The keyword refers to a pre-made disk image file. While the official Batocera team only provides a base OS (around 2GB), the community creates "pre-built" images. A "256GB" image means that when you flash this file to a 256GB USB stick or SSD, it comes pre-loaded with approximately 200–240GB of:

The "new" 256GB Batocera cards are often tailored for specific devices:

Smooth playback utilizing updated retroarch cores. High-End Emulation (Requires Dedicated GPU)

Pressing F1 on your keyboard while in the main Batocera menu opens up the Linux file manager. This allows you to easily plug in a second drive to add your own files or delete games you do not want. Final Verdict

Depending on your hardware, a 256GB build often leaves room for "Best Of" collections for the PS2, Wii, and GameCube. Key Features of the Latest Batocera Builds

Once you have downloaded a trusty image (usually a .img.gz compressed file), here is how to set it up.

Are you looking to or build/flash your own ?

9/10. The only downside is the legal risk and download time. But for the enthusiast who wants the ultimate plug-and-play library, this is the best money you never have to spend (outside of buying a USB stick).