R350S: Budget-friendly retro gaming handheld features RK3326 SoC and 3.5-inch display

The new R350S gaming handheld is available via direct import and strongly resembles devices such as the R36XX – at least at first glance. Input options are where the two handhelds show significant differences: Priced at around $34, the R350S lacks both left and right analogue sticks and only comes with two shoulder buttons instead of four. Whilst these omissions may not be essential for certain games, the missing shoulder buttons, for instance, can be mapped to the “switch screen” function in Nintendo DS emulation.

The handheld features a 3.5-inch IPS display with a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels. According to the manufacturer, it supports emulators for the Neo Geo system and various devices in the Game Boy family. In our experience, the RK3326 SoC inside doesn’t provide sufficient performance to properly emulate PSP games. The built-in 2,000 mAh battery is rated for up to five hours of gameplay, though actual runtime depends greatly on the emulated platform and screen brightness.

The R350S runs on a modified Linux distribution with pre-installed emulators. This operating system has been largely optimised for button navigation to compensate for the lack of a touchscreen. The handheld includes a single memory card slot at the top, alongside a second USB port and a headphone jack.