R36S Pro, K36, R40S Pro, R36T: sorting out the R36S clones

The "R36S Pro" is not an official model: the R36S community wiki even doubts it exists, and buyers who ordered one received a standard R36S. What matters is not the name on the listing but the motherboard, because it decides which systems you will be able to install.

R36S Pro, R36PRO, K36, R40S Pro, R36T, "V21", "V2.7": some of these names are real models from other manufacturers, others are motherboard numbers sold as versions, and a few are clearly weaker devices. Here is how to tell them apart.

R36S Pro and R36S Pro Max: listing names

handhelds.wiki, the wiki of the r/R36S community, mentions the R36S Pro with this note: it "probably doesn't even exist". Its page points to a product image that looks like a fake render, and to buyers who received an ordinary R36S. Nothing suggests it is more powerful.

For the "R36S Pro Max", we found no source at all: not the wiki, not the device lists of the systems, not our supplier's catalogue. Same finding on 3 October 2026 for the "R36 Art": with no source, we will say nothing about it.

• The R36PRO, without the "S", does exist. Released in November 2024: RK3326 chip, 1 GB of RAM, 3.5 inch 640 x 480 screen, 4,000 mAh battery. The wiki describes it as an R36 Max with a 4:3 screen, files it among the clones of the K36 family and does not recommend it.
• The R36H Pro Max is a different device: horizontal, 4 inch screen, recommended by the same wiki. It is neither an "R36S Pro" nor the R36 Max.

Three families behind the same name

The community splits "R36S" consoles into three groups, and the system projects follow that split. dArkOSen says it is compatible with genuine R36 devices, "not with clones". dArkOSRE classifies each motherboard as "r36s", "clone" or "soysauce". ArkOS4Clone exists precisely for clones.

Family	What is inside	Alternative systems	Wiki verdict
Genuine R36S	RK3326, 1 GB, two RAM chips	The widest choice	Recommended
EmuELEC clone (K36 family)	K36-type board in an R36S shell, same RK3326 chip	Images dedicated to clones	Limited but improving support
Fake	Weaker chip (RK3128, Allwinner A33, MediaTek MT6572, HCSEMI E3100), locked system	None	Avoid

"Clone" is the community's word, not a synonym for counterfeit. The K36, the R36T and the R36 Max are models in their own right, from other manufacturers, built on the same base. Two consoles in our catalogue, the R36 Max and the R36 Ultra, actually belong to this family. The real trouble comes from the third group.

K36, R40S Pro, R36T: what these models are

K36

Made by Kinhank, also sold under the GAMINJA brand, released in July 2024. Vertical, RK3326 chip, 1 GB, 3.5 inch 640 x 480 IPS screen, advertised 3,500 mAh battery. It runs EmuELEC 4.7 out of the box, like the R36S clones, and it is the model that gave its name to the "K36 family".

Alternative systems: UnofficialOS, ArkOS4Clone, ArkOS K36 (archived on 25 August 2025) and ROCKNIX as a B image, still experimental.

R40S Pro

According to handhelds.wiki, it is "basically the same as the R36S" in a shell with a rounded bottom, most often with the original R36S screen.

The wiki recommends it as an alternative and points to the R36S guides. dArkOSen lists an "R40S" among its supported devices, although we cannot say for certain that it is exactly the R40S Pro sold in listings.

R36T and R36T Max

Released in July 2025, the R36T is easy to spot thanks to its screen bezel styled like an old CRT television and its RGB-lit sticks. RK3326 chip, 3.5 inch 640 x 480 screen, internal storage, Wi-Fi, 3,000 mAh. It runs EmuELEC and belongs to the K36 family. The R36T Max adds a second stick and a square 1:1 screen.

V12, V21, V2.7: motherboards, not versions

An "R36S V21" or "V12" is not a newer model. The number refers to the motherboard revision, printed on the circuit board (for example "R36S-V21 2024-12-18").

For genuine R36S consoles, you will find the V12 2023-08-18 with the original screen, then the V21, V22 and V30 with a different screen. This number is mainly used to pick the right screen file.

