R36S vs MIYOO Mini Plus 2026: Which Retro Handheld Should You Buy?
Quick answer: Buy the R36S ($79.99) if you want plug-and-play simplicity, thousands of preloaded games, PSP support, and the most proven device in this category. Buy the MIYOO Mini Plus (~$69) if you're an experienced retro gamer with your own ROM collection who wants OnionOS's polished firmware and built-in WiFi. For beginners, gift buyers, and anyone who wants to start playing immediately — the R36S wins decisively.
Lab-Tested · Gamer-Verified · Expert-Curated by the iGC Team · Last updated: July 2026
BEST OVERALL
R36S
$79.99
⭐ 4.70/5 · 2,837 reviews
Best for: Most buyers
BEST COMMUNITY OS
MIYOO Mini Plus
~$69
⭐ 4.6/5 · Community rating
Best for: Experienced enthusiasts
📊 Full Specs Comparison
| Specification | R36S | MIYOO Mini Plus | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.99 | ~$69 | ⭐ MIYOO |
| Processor | Allwinner H700 | Ingenic T618 | ⭐ R36S |
| RAM | 1GB DDR3 | 256MB DDR3 | ⭐ R36S |
| Screen | 3.5" IPS | 3.5" IPS | Tie |
| Resolution | 640×480 | 640×480 | Tie |
| Battery | 3,200mAh | 3,000mAh | ⭐ R36S |
| WiFi | USB dongle only | Built-in | ⭐ MIYOO |
| PSP support | ✅ Yes (mixed) | ❌ No | ⭐ R36S |
| N64 support | ✅ Yes | ❌ Very limited | ⭐ R36S |
| Preloaded games | ✅ Thousands | ❌ None | ⭐ R36S |
| Firmware | ArkOS (iGC-optimized) | OnionOS | Tie (different strengths) |
| iGC Lab-Tested | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ⭐ R36S |
| 30-day returns | ✅ Yes | Varies by seller | ⭐ R36S |
| Verified reviews | 2,837 @ 4.70★ | Community rating | ⭐ R36S |
📺 Screen & Display
Both devices use a 3.5" IPS panel at 640×480 resolution — on paper, identical. In practice, both screens look excellent for retro gaming content. The MIYOO Mini Plus has a slight edge in color calibration out of the box — its screen tends toward slightly warmer, more natural tones. The R36S's screen is slightly more vivid and saturated.
For retro gaming content — NES sprites, SNES backgrounds, GBA graphics — both screens look outstanding. The difference is negligible in real-world use. iGC Lab screen verdict: Tie.
🎮 Preloaded Games — The Decisive Difference
This is the most important difference between the R36S and MIYOO Mini Plus — and it's not close.
✅ R36S — Thousands Preloaded
- NES: Complete library
- SNES: Complete library
- GBA: Complete library
- PS1: Major titles included
- N64: Selected titles
- PSP: Selected titles
- Sega Genesis: Complete
- GBC: Complete library
- Boot up and play in 30 seconds
❌ MIYOO Mini Plus — Zero Preloaded
- Ships with empty microSD
- You must source all ROMs yourself
- ROM sourcing requires technical knowledge
- Setup time: 1–3 hours minimum
- Not suitable for beginners
- Not suitable as a gift
- WiFi scraper helps — but still requires ROMs
- Cannot play a single game out of box
⚠ Critical consideration: The MIYOO Mini Plus ships with no preloaded games. To play any game, you must source ROM files yourself — a process that requires technical knowledge and time. If you're a beginner, buying as a gift, or want to start playing immediately, the MIYOO Mini Plus is not the right choice. The R36S ships ready to play.
⚡ Emulation Performance
| Platform | R36S | MIYOO Mini Plus | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NES | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Identical — both perfect |
| SNES | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Identical — both perfect |
| GBA / GBC / GB | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Identical — both perfect |
| PlayStation 1 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Identical — both perfect |
| Sega Genesis | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Identical — both perfect |
| Nintendo DS | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | R36S better — more RAM |
| Nintendo 64 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | R36S significantly better |
| PSP | ⭐⭐⭐ | ❌ Not supported | R36S only — MIYOO cannot run PSP |
✅ Key insight: For NES, SNES, GBA, and PS1 — the four most popular retro platforms — both devices perform identically. The R36S's 1GB RAM (vs MIYOO's 256MB) gives it a meaningful advantage on DS, N64, and PSP. The MIYOO Mini Plus cannot run PSP games at all — a significant limitation for many buyers.
