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expiredRevOne | Staff posted Jun 22, 2024 06:46 PM
expiredRevOne | Staff posted Jun 22, 2024 06:46 PM

Retro Emulation Handhelds: R36S (3.5" 480p, RK3326, 1GB RAM, 64GB microSD)

(Existing Customers Only) & More

$22

$87

74% off
AliExpress
181 Comments 103,911 Views
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Deal Details
Cutesliving Store via AliExpress has select Retro Emulation Handhelds on sale below when you apply promo code ETA9 or OZTALKS9 during checkout valid for Existing Customers Only. Shipping is free.

Thanks to Deal Editor RevOne for sharing this deal.

Available (prices below are after code ETA9 or OZTALKS9):
  • R36S w/ 64GB microSD Card from $21.61
    • 3.5" 640x480 IPS display
    • Rockchip RK3326 chipset
    • 1GB DDR3 RAM
    • Dual joysticks
    • 3200mAh removable battery
    • 2x USB-C ports
    • 2x microSD card slots
    • 3.5mm headphone jack
    • Linux operating system (ArkOS)
    • No WiFi / Bluetooth
  • Anbernic RG35XX H w/ 64GB microSD Card + 128GB microSD Card from $37.90 -> now $36.90
    • 3.5" 640x480 IPS display
    • Allwinner H700 chipset
    • 1GB DDR4 RAM
    • Dual joysticks
    • 2x micro SD card slots
    • 2x USB-C ports
    • Mini HDMI port (for output to TV/monitor)
    • 802.11ac WiFi 5 |Bluetooth 4.2
      • (for connecting Bluetooth controllers only, does not support Bluetooth audio)
    • 3300mAh battery
  • TrimUI Smart Pro from $42.57
    • 4.96" 1280x720 IPS HD display
    • Allwinner A133Plus processor
    • 1GB DDR4 RAM
    • 8GB built-in storage (for the firmware)
    • Dual joysticks w/ RGB LED lighting
    • microSD card slot (for the games)
    • Stereo speakers
    • 3.5mm headphone jack
    • 2.4GHz WiFi / Bluetooth
      • (w/ Bluetooth headphone/speaker support now an added function on the latest 1.4 firmware)
    • USB-C port
    • 5000mAh battery
    • Linux operating system

Factory Direct Collected Store via AliExpress also has TrimUI Smart Pro Retro Emulation Handheld (various colors) on sale from $41.76 when you apply promo code ETA9 or OZTALKS9 during checkout valid for Existing Customers Only. Shipping is free.

Editor's Notes

Written by SaltyOne | Staff
  • This price for the R36S is ~$5.20 Lower than our recent Frontpage Deal.
  • Offer valid for a limited time only / while supplies last.
  • Please see the original post for additional details & refer to the forum thread for discussion.

Original Post

Written by RevOne | Staff
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
Cutesliving Store via AliExpress has select Retro Emulation Handhelds on sale below when you apply promo code ETA9 or OZTALKS9 during checkout valid for Existing Customers Only. Shipping is free.

Thanks to Deal Editor RevOne for sharing this deal.

Available (prices below are after code ETA9 or OZTALKS9):
  • R36S w/ 64GB microSD Card from $21.61
    • 3.5" 640x480 IPS display
    • Rockchip RK3326 chipset
    • 1GB DDR3 RAM
    • Dual joysticks
    • 3200mAh removable battery
    • 2x USB-C ports
    • 2x microSD card slots
    • 3.5mm headphone jack
    • Linux operating system (ArkOS)
    • No WiFi / Bluetooth
  • Anbernic RG35XX H w/ 64GB microSD Card + 128GB microSD Card from $37.90 -> now $36.90
    • 3.5" 640x480 IPS display
    • Allwinner H700 chipset
    • 1GB DDR4 RAM
    • Dual joysticks
    • 2x micro SD card slots
    • 2x USB-C ports
    • Mini HDMI port (for output to TV/monitor)
    • 802.11ac WiFi 5 |Bluetooth 4.2
      • (for connecting Bluetooth controllers only, does not support Bluetooth audio)
    • 3300mAh battery
  • TrimUI Smart Pro from $42.57
    • 4.96" 1280x720 IPS HD display
    • Allwinner A133Plus processor
    • 1GB DDR4 RAM
    • 8GB built-in storage (for the firmware)
    • Dual joysticks w/ RGB LED lighting
    • microSD card slot (for the games)
    • Stereo speakers
    • 3.5mm headphone jack
    • 2.4GHz WiFi / Bluetooth
      • (w/ Bluetooth headphone/speaker support now an added function on the latest 1.4 firmware)
    • USB-C port
    • 5000mAh battery
    • Linux operating system

Factory Direct Collected Store via AliExpress also has TrimUI Smart Pro Retro Emulation Handheld (various colors) on sale from $41.76 when you apply promo code ETA9 or OZTALKS9 during checkout valid for Existing Customers Only. Shipping is free.

