Glossary · 27 Terms · Definitions and Practical Limits
Retro Handheld Glossary: 27 Terms for Smarter Buying and Setup
Use these 27 definitions to separate a product specification from a supplied feature or tested result. A firmware name does not prove wireless hardware; a screen ratio is not a game’s native image ratio; and a chip label is not a complete compatibility test. Start with the term you need, check the exact selected configuration and preserve a working setup before changing anything.
27
Terms Defined
16
Letter Sections
2026
Updated
A
ArkOS OS
Linux-based retro gaming OS (ArkOS community firmware). It is a community firmware project, not a second operating system separate from Linux. The selected R36S listing names ArkOS; the exact installed image and version can vary by batch or subsequent changes. A firmware name does not prove zero setup, a complete game library or a tested result. Preserve a working installation and use only guidance for the exact hardware if a change becomes necessary.
Example: "The listing names ArkOS; I still need to learn this unit’s menus, saves and normal shutdown."
Aspect Ratio Display
The relationship between image width and height. The GBA’s native 240 × 160 image is 3:2, not 4:3; PSP’s 480 × 272 image is approximately 16:9. Many console-era games are commonly displayed near 4:3, but the intended presentation depends on the particular system, game and video mode. The selected S screen is listed at 640 × 480, a 4:3 panel; that does not make 4:3 correct for every game. Preserving a game’s intended shape can introduce borders.
Example: "Use the GBA image’s 3:2 shape on a 4:3 panel rather than stretching it to fill every pixel."
B
BIOS System File
Firmware data that an emulator may use to reproduce a system’s startup or hardware behavior. Requirements depend on the emulator, version and system; some implementations use alternatives or behave differently without a particular BIOS. This glossary does not verify which BIOS files are supplied or their permissions. Check the actual emulator documentation and configuration before changing a working setup; do not assume every startup problem is a missing BIOS.
Button Mapping Controls
The assignment of a physical control to a menu action or an emulated control. Device labels, menu prompts and original-console labels can differ, and mappings can vary between a front-end, emulator and game. Do not assume one letter always means confirm or corresponds to the same original button. Read the current prompts, test deliberately and record a working mapping before altering it.
C
Cheats / Cheat Codes Gameplay
Codes or patches that alter a game’s behavior. Support depends on the specific emulator, game edition and available database; a code for another release may not work. Cheats are not a guaranteed supplied feature or a fix for incompatibility. Back up progress before experimenting and use the actual emulator’s documented interface, not an assumed Menu-button shortcut.
Core Emulation
In RetroArch, a core is a separately maintained software component that implements an emulator or another supported function. mGBA and PCSX-ReARMed are examples associated with GBA and PlayStation emulation; this does not establish that either is installed or selected on your unit. A core name alone cannot certify compatibility with every title, setting or save file.
Example: "Identify the active core and its version before comparing a result or changing settings; no universal compatibility percentage follows from its name."
D
D-Pad (Directional Pad) Controls
A directional pad used for menu navigation or directional input in games. Depending on its construction and software mapping, neighboring directions may be recognized together as a diagonal. Its shape does not establish precision, comfort or fighting-game performance. Confirm the actual controls and layout of the selected device rather than transferring a handling judgment from another model.
Dual Boot OS
The ability of a specifically supported configuration to select between distinct operating systems. Two menu interfaces or a Linux-based system with ArkOS are not evidence of two separate operating systems. This guide does not establish dual boot for the selected Retroid Pocket Flip 2; its listing’s Android direction does not prove another bootable system. Images and boot procedures are hardware-specific, so do not flash a device simply because a related model supports another system.
E
Emulation Core Concept
Software reproducing relevant behavior of another system so that software for that system can execute on different hardware. Outcomes depend on the game edition, emulator or core, version, settings and device. Assess speed, audio, controls, graphics and saving separately; launching a title or seeing a system menu does not prove correct sustained gameplay. No complete-library pass rate or fixed frame-rate result is established here.
Example: "A game can launch but still have audio, control or saving problems; those are separate checks from inclusion."
EmulationStation Front-End
A front-end for organizing and launching game entries, commonly associated with supported retro firmware setups. A front-end is not the emulator itself and does not prove every displayed entry is supplied correctly or works. Themes and versions can change navigation and appearance. Learn the actual installed menu rather than expecting every R36S unit to show an identical layout.
F
FPS (Frames Per Second) Performance
Frames per second, one measure of displayed output or internal rendering. A game’s native frame rate, video-output refresh rate and emulator-reported rate are not interchangeable; a 60 Hz display does not imply every original game renders 60 unique frames each second. Compare a result with that particular release’s intended behavior, including audio and pacing. This article establishes no locked-60-FPS system-wide result or fixed N64 range for the selected R36S.
Example: "Check the game’s intended speed and pacing, not just whether an on-screen counter shows 60."
Firmware Software
Software closely tied to device operation; retro handheld discussions also use the word for a complete installed OS image. The selected S listing names Linux-based retro gaming OS (ArkOS community firmware), not a verified latest build. Versions may change or be re-flashed, but an update is not automatically required or beneficial. Preserve the working setup, back up important data and confirm exact hardware and display compatibility before considering an image change.
G
GBA (Game Boy Advance) System
Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance platform. A game’s original platform identifies the software family, not its inclusion in a selected package or the quality of emulation on another device. Pokémon FireRed, The Minish Cap and Metroid Fusion are examples of GBA releases, not a verified supplied-title list. Confirm the exact edition and language, then assess controls, performance and saving; this guide does not certify every GBA game or a best-under-$100 award.