💻 Firmware: ArkOS vs OnionOS
Both devices run excellent open-source firmware — but with different philosophies and strengths.
R36S — ArkOS (iGC-Optimized)
- iGC pre-configured — optimal settings out of box
- EmulationStation front-end
- RetroArch emulator backend
- Save states, fast forward, rewind
- RetroAchievements support (WiFi dongle)
- Active ArkOS community
- Regular updates
- Zero configuration needed
MIYOO Mini Plus — OnionOS
- Widely regarded as most polished budget firmware
- Beautiful, intuitive UI
- Excellent game scraping via WiFi
- Save states, fast forward, rewind
- RetroAchievements support (built-in WiFi)
- Very active MIYOO community
- Requires manual ROM loading
- Requires setup before first game
iGC Lab firmware verdict: OnionOS is genuinely excellent — arguably the most polished firmware UI in the budget handheld space. However, it requires you to source and load your own ROMs before you can play anything. The iGC-optimized ArkOS on the R36S ships pre-configured with thousands of games ready to play. For experienced enthusiasts who already have a ROM collection, OnionOS is a joy to use. For everyone else, ArkOS's plug-and-play experience wins.
🔋 Battery Life
| Platform | R36S (3,200mAh) | MIYOO Mini Plus (3,000mAh) |
|---|---|---|
| NES / SNES | 8.0 hrs | 7.0 hrs |
| GBA | 7.5 hrs | 6.5 hrs |
| PlayStation 1 | 6.5 hrs | 5.5 hrs |
The R36S's 3,200mAh battery delivers approximately 1 additional hour over the MIYOO Mini Plus on most platforms. Both are adequate for most gaming sessions — the difference is noticeable but not dramatic.
📶 WiFi & Connectivity
The MIYOO Mini Plus has a genuine advantage here: built-in WiFi. This enables:
- ROM scraping — automatically download game artwork and metadata
- RetroAchievements — earn achievements without any dongle
- Firmware updates — download and install OnionOS updates wirelessly
- SSH access — advanced configuration via terminal
The R36S requires a USB WiFi dongle for these features. A compatible dongle costs approximately $5–10 and works well — but it's an additional purchase and adds a dongle to manage.
iGC Lab WiFi verdict: MIYOO Mini Plus wins on WiFi. However, for the iGC R36S — which ships with thousands of preloaded games — WiFi is rarely needed. Most R36S buyers never use WiFi because they don't need to scrape ROMs they already have preloaded.
🎮 Design & Build
R36S
- Horizontal form factor (Game Boy Advance style)
- Dual analog sticks
- L1/L2/R1/R2 shoulder buttons
- ~175g
- Comfortable for extended sessions
- Better for PSP-style games
MIYOO Mini Plus
- Horizontal form factor (similar size)
- No analog sticks
- L1/L2/R1/R2 shoulder buttons
- ~105g — significantly lighter
- More pocketable
- Not suitable for analog-dependent games
⚠ Important: The MIYOO Mini Plus has no analog sticks. This means it cannot properly play games that require analog input — PS1 games with analog controls, PSP games, N64 games, and any game designed for dual-stick input. The R36S has dual analog sticks, making it compatible with a significantly wider range of games.
🎯 Who Should Buy Which?
| Your situation | Buy this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First retro handheld ever | R36S | Preloaded games, zero setup, most reviews |
| Buying as a gift | R36S | Ships ready to play — MIYOO needs setup |
| Want PSP games | R36S | MIYOO Mini Plus cannot run PSP games |
| Want N64 games | R36S | R36S significantly better N64 performance |
| Play Pokémon / Mario / Zelda GBA | R36S | Preloaded, identical performance, $10 more |
| Need analog sticks | R36S | MIYOO has no analog sticks |
| Experienced enthusiast, own ROMs | MIYOO | OnionOS excellence, built-in WiFi, $10 cheaper |
| Want best GBA firmware UI | MIYOO | OnionOS is the most polished GBA firmware |
| Want built-in WiFi | MIYOO | R36S requires USB dongle for WiFi |
| Ultra-lightweight device | MIYOO | 105g vs 175g — significantly lighter |
🏆 Final Verdict: R36S vs MIYOO Mini Plus
The R36S and MIYOO Mini Plus are both excellent devices — but they serve fundamentally different buyers.
