Zedex

Zedex is a free ZX Spectrum emulator for Android 11 and later, built on the Fuse emulator with a native front end. It supports Sinclair, Timex, Pentagon, Scorpion, and Spectrum SE machines, along with snapshots, tapes, disks, cartridges, microdrive images, and RZX recordings. Supported snapshot formats include SZX, Z80, and SNA; tape formats include TAP and TZX. Per-game quick save and quick load are available. Display choices include adjustable scaling, borders, scanlines, CRT effects, and RGB, composite, or RF signal effects. Controls include game controllers, remappable buttons and controller hotkeys, an on-screen joystick, keyboard skins, and Kempston mouse mode. The library can retrieve game information and media from ZXInfo, ScreenScraper, and zxart, and browse catalogs from ZXInfo or zxart. The README describes integrations with ES-DE and setup for Cocoon and Daijishō. The maker says the app has no ads, analytics library, or accounts; optional internet requests support features such as scraping and catalog browsing.

Zedex combines broad ZX Spectrum machine and media support with configurable controls and display options. Its listed library import and filtering gaps may matter to users managing larger collections.

Zedex suits Android users who want to play ZX Spectrum software across supported machine types and media formats. It also fits users who want configurable controls, display effects, or game-library catalog features.

Overview

Zedex is an Android ZX Spectrum emulator built on Fuse with a native front end, for players who want flexible machine, media, and control support on a phone or tablet. It is a strong fit for users who value configurable presentation and game-specific saves; collection managers may find its unfinished import and catalog tools limiting.

Key features

Zedex covers Sinclair, Timex, Pentagon, Scorpion, and Spectrum SE machines, with support for snapshots, tapes, disks, cartridges, microdrive images, and RZX recordings. Tape formats include TAP and TZX; snapshots can use SZX, Z80, or SNA. Peripheral support extends to Beta 128/TR-DOS, +3 floppy drives, DivMMC, tape deck, Kempston mouse, and game controllers. That breadth makes it suitable for more than a narrow snapshot-only setup.

Save states work in SZX, Z80, and SNA formats, with quick save and load for each game. Display controls include adjustable scaling, borders, scanlines, CRT effects, and RGB, composite, or RF signal effects. These options let users tailor both screen treatment and image size to their preference.

Controllers work without a mapping screen, and users can remap controls, bind controller hotkeys, or use on-screen joysticks and several keyboard skins. Kempston mouse mode adds another input option. The library can fetch game details and media from ZXInfo, ScreenScraper, and zxart, and browse catalogs from ZXInfo or zxart. ES-DE integration and setup guidance for Cocoon and Daijishō make it more adaptable to frontend-based libraries.

Zedex has no ads, analytics library, or accounts, according to its maker. Internet requests support optional scraping, catalog browsing, and update checks. Problem reports are prepared in the user's mail app for review and editing; nothing is sent unless the user chooses to send it.

Pricing

Zedex is free, with no paid plan described. The maker releases it under GNU GPL version 2 or any later version. The README describes both a Google Play build and a separate GitHub Releases build, with differences in permissions and update behavior, so users should choose the distribution that suits their preferences.

Platforms

Zedex runs on Android 11 and later. Its Android focus suits mobile play, but it will not serve users looking for a desktop version of this emulator.

Who it's for

Zedex is best for Android users who want broad Spectrum machine and media compatibility, per-game save states, configurable controls, or visual effects that evoke different display signals. It also suits people organizing games through supported frontend integrations. Users building large libraries may want to wait or choose another option: bulk importing, catalog suggestions while typing, and filtering catalogs by tape or disk are not yet available. A built-in debugger is also absent, which matters to users who need debugging tools.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Supports multiple Spectrum-family machines and a wide range of media and peripherals, giving users flexibility across different game formats and setups.
• Pro: Per-game quick saves, remappable controls, hotkeys, and varied display options provide useful ways to adapt play to individual preferences.
• Pro: The free, GPL-licensed app has no ads, analytics library, or account requirement.
• Con: No bulk import or catalog filtering by tape or disk makes managing larger collections less convenient.
• Con: Catalog suggestions while typing are not available, and there is no built-in debugger.

Alternatives

ZX Spectrum Emulators is the broader category to browse when you want to compare more options.

• Unreal Speccy Portable is a free, open-source alternative for Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows; pick it if cross-platform availability matters more than Zedex's specific controls and catalog features.
• Jam Pad is another Android option with a freemium model; consider it if you prefer that pricing structure.
• Spectaculator is a paid alternative with a free trial and versions for Android, iOS, and Windows; its iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad plan costs $2.99 once and includes Sinclair BASIC and 22 games, with more games available in-app.
• Atari 5200DS is a free option with donations welcome but never required.
• GoSpeccy is a free, open-source ZX Spectrum emulator for Linux, making it an option for Linux users.
• JNEXT is free software for Linux, macOS, and Windows, with no ads or items for sale and a GPLv3 license.
• SpeccyDate is a free option for macOS and Windows.
• zx_go is a free, open-source option for Linux, macOS, and Windows; its MIT-licensed emulator does not bundle licensed Spectrum Next ROMs.

Verdict

Choose Zedex if you want a free Android emulator with broad Spectrum machine and media support, flexible controls, and detailed display options. Its main drawback is collection management: without batch import or catalog filtering, users with larger libraries may be better served by an alternative.