FYI: This has 1GB of DDR4 ram, which is better than the R35S's DDR3 ram. Also, apparently if you loosen the screw near the dpad, it makes it less stiff. Lastly, now that the RG35XX Plus is out, you might want to consider that one if you don't need joysticks and want something with built in WiFi and Bluetooth, although a bit more expensive. retrohandhelds.link/35XX_Plus
@@doubledee2080I've had both reported to me, it doesn't matter too much as it is a .1mhz difference, as I understand it. Not enough to move the needle realistically.
im so impressed by it. i started messing around with the settings, i accidentally bumped it into some really cool settings, like the art of each system and then if i dont touch it it will automatically play a preview of the game you havent selected yet allowing you to view the game before launching it. such a neat device for the price.
The USPS just updated the tracking info to let me know that my white R36S will be arriving tomorrow, a day early! I'm so excited that I can't sleep. Well, I am excited and I can't sleep, but, I don't think those two things are related. Anyways, I'm up watching reviews telling me how great it is. Now I can finally fit in with all the cool people at RH because I have, or will have in about twelve hours, a bonafide retro handheld that's not just a repurposed phone. In related news, Gary Bettman has announced an NHL expansion team in Hades. I think I'll next watch Stubbs's recent K36 video. It's titled with the question, "Is it better than the R36S?" Betteridge's Law of Headlines states that any headline which ends in a question mark can be answered by the word 'no'. Which is good, for me. I want every handheld to be less impressive than the one I now have, ha! But, Stubbs is unpredictable. There's a chance that he might've laughed in the face of Ian Betteridge and his silly laws. There's only one way to find out... I appreciate this review and for y'all always keeping things real.
@mattdavis9601 ahh enjoy it! Still such a nice handheld for the price. Saying I'm unpredictable is one of the nicest pieces of feedback I've ever received, thanks man!
@@retrohandhelds - Haha, you're welcome! I took a late lunch and picked it up at home. I've been playing with the R36S for a couple of hours when I should've been working, but, whatever. It's everything that you, and Nick, and Taki, and Russ, and pretty much every other reviewer I trust said it would be. Mine is the original style with two cards and ArkOS instead of being that newly revised R36S which, supposedly - according to Redditors who got them the mail and posted about it, is a chimera of R36S shell and K36 guts. I definitely got the one I preferred because I can't leave well enough alone and the classic R36S has a ton of community support that the new K36 derived one doesn't. I'm very happy with the fresh out of the box experience. The software is slick and the screen is beautiful with punchy colors. 3.5 inches doesn't sound like much; but, the 4:3 aspect ratio makes it a lot bigger than I was expecting. It's actually wider than my phone is vertically (an LG V35 - 6 inch 18:9 screen) and as a result I have zero issues with the ergonomics. Or with seeing what I'm doing. It's a joy to use. There's just one bug. Only one, and it's mostly a non-issue. The Vol+ button doesn't work. Vol - is fine. I'm not sure if it's a hardware defect or if Game Console forgot to map it in software like they did the FN button. Does your R36S's Vol+ button work? Eventually I'll flash AeolusUX to it, which is a version of ArkOS optimized for the R36S, and I know that it fixes the FN button mapping. Hopefully it'll fix the Vol+ button too, if it's not a hardware issue. And if it is, it's not a big deal. Certainly not enough to dent the goodwill generated by everything else the R36S offers.
@mattdavis9601 ah your vol up should definitely work! That's a bummer. Also I didn't know about the new K36 mash up, wow, that's kind of a bummer. They already had a nice handheld as is, unless maybe the stiff face buttons are fixed now? Enjoy!!
Just to let you know, though not to do too much tinkering inside the settings if you’re gonna use the original SD card that comes on it, I somehow corrupted my Sd and now as of tomorrow, I will be going on Etsy to buy a replacement SD card from a Reable company that will have games on it for me
I have an R36S on the way but then saw it struggles with dreamcast and PSP and Nintendo 64 compared to the RG353VS So I ordered one of those as well. So have 2 on the way. I cannot wait. Hopefully the R36S will come tomorrow or the next day. it is in the UK.
