Free webp to jpg
EN
Image MIME Reference
ICO

Windows Icon (Legacy MIME)

image/x-icon
VS

PiCture eXchange

image/x-pcx
PCX

A complete technical comparison of Windows Icon (Legacy MIME) and PiCture eXchange — covering compression, feature support, browser compatibility, magic bytes, and when to choose each format.

ICO wins on browser support

Feature Support

Feature ICO PCX
Transparency (Alpha) Yes ✕ No
Animation Support ✕ No ✕ No
Progressive Loading ✕ No ✕ No
HDR Support ✕ No ✕ No
EXIF Metadata ✕ No ✕ No
ICC Color Profile ✕ No ✕ No
Windows Icon (Legacy MIME)
image/x-icon
Extension
.ico
Container ICO Directory Structure
Compression Uncompressed (DIB/BMP) / Deflate (Embedded PNG)
Algorithm
NoneDeflate (via PNG)
Color Depth 1-bit, 4-bit, 8-bit, 24-bit (True Color), 32-bit (RGBA)
Developed by Microsoft Corporation
Released 1985
Magic Bytes
00 00 01 00
Full ICO reference →
PiCture eXchange
image/x-pcx
Extension
.pcx
Container ZSoft Proprietary Header (128 bytes)
Compression Run-Length Encoding (RLE)
Algorithm
ZSoft RLE
Color Depth 1-bit (Monochrome), 4-bit (16 colors), 8-bit (256 colors), 24-bit (True Color)
Developed by ZSoft Corporation
Released 1985
Magic Bytes
0A (followed by version, e.g., 0A 05 01 08)
Full PCX reference →

Browser Support Comparison

Browser ICO PCX
Chrome Chrome
✓ 1
 ✕
Firefox Firefox
✓ 1
 ✕
Safari Safari
✓ 1
 ✕
Edge Edge
✓ 12
 ✕
IE IE (Legacy)
✓
 ✕
ICO

ICO Strengths

  • Universally supported by every web browser in existence for website favicons
  • Packs multiple resolutions into a single file, eliminating the need to serve different files for the taskbar vs. the desktop
  • Modern support for embedded PNGs (since Windows Vista) allows for excellent 32-bit transparency (alpha channels) and drastically reduced file sizes
Limitations
  • Internal file structure is convoluted due to decades of legacy cruft, such as the requirement for BMP data to lack a standard file header but double the height property for an archaic XOR/AND mask
  • Larger file size compared to a single optimized PNG or SVG, as it literally stores the same image multiple times at different scales
  • The MIME type landscape is highly fragmented (x-icon vs. vnd.microsoft.icon), causing occasional caching or strict-MIME validation errors on restrictive servers
PCX

PCX Strengths

  • Incredibly simple RLE algorithm makes it very fast to decode, which was historically vital for early 3D video game engines
  • Retains crisp, lossless pixel data suitable for pixel art and interface assets
  • Well-documented and highly supported by older desktop publishing and image editing software
Limitations
  • Extremely inefficient compression by modern standards, producing large file sizes compared to PNG
  • Lacks modern imaging features such as alpha channel transparency, EXIF metadata, and color profiles
  • Zero support in web browsers; must be converted to PNG for web use

When to choose which format

ICO
Use ICO when…
  • Website Favicons (favicon.ico)
  • Windows Application Executable Icons (.exe)
  • Desktop Shortcut Icons
PCX
Use PCX when…
  • MS-DOS and Early Windows Graphics
  • 1990s Video Game Assets (Textures, UI)
  • Retro Computing Archival

More comparisons

ICO vs ACES → PCX vs ACES → ICO vs APNG → PCX vs APNG → ICO vs AVCI → PCX vs AVCI → ICO vs AVCS → PCX vs AVCS → ICO vs AVIF → PCX vs AVIF → All comparisons →
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