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The R36S is a 3.5 inch 4:3 Linux handheld that plays everything up to DS (no touchscreen) well, made by Game Console. It came out in October 2023 at $40. Inside is the RockChip RK3326 with 1 GB of RAM.
Who it's for
Buy it if
- You want to play everything up to DS, plus some PSP.
- You want it in a jeans pocket: the front is 82 x 130 mm.
Skip it if
- You want N64 games: it scores 50 out of 100, so many games struggle.
- You want Wi-Fi for updates and cloud saves.
R36S videos
What it plays
Plays up to: DS (no touchscreen). Chip: RockChip RK3326.
Scores out of 100. 100 means the system runs at full speed with no known issues on this device. 80 or more plays well (green), 50 to 79 plays partly (yellow).
What owners say
“My R36S is packed to the brim with every older game imaginable and I'm completely happy with it.”
“I have a R36S but I wish I got something that also has Wifi built-in, especially for Portmaster.”
“I got my r36s, am playing it out of the box, and loving the experience.”
What the specs mean
4:3 screen
NES to PS2 era home consoles were 4:3, so they fill it. GBA and PSP games show bars above and below.
Based on: Display math: native screen shapes of each system
PS1 and N64 at exactly 2x
320 x 240 times 2 is the screen's own 640 x 480, so PS1 and N64 pixels stay perfectly even with no filter and no bars.
Based on: Display math: native resolution x whole-number scale = screen resolution
Same chip as 22 other handhelds
The RockChip RK3326 also powers the Anbernic RG 35, BATLEXP G350, D-007, GAMEMT E6 and more. The same chip means similar speed, though memory and cooling can differ.
Based on: Our handheld database (chip field)
Shoulder buttons in a row
L1 and L2 sit side by side along the top edge instead of stacked. PS2 games that need L1 and L2 together mean sliding one finger between them.
Based on: Layout data (shoulder button layout)
D-pad on top, sticks below
The d-pad has the natural thumb spot, which suits 2D games. In 3D games your thumb lives on the lower stick.
Based on: Layout data (d-pad placement)
DS without touch
There is no touch screen, so DS games that need the stylus use a pointer moved by a stick.
Based on: Layout data: no touch screen
Rating
How we score: what it plays 30%, how many players own and recommend it 20%, screen 15%, price compared with handhelds that play as much 10%, controls 10%, size and weight 10%, battery size for its chip 5%.
Good
- Plays everything up to DS (no touchscreen) well
- Low price
Not so good
- N64 games can struggle
- No Wi-Fi
- No video out
Screen fit
Screen: 3.5 inch, IPS, 4:3, 640 x 480.
| System | Original | Sharpest scale | Screen filled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Boy | 160 x 144 | 3x (480 x 432) | 68% |
| GBA | 240 x 160 | 2x (480 x 320) | 50% |
| NES and SNES | 256 x 224 | 2x (512 x 448) | 75% |
| Genesis | 320 x 224 | 2x (640 x 448) | 93% |
| PS1 and N64 | 320 x 240 | 2x (640 x 480) | 100% |
| DS, one screen | 256 x 192 | 2x (512 x 384) | 64% |
| PSP | 480 x 272 | 1x (480 x 272) | 43% |
Whole-number scales keep every pixel the same size. Bold rows fill the screen with a perfect fit. Screen 640 x 480.
Size
82 x 130 mm, 187 g. Fits a jeans pocket
- R36S (82 x 130 mm)
- iPhone 15 (71.6 x 147.6 mm)
True scale, front view. Jeans pocket = front no bigger than an iPhone 15 Pro Max in a case (160 x 82 mm).
Specs
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Chip | RockChip RK3326 |
| CPU | Cortex-A35 |
| Cores | 4 |
| Clock speed | 1.3 GHz - 1.5 GHz |
| GPU | Mali-G31 MP2 |
| RAM | 1 GB DDR3 |
| Cooling | No |
| Screen | |
| Size | 3.5" |
| Type | IPS |
| Resolution | 640 x 480 |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz |
| Pixel density | 228 ppi |
| Aspect ratio | 4:3 |
| Dual screen | No |
| Controls | |
| D-pad | Cross, Upper placement |
| Analog sticks | Yes |
| Stick layout | Double, symetrical |
| Shoulder buttons | Side By Side |
| Rumble | No |
| Gyroscope | No |
| Connectivity | |
| Storage | Dual External MicroSD |
| SD card | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| USB-C | Yes |
| Video out | No |
| Headphone jack | Yes |
| Build | |
| Form factor | Vertical |
| Dimensions | 82 x 130 mm |
| Weight | 187 g |
| Battery | 3500 mAh |
| Shell | Plastic |
| Speakers | Front |
| Software | |
| Operating system | Linux |
| Custom firmware | ROCKNIX, KNULLI, AmberELEC, UnofficialOS |
| PortMaster | Yes |
Questions
Can the R36S play PS2 games?
Not well. PS2 scores 0 out of 100. It plays everything up to DS (no touchscreen) well.
Is the R36S good for GBA?
GBA runs at full speed. At 2x it fills 50% of the screen with even pixels.
Does it have a headphone jack?
Yes.
How big is the battery?
3,500 mAh. The middle Linux and other handheld in our database has 3,000 mAh.
Can it connect to a TV?
No, it has no video out.
How much does the R36S cost?
It launched at about $40 in Oct 2023. Prices on the used market change, so check current listings.
Price and newer models
$40 at launch Under $60
The newest in its line in our database, out since Oct 2023.
Compared with
Similar handhelds
Specs and emulation scores from the retrocatalog.com handheld database. The score out of 10 is our own.