Manba One: one-minute overview
The Manba One is a wi-fi controller with an inbuilt display screen for accessing the assorted tweaks obtainable to tailor the gaming expertise to your preferences.
Its design mimics the Xbox Wi-fi Controller, though the white variant includes a detachable clear entrance cowl that reveals a number of the internal workings – which, together with the RGB lighting on both aspect, helps to make the Manba Yet another distinctive.
Nevertheless, the comparatively brief grips brought about me some discomfort, primarily as a result of sharp angle at which they tail off in direction of the triggers. These with smaller fingers could also be high-quality (though mine aren’t even that massive), however I choose the grip designs of fashionable controllers, such because the aforementioned Xbox controller and PlayStation’s DualSense.
The general construct high quality is sweet: the face buttons are extra akin to mouse clicks, however pleasingly tactile all the identical, whereas the D-pad is extra damped and operates easily. Nevertheless, the rear ‘M’ buttons are too small and skinny to be handy, and all too straightforward to mispress. The bumpers are additionally slightly awkward to succeed in given their thickness, and the triggers are fairly brief and fewer indented than these on a number of the finest PC controllers.
Worst of all, although, is that the left stick – on my unit at the least – can stick in an elevated place, in flip inflicting it to get caught in sure instructions when utilizing it, which is a major problem. Fortunately, this subject was resolved simply by urgent the stick again into place, but it surely’s a design fault that must be addressed, if certainly it impacts all items.
Since there’s no software program for the Manba One, all changes are made through its onboard show, and fortunately the interface is evident and straightforward to make use of. From right here, you’ll be able to rebind buttons, activate turbo mode, and assign the 4 remappable M buttons to a sequence of button presses. You may as well modify set off journey, in addition to the deadzone and curve for the joysticks. 4 profile slots can be found to save lots of your configurations, together with one devoted to Change controls.
In apply, the Manba One performs nicely, on each PC and the Nintendo Change. The buttons are snappy and straightforward to make use of, though the triggers don’t provide essentially the most suggestions, since their journey is kind of brief. Nevertheless, the flexibility to lock the journey is a welcome addition, and proves very helpful for shooters once you wish to carry out fast faucets.
The joysticks are additionally exact and clean, and the curve choices do make a distinction. I discovered that the Excessive Efficiency curve, as an example, was particularly helpful for racing video games, because it allowed for each exact micro-adjustments and full-lock steering rapidly.
Given its asking worth, the Manba One represents good worth contemplating its options and efficiency. The official Xbox Wi-fi Controller is cheaper, however barebones compared, and it doesn’t even include a chargeable battery. In the event you’re after related ranges of customization, then you definitely’ll normally should half with much more money. The Manba One, due to this fact, is a worthy selection for these after a exact, tweakable controller.
Manba One overview: Value and availability
- $69.99 (about £54 / AU$105)
- Obtainable now in Black and White colorways
- Good worth in comparison with the competitors
The Manba One prices $69.99 (about £54 / AU$105) and is obtainable now. It is available in two colorways, black and white, the latter of which includes a clear entrance cowl. The joysticks are replaceable, with a taller pair included within the field. Additionally included is a dock for wi-fi charging.
It’s dearer than the Xbox Wi-fi Controller, top-of-the-line PC controllers round and a preferred selection for a lot of PC gamers, however not by a lot. It has extra options than this pad, together with a built-in show, 4 programmable rear buttons, and quite a few different tweaks and customizations. Nevertheless, not like the Xbox Wi-fi Controller, the Manba One has no 3.5mm headphone jack.
In comparison with extra feature-laden controllers, the Manba One seems like a veritable discount. The Turtle Seashore Stealth Extremely, for instance – our choose as the perfect PC controller for these with money to splash – is significantly dearer. Nevertheless, this gamepad is extra superior, that includes mechanical buttons and the headset audio management.
The Manba One matches it for joystick {hardware}, although, as each pads use Corridor impact know-how – however the thumbsticks themselves can’t be switched out on the Stealth Extremely, as they will on the Manba One. Additionally, as talked about in our Turtle Seashore Stealth Extremely overview, we weren’t followers of its companion software program.