Are the D-pad, analogs, buttons, shoulder buttons too stiff on this? the same stifness with RG35xx that I can tolerate? This is the reason I'm holding back of buying RG36s
I just got mine, it's amazing for under 50 bucks but does have some caveats such as the main menu button does nothing and a few other quirks but over all I love mine.
Where is the main menu button? Got mine today and it's in Spanish. Changed the theme and thanks to retro game corp. Very simple but I'd of never figured it out. Any tips from anyone? I'm computer illiterate but addicted to these little things. Thanks family!
Hey thanks for the review! I’m not sure if this is dumb… but is there a way that you can load additional games on this? Or does it only come with what’s on the console? I’m debating on buying this but I want to know I can add my own games. Anyway let me know. Thanks!!!
Would love to know WHEN you people ordered it for 47$/€ because the cheapest ones are already over 60€ and the average price with shipping is 70+ for eu. Edit: checked 7 different countries and basically it's that price only for spain and uk, the rest are all 60+.
Works well for a number of N64 games, goldeneye and perfect dark will be tough though, we have yet to have the ideal controller on one of these for best case N64 gaming
i found out this console is been made by variety of manufacturers: boyhom, datafrog, etc. So wich is the best one in your opinion or they are less or more equal if judge by reviews?
I got a R36S for 48€ and free shipping to Spain yesterday from Aliexpress (arrives in a week), RGB20S price starts at almost double that. Its my first small handheld, I will be using it for PS1 and GBA emulation mostly, it fits my college bag perfectly. Would it be possible to play The Binding of Isaac on it? I play it on Steam Deck mostly, but I would love it on the R36s
@@canislupus2661 Only Pico-8 mockups tbh, there was a Celeste one that was pretty decent. TBOI, Stardew Valley etc. are impossible to emulate it seems. Anyway, I prefer them on the Deck for the achievements.
Why, in the name of god, do I watch reviews AFTER I've bought the device? You know what? I knew that device emulated DC and PSP games, but I didn't know that it emulated DS games also? That's the one system that I don't have a library for yet. Actually, come to think about it, it's one of the few handheld systems that I never owned. I guess that I do now, in a sense.
It's a good one for retro games up to some N64 and Dreamcast, the 64 to 128 is how big the SD card with games is. I strongly suggest just getting the cheapest option and loading up your own games. -Aish
I had a spare OTG Bluetooth adapter that I used for my Nintendo switch (before they added it natively). It works!! Except that you can’t adjust the volume on the console - you need to have a bt headset with independent volume control.
Does the price range depending on 64G vs 256G or the seller? I've come across so many different listing and don't know which one to get. They all say x amount of games included.
Have you tried connecting it to TV? Does it work? And can you add a gamepad to play 2p? And if so can you connect it to the TV and connect a pad at the same time or there's just one OTG port so you have to choose either TV or pad?
Holy crap you are the first person I see (other than my grandfather and me) that has a regular left thumb and a stumpy-ass right one. I thought it was a family factory defect but I guess not.
@@retrohandhelds can't send a link or even discuss it apparently cause my comment/reply got flagged with a warning on RUclips & all I said was how I got it for that cheap
FYI: This has 1GB of DDR4 ram, which is better than the R35S's DDR3 ram.
Also, apparently if you loosen the screw near the dpad, it makes it less stiff.
Lastly, now that the RG35XX Plus is out, you might want to consider that one if you don't need joysticks and want something with built in WiFi and Bluetooth, although a bit more expensive.
retrohandhelds.link/35XX_Plus
I thought their page had shown that the regular rk3326 was still in this
@@doubledee2080I've had both reported to me, it doesn't matter too much as it is a .1mhz difference, as I understand it. Not enough to move the needle realistically.
@@retrohandhelds Ah ok, Im not gonna complain about performance bump though, small or large 😂 🤷♂️
@@doubledee2080 haha, absolutely! Also it has DDR4 ram instead of DDR3 this time, so it is a bit better!
@@retrohandhelds where did you read DDR4? it says DDR3L on the box
im so impressed by it. i started messing around with the settings, i accidentally bumped it into some really cool settings, like the art of each system and then if i dont touch it it will automatically play a preview of the game you havent selected yet allowing you to view the game before launching it. such a neat device for the price.
Absolutely agreed! Great to hear
This man taste tested the system. Top tier reviewing.
