R36S Plus or R36S: the real differences between the two consoles

The R36S Plus keeps the R36S chip (Rockchip RK3326, 1 GB of RAM): it runs the same games, no more, no less. What changes is the screen, square and larger according to the manufacturer, and the built-in 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. The rest, two microSD slots, battery, no Bluetooth and no TV output, is very close.

The name is confusing, and not just because of the "Plus". Before comparing, you need to know which R36S Plus we are talking about.

Two consoles go by the name "R36S Plus"

The R36S Plus in this article (also written "R36Plus" or "R36 Plus") came out in April 2025. Like the R36S, it is vertical and sold unbranded, under the name "Game Console". handhelds.wiki sums it up this way: an R36S with a square screen and built-in Wi-Fi.

Another, older device went by the same name. It has nothing in common with it: 3.5-inch screen, a single stick and a much weaker chip. Tech Tactician even calls it a "naming scam".

To recognize the 4-inch R36S Plus documented in the reviews:

• a square screen, not a rectangular one;
• two sticks, not one;
• a Wi-Fi setting in the options, with no dongle plugged in;
• with the console open, a motherboard marked "R36S Plus-V20" and an RK3326 chip, according to handhelds.wiki and the reviewers who took it apart.

Batches sold under this name vary. handhelds.wiki and a published review report that not every unit sold under this name has the Wi-Fi chip. That reviewer received two "R36S Plus" consoles built on an older board, one with Wi-Fi, the other without. Another reviewer lists clone warning signs to look out for: a weaker chip or an FN button that doesn't respond. To identify a dubious console, see our guide to sorting out R36S clones.

R36S Plus vs R36S: the table

	R36S	R36S Plus
Screen	3.5-inch IPS, 640 × 480 (4:3)	4-inch IPS, 720 × 720 (square) according to the manufacturer and published reviews; size of our units still to be confirmed by our supplier
Chip and memory	RK3326, 1 GB	RK3326, 1 GB
Wi-Fi	No (USB dongle on the OTG port)	Built-in 2.4 GHz on most units
Bluetooth	No	No
Battery	3,000 to 3,200 mAh depending on the batch	3,000 to 3,200 mAh depending on the batch, hatch on the back
microSD cards	2 slots	2 slots (TF1-OS, TF2-GAME)
Sticks	2	2
Video output	No	No
Advertised dimensions	13 × 8.3 × 3.5 cm, 187 g	14.2 × 8.2 × 2.8 cm, 220 g
Release	October 2023	April 2025
Our price	From 69,99 € (64 GB), 79,99 € (128 GB)	74,99 € (64 GB)

The dimensions and weight are the ones advertised on the listings, not measurements.

The screen: the real difference, with a caveat

According to the manufacturer and published reviews, the R36S Plus has a 4-inch square screen at 720 × 720. Our supplier has not yet confirmed in writing the exact size of our units. We would rather say so than claim it.

With the advertised panel, here is what the math gives:

• about 72 × 72 mm of picture, against about 71 × 53 mm on the R36S;
• about 36 % more area, for almost the same width;
• about 254 pixels per inch, against 229.

Not every game benefits from this gain. A 4:3 game (NES, Super Nintendo, PS1) keeps its proportions, with bars at the top and bottom. So it is barely bigger than on the R36S, just sharper. Game Boy and Game Boy Color games, whose format is close to square, on the other hand fill much more of the panel.

As for quality, handhelds.wiki rates it on par with the R36S. A published review notes slight light bleed visible at the edges when the picture is mostly black.

Same chip: same games

The R36S Plus is not more powerful. It uses the same Rockchip RK3326 as the R36S: four Cortex-A35 cores, Mali-G31 MP2 graphics processor, 1 GB of RAM. Reviewers opened it up to check.

So the compatibility lists apply to both:

• good: 8- and 16-bit consoles, Game Boy to GBA, classic arcade, PS1;
• uneven, game by game: N64, PSP, Dreamcast, Saturn;
• impossible: PS2, GameCube, 3DS.

