R36 Pro: What Changes From the R36S (and What Does Not)
The R36 Pro is a mid-range name in the R36 line rather than a faster device. Listings describe the same Rockchip RK3326 platform and 3.5-inch screen as the R36S, with a different shell, five colour options and a choice of 64GB or 128GB bundled card.
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Quick Verdict
🏆 Buy it for the colour or the card size, not for speed.
Listings do not describe a hardware step up from the R36S, so compare the bundle and the seller rather than the model name.
R36 Pro 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 Pro | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Vertical | Seller listing |
| Chip | Rockchip RK3326, quad-core | Seller listing |
| Screen | 3.5-inch IPS | Seller listing |
| Storage | Bundled 64GB or 128GB microSD, two slots | Seller listing |
| Colours | Red, White, Black, Blue and a fifth variant by listing | Seller listing |
| Wi-Fi | Not listed as built in | Seller listing |
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 Pro Is For
- You like one of the colourways and want a 128GB card in the box.
- You are happy with R36S-class performance and want a vertical layout.
Who should look elsewhere
- You expect "Pro" to mean more power; it does not on this chip.
- You want documented community firmware; the plain R36S has far more coverage.
How It Compares With the R36H
The R36H gives you the horizontal layout and stereo speakers; the R36 Pro gives you colours and a vertical body. Performance is a tie. Start from our R36H vs R36S page, because the R36 Pro behaves like an R36S.
Firmware
Because the R36 Pro shares its platform with the R36S, firmware questions come down to the exact board inside. Verify the board marking against the project's device list, as in our board check guide, before flashing.
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
Not according to the listings we checked: both describe the Rockchip RK3326. The differences are the shell, colours and bundled card.
Listings do not describe built-in Wi-Fi. If you need Wi-Fi in this family, look at the R36 Plus, R36 Ultra or R36H Pro Max.
A 3.5-inch IPS panel, the same size as the R36S and R36H.
Sources
Other R36 Family Models
See the full model list, or jump to the R36H guide.