The R36 Ultra has picked up a fair amount of attention from independent handheld reviewers, so instead of telling you what we think of our own product, we rounded up what outside testers actually said: the praise, the complaints and who they think it suits. Our specs, colors and pricing are on the Old Arcade R36 Ultra Handheld product page.
The quick take
Across the reviews we read, three points came up again and again:
- The 4" square screen is the star. Every reviewer singled out the 720×720 IPS display as the best part of the device.
- Performance is familiar R36-class. It runs classic 8-bit and 16-bit systems and PS1 well, while N64, PSP and Dreamcast work game by game.
- WiFi is a real plus. Built-in wireless was called out as a step up from the original R36S.
A note before the quotes: reviewers bought their units from various sellers, and versions of this handheld vary in details like colors, included storage and software. For exactly what ships with ours, go by our product page.
Retro Handhelds: "one of the better" budget screens
Retro Handhelds reviewed the R36 Ultra with a skeptical eye toward the many R36S variants on the market, and was honest that it doesn't reinvent the formula. The display won them over, though: "The screen on the R36 Ultra is probably the device's strongest feature," the review says, adding that "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."
On audio, they called the built-in speaker "serviceable" and noted "minimal pops, cracks, or hissing in the hours of my testing," with the headphone jack there for crisper sound. Their main criticisms were shoulder buttons that are "loud and clicky" and a plastic shell that feels a bit cheap. Their bottom line is that it's "a capable device that would make a great gift for a friend or child who may be curious about exploring emulation," while players who already own a similar RK3326 handheld may not need another.
Read the full review: R36 Ultra Review at Retro Handhelds.
Pocket Retro Gaming: "a great value"
Pocket Retro Gaming was the most positive of the group. They wrote that "the screen is undeniably one of the R36 Ultra's standout features," explaining that the square 720×720 IPS panel "delivers a sharp and faithful visual experience for classics like GBA, GBC, and Neo Geo Pocket" without stretching the picture. They also found that "even in bright environments, the brightness level remains solid."
They praised the controls as "a surprisingly tactile experience for the category" and called the built-in WiFi "a pleasant surprise." On battery, they measured 4 to 6 hours of play depending on the system and screen brightness, which they described as in line with similar handhelds. For game support, they listed arcade, NES, SNES, Mega Drive, PS1 and the Game Boy family as running well, with N64, PSP and Dreamcast running some titles. Their verdict: the R36 Ultra "stands out as a great value for anyone seeking a retro handheld console."
Read the full review: R36 Ultra Review at Pocket Retro Gaming.
Nerdsheaven (Germany): bigger screen, same core
German site Nerdsheaven gave the most mixed take, scoring it 5.5 out of 10. Its list of strengths (translated from German) included the larger 4" display, the higher 720×720 resolution, the low price and wide emulator support. On the screen, the reviewer noted that full-screen Game Boy games look great and that the display has good brightness.
Its criticisms were that performance doesn't change compared with the original R36S, that PSP emulation is only partly good, and that the shoulder buttons aren't ideally placed. The reviewer also noted that the slightly larger body should make it a bit more comfortable to hold. The conclusion, translated: anyone who doesn't already own an R36S could buy this one without worry, or stick with the original.
Read the full review (in German): R36 Ultra im Test at Nerdsheaven.
Where the reviewers agree
| Topic | What reviewers said |
|---|---|
| Screen | The highlight of the device: sharp, vibrant and a natural fit for Game Boy and GBA games |
| Performance | Strong for NES, SNES, Genesis, arcade and PS1; N64, PSP and Dreamcast vary by game |
| WiFi | A welcome upgrade over handhelds without built-in wireless |
| Controls | Opinions split: tactile face buttons, but clicky or awkward shoulder buttons |
| Who it's for | First-time retro handheld buyers and gift shoppers more than owners of a similar device |
How that matches our listing
The points reviewers liked most line up with what we list for the Old Arcade R36 Ultra: a 4.0" 720×720 IPS screen, the RK3326 chip with a Mali-G31 MP2 GPU and 1GB LPDDR3 RAM, a 3000mAh battery charged over USB Type-C, built-in WiFi with screen mirroring, built-in speakers with a 3.5mm headphone jack, and TF card support. Ours comes with 20,000+ preloaded games on the 64GB version or 30,000+ on the 128GB version, in Black, White, Purple or Blue. As the reviewers point out, the heavier 3D systems run best with lighter games, so results vary from title to title.
Want the full spec rundown? Read our R36 Ultra features and specs guide. If you're deciding between a 4" and a 3.5" screen, our guide on how to choose a screen size for retro gaming can help, or browse the whole Handhelds collection.
Get the R36 Ultra
The Old Arcade R36 Ultra Handheld comes in 64GB and 128GB versions in Black, White, Purple and Blue. Orders over $60 ship free in the US.
Quotes come from the linked independent reviews and are used for commentary. Old Arcade isn't affiliated with these reviewers. Specs and game counts for our version come from our product page.
