Manba One Review – Interesting idea, but forgets the basics

When looking through the third-party controller market, there are a few clear features that are being offered. Hall effect analog sticks (and often triggers), extra buttons, and some RGB for good measure. Naturally, this has led to some companies attempting to differentiate their controllers by introducing even more unique features.

Enter the Manba One, which brings something that has only been seen a couple times before: a screen. That’s right, this controller has a screen directly in the middle. But why? Read on to find out more.

A Quick Overview

Key Features

• Compatible with PC, Switch, iOS, Android
• 800 Hz polling rate
• Wireless dongle + Bluetooth connectivity
• Hall Effect Joysticks
• Microswitch face buttons
• Trigger Stoppers
• RGB
• A screen for adjusting settings without external apps

Out of the box, you get the Manba One itself — while this review only covers the white version, there’s also a black version that is functionally identical. — a wireless dongle, extra (longer) analog sticks, and a charging cradle. Oh, and an obligatory USB-C cable.

The first thing you notice straight away is the 2-inch screen, which sits directly between the left analog stick and the face buttons. This display has meant that buttons you’d usually find in the centre are now positioned right at the bottom.

Aside from this main change, the general layout and overall shape isn’t too different from a modern Xbox controller. It’s a familiar experience, with a few caveats.

The Good

Being close to an Xbox controller in shape means that the Manba One is comfortable to hold. I had no trouble using the controller for hours at a time, and it doesn’t take long to get used to after many years of using a regular Xbox offering.

I also found the analog sticks to be pretty competent, if nothing outstanding. They use Hall Effect tech, which in general terms means they shouldn’t drift and will last longer than first party controllers.

One area that I definitely find an improvement is the face buttons. A previous version of the Manba One made use of plain rubber membrane buttons. These have now been replaced with clicky mechanical switches, and I love them.

The switches on the Manba One’s buttons are very similar to the ones on the Stellar T5, requiring around the same amount of force as membrane buttons, but with a responsive click. You always know when a button is pressed, something that I really appreciate in games where every action matters.

While it takes some time getting used to, even the positioning of the (formerly) central buttons is more than fine. Things like the screenshot and home buttons are now right at the bottom, which is actually not that hard to reach with your thumbs. It does take a few sessions to adjust, but it’s less jarring than I initially expected.

In addition to the controller, the included charging cradle works as you’d expect. Again, it’s similar to the ones that you can buy for Xbox controllers, and does its job well. The Manba One itself has a 1800mAh battery, which already provides longer battery life than something like the DualSense.

The Bad

Unfortunately, while the face buttons are great, the shoulder buttons and triggers are not. Without adjusting how your hands hold the controller, my index fingers always rested on the top of the Manba One in a way that made the shoulder buttons awkward to press.

This is due to the screen, which has caused the shoulder buttons to be tweaked slightly. They’re more slanted, and moved further away from the centre. Frankly, they don’t feel very good to use. The inner side of the shoulder buttons is harder to press down, and their position means that they never quite feel right.

Meanwhile, the triggers are just a little on the small size. I wouldn’t say they’re awful, but as triggers they don’t offer a good range of motion. In theory, this would have made them a good pairing with the included trigger stoppers.

Trigger stoppers allow you to (in theory) switch the triggers to something closer to regular buttons. This is done via some switches on the back of the Manba One, and it’s easy to change between modes for each trigger.

While a good idea, the triggers feel odd when the trigger stoppers are enabled. There’s a slight “mushy” feel when pressing down fully, and they’re definitely no match for a regular pair of buttons.

Worse than the shoulder buttons though is the dpad. It’s horribly stiff, with a large centre deadzone that doesn’t count as any direction. It’s potentially the worst dpad from any of the controllers I’ve reviewed for Rice Digital, making even going through menus more frustrating.

The Screen

As for the Manba One’s big feature, it’s a mixed bag. The screen is relatively small, though it still takes a lot of space up on the controller. While a lot of third party controllers make use of button combinations for connecting to different devices or adjusting settings, this is all done via the screen.

Holding the home button lets you switch to controlling the screen, giving you options to change what device you’re connecting to, adjust analog dead zones, and mess with the RGB (though you only get a few settings for this.)

It’s intuitive, letting you do all of this without having to memorise any inputs. Even when not using the screen for settings, it shows your battery percentage.

The main issue with this screen is what I mentioned earlier: the fact that it’s taking up too much of the screen. While I like the settings this screen offers, I’m not sure if sacrificing general useability (namely the shoulder buttons) was worth it.

What makes it more odd is that I think that a screen half as tall could still get the job done. This way you wouldn’t have to compromise on shoulder buttons or other button positioning, while still offering a few helpful features.

Manba One Review – Final Thoughts

The Manba One is an interesting idea that isn’t quite there yet. Great face buttons are paired with a terrible dpad and questionable shoulder buttons. Its defining feature, the screen, has a few positives while also bringing other issues.

As I’ve alluded to in the review, this version of the Manba One is actually the second iteration of the controller. A potential future revision could fix the current issues and make this a controller I can recommend. But for now, there are plenty of better options — especially for the current £78.99 asking price.

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Our review of the Manba One was created using a sample unit provided by the manufacturer. The Manba One can be purchased on Amazon UK / US, or via the Manba store (non-affiliate links.)

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