Here we are again, back with yet another R36S variant clone on the RK3326 chipset. The R36 Ultra is the latest variation on this well-tested formula to make a play for your hard-earned budget gaming bucks.
In a market that’s absolutely flooded with R36S variants and clones (I should know, I own most of them), does the R36 Ultra do enough to stand out from the copycat pack? No, not really. Having said that, if you’re in the market for a budget solution, there’s enough meat on the bone to justify a sub-$40 expenditure.
R36 Ultra Specs
| Hardware | |
| CPU | RockChip RK3326 |
|---|---|
| GPU | Mali-G31 MP2 |
| RAM | 1GB DDR3 |
| Display | |
| Screen Size | 4-inch |
| Resolution | 720 x 720 |
| Aspect Ratio | 1:1 |
| PPI | 254.56 |
| Storage | |
| Internal Storage | 2GB eMMC |
| External Storage | microSD |
| Battery | |
| Battery Capacity | 3500mAh |
| Est. Battery Life | 4-5 hours |
| Charging Speed | 5V/2A |
| Connectivity | |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi |
| Ports | 3.5mm Audio Jack, 2x USB-C OTG |
| Controls | |
| Sticks | Analog |
| Triggers | Analog |
| Shoulder Layout | Shelf |
| D-Pad | Top Left |
| Audio | |
| Speakers | Mono |
| Speaker Location | Front-facing |
| Headphone Jack | Yes |
| Physical | |
| Dimensions | 144.78 x 83.82 x 3.48mm |
| Weight | 204.12g |
| Form Factor | Vertical |
| Software | |
| Operating System | Linux (ARM) |
| Custom Firmware | EmuELEC |
Game console R36 Ultra
R36 Ultra Design & Quality
There is nothing in the R36 Ultra that’s trying to reinvent the wheel. That much is obvious from the time you add it to your AliExpress cart. The only thing that this handheld is doing to differentiate itself from the other 1:1 RK3326 clones on the market is to offer some new translucent colorways.
The plastic shell feels OK. If you’re familiar with the R36S, you should have a pretty good idea of what you’re in for with the R36 Ultra. It’s a bit creaky and cheap, but solid enough that it feels like it could survive a fall off the desk.
The battery compartment on the rear of the handheld makes accessing the power source easier than unscrewing and removing the entire rear shell of the device, but like with other R36S clones, it rattles around inside its housing. This is an entirely tolerable annoyance, but it’s one of those irritating little imperfections that remind you you’re using a clone. Something like a rattling battery could be fixed so easily, but there are corners to be cut and profits to be made to get the handheld halfway across the world for under $40, so what can you do?
Controls
From the best I’ve been able to tell, the inputs on the R36 Ultra are the exact same as those found on the R36 Plus. In that review, I noted that the controls are largely the same as what we’ve come to know in the entire R36 lineup. Simple, no frills, function.
The D-Pad is the same as those that have come before. It’s decent, if a bit stiff after a while. Repeated use tends to loosen things up a bit so they’re a bit more comfortable than when it first arrives.
The face buttons are again the same. I do like the choice to use a rainbow colorway against the translucent purple of the device. That’s going to be a personal preference thing, though, because I know some other members of the RH staff didn’t share my enthusiasm.
My hopes that anything had been done about the shoulder buttons were dashed within seconds of opening the box. It has become something of a ritual every time a new R36S clone shows up in the mail. The very first thing I do when I pick up the handheld is click those shoulder buttons. Sad to say, they are just as loud and clicky here as they were on my very first R36S device.
Gaming and Performance
The capabilities of the RK3326 chipset are well documented at this point. You’re going to have full access to the PSX and every console that came before it, with some bonus accessibility into the worlds of systems like Dreamcast and PSP.
If you’re curious about any specific title, head over to GazousGit’s 36S Compatibility List. Thanks to this community member’s testing, we have full spreadsheet breakdowns on how different titles will run on the RK3326 chipset. It’s a brilliant resource that’s worth checking if you have any concerns about your favorite game from 20 years ago.
Audio
Serviceable is probably the best word that I can use to describe the audio on the R36 Ultra. A single front-facing speaker fires from the front of the device between the two analog sticks. It’s perfectly fine for some light gaming on the couch. There were minimal pops, cracks, or hissing in the hours of my testing.
I don’t think anyone picks up a budget clone expecting Dolby quality sound, but the R36 Ultra does an admirable job. There’s always the included AUX port for your headphones if you want something a little crisper.
Display
The screen on the R36 Ultra is probably the device’s strongest feature. I’m not sure what panel is being used here (likely several), but the 4″, 720×720, 1:1 display is a joy to use. Colors are vibrant, and the screen does a great job of making older titles sing.
As far as displays go in the budget handheld realm, this is one of the better ones that I’ve come across in the sea of clones.
OS
The R36 Ultra runs a custom Linux stock OS with the EmuELEC frontend. The ROM package included with my device is your standard 64G collection for an RK3326 device. All of the classic era is here in full, with later systems like Dreamcast, Nintendo DS, and PSP getting a handful of selections that run well on the hardware.
It looks as though there are already custom firmware options available from community sources, and I’d imagine those are going to be the best bet for this console. The stock OS is just like the rest of the device, serviceable.
Conclusions
Look, this is a well-worn road at this point. A hot market combined with the ongoing RAMpocalypse means that we’re probably going to continue seeing RK3326 clone consoles continue to be released for the foreseeable future.
Whether the R36 Ultra is for you comes down to two factors. First off, if you already own another 1:1 RK3326 device, I’d be hard-pressed to provide a reason as to why you’d need this one too (unless you’re sick like me and want another purple handheld for the mantle). The other factor is that the universal decision maker in the retro handheld world: price.
I scored the R36 Ultra on the April AliExpress sale for $38. Given the massive recent fluctuations in hardware costs, it’s difficult to say whether that’s a fair price or not. Handheld prices were trending downward before the AI shortage, with the R36S proper hitting as low as $19 on sale. Those days are clearly gone for the moment.
The R36 Ultra is a capable device that would make a great gift for a friend or child who may be curious about exploring emulation. For those of us already in the deep end of the handheld pool, there may not be enough meat on the bone to justify another RK3326 device. Despite adding Ultra to the device name, it’s still basically the same R36 clone. Is that such a bad thing? Nah.
