Neon
The OLED Visionary
A next-generation frontend designed for modern 4K and 8K displays with OLED-optimized visuals. Neon's minimalist, high-contrast UI with vibrant color accents is built for the future of arcade cabinets. The choice for builders using premium display hardware.
The "Visual Purity" Philosophy
If you are building a modern, high-end arcade cabinet with an OLED or 4K HDR display, Neon is the definitive choice. Built on modern web technologies (Electron/React), Neon is designed to move away from the "cluttered" look of traditional arcade frontends and instead offer a clean, cinematic experience that feels like a high-end streaming service (like Netflix or Apple TV) for your ROM library.
For the G&G Arcade builder, Neon is the "Visual Purity" choice. It's for the enthusiast who wants a cabinet that looks as good as a piece of modern furniture when it's not being played. Neon is built on a "Modern-Web" architecture.
The Advantage
It has the best support for high-resolution displays and HDR in the world. It uses smooth, vector-based animations and high-quality typography that never looks "pixelated" or blurry on a 4K screen. It is incredibly easy to theme using CSS and JavaScript, making it the most future-proof frontend in the scene.
The Trade-off
It is "Modern-Hardware Only." Because it is built on web technologies, it requires a decent GPU to run its interface at 60FPS. It is not recommended for budget builds or low-power SBCs.
The ABC Setup Workflow
Follow this three-phase workflow to build a stunning OLED-optimized Neon cabinet with HDR support and cinematic presentation.
Foundation & The "Web" Install
1. Download: Get the latest stable release of Neon from the official website or GitHub.
2. Installation: Install Neon to your dedicated drive (e.g., D:\Neon\).
3. The "Data" Directory: Upon first launch, Neon will ask where you want to store your library. Point this to your D:\Neon\Data\ folder to keep everything self-contained and portable.
The "Library" Protocol
Neon uses a simple JSON-based metadata format.
1. Directories: Place your ROMs in the standard system folders (e.g., roms/mame, roms/snes).
2. The "Import" Wizard: Use the built-in import tool to scan your ROM folders. Neon will automatically attempt to match your games with its online database.
3. Manual Overrides: If a game isn't matched correctly, you can easily edit the game's profile directly within the interface to add your own custom art or descriptions.
UI & OLED Optimization
1. Dark Mode: For OLED cabinets, enable the "True Black" theme. This turns off the pixels in the black areas of the interface, providing infinite contrast and protecting your screen from "burn-in."
2. HDR Support: Go to Settings > Video and enable HDR Mode. This will allow Neon to display your game art and videos with a much higher dynamic range, making the colors "pop" on modern displays.
3. Input Mapping: Go to Settings > Input. Neon has excellent native support for modern arcade encoders and Bluetooth controllers. Map your buttons to the "Select," "Back," and "Menu" commands.
World-Class Video Walkthroughs
These curated video tutorials cover the complete Neon setup process, its stunning OLED-optimized interface, and how it compares to other next-gen frontends.
Neon Frontend: The Ultimate 2026 Setup Guide
A complete 4K walkthrough showing how to install Neon, import your library, and optimize the interface for OLED and HDR displays.
Showcase: The Most Beautiful Frontend Ever Made
See the "True Black" theme in action on a high-end OLED cabinet. A demonstration of the visual purity and smooth animations of the Neon engine.
Neon vs. Pegasus: The Battle of the Next-Gen Frontends
A head-to-head comparison focusing on visual design, performance, and ease of use for the modern arcade builder.
Novice vs. Veteran Tier
Whether you're troubleshooting missing video previews or building custom CSS themes, these tips are organized by experience level.
The "Missing Video" Fix
If your games show up but there's no video preview:
Neon prefers .mp4 files with H.264 encoding. If your videos are in an older format (like .flv or .avi), use a tool like Handbrake to batch-convert them to 720p or 1080p .mp4 files for the best performance.
Custom CSS Theming
Want to change the font, the color scheme, or the layout of your cabinet's interface?
You can edit the theme.css file in your Neon data folder. Since it uses standard CSS, you can apply any web-design technique to create a truly one-of-a-kind look for your machine.
The "Remote" Library
Do you have a massive 100TB library on a home server?
Neon can connect to a WebDAV or SMB share. You can browse and launch your games directly from your server without needing to store a single ROM on your cabinet's internal drive.
Final Recommendation
For the G&G Arcade builder who wants a "Visual Masterpiece" — a cabinet that looks like it belongs in a modern art gallery — Neon is the #1 choice. It is the most beautiful, clean, and future-proof frontend available in 2026, perfect for the high-end OLED home arcade.