The R36S comes with a microSD card preloaded with 6,000+ games. But which microSD card should you buy for upgrades or replacements? Samsung 128GB is iGC's top recommendation. Here is the complete guide to microSD cards for the R36S.
Lab-Tested · Gamer-Verified · Expert-Curated by the iGC Team — www.handheldgameconsoles.games
🏆 iGC Top MicroSD Card Picks for R36S
The best all-around microSD for R36S. Fast read speeds (100MB/s), reliable, widely available. U3/A1 rated. Holds 6,000+ games with room to spare. ~$15-18.
Excellent reliability. 120MB/s read. U1/A1 rated. SanDisk is the most trusted brand for retro handhelds. ~$14-16.
Best for large game libraries. 150MB/s read. U3/V30/A2 rated. Ideal if you want to add many PS1 or N64 games. ~$20-25.
Best budget option. Enough for 3,000+ games. U3/A1 rated. ~$8-10. Good for GBA/SNES/NES focused libraries.
💾 64GB vs 128GB vs 256GB — Which Size?
| Size | Games Capacity | Best For | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 64GB | 3,000+ games | GBA, SNES, NES, Genesis focused | ~$8-10 |
| 128GB ⭐ Recommended | 6,000+ games | All platforms including PS1 & N64 | ~$15-18 |
| 256GB | 12,000+ games | Large PS1/N64 library, collectors | ~$20-25 |
| 512GB | 25,000+ games | Maximum library, all platforms | ~$40-50 |
⚡ MicroSD Speed Classes Explained
| Class | Min Write Speed | R36S Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Class 4 / Class 6 | 4-6 MB/s | ❌ Too slow — avoid |
| Class 10 / U1 | 10 MB/s | ⚠️ Minimum acceptable |
| U3 / V30 / A1 | 30 MB/s | ✅ Recommended — smooth loading |
| U3 / V30 / A2 | 30 MB/s+ | ✅ Best — fastest loading |
📲 How to Add Games to R36S MicroSD
The microSD slot is on the back or side of the device. Use a fingernail or SIM tool to eject it carefully.
Use a USB microSD card reader (~$5 on Amazon). The card will appear as a drive on your PC.
GBA → /ROMS/GBA/ · SNES → /ROMS/SNES/ · PS1 → /ROMS/PSX/ · N64 → /ROMS/N64/
GBA: .gba files · SNES: .sfc or .smc · PS1: .bin+.cue or .pbp · N64: .z64 or .n64
EmulationStation will automatically detect new games. Navigate to the platform and your new games will appear in the list.
⚠️ MicroSD Cards to Avoid
- Avoid no-brand cards from unknown sellers
- Avoid cards priced suspiciously low (e.g., 256GB for $5)
- Avoid cards without Class 10 / U1 rating minimum
- Always buy Samsung, SanDisk, or Lexar from official stores
- Test new cards with H2testw (PC) or F3 (Mac) to verify real capacity
❓ FAQ
R36S uses a standard microSD card (microSDHC or microSDXC). The included card is typically 64GB. You can upgrade to any microSD up to 512GB. Minimum Class 10 / U1 / A1 required.
iGC recommends Samsung Evo Select 128GB. Fast (100MB/s), reliable, ~$15-18. SanDisk Ultra 128GB is also excellent. Both are U3/A1 rated and widely available.
6,000+ games on 128GB. GBA/SNES/NES games are tiny (1-4MB each). PS1 games are larger (200-700MB). N64 games are 8-64MB. A 128GB card holds the complete GBA, SNES, NES, Genesis, and PS1 libraries.
Yes. R36S supports microSD cards up to 512GB. Format as exFAT for cards over 32GB. Lexar 256GB PLAY is iGC's recommendation for large libraries (~$20-25).
Remove microSD, insert into PC via card reader, copy ROM files to correct folder (GBA → /ROMS/GBA/, PS1 → /ROMS/PSX/, N64 → /ROMS/N64/), reinsert and power on. Games appear automatically.