Thank you, I do what I must for the greater good 🫂
Im glad that im not the only one that uses mouthfeel to determine the quality of a handheld gaming system!
Mine came in the mail today, the D pad, the shoulder buttons, and the face buttons all feel good to me
There should be more color options I would really like a solid black (not really a fan of transparent cases) but I had to go with solid white istead.
I just ordered this, hope it will be legit!!
thank you for also including a smell and taste test good sir. 👍
It is my pleasure
Great review brother.
Thanks man!!
Where did you get the custom shell for the rg 35xx, 12:15? I think I saw you had yellow one for the miyoo mini in another video too.
Ah these are custom dye jobs by Discord member Roofpooper.
Does anybody know if the SD card that came with the device has Star Wars battlefront for the PSP on it
Can you play street fighter or contra with the joystick instead of the D pad?
The USPS just updated the tracking info to let me know that my white R36S will be arriving tomorrow, a day early! I'm so excited that I can't sleep. Well, I am excited and I can't sleep, but, I don't think those two things are related.
Anyways, I'm up watching reviews telling me how great it is. Now I can finally fit in with all the cool people at RH because I have, or will have in about twelve hours, a bonafide retro handheld that's not just a repurposed phone. In related news, Gary Bettman has announced an NHL expansion team in Hades.
I think I'll next watch Stubbs's recent K36 video. It's titled with the question, "Is it better than the R36S?" Betteridge's Law of Headlines states that any headline which ends in a question mark can be answered by the word 'no'. Which is good, for me. I want every handheld to be less impressive than the one I now have, ha! But, Stubbs is unpredictable. There's a chance that he might've laughed in the face of Ian Betteridge and his silly laws. There's only one way to find out...
I appreciate this review and for y'all always keeping things real.
@mattdavis9601 ahh enjoy it! Still such a nice handheld for the price. Saying I'm unpredictable is one of the nicest pieces of feedback I've ever received, thanks man!
@@retrohandhelds - Haha, you're welcome!
I took a late lunch and picked it up at home. I've been playing with the R36S for a couple of hours when I should've been working, but, whatever. It's everything that you, and Nick, and Taki, and Russ, and pretty much every other reviewer I trust said it would be. Mine is the original style with two cards and ArkOS instead of being that newly revised R36S which, supposedly - according to Redditors who got them the mail and posted about it, is a chimera of R36S shell and K36 guts. I definitely got the one I preferred because I can't leave well enough alone and the classic R36S has a ton of community support that the new K36 derived one doesn't.
I'm very happy with the fresh out of the box experience. The software is slick and the screen is beautiful with punchy colors. 3.5 inches doesn't sound like much; but, the 4:3 aspect ratio makes it a lot bigger than I was expecting. It's actually wider than my phone is vertically (an LG V35 - 6 inch 18:9 screen) and as a result I have zero issues with the ergonomics. Or with seeing what I'm doing. It's a joy to use.
There's just one bug. Only one, and it's mostly a non-issue. The Vol+ button doesn't work. Vol - is fine. I'm not sure if it's a hardware defect or if Game Console forgot to map it in software like they did the FN button. Does your R36S's Vol+ button work? Eventually I'll flash AeolusUX to it, which is a version of ArkOS optimized for the R36S, and I know that it fixes the FN button mapping. Hopefully it'll fix the Vol+ button too, if it's not a hardware issue. And if it is, it's not a big deal. Certainly not enough to dent the goodwill generated by everything else the R36S offers.
@mattdavis9601 ah your vol up should definitely work! That's a bummer. Also I didn't know about the new K36 mash up, wow, that's kind of a bummer. They already had a nice handheld as is, unless maybe the stiff face buttons are fixed now? Enjoy!!
@@retrohandhelds - Thanks for letting me know.
If I didn't already own an RG351V I probably would have bought this. The price is just so good for what it can do.
You can still get one… =)
Just to let you know, though not to do too much tinkering inside the settings if you’re gonna use the original SD card that comes on it, I somehow corrupted my Sd and now as of tomorrow, I will be going on Etsy to buy a replacement SD card from a Reable company that will have games on it for me
Paid 43 Euros and for that this is really nice.N64 Emulation not that good but PSP Emulation ist working sooo good .
