Short answer: the R36S has a Rockchip RK3326 quad-core chip, a Mali-G31 GPU, 1 GB of RAM, a 3.5-inch 640×480 IPS screen, a 3,500 mAh battery and two microSD slots, with no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The R36 Max uses the same chip and RAM with a square 4.0-inch 720×720 screen and a 4,000 mAh battery. If a listing shows a different chip or less RAM, you are probably looking at different hardware.
R36S specifications
| Chip | Rockchip RK3326, quad-core Cortex-A35 (1.3–1.5 GHz) |
| GPU | Mali-G31 MP2 |
| RAM | 1 GB DDR3 |
| Screen | 3.5″ IPS, 640×480, 4:3 (about 228 ppi) |
| Battery | 3,500 mAh, USB-C charging |
| Storage | Two microSD slots |
| Controls | D-pad, four face buttons, dual analog sticks, shoulder buttons |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | None |
| Video out | None |
| Size / weight | 82 × 130 mm / 187 g |
| Firmware | ArkOS-based Linux; community options include ArkOS4Clone, ROCKNIX, AmberELEC and UnofficialOS |
| Released | October 2023 |
R36 Max specifications
| Chip | Rockchip RK3326, quad-core Cortex-A35 (1.3–1.5 GHz) |
| GPU | Mali-G31 MP2 |
| RAM | 1 GB DDR3 |
| Screen | 4.0″, 720×720, 1:1 square (about 254 ppi) |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh, USB-C charging |
| Storage | Two microSD slots |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | None |
| Video out | None |
| Size | 83 × 153 × 35 mm |
| Firmware | ArkOS-based Linux; community options include ArkOS4Clone (three R36 Max hardware variants) and ROCKNIX |
| Released | November 2024 |
Sources: Retro Catalog, the Handhelds wiki, retrohandhelds.gg and current Amazon listings, checked September 2026.
What the specs mean in practice
Performance. The RK3326 runs NES, SNES, Genesis, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance and most PlayStation 1 games at full speed. Nintendo 64, PSP and Dreamcast work game by game, and GameCube and PS2 are out of reach. Because the R36S and R36 Max share the chip, they perform identically.
The R36S screen. 640×480 is exactly twice 320×240, the resolution most PlayStation 1 and arcade games use, so those games scale to a clean 2× with no blur. SNES (256×224) also fits at 2×.
The R36 Max screen. A square panel shows 4:3 console games with bars above and below, at about the same size as the R36S. Handheld systems are where it helps: Game Boy fits at 4× (640×576) and Game Boy Advance at 3× (720×480), against 3× and 2× on the R36S. R36 Max vs R36S goes into more detail.
Specs sellers list differently
- Chip. A listing claiming an RK3566 or “faster chip” for an R36S or R36 Max doesn’t match the documented hardware. A listing showing an RK3128 or 512 MB of RAM is a common clone tell.
- Battery. Figures from 3,000 to 3,500 mAh appear for the R36S. Treat big outliers with caution.
- Wi-Fi. Neither model has built-in Wi-Fi. If a listing says otherwise, it is a different device or a USB adapter bundle.
- Game counts. “15,000 games” describes the card contents, not the hardware. Use only games you legally own.
Not sure what arrived? Our clone guide walks through five checks.
How the R36 family compares
| Spec | R36S | R36 Max | R36 Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 3.5″ 640×480, 4:3 | 4.0″ 720×720, square | 4.0″ 720×720, square |
| Chip / RAM | RK3326 / 1 GB | RK3326 / 1 GB | RK3326-class |
| Battery | 3,500 mAh | 4,000 mAh | ~3,000 mAh |
| Wireless | None | None | Wi-Fi + Bluetooth |
See the full R36S vs R36 Max vs R36 Ultra guide, or the R36 Max 2 for the 4.5-inch model.
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Frequently asked questions
What processor does the R36S use?
The Rockchip RK3326, a quad-core Cortex-A35 chip with a Mali-G31 MP2 GPU, paired with 1 GB of DDR3 RAM.
What is the R36S screen resolution?
640×480 on a 3.5-inch 4:3 IPS panel. That is exactly twice 320×240, so PlayStation 1 and many arcade games scale cleanly.
How big is the R36S battery?
3,500 mAh, charged over USB-C. The R36 Max has a 4,000 mAh battery.
Does the R36S have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth?
No. Neither the R36S nor the R36 Max has Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The R36 Ultra is the R36-family model that does.
Does the R36 Max have the same chip as the R36S?
Yes. Both use the RK3326 with 1 GB of RAM, so performance is identical. The Max differs in its square 4-inch 720×720 screen and larger battery.
What are the R36 Max specs?
Rockchip RK3326, Mali-G31 MP2, 1 GB RAM, a 4.0-inch 720×720 square screen, a 4,000 mAh battery and two microSD slots, with no Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or video out.
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