Manba One overview: specs
| Value | $69.99 (about £54 / AU$105) |
| Dimensions | 6.1 x 4.3 x 2.6 inches (155 x 108.5 x 65.5mm) |
| Weight | 10.4oz (295g) |
| Compatibility | PC, Nintendo Change, Android and iOS |
| Connection sort | Wi-fi (Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C) |
| Battery life | About 10 hours |
| Software program | None |
Manba One overview: design and options
- Inbuilt display screen
- Snappy, tactile buttons
- Some consolation points
The Manba One adopts a relatively basic controller design, with the same form and structure to Xbox controllers, however with a barely extra angular, aggressive look. There’s additionally some customizable RGB lighting on the perimeters to brighten up proceedings, in addition to some delicate grey accents on the white variant.
This colorway additionally includes a clear entrance cowl, letting you see the exoskeleton lurking beneath, which fades to silver in direction of the underside. The rear of the pad is calmly textured on the grips, however there’s no extra padding as a number of the finest PC controllers and finest Xbox controllers function.
The grips themselves are additionally fairly brief and curve abruptly in direction of the triggers. In consequence, I didn’t discover the Manba One as comfy to carry as extra fashionable controllers, such because the Xbox controller and PlayStation’s DualSense. Nevertheless, these with smaller fingers might don’t have any subject.
In comparison with these different controllers, the face buttons on the Manba One are much less damped as nicely, feeling and sounding extra like mouse buttons, however satisfying to make use of nonetheless. The D-pad, although, feels extra cushioned and is clean to function. The sticks are common in measurement and have a delicate rubber materials on high, providing simply sufficient grip. A taller pair of sticks are included within the field and are straightforward to switch.
The triggers are one other level of departure for the Manba One. They’re fairly brief with shallow indentations, and provide much less journey and resistance than you would possibly anticipate. Nevertheless, the stroke lock is a intelligent addition, because it reduces journey significantly to permit for speedy firing.
One other welcome function is their dotted texture, which does assist with grip. This will also be discovered on the bumpers, though it’s a disgrace these are cumbersome with an ungainly form, because it makes them uncomfortable to make use of for lengthy intervals. Fortunately, the identical can’t be stated concerning the residence buttons: these are positioned proper on the backside of the controller, under the D-pad and proper analog stick. This retains them out of the best way, but they’re nonetheless straightforward to entry when wanted.
The construct high quality of the Manba One is tough to fault – in most locations. The display screen is liable to micro-scratches all too simply, however extra worrying is a matter I skilled on my take a look at unit: the left analog stick managed to get caught in a raised place, and on this state, it could in flip catch in sure instructions when working it – a cardinal sin for any joystick. Fortunately, this was a one-off downside, and easily pushing the stick again down into its authentic, supposed seat was sufficient to stop it reoccurring. Nevertheless, it’s nonetheless a fault price noting.
The included charging station matches the easy but smooth design of the controller itself, into which the Manba One matches like a glove. It additionally includes a compartment beneath to retailer the sizable Bluetooth dongle.
There’s no exterior software program app for the Manba One on both PC or cellular: each adjustment and tweak is made through a menu displayed on its display screen. There are alternatives to rebind buttons and toggle turbo mode, in addition to assign the 4 again M buttons to a sequence of as much as 20 buttons in a row.
You may as well modify the deadzone for the analog sticks, as nicely the curve. There are 4 choices to select from on this entrance, starting from a default, linear curve to a Excessive Efficiency possibility, which Manba claims is right for racing and taking pictures video games.
There are 4 profile slots to retailer your setups, together with one devoted to Change controls, however sadly, you’ll be able to’t rename them. There are additionally instruments for testing buttons and calibrating the joysticks, triggers, and movement management (for the gyroscope when enjoying sure Change video games). You possibly can set the vibration energy too, with 4 ranges to select from, or flip it off utterly.
Manba One overview: efficiency
- Snappy and responsive
- Helpful changes
- Triggers lack really feel
Gaming with the Manba One is generally an gratifying expertise. The sticks provide clean and exact actions, whereas the buttons are responsive and tactile. Nevertheless, the triggers fail to supply the perfect suggestions, as their journey is just too brief to supply the type of finely graded management you need from analog inputs. The beneath M buttons are additionally arduous to make use of within the warmth of the second, given their small measurement and awkward place; you’ll be able to’t use a extra flat-fingered strategy, as you’ll be able to with a extra conventional, paddle-like designs.