I
IPS Display Display
In-plane switching, a type of LCD panel technology often associated with wider viewing angles than some other LCD designs. Panel type alone does not measure a particular device’s brightness, contrast, color accuracy or response time. The selected S listing describes a 3.5-inch 640 × 480 IPS screen. Compare actual requirements rather than treating IPS as a universal quality award or assuming every product bearing that label has the same panel.
Example: "IPS identifies a panel technology; the selected screen size and resolution are separate specifications, not measured color results."
L
Input Latency Performance
The elapsed time between an input and its observable response, often reported in milliseconds or frames. Measurement depends on the game, controller, emulator, display and test method. A frame count also needs its timing reference. No measured three-to-five-frame latency or imperceptibility result is established for the selected R36S here; do not use a guessed delay as a reason to promise original-hardware responsiveness.
M
MicroSD Card Storage
Removable flash storage that a handheld may use for a boot image, game files and saves. The selected S offers are labelled 64GB and 128GB; nominal capacity is not usable free space, a file manifest or an assurance that cards can be moved between devices. Do not infer a slot’s position or purpose from the model name. Follow the actual unit instructions, use normal shutdown before removal and back up the working setup and important progress before changes.
Example: "Use normal shutdown and wait for the unit to power off before removing a card; preserve the original working setup."
N
NAND Flash Storage
A form of nonvolatile flash memory technology. NAND is not a synonym for internal storage: removable flash media can also use NAND technology. Distinguish the physical storage device, its location, capacity and role. A model’s use of a removable system card does not establish every internal component or mean a larger blank card is immediately bootable. Card migration may require the correct image, layout and backups.
O
OnionOS OS
Community software associated with supported Miyoo Mini-family hardware. Its name is not evidence that it supports every Miyoo device or an R36S. Linux-based community projects are hardware-specific; similar menus do not establish image interchangeability. Use the project’s exact device and revision support information, and preserve a working configuration instead of trying an unrelated image because another handheld runs it.
R
RetroArch Emulator
A software front-end and framework that can load separately maintained cores; it is not a single universal emulator for every game. A particular setup may also launch standalone emulators. Options such as save states, cheats or display processing depend on the active core and configuration. Use the actual installed interface and instructions; a physical Menu button or a remembered shortcut from another unit is not a verified command here.
Example: "Identify whether the running game uses RetroArch or a standalone emulator before following its save-state instructions."
RK3326 Chip / SoC
A Rockchip system-on-chip identifier listed for the selected R36S, R36MAX and R36PRO offers. A shared chip identifier does not certify identical hardware, firmware, cooling, display behavior or game results. Processor information can help narrow expectations, but it does not supply a tested compatibility percentage. Do not buy this class on the assumption of a proven PS2 or GameCube experience; no such selected-device result is established here.
Example: "S and MAX list RK3326, so the larger MAX screen is not evidence of a higher-chip performance tier or identical results."
RK3566 Chip / SoC
A different Rockchip system-on-chip identifier. The selected R36PRO offer used in this guide lists RK3326, not RK3566; do not infer a chipset upgrade from the word Pro. Neither an RK3566 name nor an old comparison percentage proves a particular title result. Verify the exact selected product and configuration before comparing processor classes, firmware support, price or suitability.
ROM Game File
Originally read-only memory; in retro gaming conversation, ROM often refers loosely to a game image file. Cartridge and disc images can use different formats, and one file extension does not prove a valid complete release or emulator compatibility. The selected S advertised counts of 15,000+ for 64GB and 20,000+ for 128GB are not a title manifest, edition check, rights assurance or gameplay test. This glossary does not establish which named titles are supplied.
S
Save State Gameplay
A snapshot made by a supported emulator or core, distinct from the game’s own save system. Availability and reliability depend on the particular software and title; snapshots are not guaranteed to transfer between cores, versions or devices. Keep ordinary in-game saves where available and back up progress before changes. Use the current emulator’s actual commands rather than an assumed physical-button shortcut.
Example: "Keep the game’s normal save as well as any emulator snapshot; test resuming important progress before relying on one method."
Shader / CRT Shader Display
A graphics-processing program; in emulator settings, a shader may change presentation with effects such as scanlines or simulated CRT characteristics. The result is a visual approximation, not proof of an identical original display experience. Support and performance cost depend on the device and graphics backend. Keep a known-working display configuration and change one option at a time rather than treating an effect as mandatory.
SoC (System-on-Chip) Hardware
A system-on-chip integrates processing and other system functions, often including CPU, GPU and controllers. RAM may be separate; the term does not mean every component is on one chip. Real emulation results also depend on memory, software, drivers, settings and thermal behavior. A higher-numbered chip or a Premium/Pro model name alone does not establish a measured upgrade or resolve a game-specific requirement.
T
Thermal Throttling Performance
A device reducing operating speed in response to thermal or power-management conditions. A sustained-performance claim requires a defined workload, duration and observations for the actual configuration. This guide establishes neither the presence nor absence of throttling on the selected S. Follow the unit’s safety instructions and seek support for unusual heat rather than relying on an unverified assertion that it always runs cool.
U
USB-C Hardware
A connector type, not proof of charging wattage, USB data mode, video output, fast charging or USB Power Delivery support. Similar-looking ports can have different functions. No universal 5V/2A requirement, two-hour charge or data-transfer workflow is established for the selected S by this glossary. Follow the actual unit’s supplied charging instructions and identify the port’s function; do not infer an electrical recommendation from connector shape.
Turn the Definitions Into a Specific Product Check
Selected R36S 64GB $79.99 / 128GB $89.99. Check the exact game requirement, screen preference and first-use instructions before choosing.
→ Shop R36S — From $79.99 Full Buying Guide📖 See also: R36S Review · Game Compatibility Guide · Setup Guide