Which one can I buy that has all the marvel vs Capcon X-men vs street fighter all those cool games any recommendations
Ah this one came with 64gb, I'd choose that one to get those roms for sure.
I'm waiting for mine, probably in customs now. I chose the transparent black. Got it for $40 shipped. Can't wait.
Where? Link please
@@allen0088 It's in the description. There's a link there.
I just bought the ORANGE one! Don’t be forgetting they gots ORANGE ones!
youre the only one that show how thps2 works. i love u
I love you too
I have an R36S on the way but then saw it struggles with dreamcast and PSP and Nintendo 64 compared to the RG353VS So I ordered one of those as well. So have 2 on the way. I cannot wait. Hopefully the R36S will come tomorrow or the next day. it is in the UK.
"Mum, can I get the RG353V?"
"no honey, we've already got the RG353V at home!"
**The RG353V at home** 😂
😂top comment
You worked really hard for that joke
@@HammerHeadBubba Pshhh, you're just mad that you didn't say it first! :P
Hun your 45 years old get a job 😅
It's $90 cheaper where I live, and it's almost the same quality software.
Pretty easy to add Action Replay/Gameshark codes to it? Also how do the ds games look on the single screen
Super sharp, and yes you could use those in retroarch
Are the D-pad, analogs, buttons, shoulder buttons too stiff on this? the same stifness with RG35xx that I can tolerate? This is the reason I'm holding back of buying RG36s
I've already updated my R36s to the newest Arkos and is working better , same ive had on my r35s the same way to update both of this consoles
@retrohandhelds could you give me the body size (Width / Height / Depth) of the R36S in mm/cm or inches, if you could kindly?
Can you save the game progress too?
"Game consoie" on the back😃
😂
I just got mine, it's amazing for under 50 bucks but does have some caveats such as the main menu button does nothing and a few other quirks but over all I love mine.
Where is the main menu button? Got mine today and it's in Spanish. Changed the theme and thanks to retro game corp. Very simple but I'd of never figured it out. Any tips from anyone? I'm computer illiterate but addicted to these little things. Thanks family!
Just curious if there is a headphone jack.
Yes
Nice review. Thanks for sharing.
Hey thanks for the review! I’m not sure if this is dumb… but is there a way that you can load additional games on this? Or does it only come with what’s on the console? I’m debating on buying this but I want to know I can add my own games. Anyway let me know. Thanks!!!
Yeah you can, and probably should just use a list of your curated ROMs!
That's not a dumb question at all. Yes you can add games to the SD card, just drop the roms in the correct folders.
-Aish
Hey thanks so much. This makes it that much more appealing hahah. @@retrohandhelds
this is next level reviewing bro really taste tested the anbernic lmfao
Is this meant to come with 2 cards mine has just turned up with no card in the right side and no sticker covering the slot
I'm not sure it really depends on the seller.
-Aish
what is the OS used in your r36s?
Comparison witch Anbernic Rg 353V
Does the white one lights up in the middle like the one you are reviewing? I kinda not a fan of that light thing
Yeah it will have a light also but transparent is a stronger light
What's the battery life like? And by that i mean, when doing some real heavy gaming, say a playing nothing but ds or psp for a while?
So far super solid, beat by the 35xx plus but still holds it own, even when doing psp, I didn't run into battery anxiety
@@retrohandhelds Wish I could say the same. I bought a 6ft. power cord and plug it into the wall.
R36 or the K36 what should I get?
How do you change the menu to english!? :(
Happy Holidays Stubbs I wanted to know on the new R36S can I get any buttons xyo from anywhere? do you have a link? I want to replace the buttons.
Thanks, Happy Holidays to you too! I'll have to look around, I'm guessing etsy has some by now.
@@retrohandhelds I asked a few vendors some said not sure.
It is possible to put movies on it?
I freaking love it!
Does it have all the pokemon games ??
Hello. I messed up and my system configuration is from Spain while the games are in English. How do I change it all to English. Pitch in $5 for help.
Superb video 👍
Thanks!! I have a follow-up coming out shortly.
No way my man did the mouth feel test. That’s some extremely specific stuff
🫡
Would love to know WHEN you people ordered it for 47$/€ because the cheapest ones are already over 60€ and the average price with shipping is 70+ for eu.
