R36S Plus: New 1:1 retro gaming handheld undercuts Powkiddy V20 with sub-$40 launch price (2025)

The gaming handheld market is awash with budget options these days that attempt to emulate retro game consoles of all shapes and sizes. While Anbernic has relented in its pursuit of offering a new handheld monthly, Game Console continues to introduce new options at pace. With that being said, the former has finally announced its intent to release a successor to the RG556 (curr. $229.99 on Amazon) later this month.

Not to be done, Game Console has now released the R36S Plus as a newer alternative to the existing and frequently cloned R36S. To recap, the R36S combines a Rockchip RK3326 chipset with a 3.5-inch and 480p IPS display with a 4:3 aspect ratio. By contrast, the R36S Plus adopts the Allwinner A133P found across an increasing number of devices like the recent Powkiddy V20.

Theoretically, the Allwinner A133P should provide a healthy performance boost over the Rockchip RK3326. To complement this, Game Console has also added a larger 4-inch display that resolves at 720p with a 1:1 aspect ratio like the Anbernic RG Cube and CubeXX. The R36S Plus features a 3,000 mAh battery too, as well as Wi-Fi connectivity, a pair of microSD card slots and two reasonably-sized joysticks. Currently, the device can be picked up on AliExpress for around $38 in a choice of five colours.

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Alex Alderson - Senior Tech Writer - 12112 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2018

Prior to writing and translating for Notebookcheck, I worked for various companies including Apple and Neowin. I have a BA in International History and Politics from the University of Leeds, which I have since converted to a Law Degree. Happy to chat on Twitter or Notebookchat.