R36S vs Miyoo Mini Plus: Budget Retro Handheld Showdown
The Miyoo Mini Plus is one of the most beloved devices in the budget retro gaming community. How does it compare to the R36S? This comparison covers every meaningful difference between the two devices.
Specs at a Glance
| Specification | R36S | Miyoo Mini Plus |
|---|---|---|
| SoC | Rockchip RK3326 | Ingenic T618 |
| CPU | Quad-core A35 @ 1.5GHz | Dual-core A55 @ 1.5GHz |
| RAM | 1GB LPDDR4 | 256MB DDR3 |
| Screen | 3.5" IPS, 640×480 | 3.5" IPS, 640×480 |
| Battery | 3200mAh | 3000mAh |
| Wi-Fi | No (base model) | Yes (built-in 2.4GHz) |
| Form Factor | Landscape (horizontal) | Landscape (horizontal) |
| Analog Sticks | 2 analog sticks | 2 analog sticks |
| SD Slots | 1 | 2 (OS + ROMS) |
| Price | $35–45 | $55–70 |
Design and Ergonomics
Both devices use a horizontal landscape layout similar to a compact game controller. The feel in hand is where they begin to diverge.
R36S Ergonomics
The R36S is modeled after the RG351P design, featuring prominent hand grips on both sides that make it comfortable for extended sessions. At roughly 155g, it is light enough for long commutes. The button layout is familiar — PlayStation-style face buttons, two shoulder buttons per side, and centered analog sticks.
Miyoo Mini Plus Ergonomics
The Miyoo Mini Plus is smaller and more compact than the R36S, closer in size to a thick Game Boy Advance. The grip areas are shallower, which some users find less comfortable for long sessions but more pocketable for portability. The build quality is notably high for the price — Miyoo's manufacturing consistency exceeds that of many R36S units.
💡 Pro Tip
If you primarily game at home or on a couch, the R36S's larger grips give a more controller-like feel. If portability matters most and you want something that fits in a jeans pocket, the Miyoo Mini Plus is more pocketable.
Display Quality
Both devices use a 3.5-inch IPS panel at 640×480 resolution. The screen quality difference is about consistency rather than specification.
The Miyoo Mini Plus is widely praised for its display uniformity and brightness. Miyoo sources screens from consistent suppliers, resulting in vibrant, bright panels across virtually all units. Maximum brightness is high enough for comfortable use in most indoor environments.
The R36S display varies between production batches. Good units have excellent screens; some batches produce dimmer or slightly lower-contrast panels. For users buying blind online, the Miyoo Mini Plus offers more predictable display quality.
Performance Comparison
The two devices target the same emulation tier but have meaningfully different hardware architectures.
CPU and RAM Differences
The R36S uses four Cortex-A35 cores with 1GB of RAM. The Miyoo Mini Plus uses two Cortex-A55 cores with only 256MB of RAM. The A55 is a more modern and efficient core design than the A35, but the Miyoo has fewer of them and significantly less RAM.
In practice:
- NES, SNES, GBA, GB/GBC: Both devices handle these perfectly at full speed
- PlayStation 1: Both handle PS1 well; the R36S has a slight edge due to more RAM allowing larger game caches
- Nintendo 64: R36S handles more N64 games at acceptable speeds due to its quad-core design and more RAM
- Dreamcast: Neither handles Dreamcast reliably; both struggle similarly
- PSP: R36S handles simple PSP games better due to RAM advantage
N64 on Miyoo Mini Plus
The Miyoo Mini Plus struggles significantly with N64 emulation due to its 256MB RAM limit. Even games that run acceptably on R36S can be unplayable on Miyoo. If N64 gaming is important, the R36S is the better choice.
Software Ecosystem
Miyoo Mini Plus — OnionOS
The Miyoo Mini Plus has its own beloved custom firmware ecosystem centered on OnionOS (and its fork MiniUI). OnionOS is exceptionally polished with a clean, game-focused interface and one of the best out-of-the-box experiences in budget retro gaming. The Miyoo community is large and passionate.
However, the Miyoo platform is limited to Miyoo hardware — the community firmware doesn't benefit from the broader RK3326 ecosystem that the R36S enjoys.
Wi-Fi on Miyoo Mini Plus
Like the RG35XX Plus, the Miyoo Mini Plus has built-in Wi-Fi. This enables RetroAchievements, wireless scraping, and netplay — features that require a USB Wi-Fi adapter on the base R36S. For users who value these online features, this is a significant advantage for the Miyoo.
Final Verdict
Choose the R36S if:
- Budget is the top priority
- You want better N64 and PSP emulation performance
- You prefer a larger, controller-like grip
- Community firmware variety (ArkOS, Rocknix, JELOS) is appealing
Choose the Miyoo Mini Plus if:
- Display consistency and build quality matter more than absolute performance
- You mainly play up to PS1 — the sweet spot of both devices
- Built-in Wi-Fi for RetroAchievements and online features is important
- You want the most polished out-of-the-box experience (OnionOS)
- Pocketability matters — the Miyoo is more compact
✅ Bottom Line
For pure emulation performance up to PS1 and for budget-conscious buyers, the R36S delivers excellent value. The Miyoo Mini Plus trades some raw performance and price for better build quality, display consistency, and built-in Wi-Fi. Both are excellent devices — choose based on whether performance or polish matters more to you.