Personally, I’ve at all times most well-liked D-pads with separate buttons for every path, relatively than the built-in design on the Manba One, as I discover they offer me extra management and precision in video games the place such inputs are essential. I needn’t have frightened, although. When enjoying Tekken 8, as an example, the place D-pad inputs are advanced, I had little subject hitting the instructions I wished to hit. That round form additionally helps to roll seamlessly between a number of instructions, but every remains to be straightforward to actuate individually with out unintentionally triggering adjoining instructions, which may occur on D-pads with a singular element.
The varied tweaks obtainable on the Manba One additionally made a distinction. Utilizing the Excessive Efficiency curve for racing video games, as an example, was a marked enchancment. When enjoying Assetto Corsa, it supplied a lot better automotive management, as I may make minute steering corrections and drastic adjustments of path equally nicely, relying on how far I moved the stick.
This identical curve can also be really helpful for shooters, though I discovered that the default, linear curve supplied much less delicate and extra exact trying and aiming. The locks on the again that shorten the set off size additionally work for enabling speedy taking pictures.
One of many nice benefits of the show is the flexibility to regulate settings on the fly. Accessing the menu mid-game works nicely for essentially the most half, though having to carry the house button for 3 seconds to activate it’s a little inconvenient; I want it have been slightly faster.
It’s a disgrace additionally that the M buttons can’t be programmed as modifiers; to toggle the curve of the analog sticks, as an example, which might be helpful for conditions requiring momentary decreases in sensitivity, comparable to aiming, appearing like a sniper button on a mouse. I discovered the M buttons all too straightforward to set off too, particularly when utilizing the D-pad or face buttons intensely, as I naturally tightened my grip on the again of the controller.
Along with PC, I additionally used the Manba One with a Nintendo Change, connecting through Bluetooth with no need the included dongle. Just like the finest Nintendo Change controllers, connecting the Manba One to the console is straightforward, and it labored flawlessly.
The battery lifetime of the Manba One is claimed to be about 10 hours or extra, and this was roughly in keeping with what I skilled, though it was arduous to get an correct measurement of battery ranges, since no share is given on the inbuilt display screen. Charging through the included dock takes about 4 and a half hours based on Manba, and once more this proved comparatively correct.
Ought to I purchase the Manba One?
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Additionally contemplate…
If the Manba One is not doing it for you, here is a few different controllers we advocate
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Manba One | Xbox Wi-fi Controller | Victrix Professional BFG |
| Value | $69.99 (about £54 / AU$105) | $59.99 / £54.99 / AU$74.99 | $179.99 / £179.99 / AU$269 |
| Dimensions | 6.1 x 4.3 x 2.6 inches (155 x 108.5 x 65.5mm) | 6 x 4 x 2.47 inches (152 x 102 x 63mm) | 6.3 x 4.1 x 2.4 inches (160 x 105 x 60mm) |
| Weight | 10.4oz (295g) | 10.1oz (287g) | 10.5oz (298g) |
| Compatibility | PC, Nintendo Change, cellular | PC, Xbox Collection X, Xbox Collection S, Xbox One, cellular | PC, PS5, PS4 |
| Connection sort | Wi-fi (Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C) | Wi-fi (Xbox Wi-fi, Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C) | Wi-fi (2.4GHz), Wired (USB-C) |
| Battery life | 10 hours | 40 hours (AA batteries) | 20 hours |
| Software program | None | Xbox Equipment | Victrix App |
How I examined the Manba One
- Examined for a number of days
- Performed a wide range of genres on PC and Change
- 25+ years gaming expertise
I examined the Manba One for a number of days. Throughout that point, I used it to play a wide range of titles, together with shooters, racing simulators and preventing video games, with the intention to take a look at each side of the controller. These included Black Mesa, Steel Gear Stable 3: Snake Eater – Grasp Assortment Model, Assetto Corsa, and Tekken 8. I examined the Manba One on PCs – each Home windows 10 and 11 – and the Nintendo Change.
I additionally made certain to make use of and tweak each obtainable function and setting on the Manba One through the built-in show. I additionally tried out the included replaceable joysticks and the wi-fi charging dock.
I’ve been gaming for over 25 years throughout quite a few platforms, all the best way from the NES and different Nintendo consoles to most generations of PlayStation and PC. Throughout that point I’ve used a lot of controllers, from official gadgets to third-party ones. I’ve additionally examined many different gaming peripherals, together with mice and keyboards.
