Last updated October 20, 2026 · R36 Ultra Editorial Team
The R36 Max 2 and the R36 Ultra X are close to twins on paper: both have a 4.5-inch 1024×768 (4:3) IPS screen, the same Rockchip RK3326 chip and 1GB of RAM, according to the handhelds.wiki spec records. The R36 Ultra keeps a smaller 4.0-inch 720×720 square screen on the same chip, but it is the only one of the three that already appears in a community dArkOS build. Choose the R36 Max 2 for the bigger battery claim, the Ultra X for stereo speakers, and the R36 Ultra if you want the best-documented device.
None of the three is faster than the others, because all three use the RK3326. The real choices are screen shape, battery, controls and how much community help you can expect.
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Quick answer
- Same chip, same RAM: the R36 Max 2, R36 Ultra and R36 Ultra X all use the RK3326 with a Mali-G31 MP2 GPU and 1GB of RAM, per Retro Handhelds and handhelds.wiki.
- Screen is the main difference: the R36 Max 2 and Ultra X list a 4.5-inch 1024×768 4:3 panel, while the R36 Ultra has a 4.0-inch 720×720 1:1 panel.
- Battery: Amazon listings and Retro Handhelds give the R36 Max 2 a 4000mAh battery. The R36 Ultra is listed at 3000 or 3500mAh, depending on the source, and Promotop’s review lists 3000mAh for the Ultra X.
- Firmware: the dArkOSRE-R36 project lists the R36 Ultra as “working in the latest Beta”. The R36 Max 2 and Ultra X are not on its supported list.
- Form factor: all three are vertical, Game Boy-style handhelds. The R36 Max 2 swaps the D-pad and left stick, so the D-pad sits lower, as Notebookcheck and Retro Handhelds describe.
Not sure where these names fit? Our explainer on what an R36 handheld is maps the whole family.
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R36 Max 2 vs R36 Ultra vs R36 Ultra X: specs side by side
Every cell below comes from a named source. Where sources disagree, both figures are shown. “Not confirmed” means we found no reliable source.
| Spec | R36 Max 2 | R36 Ultra | R36 Ultra X |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 4.5-inch IPS (Amazon listings, Notebookcheck) | 4.0-inch IPS (Notebookcheck, Retro Handhelds) | 4.5-inch IPS (handhelds.wiki, Promotop) |
| Resolution and aspect | 1024×768, 4:3, 284 PPI (Retro Handhelds) | 720×720, 1:1, 255 PPI (Retro Handhelds) | 1024×768, 4:3 (handhelds.wiki) |
| Chip and GPU | RK3326, Mali-G31 MP2 (Retro Handhelds) | RK3326, Mali-G31 MP2 (Retro Handhelds, Notebookcheck) | RK3326 (handhelds.wiki) |
| RAM | 1GB (Retro Handhelds, handhelds.wiki) | 1GB DDR3 (Retro Handhelds) | 1GB LPDDR3 (handhelds.wiki) |
| Internal storage | 4GB plus microSD (Retro Handhelds, handhelds.wiki) | 2GB eMMC plus microSD (Retro Handhelds) | 8GB plus microSD (handhelds.wiki) |
| microSD slots | microSD listed; slot count not confirmed | Two (NerdsHeaven) | One (Promotop) |
| Battery (listed) | 4000mAh, about 5 hours estimated (Amazon listings, Retro Handhelds) | 3500mAh (Retro Handhelds) or 3000mAh (Notebookcheck, handhelds.wiki) | 3000mAh (Promotop); other listings differ |
| Wi-Fi | 2.4GHz only (Retro Handhelds) | 2.4GHz (Notebookcheck, spec listing) | Yes (handhelds.wiki, Promotop) |
| Bluetooth | None (handhelds.wiki) | Claimed only by seller listings | Not confirmed |
| Sticks and controls | Two analog sticks, D-pad moved below the left stick, detachable thumbsticks (Retro Handhelds, Notebookcheck) | Two analog sticks with RGB rings, D-pad top left (handhelds.wiki, Retro Handhelds) | Two LED-lit analog sticks, rumble (Promotop) |
| Speakers | Mono, front-facing (Retro Handhelds) | Mono, front-facing (Retro Handhelds) | Stereo (handhelds.wiki) |
| Video out | Sources disagree: listed by Retro Handhelds, none per handhelds.wiki | None (NerdsHeaven) | None (handhelds.wiki) |
| Form factor | Vertical; listing mentions a detachable grip (Amazon, Retro Handhelds) | Vertical, 144.8 × 83.8 mm, about 204 g (Retro Handhelds) | Vertical (Amazon listing title, handhelds.wiki) |
| Stock OS | Linux with EmuELEC (Retro Handhelds) | Linux with EmuELEC (Retro Handhelds) | EmuELEC 4.7 with PortMaster (Promotop) |
| Release | Listed as 05/2026 (handhelds.wiki) | Earlier model; exact date not confirmed | Listed as 05/2026 (handhelds.wiki) |
R36 Max 2 vs R36 Ultra vs R36 Ultra X. Listings vary by seller, so check the exact listing before you order.
