R36S Long-Term Review and Battery Test

Device in this test[edit]

Bought on Mar 19, 2024 from ProQueen Store (you should avoid this store now as it's possible to receive a clone).
Original screen panel.
Tested various custom firmwares and SD cards in the past 17 months.
Beat multiple games on it.
My nephew had it for around 2 months (he is 7 years old).
Gameplay time is probably around 150 hours.
Screen on time is a lot longer as I created most of the R36S wiki with it (I tested lots of stuff, firmwares, themes, SSH'd into it countless times, took a lot of screenshots and even recorded a few videos on it).

Battery Test[edit]

The battery is still very strong and I was kinda surprised by the test result. Here is how it was tested:

50% screen brightness
sound off
Pokémon Fire Red (GBA) with 4x fast-forward (240fps)

After 5 1/2 hours, the Red LED low battery indicator goes off. After 5 3/4 hours, the red and blue LEDs starts flashing. After 6 hours and 39 minutes, the R36S shut off.

Buttons[edit]

The only mods I did was the silent shoulder button mod with some foam, and I also loosend the mainboard screw a little to reduce the D-pad stiffness. After all the usage, the face buttons and D-pad somehow feel better than they were brand new.

All buttons are working fine. No stick drift.

Plastic[edit]

It holds up surprisingly well. It only has a few small scratches, which is totally normal. I got a TPU case for extra protection a few months ago and the R36S survived around 2 months with my 7 year old nephew, which I didn't expect.

Screen[edit]

The screen is as good as on the first day. Has great colors and is very bright at 100%. Everything is working fine and it has no cracks or dead pixels.

Showcase[edit]

Heroes of Might and Magic III (PortMaster)

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 Color Edition (Game Boy Color)

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)

Alternative Devices[edit]

For the low price of around 20-25€, there really are no alternatives in this price range that have as good custom firmware and community support as the R36S. The XX, Plus and H model from Game Console come very close, but they cost a little more. A test of these can be found here: R36S vs R36XX vs R36Plus vs R36H

For around 35-40€ I can recommend the BATLEXP G350, which has way better button quality than the R36S.

If you want to have better buttons, built in WiFi, Bluetooth and HDMI out, I can recommend the vertical RG40XX V or horizontal RG40XX H. You'll need to spend around 50-60€ for these.

If you want a device that can play more systems like GameCube, PS2 and even some Switch titles, then the vertical RG406V or horizontal RG406H might be ideal for you. Price is around 130-150€ for these.