Summary
There are tons of great multi-platform game controllers, but remembering button combinations that switch between different modes and features can be a chore. TheManba Onesolves that problem with an interactive color screen, along with excellent build quality, to rise above the pack.
Manba One
The Manba One series multiplatform wireless gaming controller features an interactive screen, Hall effect sticks and triggers, RGB lighting, and remappable buttons.
Price and Availability
The Manba One is available in white or black fromAmazonorManbafor $70. The box includes the controller, charging station, 4 ft 11 in USB-C to USB-A cable, wireless USB-A receiver, interchangeable thumbsticks, and paperwork. The controller supports Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, iOS, and Android devices.
Design and Ergonomics: Familiar and Comprehensive
The Manba One takes cues from the standard Xbox Wireless Controller regarding design, layout, and overall feel. This is a good thing because many, including me, consider the Xbox Wireless Controller to be the gold standard for ergonomics. Even with its extra technology, the Manba One feels light and well-balanced at 10.4 ounces.
The overall aesthetic has a cyberpunk vibe, complete with a transparent top cover and colorful LEDs on the right and left. The rear of the controller is textured for better grip, as are the Left and Right Bumpers and Triggers. Instead of smooth ABXY buttons, Manba has chosen to indent each letter, either white on white or black on black, depending on the controller color. I would have preferred smooth buttons for extra comfort, but they didn’t leave letter impressions on my thumb, even after long game sessions.
On the rear are charging contacts for the included charging dock, a power switch, four programmable buttons labeled M1 - M4, and Left and Right Trigger locks. The locks are physical switches that change the amount of travel, from very short, to full range, of their respective triggers. For instance, you’ll want a short travel for faster gunshots, or a long, full travel to better control a car’s acceleration curve.
The unique feature of the controller, just below its USB-C port, is its top center-mounted 2-inch display for connections and configurations. As a result of the display placement, the Back, Capture, Home, and Start buttons are at the front bottom of the controller.
Finally, unlike some other controllers that allow you to swap physical buttons to the Switch’s BAYX layout rather than the Xbox’s ABXY, you’re stuck with the latter. This is the safer choice as that’s the layout PC, iOS, and Android devices make use of, but it would have been nice to have the option. When you set the controller configuration to Switch mode, as expected, A=B, B=A, X=Y, and Y=X, so the location, if not physical label, is correct.
Features and Performance: Multi-Platform With Ease
This is considered version 2 of the Manba One controller, and, as such, it has some notable improvements over the previous iteration. Manba One’s joystick polling rate, which is the frequency data is sent, jumps from 250 Hz to 800 Hz, and there’s now an adjustable joystick dead zone and trigger stroke range. The bumpers use better quality ALPS technology, and the ABXY buttons use microswitches for more accuracy and responsiveness. Finally, the Nintendo Switch button layout was added in settings. These are all solid improvements, translating to great accuracy and performance on every platform and game I tried.
While there are many wonderful multi-platform controller options out there, I’ve always found switching between different platforms difficult because they usually involve an arcane combination of button presses. In short, if the manual wasn’t handy, it would be a miracle if I remembered all the button combinations required to change anything. Similarly, while using an app is a great option, that’s still an extra step and process.
For better or worse, the Manba One lets you do everything solely from its built-in display. Pressing and holding the Home button for three seconds enters the Screen Menu, where you can switch platforms from the Mode option or configure Settings. Windows 7 or later systems can use a wired connection for Xinput or Dinput modes or the included USB-A wireless receiver for Xinput or Switch modes. Nintendo Switch systems can use Bluetooth or wired connections. iOS 14 or later and Android 10 or later devices can use Bluetooth for native controller games. Once a device is paired the first time, you just have to select it again if it wasn’t the last device you used.
While I would have preferred a touchscreen, the menu system is easy enough to navigate with the D-pad and Back, Home, and Start buttons. Despite picking up some reflections, the screen’s visibility is also excellent in almost all lighting conditions, and the minimal use of color, mostly yellow, further helps to distinguish the user interface options. The only real downside is that I noticed some fine scratches over time on the plastic covering the screen, but it’s something I was only able to see from specific angles.
Every major platform feature is supported on the Manba One. For instance, on PC, pressing the Home button might launch Steam’s Big Picture Mode. On the Switch, the controller’s built-in six-axis gyroscope is supported for motion gaming, as is the Capture button for screenshots.
The built-in 1800mAh battery provides up to 12 hours of playtime between charges. The included charging dock is excellent, with the Manba One sitting easily in place and even a storage area underneath for the USB receiver. Of course, you can also charge it using a regular USB-C cable. The Manba One’s display provides a charging reminder when needed.
Customization: Covers the Basics
The Manba One has both physical and software-based customizations. For physical, besides the trigger locks, you can remove the transparent magnetic cover and swap either analog stick for shorter or longer variants. One pair of each type is included. I personally liked having two shorter analog sticks installed, but I appreciate the option of longer sticks should I identify a game that benefits from one or both.
Through the built-in display, you can map M1 - M4 to either a single button, such as A to M1, or turbo. You can also program multi-button sequences, or macros, helping you pull off complex special moves or other actions with ease.
Since the sticks and triggers use magneticHall Effecttechnology, you won’t have to compensate for drift over time. However, you can still adjust the joystick curves, joystick dead zones, trigger dead zones, and trigger travel to get a truly custom feel.
Finally, you can adjust the vibration levels between one of four levels, change the menu language, and test the buttons. Again, the fact that all of this is accessible from the built-in menu-driven display elevates the Manba One, which is most importantly a quality controller, to a whole other level.
Should You Buy the Manba One?
Now that most premium third party game controllers use the same type of Hall Effect technology, support the same types of platforms, and have the same basic layouts and core features, it’s becoming incredibly difficult to truly stand out. But theManba Onenot only nails all the physical requirements that go into a good, precise game controller, but also makes its connectivity and customization options intuitively accessible thanks to its quality menu-driven, built-in display. If you have one or more of its supported platforms, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better controller without paying a significant premium.