Editor's Notes

Written by SaltyOne | Staff
  • This price for the R36S is ~$5.20 Lower than our recent Frontpage Deal.
  • Offer valid for a limited time only / while supplies last.
  • Please see the original post for additional details & refer to the forum thread for discussion.

Original Post

Written by RevOne | Staff

Community Voting

Deal Score
+78
Good Deal
Visit AliExpress

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Top Comments

RevOne
20911 Posts
34217 Reputation
Check the pinned comment on Russ' video, in case you hadn't gotten the chance to see it yet. He added an update later because the TrimUI Smart Pro has a switch located on the bottom-left of the device that toggled Power-Saving mode on/off. He happened to have his turned on during testing, which impacted his review.

In the new 1.0.4 firmware update (can be downloaded from either TrimUI's site directly but it's slow or from GitHub, which is faster), the switch isn't set up to control Power-Saving mode by default. You can actually go into a dedicated app called "FNkey settings" and assign a different function to it like CPU Performance mode or set it to toggle the RGB lights on the joysticks on/off, etc..
TechDweeb mentions the switch (and how having Power-Savimg mode toggled on impacts performance on the higher end) in his review of this device.

This individual (below) uploaded a video with the latest 1.0.4 update applied and showed what settings he uses for PSP, as well as showcases a number of games (some work better than others). It doesn't have the horsepower to run every single game from the PSP library, but the video highlights a few examples of how certain titles ran after a bit of tweaking with a few settings in the PSP emulator app (PPSSPP):
https://youtu.be/PKljx1EGJDo?si=MtIXRCVkHBzHanpl

I think for (mostly, with some exceptions) no-compromise PSP emulation with the ability to even upscale some games, the T618 chipset devices (RG505, RG405V, Retroid Pocket 3+, etc.) are probably a safer bet. But if you're someone who already owns a TrimUI Smart Pro, applying the 1.0.4 update and using the settings in that video above can help to get the most that's possible out of that device (when it comes to running PSP on that particular hardware). For anyone that may apply to, just be sure to check the settings for what firmware version your unit is on when it arrives; in the event they may be manufacturing them with the latest firmware already installed.
RevOne
20911 Posts
34217 Reputation
Hi sarcasmogratis 😊Š If I may, I can't speak for anyone else on SD (staff or non-staff), but I think I can probably help clear up a bit why it is that I personally have been posting Cutesliving Store in the frequency with which I have in recent months.

In this particular case, the main store (AliExpress) is hosting a sitewide (what they're calling) "Summer Sale" that's running from 6/17 through tonight at 12am PT.
When it comes to AliExpress, I only post this specific category of products (retro handhelds) from their website; mostly because it's one of the places in the retro handheld scene where people can usually find the lowest prices.
Given the Summer Sale has so many of these items at a decent discount even before coupons are factored in, I try to find the lowest possible price I can, but - as SD staff - that isn't the only factor I take under consideration.

I try to find the balance between limiting what I post to certain parameters:
- the store(s) that have the lowest price
- have at least a 95% (or higher) customer feedback rating
- have been open for at least a few years
- Are AliExpress "Choice" offers (AliExpress fulfills the order, kind of like third-party seller goods that are marked "Fulfilled by Amazon" on Amazon). I allow one exception for something not being a Choice offer: if it's the manufacturer's official AliExpress storefront (Powkiddy for instance doesn't do "Choice" offers, they ship direct to the customer themselves).
- Finally, is not a store with the naming scheme "Shop" or "Store" followed by a bunch of random numbers. These are not always, but at times in the past have been, associated with potential scams (the seller ships something that isn't the item your ordered).