The games themselves are on the card, not in the console. Our list of games by R36 model explains what really changes from one model to another.

Built-in Wi-Fi, and what it brings

The R36S has neither Wi-Fi nor Bluetooth. To get it online, you need a USB Wi-Fi dongle on the OTG port, usually with an adapter.

The R36S Plus has built-in Wi-Fi, 2.4 GHz only: your router has to broadcast a 2.4 GHz network. No Bluetooth either. Depending on the system installed, the connection is used to:

• fetch box art and game descriptions ("scraping");
• unlock RetroAchievements;
• install ports with PortMaster;
• transfer files without taking the card out;
• update the system.

It is not an online console: no online play, no streaming, no videos. Our product page points out that the OTG port stays free since no dongle is needed.

Systems: treated as an R36S, not as a clone

The community systems group the 4-inch R36S Plus with the original R36S consoles, not with K36-type clones:

• dArkOSRE lists its "R36S Plus-V20" board among the R36S, in beta. Its notes report battery capacity display errors on some batches;
• dArkOSen, reserved for genuine R36 consoles, lists the R36S Plus;
• ArkOS4Clone has a configuration specific to this model;
• ArkOS had an image dedicated to the R36S Plus, archived like the rest of the project.

Two precautions. First, don't flash the R36S ArkOS image onto an R36S Plus: choose the "R36S Plus" image or model. Second, ROCKNIX doesn't mention the R36S Plus on its pages: we don't claim it is compatible.

Before any system change, keep a copy of the original card. The method is in our guide R36S SD card, and choosing a system in dArkOS, ROCKNIX: which system for your R36S.

Battery, ports and form factor

Both consoles have a 3,000 to 3,200 mAh battery depending on the batch. So no difference in capacity between them is guaranteed. We don't give battery life in hours: the published figures don't match.

On the R36S Plus, the battery is reached through a hatch on the back. The ports are on the bottom edge: USB-C for charging, 3.5 mm headphone jack, USB-C OTG. The back is flat, with no grips. For charging, a 5 V adapter of at least 1.5 A will do; the cable is included, the wall charger is not.

Which one to choose?

The R36S Plus, if you mostly play games that benefit from a square screen, the one the manufacturer advertises: Game Boy, Game Boy Color, vertical arcade, PICO-8, according to Tech Tactician and handhelds.wiki. It also suits you if you want Wi-Fi without a dongle or adapter, for box art, RetroAchievements or PortMaster. The R36S Plus is 74,99 € from us, in 64 GB and five colors.

The R36S, if you mostly play in 4:3 (PS1, Super Nintendo, Mega Drive): the picture gains almost nothing on a square panel. It remains the cheaper of the two, from 69,99 €, the only one we offer in 128 GB, and the one that supports the most systems. You can order it from our home page.

Frequently asked questions

Is the R36S Plus more powerful than the R36S?

No. It has the same RK3326 chip and the same 1 GB of RAM. Games that run on one run on the other, with the same limits: PS1 and below run well, N64 and PSP case by case, no PS2.

What screen does the R36S Plus have?

A 4-inch square IPS screen at 720 × 720, according to the manufacturer and published reviews. Our supplier has not yet confirmed in writing the exact size of our units.

What can you do with the R36S Plus Wi-Fi?

Depending on the system: box art, RetroAchievements, PortMaster, file transfers and updates. The network must be 2.4 GHz. No online play or streaming.

Can you install ArkOS on the R36S Plus?

Yes, with the ArkOS image dedicated to the R36S Plus, now archived. The maintained options are dArkOSen, dArkOSRE (in beta for this model) and ArkOS4Clone. Don't flash the R36S ArkOS image onto it.

How do you recognize the right R36S Plus?

Square screen, two sticks, Wi-Fi setting without a dongle. Opened up, it shows an "R36S Plus-V20" board and an RK3326 chip. An "R36S Plus" with a 3.5-inch screen and a single stick is the old model, much weaker.

Does the R36S Plus run PS1 games?

Yes, like the R36S, with the same chip. PS1 and older consoles run well, even if not every game is perfect.