Edit: checked 7 different countries and basically it's that price only for spain and uk, the rest are all 60+.
Am in America, aliexpress wit coupons got it for 49.04$
Just ordered one at Ali for 52€!
Just ordered one to Spain for £48 seems ok
I got one on Friday for £31.94 with a wedlome discount and cyber Monday price. Absolutely can't argue to that price
@@ArtoriasNX Saw that price later, but for some reason AliExpress Choice offers now don't have any shipping option to Spain
Will it be comfortable for playing most N64 games? The reason I ask is because of the back buttons you mentioned.
Works well for a number of N64 games, goldeneye and perfect dark will be tough though, we have yet to have the ideal controller on one of these for best case N64 gaming
The video man I just bought the R40 S pro. The main difference being while made by game console it has the same spec except 4 GB of DDRL4. Ram.
Mine just arrived today and I was wondering if r36s allows playing multiplayer like trading pokemon with a friend
There's a plug in the bottom for dual player games afaik
Not sure svout pokemon training
Which hardware is more powerful, R35S' or R36S'?
Same
R36S
@@retrohandhelds sorry, I meant R35S and R36S
@@CenturionKZ you said which,,
i found out this console is been made by variety of manufacturers: boyhom, datafrog, etc. So wich is the best one in your opinion or they are less or more equal if judge by reviews?
The manufacturer is the same, vendors are different
Miyoo mini plus or this one? 🤔 first handheld purchase
Are you going to be playing games that need an analog stick ?
-Aish
Does this have output to a TV? I've seen a couple that can do that. If anyone can let me know I'd appreciate it!
Ah yes it does!
Do you know if you can transfer saves from the R36S onto other handhelds? For example, transfer Pokemons to real Gameboys etc?
Yes that isn't an issue
@@retrohandhelds hey thanks!
Did the mario type games come installed already, or did you have to do it yourself?
All of the games I showed came with it.
I got a R36S for 48€ and free shipping to Spain yesterday from Aliexpress (arrives in a week), RGB20S price starts at almost double that. Its my first small handheld, I will be using it for PS1 and GBA emulation mostly, it fits my college bag perfectly.
Would it be possible to play The Binding of Isaac on it? I play it on Steam Deck mostly, but I would love it on the R36s
Link please ?
have you found out if you can play those easy pc games?
@@canislupus2661 Only Pico-8 mockups tbh, there was a Celeste one that was pretty decent. TBOI, Stardew Valley etc. are impossible to emulate it seems. Anyway, I prefer them on the Deck for the achievements.
@@Sankurot thanks for the info!
Why, in the name of god, do I watch reviews AFTER I've bought the device? You know what? I knew that device emulated DC and PSP games, but I didn't know that it emulated DS games also? That's the one system that I don't have a library for yet. Actually, come to think about it, it's one of the few handheld systems that I never owned. I guess that I do now, in a sense.
To know if you bought the right thing
Question, first timer to these and would this one be ok to buy? Why when u buy it’s has 64g to 128g?
It's a good one for retro games up to some N64 and Dreamcast, the 64 to 128 is how big the SD card with games is. I strongly suggest just getting the cheapest option and loading up your own games.
-Aish
Hey, if you don't mind. Does this thing have Wireless LAN? Also how do you charge it, via USB-C?
Charging is via usb-c and from what I've read, no wifi but you can use the OTC port with an adapter and wifi dongle.
Yes charges via USB C, and yes if you plug in a wifi dongle you can do Lan file transfers
Why didn't you try the psp games, it sounded like you said the were on the device shipped.
Ah I did, Mega Man Maverick Hunter X. A few more tested on my 2nd video, in description (R35S).
Where's the battery life indicator?
In the middle below the screen
The new LCD panel dtb file nightmare is a huge pain the proverbial
Hi, can You recommend cheap console like this but for emulating ps2 games? Best price/value killer?
Ah, the cheapest option is the Retroid Pocket 2S at $100, but depends which game you want to play.
@@retrohandhelds i want to play Gran Turismo 4 :) maybe GOW too
@@piotrb3065 I would step up to a Retroid Pocket 4, RG556, or RP4 Pro
What about N64 GoldenEye ? Does it run fine?
Nope haha
So is this a good replacement for the rg35xx? It can do more stuff and it's cheaper, after all.