What are the R36 Max 2 specs?
Retro Handhelds’ R36MAX2 review lists a 4.5-inch 1024×768 IPS screen, an RK3326 with a Mali-G31 MP2 GPU, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, a 4000mAh battery rated for about 5 hours, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It runs Linux with EmuELEC and EmulationStation.
Amazon listings for the R36 Max 2 repeat the 4.5-inch IPS screen, the RK3326, 1GB of RAM and the 4000mAh battery. One listing title adds vibration and RGB joysticks, and another mentions a detachable grip. Retro Handhelds calls it a pleasant surprise for an RK3326 clone, praising the screen and D-pad and criticizing the loud shoulder buttons and cheap-feeling shell.
Want to compare it with a live listing? Here is the R36 Max 2 on Amazon.
R36 Max 2 vs R36 Max: what changed?
The original R36 Max has a 4.0-inch 720×720 square screen and a 4000mAh battery, according to handhelds.wiki. Android Authority and Notebookcheck reported in February 2026 that the Max 2 moves to a 4.5-inch 4:3 screen on the same RK3326 chip and swaps the positions of the D-pad and left stick.
handhelds.wiki also warns that some original R36 Max units use a GA36 mainboard with a weaker Allwinner chip instead of the RK3326. We found no such report for the Max 2. Our sister site covers the R36 Max family in depth. Our own R36 Max product notes cover the original model.
R36 Max 2 vs R36 Ultra: which screen is better?
The R36 Max 2 has a bigger 4.5-inch 4:3 screen, and the R36 Ultra has a 4.0-inch 1:1 screen. That is the biggest real-world difference between them.
- 4:3 panels (Max 2, Ultra X): most PS1-era and earlier home-console games were made for 4:3 TVs, so they can fill the screen without black bars. At 284 PPI, Retro Handhelds rates the Max 2’s screen its main selling point.
- 1:1 panel (R36 Ultra): the square 720×720 screen leaves bars above and below 4:3 games, but it keeps the body compact. Our R36 Ultra specs page has the full panel details.
Performance isn’t a reason to pick one over another. All three use the same RK3326 chip. Retro Handhelds reports the Max 2 plays well up to PS1, with solid PSP and some Dreamcast. That matches what our R36 Ultra emulation guide expects from RK3326 hardware.
R36 Ultra X vs R36 Max 2: are they the same device?
Not confirmed. handhelds.wiki gives both the same 4.5-inch 1024×768 screen, RK3326 chip, 1GB of RAM, vertical shape and a 05/2026 release date. But the sources also list real differences:
- Internal storage: 8GB on the Ultra X vs 4GB on the Max 2 (handhelds.wiki).
- Speakers: stereo on the Ultra X (handhelds.wiki) vs a single mono speaker on the Max 2 (Retro Handhelds).
- Battery: 4000mAh is listed for the Max 2. For the Ultra X, Promotop lists 3000mAh, and other listings differ.
- Controls: the Max 2 has the D-pad below the left stick. We found no source that clearly describes the Ultra X’s button layout.
Treat them as two models with similar specs, not as one rebadged device, until someone publishes a teardown or a board ID. If you’re weighing the X against the original, our R36 Ultra X vs R36 Ultra comparison goes deeper. You can also see the R36 Ultra X listing on Amazon.
Is there an R36 Ultra X review?
We found no dedicated English-language review of the R36 Ultra X as of October 2026. The most detailed one we found is Promotop’s Portuguese review from June 2026. It describes a 4.5-inch IPS screen, a 3000mAh battery, two LED-lit sticks, rumble, one microSD slot, and EmuELEC 4.7 with PortMaster preinstalled.
