Mali GPUs no longer show a black screen with FSR
ARMSX3 1.0.4, published on September 26, 2026, fixes FSR upscaling on devices using Arm Mali graphics. Before this update, selecting FSR could produce a black screen instead of an upscaled image. The same issue also affected SGSR, and that upscaling option received the corresponding fix.
The project reports testing the change on a Dimensity 8500 Ultra device with an Arm Mali-G720 MC8 GPU. That is a documented test point rather than a guarantee that every Mali-powered Android device will behave identically, but it gives users of similar hardware a specific indication of the affected graphics family.
What the previous 1.0.3 update changed
The preceding ARMSX3 1.0.3 release addressed a crash affecting fan-made PlayStation 3 ports while they compiled PPU code through LLVM. PPU compilation is part of the emulator’s process for translating PlayStation 3 processor code into code that can run on the Android device. A failure at that stage could prevent a port from reaching gameplay.
Sonic Mania’s fan-made PS3 port was specifically reported to stop crashing during compilation. Its first boot still takes about two minutes to compile, after which the project reports that it runs at full speed. Other fan-made ports built in the same way may benefit from the same correction, although the release notes do not provide a broader compatibility list.
The 1.0.3 notes also report that the PS3 port of Super Mario 64 works with ARMSX3. Running either project requires owning the game and following the separate port’s setup process; those game files and port components are not supplied by ARMSX3.
Android PS3 emulation in ARMSX3
ARMSX3 is an Android-based PlayStation 3 emulator built from the RPCS3 codebase, with ARM64 improvements incorporated into the project. It uses the Android device’s processor and graphics hardware to reproduce the console environment, so graphics-driver behavior and the capabilities of the phone or tablet can affect the experience.
The project requires PlayStation 3 firmware to run, and that firmware is not included. Users must provide their own game material and firmware. The release notes discuss fan-made PS3 ports separately from ordinary PS3 software: these ports are projects adapted to run as PlayStation 3 applications, and each one has its own ownership and setup requirements.
Available 1.0.4 Android packages
The 1.0.4 release provides four Android APK variants. The listed packages target armv8.2 devices with Android SDK levels 30, 33, and 35, plus a legacy armv8.1 package targeting SDK level 30. Choosing between them depends on the Android device and its supported system level; the release data does not identify a universal package for every device.
The available files are ARMSX3-1.0.4-a11-armv8.2-sdk30.apk, ARMSX3-1.0.4-a13-armv8.2-sdk33.apk, ARMSX3-1.0.4-a15-armv8.2-sdk35.apk, and ARMSX3-1.0.4-legacy-armv8.1-sdk30.apk. The release is marked as a regular, non-rolling 1.0.4 build rather than an experimental development snapshot.
Why this update matters
For Mali users, the main benefit is that two documented upscaling options no longer produce a black screen in the affected situation. Upscaling can render the emulated output at a higher resolution than the underlying game image, while the exact visual result and performance depend on the device and selected settings. ARMSX3 does not provide a performance guarantee for all Mali hardware in these notes.
For users focused on fan-made PS3 ports, the combined 1.0.3 and 1.0.4 changes address two different parts of the experience: 1.0.3 removes a reported LLVM compilation crash in supported ports, and 1.0.4 corrects the Mali-specific upscaling failure. The fixes landed in separate releases, so the newest build includes the later graphics correction alongside the earlier port-compilation work.
