Best Budget Retro Handhelds: Where the R36S Fits in 2025

The budget retro-handheld market is crowded, and most "best of" lists are just affiliate padding. This one is written from the perspective of someone who actually cares which chip is inside and what runs on it. Here's an honest breakdown of the main options and who each is for.

How to Choose (the 30-second version)

Two things decide almost everything:

1. Chip = power. Budget handhelds cluster around a few chips. The Rockchip RK3326 (in every R36 model, the R36 Max and R36S Ultra included, and in Anbernic's RG351 line) handles everything up to PS1, with N64 game by game. The RK3566 (Powkiddy RGB30, Anbernic's RG353 series) adds more reliable N64, Dreamcast, PSP and NDS. Android-based chips (Retroid) go further still, at a higher price.

2. Form factor = comfort. Vertical (Game Boy style), horizontal (classic controller style), or clamshell. This is personal preference — try to picture how you'll actually hold it.

Everything below is organised around those two axes.

The Best Budget Picks

🏆 Best Overall Value: R36S

The R36S is the price-to-performance benchmark. As one of the cheapest handhelds around, it still gives you a genuine IPS screen, dual SD slots, and an RK3326 chip that runs NES, SNES, Mega Drive, GBA, PS1, and arcade perfectly, with N64 game by game. With ArkOS installed it's a properly capable machine. If your library is mostly 8-bit through PS1, nothing at this price beats it. See the full R36S game compatibility list for exactly what runs.

Best for: first-time buyers, 8-bit/16-bit/PS1 libraries, tightest budgets.

🔲 Same Chip, Square Screen: R36 Max / R36S Ultra

Same family, same chip. The R36 Max and R36S Ultra use the same RK3326 and 1 GB of RAM as the R36S (some listings claim an RK3566; independent reviews list the RK3326), so games run exactly as they do on the base model. What changes is the screen: a 4.0" 720×720 square panel that suits Game Boy, GBA and Neo Geo Pocket games, while 4:3 systems show black bars top and bottom. The Max has no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth; the Ultra adds Wi-Fi for RetroAchievements and netplay. Full breakdown in our R36 model comparison.

Best for: handheld-system fans who want a bigger square screen, and (on the Ultra) RetroAchievements players — not anyone hoping for better N64 or PSP.

🔧 Best Build Consistency: Anbernic RG35XX line

Anbernic is an established brand with more consistent quality control than the no-single-manufacturer R36S. The RG35XX family (including the horizontal RG35XX H) is a common cross-shop for R36S buyers who want a known brand and easy returns, usually at a slightly higher price. See our R36S vs Anbernic explainer for how the two relate.

Best for: buyers who prioritise brand accountability and consistent build quality.

📱 Best Pocketability: Miyoo Mini Plus

The Miyoo Mini Plus is the cult favourite for one reason: it's tiny. It genuinely fits in a pocket, has a passionate community, and runs everything up to PS1 well. The trade-off is the small screen and controls.

Best for: maximum portability, people who value a small form factor above all.

💪 Best Step-Up Power: Powkiddy RGB30

An RK3566 device with a 720×720 square screen — great for GBA, GBC, and NeoGeo Pocket games that fill a square panel edge-to-edge. Its RK3566 is a real step up from the RK3326 in every R36 model, so N64, Dreamcast, PSP and NDS run more reliably. If you specifically want those heavier systems on a budget, this is the kind of device to look at.

Best for: square-screen fans who also want more N64/Dreamcast/PSP/NDS power than any R36 model offers.

🚀 Best If Budget Flexes: Retroid Pocket

Retroid's Android-based handhelds are a tier above in both price and power — they can push into GameCube, Dreamcast, and heavier PSP with room to spare, and run Android apps and store games too. If you can stretch the budget and want the most future-proof option, this is where to look.

Best for: buyers who can spend more and want Android + heavier emulation.

Quick Comparison

*(Cost tiers are relative, not prices — budget handheld pricing shifts constantly.)*

Our Honest Take

If you're buying your first budget retro handheld and your heart is in the 8-bit-through-PS1 era, the R36S is the smart starting point — it delivers the core experience for the least money, and if you outgrow it, an RK3566 handheld such as the Powkiddy RGB30 is the natural upgrade for N64, PSP and DS (the R36 Max and Ultra change the screen, not the power). Spend up to Anbernic or Miyoo if brand consistency or pocketability matters more to you than raw value, and jump to Retroid only if you specifically want Android and heavier systems.

Whatever you pick, the R36S game compatibility list is a useful reference for what any RK3326 handheld can actually run, and a safe baseline for stronger RK3566 devices — the game library is shared across the whole class of devices.

Ready to buy an R36S? Check current prices at r36s.com.au or on Amazon.