Promotop calls the stick LEDs decorative and calls the battery smaller than some rivals. Until more reviews appear, treat the handhelds.wiki spec record and the specific seller listing as the main references.
Which has better firmware and community support?
The R36 Ultra, by a clear margin. The dArkOSRE-R36 README lists the R36 Ultra’s GR36S-MB V1.4 board in its supported-systems table and says the device is “working in the latest Beta”. It lists the original R36 Max the same way.
The R36 Max 2 and R36 Ultra X do not appear in that table. ROCKNIX lists experimental support for the original R36 Max “EE clones” family, but it doesn’t name the Max 2. For an unlisted RK3326 device, the dArkOSRE-R36 README asks owners to open an issue with the motherboard ID and the stock card’s DTB files and boot.ini.
- Back up first: image the stock microSD card before changing anything. Our SD card guide shows how.
- Never flash an image made for another board: an R36S or R36 Ultra build is not documented for the Max 2 or Ultra X.
- Read up before switching: our dArkOS guide and custom firmware guide cover the documented devices.
All three ship with Wi-Fi. Our Wi-Fi and PortMaster guide explains what it is useful for on RK3326 handhelds.
Which should you buy: R36 Max 2, R36 Ultra or R36 Ultra X?
Choose the R36 Max 2 if
You want the largest 4:3 screen and the biggest listed battery (4000mAh), and you’re happy with the stock EmuELEC system. Retro Handhelds’ review makes it the better-covered of the two newer models.
Choose the R36 Ultra if
You want the best-documented device of the three, community dArkOS support, two microSD slots and our full set of setup and troubleshooting guides. Check the original vs clone checks before ordering.
Choose the R36 Ultra X if
You specifically want stereo speakers, rumble and 8GB of internal storage on a 4.5-inch 4:3 screen, and you accept that independent coverage is still thin.
Want more speed than any RK3326 device offers? See our R36 Pro vs R36 Ultra comparison, or the wider best budget retro handhelds ranking.
Sources
- Retro Handhelds: R36MAX2 review
- Retro Handhelds: R36 Ultra review
- Notebookcheck: R36 Max 2 revealed with several upgrades
- Notebookcheck: R36 Ultra gaming handheld
- Android Authority: R36 Max 2 leak
- Gadget Pilipinas: R36 Max 2 leaked
- handhelds.wiki: R36MAX 2
- handhelds.wiki: R36 Ultra X
- handhelds.wiki: R36 Ultra
- handhelds.wiki: R36MAX
- Promotop: R36 Ultra X review (Portuguese)
- NerdsHeaven: R36 Ultra
- Comprasmartphone: R36 Ultra spec listing
- dArkOSRE-R36 on GitHub (southoz)
- ROCKNIX: K36, R36Max/Pro and other EE clones
Frequently asked questions
Is the R36 Max 2 better than the R36 Ultra?
It has a bigger 4.5-inch 4:3 screen and a larger listed battery (4000mAh), but the same RK3326 chip and 1GB of RAM, so it isn’t faster. The R36 Ultra has better community firmware support. See our R36 Ultra specs for its details.
What are the R36 Max 2 specs?
Retro Handhelds and handhelds.wiki list a 4.5-inch 1024×768 IPS screen, an RK3326 chip, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage plus microSD, Wi-Fi and a 4000mAh battery. handhelds.wiki lists no Bluetooth.
What is the difference between the R36 Max and the R36 Max 2?
The original R36 Max has a 4.0-inch 720×720 square screen. The Max 2 moves to a 4.5-inch 4:3 screen and swaps the D-pad and left stick, per Notebookcheck and Android Authority. Both list a 4000mAh battery and the RK3326 chip.
Is the R36 Ultra X the same as the R36 Max 2?
Not confirmed. handhelds.wiki gives both a 4.5-inch 1024×768 screen and the RK3326 chip, but lists 8GB of storage and stereo speakers for the Ultra X versus 4GB and a mono speaker for the Max 2.
Can I install dArkOS on the R36 Max 2 or R36 Ultra X?
Neither model is on the dArkOSRE-R36 supported list, while the R36 Ultra is. Back up the stock card and don’t flash an image made for another board. Our dArkOS guide covers the supported devices.
Does the R36 Max 2 have Bluetooth?
handhelds.wiki lists no Bluetooth for the R36 Max 2, and Retro Handhelds’ review lists only 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. Our Wi-Fi guide explains what Wi-Fi is used for.
Our pick: the R36 Max 2
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