FinalBurn Neo vs MAME current on Android: which arcade core fits?
Choose current MAME when its broader hardware documentation, current machine definitions, and MAME-specific diagnostics are the priority. Choose FinalBurn Neo when its supported arcade catalog and libretro integration meet your exact games and device. Neither is a drop-in replacement for the other: select the core first, then use only the matching lawful set and test one representative title.
Do this in order
- 01
List the exact arcade systems and games you are legally entitled to use, plus device CPU, Android version, controller, and display needs.
- 02
Check each official core page for supported hardware and required files; reject a choice that does not cover the target system.
- 03
Record the frontend version and exact core build, then identify that core’s matching set contract.
- 04
Test one authorized representative game for audit/load, controls, audio, timing, suspend/resume, and sustained speed.
- 05
Compare diagnostics, per-game options, achievements/netplay needs, and update policy without mixing files between cores.
- 06
Freeze the working core, content provenance, checksums, and test result before expanding the library.
Decision and diagnostic table
| Priority | Prefer first | Decision boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Broad machine coverage and MAME documentation | MAME current | Higher device demand may matter on Android |
| FBNeo-supported catalog with libretro-focused features | FinalBurn Neo | Coverage is intentionally different from MAME |
| Old or weak device | Measure both; consider a documented frozen core | Never solve speed by mixing unmatched sets |
Coverage beats brand preference
FinalBurn Neo and MAME are separate emulator projects with different catalogs, definitions, and goals. Start from the exact hardware you need, not a generic claim that one core is always faster or more accurate.
A shared frontend does not create a shared romset
RetroArch can launch both cores, but each core validates content against its own definitions. A file that works in one is not evidence that it belongs to the other. Keep core identity in the library record.
Use a repeatable Android test
Test the same authorized scene from a cold start and after sustained play. Record actual speed, frame pacing, audio, controls, and temperature; do not publish a compatibility or performance claim from an unrecorded device impression.
Both cores are software, not game licenses. Obtain arcade data only from your own lawful dumps or explicit rightsholder releases, and review each emulator/core license separately before redistribution.