The last ad-free official release
AetherSX2 v1.5-3668 APK Download
Ask a long-time AetherSX2 user which build they actually run and a surprising number still say 3668. It is the last official release before ads, which alone earned it a permanent following, and it became the foundation for NetherSX2 Classic. On Mali hardware it has a reputation the final build never displaced.
File details
| Version | v1.5-3668 |
|---|---|
| Released | July 2023 |
| File size | 19 MB: 1 MB smaller than the final v1.5-4248 release |
| Position | Build 2 of 12 in our archive, newest first : the release directly after it is v1.5-4248 |
| Requires | Android 8.0 or newer (ARM64) |
| Developer | Tahlreth (development ended 2023) |
Download AetherSX2 v1.5-3668
AetherSX2 v1.5-3668 v1.5-3668
Android 8.0+ (ARM64) · 19 MB · No bundled installers, no adware
- SHA-256:
- 763ac0139c21d2de8bed27745e5225d2b8c85158569e1c999911a60286b2da7c
Always verify the checksum after downloading. We never repackage binaries — this is the unmodified community build.
Should You Use v1.5-3668? Real-World Notes
v1.5-3668 has a special place in the community. It is widely remembered as the last official build before ads arrived in later releases, which is why so many long-time users stayed on it — and why it became the base for NetherSX2 Classic.
It is the build to try first if your phone has a Mali or PowerVR GPU. Users on MediaTek and Exynos devices often report steadier frame rates here than on the final 4248 build.
It also plays nicely with game launchers. If you run AetherSX2 through a frontend like Daijisho or LaunchBox, this build launches reliably where some later releases did not.
What to Know Before Installing v1.5-3668
- Being ad-free is the normal, expected behaviour for this build — unlike 4248, an ad-free 3668 is not a red flag.
- It sits one month and one build short of the final release, so a handful of the very last per-game fixes are not present. If a specific title is known to have been fixed in August 2023, this is not the build that has it.
Recommended Settings for v1.5-3668
| Renderer | Vulkan first; switch to OpenGL if your Mali driver misbehaves |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 1x to 2x native |
- This is the build where trying OpenGL is actually worth your time. On older Mali drivers the Vulkan path can be the thing causing your stutter, and 3668 handles the fallback gracefully.
- If you use a frontend like Daijisho or LaunchBox, launch behaviour here is more predictable than on some later builds — configure your frontend against this one before assuming the frontend is at fault.
- Keep upscaling at 1x while you are still identifying whether a problem is the build or the settings. Add resolution only once the game is stable.
Installing v1.5-3668
A standard single-file APK: enable "Install unknown apps" for your browser or file manager, tap the download, and approve the install.
Coming down from a newer release: v1.5-4248 or anything above it: means uninstalling that first, because Android refuses to install an older version over a newer one. Back up your memory cards before you uninstall. Those survive the move between builds; save states do not, so save inside the game rather than relying on a state you made on v1.5-4248.
The rest of setup is the same for every AetherSX2 release, so we publish it once rather than repeating it here: see the illustrated 12-step install and BIOS walkthrough, or go straight to the PS2 BIOS guide if that is the part you are stuck on. Once the app boots, apply our baseline graphics tuning before raising upscaling.
If v1.5-3668 Isn't Right for You
Skip this build if: Snapdragon and Adreno owners who want maximum compatibility — 4248 has a month more of fixes and runs well on that hardware — and anyone chasing the absolute newest per-game patches.
AetherSX2 v1.5-4248 →
August 2023 · 20 MB
The final build, with roughly a month of extra per-game fixes. The better pick on Snapdragon/Adreno if you can live with the ads.
AetherSX2 v1.5-3605 →
July 2023 · 18 MB
The next step back in the same line, for isolating whether a mid-1.5 change is what breaks a specific game for you.
All 12 archived builds, with a comparison table, are on the AetherSX2 older versions page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is v1.5-3668 really the last AetherSX2 build without ads?
It is the last official one, which is the distinction that matters. Ads arrived in official releases after this point, so 3668 is the newest build you can install straight from an archive and see no advertising. The alternative for a newer, still ad-free experience is NetherSX2, which is the final 4248 build with the ads patched out by the community.
Why do Mali and PowerVR users specifically prefer this build?
It comes down to graphics-driver behaviour rather than anything in the emulator's feature list. The reports are consistent enough across MediaTek and Exynos devices to be worth acting on, but they are community experience, not a documented change — so treat it as a strong suggestion to test rather than a guarantee. Installing it costs you one download and your BIOS carries straight over.
How is this different from NetherSX2 Classic?
NetherSX2 Classic is built on this release. If you install plain 3668 you get the official build exactly as it shipped in July 2023, frozen. Classic starts from the same base and adds the community's ongoing game fixes on top. Choose plain 3668 if you specifically want the unmodified original; choose Classic if you want this build's behaviour plus continued patching.