R36 Max: The Big-Battery Square-Screen R36
The R36 Max is the tall one. It keeps the Rockchip RK3326 and 1GB of RAM, puts a 4-inch 720×720 square screen on the front and the biggest battery of the family, 4000mAh, behind it. The body is noticeably thicker than an R36S as a result.
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Video: our channel, @r36shandheld.
Quick Verdict
🏆 Choose the R36 Max for battery and a big square screen in a vertical body.
Same performance as every other R36; the trade is pocketability for runtime and screen size.
R36 Max Specifications
Every row names where the figure comes from. "Seller listing" means the manufacturer-supplied specification on a retail listing, which we could not verify independently.
| Spec | R36 Max | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Vertical (Game Boy style) | Our sourced comparison |
| Chip | Rockchip RK3326, 1GB RAM | Our sourced comparison |
| Screen | 4.0-inch IPS, 720×720, 1:1 | Our sourced comparison |
| Battery | 4000 mAh | Our sourced comparison |
| Storage | Two microSD slots | Our sourced comparison |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | None | Our sourced comparison |
| Video out | None | Our sourced comparison |
| Size | About 83 × 153 × 35 mm | Our sourced comparison |
Emulation ceiling for every RK3326 handheld on this site: comfortable through the PlayStation era, with N64, Dreamcast and PSP depending on the game. See our systems guide.
Video: our channel, @r36shandheld.
Who the R36 Max Is For
- Runtime matters more to you than pocket size.
- You like the square screen for Game Boy and arcade titles.
Who should look elsewhere
- You want Wi-Fi: the R36 Max has none. Look at the R36 Plus or R36 Ultra.
- You want a thin device; at about 35 mm it is the thickest R36.
How It Compares With the R36H
The R36H is thinner, horizontal and has a 4:3 screen that matches most retro systems; the R36 Max wins on battery capacity. Our R36H vs R36 Max page compares them side by side.
Firmware
The square screen means the R36 Max needs its own display configuration. Check the project's device list rather than assuming an R36S image applies; see our firmware guide for how to verify support.
What you need
Whichever R36 model you pick, the bundled microSD card is the weak point. A branded card and a reader let you back up the stock card before you change anything. More options on our accessories page.
SanDisk Ultra 128GB microSD card
A branded card for games or a backup of the original card.
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SanDisk MobileMate USB 3.0 microSD card reader
Lets a computer read and write the console's cards for backups and images.
Check Price →Frequently Asked Questions
4000 mAh according to the sources on our comparison page, the largest in the R36 family. Runtime still depends on the system you play and screen brightness.
No. Our sourced comparison lists no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth on the R36 Max.
No. Both use the Rockchip RK3326 with 1GB of RAM, so the emulation ceiling is the same.
Sources
Other R36 Family Models
See the full model list, or jump to the R36H guide.