to suit needs, Preserves old systems and software.

On the other hand, VirtualBox is a Os & Utilities product tagged with virtualization, vm, oracle.

Its standout features include Emulated virtual machines for multiple guest operating systems, Snapshots to save VM state, Shared folders for host-guest file system integration, Virtual networking and NAT, Remote machine display, Command line interaction, Headless operation, and it shines with pros like Free and open source, Cross-platform, Easy to set up and use, Good performance, Lots of configuration options.

Feature	86Box	VirtualBox
Overall Score	N/A	1
Primary Category	Gaming Software	Os & Utilities

Product Overview

86Box

Description: 86Box is an open-source x86 emulator that specializes in emulating software and hardware from the 1980s and early 1990s. It supports emulating systems like DOS, early versions of Windows, and classic games and applications.

VirtualBox

Description: Oracle VM VirtualBox is a free and open-source virtualization platform that enables users to run multiple operating systems on a single physical machine. Widely used for development, testing, and virtualized environments, VirtualBox supports a variety of guest operating systems and provides features like snapshotting, shared folders, and networking options.

Key Features Comparison

86Box Features

• Emulation of x86-based PCs from the 1980s and early 1990s
• Supports emulating DOS, early Windows, classic games and apps
• Modular and plugin-based design
• Cycle-accurate emulation for high compatibility
• Supports graphics, sound and input devices from the era
• Customizable configuration of emulated hardware
• Save states and snapshots
• Debugging tools

VirtualBox Features

• Emulated virtual machines for multiple guest operating systems
• Snapshots to save VM state
• Shared folders for host-guest file system integration
• Virtual networking and NAT
• Remote machine display
• Command line interaction
• Headless operation

Pros & Cons Analysis

86Box

Pros

• High accuracy and compatibility
• Active development and support
• Open source and free
• Allows using old software easily
• Customizable to suit needs
• Preserves old systems and software

Cons

• Can require tinkering to work properly
• Limited support for newer systems
• Steep learning curve
• Potential stability issues
• Requires decent system resources

VirtualBox

Pros

• Free and open source
• Cross-platform
• Easy to set up and use
• Good performance
• Lots of configuration options

Cons

• Limited support options
• Less features than paid solutions
• Resource intensive

Pricing Comparison

86Box

• Open Source
• Free

VirtualBox

• Free
• Open Source