R36S vs. BatleXP G350 & Anbernic RG35XX: Best Budget Retro Handheld Comparison

Picture the fifteen quiet minutes you get once the house goes dark: you want to pick up a handheld and resume a game, without spending that time fixing stick axes. Below you'll find a side-by-side spec table, four games that show why dual analog sticks matter, and the G350 firmware quirks to know before you buy.

R36S vs. BatleXP G350 vs. Anbernic RG35XX: Side-by-Side Specs Table

The 2Bluebox R36S ($79.99, 2bluebox.com) and the BatleXP G350 both use a quad-core Rockchip RK3326 chip, 1GB RAM, and dual analog sticks. The original Anbernic RG35XX uses a weaker Actions chip with 256MB RAM and no analog sticks.

All three are vertical, Game Boy-style handhelds with the same 3.5-inch 640x480 (4:3) IPS screen, so they look nearly identical in a product photo. Their control layouts and firmware are where your daily experience splits.

According to the Retro Catalog BatleXP G350 vs. R36S comparison page and the Anbernic RG35XX specification sheet, the original RG35XX runs a quad-core Actions ATM7039S chip with 256MB DDR3 RAM and no thumbsticks, built mainly for 2D systems up to PS1. Later refreshes like the RG35XX 2024 and RG35XX Plus keep the same stick-free vertical layout.

Meanwhile, the BatleXP G350 follows the same internal formula as the R36S: a Rockchip RK3326 processor (up to 1.5GHz), 1GB RAM, dual L3/R3 analog sticks, and a 3,200mAh battery.

Compare the hardware and firmware differences across all three handhelds in Table 1:

Table 1: R36S vs. BatleXP G350 vs. Anbernic RG35XX Hardware & Firmware Comparison. "Tested on our unit" means we checked it on a device we own. "Manufacturer spec" means the maker states it and we haven't verified it ourselves. "Community reports" means players report it, and results can vary.

If you're wondering whether Anbernic actually makes the R36S, read our guide on the Anbernic vs. R36S brand connection.

R36S vs. Anbernic RG35XX: Why Dual Analog Sticks Matter for PS1, N64 & PSP

The dual analog sticks on the 2Bluebox R36S ($79.99) give you 3D movement and camera control in PS1 DualShock, N64, lighter PSP, and PortMaster games that a D-Pad-only RG35XX can't handle well. Skip both handhelds if you want full-speed PS2.

Plenty of first-time buyers assume a retro handheld only plays 2D side-scrollers like Super Mario World or Sonic the Hedgehog. For 8-bit and 16-bit games, a D-Pad is all you need.

Launch a 3D game from PS1, N64, Dreamcast, PSP, or a PortMaster PC port, though, and missing sticks become a hard wall. Without a left stick for 360-degree movement and a right stick for the camera or N64 C-buttons, many classics turn frustrating or unplayable on the standard RG35XX.

These four examples show why the L3/R3 sticks matter. Search any title in our 15,768-game R36S list before you buy, since PortMaster ports need game files you add yourself:

• Ape Escape (PS1 DualShock): The first PS1 game that required the DualShock controller. You move Spike with the left stick and swing his stun club or monkey net with the right stick, so a D-Pad-only RG35XX can't play it properly.
• Super Mario 64 (N64): Tiptoeing past sleeping Piranha Plants takes gradual analog tilt, and the right stick stands in for the C-buttons that swing Lakitu's camera.
• Lighter PSP games (PPSSPP): The original PSP had a single analog nub for movement, which PPSSPP maps to the R36S left stick. Heavier 3D PSP titles can slow down on RK3326 hardware, so treat PSP as a bonus.
• Quake II (PortMaster): PortMaster ports on ArkOS use twin-stick controls, with the left stick to move and strafe and the right stick to aim. Commercial ports ask you to copy in data files from a copy you own.

Follow these three steps on your R36S whenever a PS1 game asks for a DualShock analog controller:

1. Open the RetroArch Quick Menu: Launch your PS1 game and press FN + X (or Select + X, depending on your ArkOS hotkey setup).
2. Switch Pad 1 to Analog: Go to Controls → Port 1 Controls (or Core Options → Pad 1 Type in PCSX ReARMed) and change it from standard to analog or dualshock.
3. Save a Game Remap File: Back out one level, choose Manage Remap Files → Save Game Remap File, and resume with both sticks active. The R36S has no rumble motor, so DualShock vibration stays silent.

BatleXP G350 vs. R36S: Same RK3326 Chip, Different Firmware Ecosystem

The BatleXP G350 and 2Bluebox R36S ($79.99) share the same RK3326 hardware, so expect similar performance. The G350 has no dedicated ArkOS build, and owners report a 90-degree right-stick rotation unless they patch the .dtb file.

