The final release
AetherSX2 v1.5-4248 APK Download
This is where AetherSX2 stops. Build 4248 shipped in August 2023 and nothing came after it — the developer wound the project down, and every AetherSX2 install anywhere in the world is either this build or something older. It is simultaneously the most capable version ever released and the one carrying the ads that pushed much of the community toward NetherSX2.
File details
| Version | v1.5-4248 |
|---|---|
| Released | August 2023 |
| File size | 20 MB |
| Position | Build 1 of 12 in our archive, newest first |
| Requires | Android 8.0 or newer (ARM64) |
| Developer | Tahlreth (development ended 2023) |
Download AetherSX2 v1.5-4248
AetherSX2 v1.5-4248 v1.5-4248
Android 8.0+ (ARM64) · 20 MB · No bundled installers, no adware
- SHA-256:
- 366dfa06ee3b58b13993052440b4fa1601a4ffda270f2de50f6604d0031922bb
Always verify the checksum after downloading. We never repackage binaries — this is the unmodified community build.
Should You Use v1.5-4248? Real-World Notes
v1.5-4248 is the last AetherSX2 build ever released, and the one most people should install today. It carries every graphics and compatibility fix the project ever shipped, so on modern hardware it simply runs the most games correctly.
It is also the exact build the NetherSX2 patch targets. If you want the ad-free experience with ongoing community game fixes, install this build and then apply the patch — the patch tool checks this file's fingerprint before it runs, so a tampered copy is rejected automatically.
Best suited to Snapdragon devices with Adreno GPUs. If your phone uses a Mali or PowerVR GPU (common on MediaTek and older Exynos chips), try v1.5-3668 instead — many users find it smoother on that hardware.
What to Know Before Installing v1.5-4248
- This build displays ads. That is not a sign of a repackaged or tampered APK — ads were added to official AetherSX2 releases late in the 1.5 line, and 4248 is one of them. A build claiming to be 4248 with no ads has been modified by someone.
- Because it is the patch target for NetherSX2, this is the one archived build where the SHA-256 on this page really matters: the patch tool verifies the file's fingerprint and will refuse to run against a modified copy.
Recommended Settings for v1.5-4248
| Renderer | Vulkan |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 2x native to start, 3x on a recent flagship |
- This build has the most mature Vulkan path of any AetherSX2 release, so it is the one where upscaling past 2x is realistic on Adreno hardware.
- If you see shader-compilation stutter the first time you enter a new area, let the game run for a minute — it settles as the cache fills, and 4248 caches more aggressively than earlier builds.
- Turn upscaling down before you turn anything else down. Resolution costs more than almost every other setting on mobile GPUs.
Installing v1.5-4248
A standard single-file APK: enable "Install unknown apps" for your browser or file manager, tap the download, and approve the install.
Nothing came after v1.5-4248, so there is no downgrade step to worry about: this installs cleanly over any older AetherSX2 you already have, and your memory cards survive the upgrade. Save states are the exception: they are tied to the build that wrote them, so finish anything you have mid-state before switching.
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.
Recommended: use the pre-patched NetherSX2 APK instead of this raw build for daily use: it removes the ads and adds community game fixes, no third-party patch tool required.
If v1.5-4248 Isn't Right for You
Skip this build if: Mali and PowerVR users who find it stutters — v1.5-3668 is the better starting point on that hardware — and anyone who would rather not see ads, who should use NetherSX2 instead.
AetherSX2 v1.5-3668 →
July 2023 · 19 MB
If your phone has a Mali or PowerVR GPU, or if 4248 stutters in a game you know should run — 3668 is the community's standard fallback on that hardware.
AetherSX2 v1.5-3605 →
July 2023 · 18 MB
If a single specific game misbehaves on both 4248 and 3668, stepping back one more build isolates whether a late-1.5 change is responsible.
All 12 archived builds, with a comparison table, are on the AetherSX2 older versions page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does AetherSX2 v1.5-4248 show ads when older builds don't?
Ads were introduced into official AetherSX2 releases during the later part of the 1.5 line, and 4248 is on the far side of that change. It is genuinely part of the build as the developer shipped it. If you have a copy of 4248 that shows no ads, it is not the original file — it has been repackaged by a third party, and you should treat it with the caution any unverified APK deserves. The legitimate ad-free route is the NetherSX2 patch.
Is v1.5-4248 actually better than v1.5-3668, or just newer?
Genuinely better on paper — it has roughly a month of additional per-game fixes — but not universally better in practice. On Snapdragon/Adreno hardware it is the stronger choice. On Mali and PowerVR GPUs a substantial part of the community reports 3668 running more smoothly, which is why that build never went away. Newer is the right default assumption here; it just isn't a guarantee for your specific phone.
Can I apply the NetherSX2 patch to this file myself?
Yes, and this is the build to do it with — the patch is written against 4248 specifically. The tool checks the APK's fingerprint before patching, so it will reject a corrupted or modified input rather than produce a broken app. If you would rather skip the process entirely, our NetherSX2 page hosts the already-patched result.