Buying note · 10 October 2026
Before you buy a bare R36S.
1. Which board revision is in the quote?
V12, V21 and V30 are supplier board options. Every finish is available on all three; what differs is the WiFi module, which we fit ourselves and offer on V21 and V30 only. Pick the revision first; a purple shell by itself tells you nothing certain about the board inside.
2. What does “bare” include?
In this shop it means the handheld and printed instructions. It does not mean a game collection or a memory-card bundle. A charging cable is not included. The supplier says the system is flashed before dispatch, but the exact storage medium and software contents still belong in your written quote.
3. Do you actually need the WiFi module?
Some people enjoy the extra setup possibilities. It is a module we fit to the board rather than something the board ships with. WiFi builds also have a slight speaker hum, and certain USB or network setting changes can require reflashing to recover WiFi. Choose the option for that tradeoff, not because a WiFi badge sounds automatically better.
4. What will be charged to deliver it?
The V12 is $57.90 delivered to the United States, with tracked shipping and import duty inside that figure; the V21 is $58.90 and the V30 $59.90. Optional hardware costs extra, and its price along with the estimated dispatch and delivery dates is confirmed in writing before you pay. For any destination other than the United States, ask who pays import charges — that is stated in the quote rather than left to the doorstep.
5. What happens after it arrives?
Use the left DC charging port with a 5V/2A charger or lower, never a high-power fast charger. The handheld is meant for compatible community software and game files you are entitled to use; no copyrighted ROMs come with it. If your setup differs from the quote, contact a person before formatting storage or changing firmware.
Ready to compare builds? Explore the R36S. Need a hand? Contact the shop.
Going further: which revision to choose, and who should not buy one, charging, the battery and standby drain, and board revisions and the device tree.