On paper, the two are twins. The Handhelds Wiki BATLEXP G350 hardware profile lists the same Rockchip RK3326 quad-core CPU, Mali-G31 MP2 GPU, 1GB RAM, 3.5-inch 640x480 IPS panel, and 3,200mAh battery found in the R36S. We haven't run a G350 on our bench, so the performance match comes from published spec sheets and owner reports.

Where the G350 earns praise is its shell. Owners describe it as a little heavier than the R36S, with softer D-Pad and shoulder-button clicks.

The Retro Handhelds BatleXP G350 setup guide documents three software roadblocks to weigh before choosing it over a 2Bluebox R36S ($79.99):

1. No official recovery image and numbered ROM names: The G350 ships with a fork labeled BatleXP v1.0 on an unbranded microSD card, and there's no official stock image to download if that card fails. Factory game cards also use numeric prefixes like 00006Contra5 that scramble alphabetical sorting.
2. No native ArkOS image: The R36S has a dedicated, actively maintained AeolusUX ArkOS-R3XS release. Installing ArkOS on a G350 means flashing an image made for the older Anbernic RG351MP, then replacing the Linux Image and rk3326-rg351mp-linux.dtb files inside the BOOT partition.
3. The right-stick rotation bug: Flash ArkOS without the community G350-ArkOS-dtb kernel patch and, per owner reports, the right stick reads 90 degrees off (pushing Up registers as Right) and the RetroArch menu hotkey stops responding.

On the 2Bluebox R36S ($79.99), ArkOS 2.0 comes preinstalled on the TF1-OS card and matched to the board, so every stick axis, FN shortcut, and emulator core works the first time you switch it on. If something does go wrong, our R36S manual and troubleshooting hub and hands-on R36S review walk you through it.

Best Consoles Like the R36S: Which Handheld Should You Buy?

Pick the 2Bluebox R36S ($79.99) for a ready-to-play pocket handheld with ArkOS 2.0 and dual sticks. For TV play, get the 2Bluebox Retro Game Stick 4K Pro ($59.98); for PS2 on a PC, the 2Bluebox Portable HDD 500GB ($64.99).

Your pick comes down to whether you want a handheld that's ready on the first night or a tinkering project. Where you buy an RK3326 handheld matters almost as much as the chip, so compare sellers in Table 2:

Table 2: Where You Buy Matters: 2Bluebox (2bluebox.com) vs. Marketplace R36S vs. BatleXP G350. "Tested on our unit" means we checked it on a device we own. "Manufacturer spec" means the maker states it and we haven't verified it ourselves. "Community reports" means players report it, and results can vary.

• Choose the 2Bluebox R36S ($79.99) if: You want L3/R3 sticks for PS1, N64, lighter PSP, and PortMaster, ArkOS 2.0 without .dtb patching, a 15,768-game card you can search before buying, and a 30-Day Replacement Guarantee from 2Bluebox LLC. Silicone Custom Joystick Grips ($7.98) are an optional add-on.
• Choose the BatleXP G350 if: You're comfortable patching .dtb device-tree files from GitHub, already own a spare brand-name microSD card, and want slightly softer buttons on the same RK3326 hardware.
• Choose the Anbernic RG35XX if: You strictly play 2D D-Pad systems (Game Boy, NES, SNES, GBA, Sega Genesis) plus PS1 games that don't need analog sticks.
• Choose the 2Bluebox Retro Game Stick 4K Pro ($59.98) if: You want two-player couch games on your TV with two wireless 2.4GHz controllers and no PC.
• Choose the 2Bluebox Portable HDD Super Console 500GB ($64.99) if: You have a Windows PC and want PS2, GameCube, and Wii games that no budget handheld can run. Compare all three 2Bluebox systems below:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Conclusion

Choosing between the BatleXP G350, R36S, and Anbernic RG35XX comes down to controls and firmware. The RG35XX leaves you without sticks in 3D games and the G350 asks you to patch cross-flashed .dtb files, while the bench-verified 2Bluebox R36S Handheld ($79.99) gives you dual L3/R3 sticks, ArkOS 2.0, and 15,768 preloaded games ready from day one.

Grab a console with two working analog sticks, slip it in your pocket, and Press Start.

Further Reading & Resources

• BatleXP G350 vs. R36S specs comparison: BATLEXP G350 vs. Game Console R36S Technical Comparison (Retro Catalog)
• BatleXP G350 hardware & battery data: BATLEXP G350 Handheld Hardware Specifications & Community Links (Handhelds Wiki)
• BatleXP G350 firmware & right-stick DTB notes: BatleXP G350 Setup Guide, Stock OS & CFW Overview (Retro Handhelds)
• Anbernic RG35XX D-Pad-only specifications: Anbernic RG35XX Full Technical Specifications (Retro Catalog)