If the store meets that criteria, it's fair game to me (no loyalty to keeping it limited to Cutesliving Store whatsoever). For example, I've come across another store in the past day named "Factory Direct Collected Store" that appears to have prices on these that rival Cutesliving's and falls into the criteria outlined above, so I'll likely start posting them as well.

Since Cutesliving Store had already been posted on SD prior to when I began posting them and people seem to have reported mostly positive results with them, if I see another store that is a Choice offer and has the same/close price to Cutesliving Store but has a lower customer feedback rating, I'll go with posting Cutesliving.
But I'll also post from other stores on AliExpress that sell these; like Anbernic Official Store, Powkiddy Official Store, Anbernic Direct Store, and so on. Whoever has the best price but also isn't a seller with like a sub-94% feedback rating or other factor that gives me pause. Since these ship from overseas, and even Cutesliving Store isn't perfect, I just try to play it as safe as possible with what I post from AliExpress.

It just ends up working out that Cutesliving Store has had a strong showing during this particular (and other recent) sale(s). And since not all the sellers on AliExpress carry these devices, that limits the range of stores that it's possible to post offers for them from. Sometimes, a seller might have good ratings and the base price comes out to less than Cutesliving's, but they're not a Choice offer and charge a shipping cost that effectively "kills" the deal / puts their price above.
In addition, the current $9 off $30 / $25 off $100 coupons are atypical/outliers in that they're higher discounts than the typical coupons from AliExpress ~and~ (for once) aren't limited to new customers only, which isn't all that common.

Thanks for hearing me out. Hope this helps (it's not that SD is/I am "promoting" the seller - I'd like to reassure folks that I am not working with them or AliExpress in any way). Simply posting because of the sales events/stacking coupons based on the criteria above. I've also posted these retro handhelds from Anbernic via eBay, Geekbuying, Powkiddy's official website, etc. These devices are actually a personal hobby of mine 😊 I post a range of other things as well; but I'd say video games in general are at the top of the list.
xxswishxx
1689 Posts
193 Reputation
The TrimUI Smart pro has the biggest screen ...4.96" 1280x720 IPS HD display

181 Comments

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Jun 24, 2024 01:21 AM
563 Posts
Joined Aug 2012
sinkingfeelingJun 24, 2024 01:21 AM
563 Posts
Quote from bsheff :
I trust my citi card to dispute better than PayPal any day. PayPal left me hanging on a $800 GPU I got scammed on when they were nearly impossible to find. My Citi card ended up covering me and disputing it with no problems.
That's not the main reason. You really don't want this company to have your credit card number. PayPal is just authorizing transaction with token. They can't use that info for anything else.

I had absolutely no issues with any disputes with PayPal.
Jun 24, 2024 01:21 AM
66 Posts
Joined Mar 2018
catsrgodsJun 24, 2024 01:21 AM
66 Posts
Are you able to save your progress with these? I got a cheapo one that lacked that feature and it's a dealbreaker.
Jun 24, 2024 01:21 AM
563 Posts
Joined Aug 2012
sinkingfeelingJun 24, 2024 01:21 AM
563 Posts
Quote from comm0 :
Every time I buy a retro console or something I play it for like 45 min and then never touch it again
You should sell them or donate them
Jun 24, 2024 01:26 AM
563 Posts
Joined Aug 2012
sinkingfeelingJun 24, 2024 01:26 AM
563 Posts
Quote from jjofnwa :
In for a TrimUI Smart Pro. I didn't do my normal due diligence of research on the device, so I hope it has some decent firmware or a good custom firmware to switch to, and I hope retroachievements can be loaded up on it.
There are 2 cfw currently active but not completed. There's also minui. Stock os is fine, you can add additional emulators, functions, and postmaster with tomato os, and recently they dropped crossmix which adds best of stock and tomato. You can also add few tools and postmaster with trimui_ex or just add cores and features separately since tomato is based on stock with all the additional features and tools combined.
Last edited by sinkingfeeling June 23, 2024 at 06:29 PM.
Jun 24, 2024 01:29 AM
563 Posts
Joined Aug 2012
sinkingfeelingJun 24, 2024 01:29 AM
563 Posts
Quote from romodome :
Thanks. Got one of each and used the $25 coupon. Just need to find some good microsd cards
For the r36s avoid SanDisk. People have had best luck with Samsung for trimui smart and the r36s
Jun 24, 2024 01:32 AM
563 Posts
Joined Aug 2012
sinkingfeelingJun 24, 2024 01:32 AM
563 Posts
Quote from jayead :
Is 1 gb ram really good enough ?
For what? Emulators that these are designed for with Linux based OS? Pretty much
Jun 24, 2024 01:33 AM
563 Posts
Joined Aug 2012
sinkingfeelingJun 24, 2024 01:33 AM
563 Posts
Quote from catsrgods :
Are you able to save your progress with these? I got a cheapo one that lacked that feature and it's a dealbreaker.
Yeah all of them has saving features on all systems, whether they're in game or live save. These aren't the super crappy 400 in 1 fami clones.

