What is the real R36S? How to spot a clone
R36S is a model name, not one fixed build. The board inside changes between revisions, and so do details like Wi-Fi. A real R36S, in the sense that matters, is one that matches the reference spec: a 3.5-inch 640 x 480 IPS screen, the RK3326 chip, 1 GB of RAM and two microSD slots. A console that differs on those points is another device sold under the same name.
What is the real R36S?
Several revisions of the R36S board exist, and they are not identical: Wi-Fi support, for example, varies from one revision to another. The R36S units we sell come from the factory we work with, and its R36S uses the V21 and V30 boards.
So the useful question is not "is it real?" but "which R36S is it, and does it match the spec?". A console that matches the reference spec below behaves like any other R36S, whatever the board number. One that does not match is the problem, even if the box says R36S.
What specs should a real R36S have?
These are the specs our fact sheets hold for the R36S. Use them as a checklist against any listing, ours included.
| R36S | |
|---|---|
| Screen | 3.5-inch IPS, 640 x 480, 4:3 |
| Chip | Rockchip RK3326 |
| RAM | 1 GB |
| Storage | Two microSD slots |
| Battery | 3,200 mAh on most listings, some list 3,500 mAh |
| Wi-Fi | Not built in on most units, varies by board revision |
| Ports | Two USB-C ports |
| Layout | Vertical, held upright in one hand |
| Weight | 179 g, as weighed by Retro Handhelds |
The screen is the easiest line to check on a unit you hold: a 3.5-inch 4:3 panel has an active area of about 71 x 53 mm, by calculation. A bigger or square screen means a different model.
How do you read an R36S listing?
Most bad surprises are visible before you pay. Read the listing the way you would read a spec sheet:
- The screen is given as a size and a resolution: 3.5 inches and 640 x 480. A size alone is not enough.
- The chip is named: RK3326. A listing that hides the chip hides the one spec that sets performance.
- The RAM is 1 GB and there are two microSD slots.
- The battery is given in mAh, around 3,200 mAh. Be careful with runtimes in hours that no maker stands behind.
- The seller tells you which board revision ships, or answers when you ask.
Some things in a listing tell you nothing about the hardware. A big number of games in the title is one: it says nothing about the board, and nothing about whether you have the right to use those files. A seller calling itself the only true source is another: many independent stores sell the R36S, and we are one of them.
How can you tell if an R36H is real?
The same method works for the horizontal model. The R36H described by the supplier and by an independent hands-on is horizontal, with a 3.5-inch 640 x 480 screen in the center, two analog sticks, the RK3326 chip and a 3,000 mAh battery as listed.
If the listing shows a 4.2-inch 1024 x 768 screen, it is not an R36H but another model, the R36H Pro Max, which also adds built-in Wi-Fi. No built-in Wi-Fi is documented for the plain R36H. Ask for the screen size and resolution before you pay.
Clone or different model? Names that look alike
A lot of what gets called a clone is simply a sister model with a close name. The R36 family shares one chip, the RK3326 with 1 GB of RAM, and differs on the screen, the shape and the slots:
- The R36S Plus adds built-in 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. Its box may say R36Plus while the label says R36S Plus: same device. An older one-stick 3.5-inch model used the same name.
- The R36XX keeps the R36S screen and body size and adds built-in 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
- The R36 Max has a 4-inch 720 x 720 square screen. The R36 Max2 is another model, with a 4.5-inch 1024 x 768 screen.
- The R36 Ultra has a 4-inch square screen; the R36 Ultra X has a 4.5-inch 1024 x 768 screen and one microSD slot.
What can you check when your R36 arrives?
- Look at the back. On several R36 models the model is printed there, for example MODEL No.R36XX on the R36XX or MODEL No.R36H ProMax on the R36H Pro Max, often with the battery capacity.
- Count the microSD slots and the USB-C ports, and compare the screen with the size and resolution you ordered.
- Turn it on and let it start from the system card. Keep that card as it came until you have a backup of it.
If what you received does not match the page you ordered from, write to us: every order has 30-day returns. The reference specs and the five colors of the R36S we sell are on its page.