SDK85 vs Arrayground
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SDK85
This app emulates the Intel SDK-85 System Design Kit, allowing users to program and execute 8085 machine code. It features a hexpad, seven-segment display, and a monitor program, with an optional TTY mode for more comfortable input.
- 8085 microprocessor emulation
- Hexpad and seven-segment display UI
- Monitor program for code entry/execution
- TTY mode for serial terminal input
- Code execution suspension to save battery
- Play/pause button for resuming execution
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An emulator of the SDK-85 System Design Kit issued by Intel in the mid-seventies. The kit featured an 8085 micro processor, some basic IO chips, and a UI comprised of a hexpad and a six-digit seven-segment display. There was also a ROM plugged onto the board which contained a monitor program to enter and execute machine code on the 8085. The app emulates an 8085 and executes the monitor (shippment granted by Intel as long as the app is free and educational). The original kit leveraged the serial IO pins of the 8085 to connect a TTY as a somewhat more comfortable alternative to the hexpad/ display UI used by the monitor on startup. A wipe-left gesture shifts in a simple terminal and the monitor switches to TTY mode. To use the app one needs to get a copy of the original SDK-85 System Design Kit User‘s Manual (ask Google) and work it thru. Some knowledge of the 8085 and its instruction set is helpful as well, and being a boomer nerd who loved to program micro computers when young (and still does) is key. Intel designed the monitor to run in a loop that keeps the CPU constantly busy (on a single thread). To prevent the battery from draining the app suspends executing after 15 seconds indicated by a slightly blurred display. Tapping the centered play-pause button resumes the monitor or any other program in execution. Timeout and a few other options can be changed in the app‘s entry in Settings.
Arrayground
This app provides a mobile interface for interacting with CBQN and ngn/k libraries. It functions as a REPL (Read-Eval-Print Loop) for developers working with these specific programming environments on their mobile devices.
- Mobile REPL interface
- CBQN library integration
- ngn/k library integration
- SwiftUI application
- Works on iPhone and iPad
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A SwiftUI application to interface with CBQN and ngn/k libraries into a working repl.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Arrayground at 4.8 against SDK85's 4.0. Arrayground also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks) and ratings volume (4 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Arrayground holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 4 respectively.
SDK85 ships an update every 2 weeks, Arrayground every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and August 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SDK85 | Arrayground |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.0 (1 ratings) | 4.8 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 4 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 12 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Juergen Schuck | Asakura |
Customer experience
SDK85
Arrayground
In-app purchases
SDK85
No in-app purchases
Arrayground
No in-app purchases
