Boyhom R36S
Pocket handheld for classic games
Pros
- A very cheap way into retro gaming
- Plays 8-bit, 16-bit and PS1 games well, plus many N64, PSP and DS titles
- Two analog sticks and a 3.5-inch 4:3 screen
- Many units can run community firmware such as dArkOS
Cons
- The bundled microSD card is often low quality and can fail; plan to replace it
- Many clones are sold under the R36S name, and some can't run community firmware
- Buttons and sticks can feel loose or cheap on some units
- Can't run PS2, GameCube or Wii games
Updated
Details and specs
The Boyhom R36S is one of the cheapest ways into retro gaming. It’s an upright handheld with a 3.5-inch 4:3 screen and two analog sticks. It plays 8-bit, 16-bit and PS1 games well, and many N64, PSP and DS games too. PS2, GameCube and Wii games are beyond it.
Two things to know before buying. The microSD card it comes with is often low quality and can fail, so plan to copy your games to a better card. And many clones are sold under the R36S name; some can’t run community firmware such as dArkOS, which many owners use instead of the stock software. Buttons and sticks can feel loose or cheap on some units.
- 3.5-inch 640×480 IPS screen
- Rockchip RK3326 chip, 1 GB RAM
- Two analog sticks
- microSD storage
- 3500 mAh battery, up to 6 hours (maker’s figure)
