As industrial demands grows for modeling, simulation and exploration tools during SoC design, there is a need for simulated CPU models that work with the other tools in the space design. There have been many attempts to build libraries of CPU design models, most notably the Open Virtual Platform project [1]. This work focuses on defining a complete open source SystemC compliant approach with a QEMU based model, which supports almost all current and past CPUs. QEMU [2] has many advantages not least a very large and dynamic open source community with hundreds of developers active all over the world. Our work makes QEMU available in a standard SystemC [3] (IEEE 1666) based tool environment. This article addresses the current state and upcoming features of two different integration techniques that allow the QEMU virtualizer and emulator to be used in a SystemC simulation context : QEMU-SC [4] and QBox (QEMU in a Box). This article also examines how these current implementation work. The limitations they have with respect to SystemC are also given. It will go on to look at recent developments both within QEMU itself and in the integration between QEMU and a SystemC that are aimed at improving simulation performance and usability of these solutions.