Retro gaming handhelds are insanely popular right now. There seems to be 100s on the market, with more being released all the while, but few are ever available for under £50, let alone £20.
That's what I've just discovered on Amazon UK while searching for early Prime Big Deal Days discounts. I'm something of a retro gaming nut myself, owning around 20 or so handhelds, arcade units and original consoles, so I do know a true bargain when I see one.
The R36S Retro Handheld isn't going to set the world on fire with its build quality or technical prowess, but it does run on the same Rockchip RK3326 processor that drives far more expensive devices. And it's capable of playing games up to and including PSOne.
That makes it an essential entry-level handheld in my eyes – especially for just £19.99. What's more, the retailer promises more than 10,000 classic games will come preinstalled.
What do you get with the R36S?
I must admit, I'm not that familiar with the R36S itself, but I do own the R36T from the same company. The hardware inside seems to be identical, although the R36T comes in the shape of an old CRT instead – it's one of my favourite, crazy form factor handhelds.
The chipset both run on is the RK3326, which is more than capable for 8-bit and 16-bit emulation, while a decent selection of games for the original PlayStation seem to work well on it too.
Also surprisingly for its deal price, you get a couple of thumbsticks as well the D-pad, plus front and rear buttons.
The device runs on Linux and comes with an operating system/UI already installed. And you can also customise the experience with your own themes.
To be honest, you shouldn't expect bells and whistles – such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth – at this level. But if you want to just play your way through some of the greatest games ever made, this is a sub-£20 winner.
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