I have much trigger time with the 036 Pro and the 361 in stock trim and the 361 is much nicer to operate........ smoother.....I wouldn't say that it is faster by much if any, but if you spend long hours 14+ hours a day with one or the other.......the next day you will want to use the 361.
I have since had them both freshened up and ported with muffler modds, by the same person at the same time and the 361 without a doubt whips the 036in all categories.
That doesn't make the 036 a bad saw, it is just that it isn't a 361. A modded 361 is a wonderful tool in my opinion. This is not meant as any dis-respect to the 036 or their owners, but to put it in perspective, if they both cost the same money and a person purchased the 036 over the 361, it would be my opinion, that this individual's elevator doesn't go all the way to the top.
Again, to put it into perspective if you had an 036 and only needed one saw, or there was a significant amount of savings in purchasing the 036 over the 361. There you would be fine.
I wouldn't get rid of the 036, just because I have a 361, but I sure wouldn't purchase another 036 over the 361, my opinion. This modded 361, is so "dead" in the the cut, while cutting (burried 24" bar) that it seems you could place a cup of water on the top cover and you wouldn't even see ripples in the water. There is literaly zero vibration (with a properly sharpened chain). The 036 is like a box of rocks with the exact same bar and chain, in the exact same log, and it has always been like this. There is no comparison.
As a side note, I fail to see how some who hasn't run both saws, can subjectively state, that one is better than the other without logging (possibly literally, logging, LOL) a good amount of time with each, but I have come to understand that this happens a lot around here, LOL.
My opinion,
Sam