Technically, yes, although I still prefer the software experience on the 35XX
Taste test definitely sealed the deal for me, ordering it rn lol
🫡
I had a spare OTG Bluetooth adapter that I used for my Nintendo switch (before they added it natively). It works!! Except that you can’t adjust the volume on the console - you need to have a bt headset with independent volume control.
That's awesome!!
Does the price range depending on 64G vs 256G or the seller? I've come across so many different listing and don't know which one to get. They all say x amount of games included.
Yes it's the SD card size, I would suggest getting the cheapest option and adding your own SD card.
-Aish
Where did u get the green casing for your rg35xx?
Ah had a friend dye it
Have you tried connecting it to TV? Does it work? And can you add a gamepad to play 2p? And if so can you connect it to the TV and connect a pad at the same time or there's just one OTG port so you have to choose either TV or pad?
Ah yes you can connect it to a TV and connect a controller, you may need a splitter to add more accessories at the same time
noice!!!!waiting on mine got it for 47, not bad in the meantime waiting on the m17 batocera custom firmware they're working on
Stoked for batocera!
I still don’t know how to turn it off :(
Do They come pre loaded with games?
Yeah
Mine arrives next week, hopefully Monday!
don´t know what the OTG Port means, please explain
Just means it's a port you can plug accessories into
Does it run well the GTAs from the PSP? Vice city stories and liberty city stories?
Just no haha
@@ArtoriasNX bummer :/
@@edsonfilho9429 yeah psp is hit or miss (mostly miss) but for how cheap it is, ps1 and below is so good
i got one of these but its struggling to play n64 games. is there something i can do so i can finally play kirby 64?
does it connect to tv and able to play? if bought 2 devices so they connec tru wifi and play the same exact game at the same time?
the mouthfeel test should be a thing for these handhelds
is this data frog r35s? can it be connected to wifi and tv?
Ah this is the r36s, I have a r35s video on this channel as well to check out.
This is near GBC like! Dream come true! Might nag me one, although just got the miyoo mini plus for $70, 🤔
Same here! Ordered one!
So tough. Devil on shoulder says "why not both?" 😆
5:50 definitely kicks it with Dwight Howard
Anyway to connect wifi through the otg port?
Yes you can, not all brands will work
Holy crap you are the first person I see (other than my grandfather and me) that has a regular left thumb and a stumpy-ass right one. I thought it was a family factory defect but I guess not.
There are dozens of us, dozenssss!!! 😆👐
Great shirt !!! I have the same one !!! Shout out to Russ !!!
Absolutely agreed sir!
Can you use hdmi?
You can! USB c hdmi out
I Pay 36.- in aliexpress 14 day free shipping to Switzerland 🤘
Does it have super mario the real one and zelda?
You won't see many of these handhelds with those games anymore since Nintendo is cracking down, good thing is it's not hard to add them.
-Aish
Got mine for $36 this morning on Aliexpress. Can't wait to sniff the vents...I mean play it. I need those Stubbs Nubbs BTW lol
Rad! Haha, nubbs on sale soon. Mind if I ask for the link, I can update our link, great price!
@@retrohandhelds can't send a link or even discuss it apparently cause my comment/reply got flagged with a warning on RUclips & all I said was how I got it for that cheap
What is the best system for this ? Ark OS or Linux or other ?
If i'm not mistaken, Data Frog is responsible for R35S and R36S
No, but they do sell them.
How can I Turn on WiFi?
Ah just need to plug in a wifi dongle for that
I think the name of the company is "Game Console" lol. They also make a number of non-handheld retro game consoles.
Game Consoie on the back
Seems to be 🫠
Where can I get them nubs 👀👀👀
Haha The 3D Printed Studio on Etsy, link in description, $4
Unbranded clone of unbranded device inspired by Game Boy. We all need one of them under christmas tree 😂
😆
you say it's a good white noise machine does that mean we can use it to talk to the spirits
Yes that is correct, tell them I said hey.
just got mine from aliexpress for 40 dls including a pouch and free shipping :D
Great deal!
Why, why oh why the analog stick on THPS 😭😭😭 It doesn't even support analog controls
Changing it up 😁
Not sure the market is really after another RK3266 device but doesn't take away from the video so great job Stubbs ❤