• The number alone proves nothing. Some clones also carry "R36S-V12 2023-08-18", including a variant with 512 MB of RAM, and one clone board is called "R36S-V20".
• "V2.1" is not "V21". The "R36S V2.5", "V2.6" or "V2.7" are devices with a GB350 or HCSEMI E3100 chip, sometimes with 256 MB of RAM, on which no alternative system can be installed.

Identify your console in five checks

No single sign shows up on every clone: cross-check several.

1. The motherboard, seen through a transparent shell or under the battery: note the number and count the RAM chips. A single one suggests a clone (careful, the G80D clone board has two).
2. The partition name, with the microSD card plugged into a computer: EASYROMS on a genuine R36S, EMUELEC or EEROMS on a clone.
3. The RAM, in RetroArch, Information menu then System: around 497 MB gives away a 512 MB model.
4. The boot. Without a card, a clone may power on and display "We can't find any sytems!". The absence of the "ArkOS 2.0" message followed by a date, or a charging animation while the console is off, are further clues.
5. The .dtb files from the original card, BOOT partition, run through the identification tool by AeolusUX or by lcdyk0517 (dtbTools). This is the most reliable method: the tool tells you the screen and, for a clone, what to do next.

Extra physical details: an FN button that acts as Y, different button letters, finer speaker grilles. Our guide to telling an original R36S from a clone covers these points in detail.

What the family changes for the system

As of 3 October 2026:

• Genuine R36S: ArkOS R3XS (archived, last release on 7 November 2025), dArkOSen, dArkOSRE, ROCKNIX and AmberELEC as an RG351MP pre-release.
• K36 family clone: not standard ArkOS, but ArkOS4Clone, ArkOS K36 (archived), dArkOSRE for some boards and ROCKNIX as a B image, experimental.
• Fake: no alternative system.

The typical mistake: a standard R36S image on a clone gives a black screen and a blinking red LED.

Even with the right image, handhelds.wiki notes that a clone may keep some flaws (dual SD card poorly handled, sound, inverted controls), and on some clones with a V20 board, ArkOS4Clone can burn out the speaker. Read the project's compatibility table before flashing.

Always keep the original card intact, or at least its .dtb files, and work on a second card. To choose the image, see our article dArkOS, ROCKNIX or ArkOS: which system to install in 2026.

Is a clone a bad buy?

Not necessarily. Same chip, dedicated systems: a clone mostly calls for the right image and newer support, sometimes in beta.

A clone suits you if you play with the system it ships with, or if you like a particular format, such as the TV look of the R36T.

Go for a genuine R36S if you plan to change systems, follow the community guides or install dArkOSen, which does not support clones.

Avoid the "V2.5", "V2.6" or "V2.7" and any listing that advertises an RK3128, Allwinner A33, MediaTek MT6572 or HCSEMI E3100 chip.

If the original format is what you are after, vertical with a 3.5 inch 4:3 screen, our R36S is available from €69.99. The five checks above apply to it just as they do to any other console.

Frequently asked questions

How can I tell if my R36S is a clone?

Look at the motherboard through the shell: printed number and number of RAM chips. Plug the microSD card into a computer: EASYROMS indicates a genuine R36S, EEROMS or EMUELEC a clone. To settle it, run the .dtb files from the original card through the tool by AeolusUX or by lcdyk0517.

Is a clone necessarily bad?

No. K36 family clones use the same RK3326 chip as the R36S and have dedicated systems, such as ArkOS4Clone. The real problems come from fakes with a weaker chip, on which no alternative system can be installed. Before buying, check the chip stated on the listing.

Is the K36 as good as the R36S?

Same RK3326 chip and same advertised 3.5 inch screen. The difference is in the software: the K36 ships with EmuELEC, and its alternative systems are newer and less mature than those of the R36S, with ROCKNIX still experimental. To change systems by following the usual guides, the R36S remains simpler.

Why won't ArkOS boot, with a red LED?

That is the sign of a standard R36S image installed on a clone: black screen and blinking red LED. You need an image made for clones, such as ArkOS4Clone, chosen according to the .dtb files of your original card. Hence the value of keeping that card intact.

R40S Pro or R36S?

According to handhelds.wiki, it is the same hardware: RK3326, 1 GB, 3.5 inch 4:3 screen, two microSD slots, and most R40S Pro units reuse the original R36S screen. Only the shell changes, with a rounded bottom. The choice comes down to how it feels in your hands.