The MIYOO Mini Plus is the better device for experienced retro gaming enthusiasts who already have their own ROM collection, love OnionOS's polished UI, want built-in WiFi, and mainly play NES, SNES, and GBA games. If that's you — the MIYOO Mini Plus is a genuine joy to use.
The R36S is the better device for everyone else — and "everyone else" is the vast majority of buyers. It ships with thousands of preloaded games, requires zero setup, supports PSP and N64 games that the MIYOO cannot run, has dual analog sticks, and is backed by 2,837 verified reviews at 4.70/5. For $10 more than the MIYOO, you get a device that works immediately and covers significantly more gaming platforms.
The decisive factors:
- ✅ Preloaded games: R36S wins — MIYOO ships with nothing
- ✅ PSP support: R36S wins — MIYOO cannot run PSP
- ✅ Analog sticks: R36S wins — MIYOO has none
- ✅ RAM: R36S wins — 1GB vs 256MB
- ✅ Verified reviews: R36S wins — 2,837 vs community rating
- ✅ WiFi: MIYOO wins — built-in vs USB dongle
- ✅ Price: MIYOO wins — $69 vs $79.99
- ✅ Firmware UI: MIYOO wins — OnionOS is more polished
For most buyers: buy the R36S.
iGC RECOMMENDED — BEST OVERALL
R36S Definitive Edition
⭐ 4.70/5 · 2,837 reviews · Lab-Tested
$79.99
$109.99 Save 27%
Thousands preloaded · PSP support · Dual analog
Buy R36S — $79.99 →BEST FOR ENTHUSIASTS
MIYOO Mini Plus
⭐ 4.6/5 · Community rating
~$69
OnionOS · Built-in WiFi · No games included
Requires own ROM collection
Available via third-party retailers
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is the R36S better than the MIYOO Mini Plus?
For most buyers, yes. The R36S ships with thousands of preloaded games, supports PSP and N64 games that the MIYOO cannot run, has dual analog sticks, and is backed by 2,837 verified reviews. The MIYOO Mini Plus is better for experienced enthusiasts who already have their own ROM collection and want OnionOS's polished firmware.
Does the MIYOO Mini Plus come with games?
No. The MIYOO Mini Plus ships with no preloaded games — you must source all ROM files yourself. This requires technical knowledge and time. The R36S from iGC ships with thousands of preloaded games ready to play immediately.
Can the MIYOO Mini Plus play PSP games?
No. The MIYOO Mini Plus cannot run PSP games — its Ingenic T618 processor and 256MB RAM are insufficient for PSP emulation. The R36S supports PSP games, with light-to-medium titles running well.
Does the MIYOO Mini Plus have analog sticks?
No. The MIYOO Mini Plus has no analog sticks — only a D-pad. This limits its compatibility with games that require analog input, including many PS1 games, PSP games, and N64 games. The R36S has dual analog sticks.
Is OnionOS better than ArkOS?
OnionOS is widely regarded as the most polished firmware UI in the budget handheld space — its interface is more refined than ArkOS's EmulationStation. However, OnionOS requires you to source and load your own ROMs. The iGC-optimized ArkOS on the R36S ships pre-configured with thousands of games ready to play — making it the better choice for most buyers.
Which is better for Pokémon — R36S or MIYOO Mini Plus?
Both run GBA and GBC Pokémon games at perfect speed. The R36S wins for most Pokémon fans because it ships with Pokémon FireRed, Emerald, Gold, Silver, Crystal, and more preloaded — ready to play immediately. The MIYOO Mini Plus requires you to source Pokémon ROMs yourself.
Related Articles