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Jun 24, 2024 01:35 AM
563 Posts
Joined Aug 2012
sinkingfeelingJun 24, 2024 01:35 AM
563 Posts
Quote from oooranooo :
Made the mistake of ordering something from AliExpress. Received half of one item, and another item broken. There is no viable return methods, and no way to contact them for assistance. Let the buyer beware.
When was this? If you buy from choice sellers returns are on them. You just need to provide evidence of the issue with photos or videos
Original Poster
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Deal Editor
Jun 24, 2024 02:10 AM
20,911 Posts
Joined Jul 2013
RevOneJun 24, 2024 02:10 AM
Original Poster
Pro
Deal Editor
20,911 Posts
If you're emulating N64 through RetroArch, and using a core that allows you to configure which Plugin you want to use, boot up an N64 game and enter the RetroArch menu while the game is running, In RetroArch, go to Quick Menu -> Core Options, then switch the Plugin to "Rice."

Doesn't always fix things, but it sometimes helps to get N64 games running at a playable speed. The potential downside is that it can sometimes render objects or textures inaccurately (it can vary from game to game, device to device, but it's worth a shot to try it out).
Last edited by RevOne June 23, 2024 at 08:08 PM.
Jun 24, 2024 02:16 AM
14 Posts
Joined Jun 2017
tinmansdJun 24, 2024 02:16 AM
14 Posts
Tried to order twice, both orders were flagged for security concerns and cancelled. I guess I don't need another toy. LOL
Jun 24, 2024 02:21 AM
563 Posts
Joined Aug 2012
sinkingfeelingJun 24, 2024 02:21 AM
563 Posts
Quote from xxswishxx :
The TrimUI Smart pro has the biggest screen ...4.96" 1280x720 IPS HD display
While the screen is much bigger on the TSP, when comparing SNES, NES, anything that's not wide screen basically, won't make that much of a difference, unless you use stretch mode, which I don't recommend.

TSP is much better on systems like PSP, GBA, Dreamcast (with wide screen mod), and videos.
Jun 24, 2024 02:37 AM
860 Posts
Joined Feb 2017
MadoserJun 24, 2024 02:37 AM
860 Posts
Thanks OP. got the R36S in red w/ case and screen protector for $23.90!

R36S
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/32...pt=glo2usa

Case
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/32...pt=glo2usa

Screen protector
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/32...pt=glo2usa
Last edited by Madoser June 26, 2024 at 10:17 PM.
Jun 24, 2024 02:46 AM
905 Posts
Joined Jun 2005
scraejtpJun 24, 2024 02:46 AM
905 Posts
Quote from Madoser :
Thanks OP. got the R36S in red w/ case and screen protector for $23.90!

R35S
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/32...pt=glo2usa

Case
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/32...pt=glo2usa

Screen protector
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/32...pt=glo2usa
shake head Your little bundle broke me. Not a big difference, but enough that I picked it up. Few cents less for me, maybe taxes $23.53
Jun 24, 2024 02:56 AM
860 Posts
Joined Feb 2017
MadoserJun 24, 2024 02:56 AM
860 Posts
Quote from scraejtp :
shake head Your little bundle broke me. Not a big difference, but enough that I picked it up. Few cents less for me, maybe taxes $23.53
I'm in SF Bay Area, California so… sales tax is like 11% lol

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Jun 24, 2024 03:04 AM
6 Posts
Joined Apr 2013
coyotejoshJun 24, 2024 03:04 AM
6 Posts
Does anybody know how the R36S feels to hold for longer sessions compared to the RG35XX Plus? I have a plus and an h and have played them both a bunch but my hands get pretty fatigued if playing in bed.

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