Not too long ago I had picked up the Qanba Q4 RAF joystick, which was a multiplatform joystick that worked on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. For unforeseen reasons I had ended up parting ways with the stick, trust me however it wasn’t due to issues with the joystick as it was damned near perfect. Fast forward to today where I find myself playing more and more fighting games on the PC, mostly Mortal Kombat 9, Ultra Street Fighter 4 among others and struggling with an Xbox 360 gamepad. So as you could imagine I wasn’t doing so good on the gamepad and I enough was enough. I eventually started looking for another joystick but not one that was too costly.
Update: If you’re here and wondering if this works for Street Fighter V on PC, the answer is yes! It does work with Street Fighter V on PC!
High hopes you say? Where am I going to find a decent yet not costly joystick you say? Well, looks like Qanba / Eightarc must have been reading my mind as they had just the joystick in mind; The Qanba Q1. Similar to its older sibling the Q1 is a dual-platform joystick for either the PS3 and PC or Xbox 360 and PC. So seeing how I no longer own a Xbox 360 but still play on my PS3 and PC, I picked up the former. Oh did I mention it was only $79.99?
For that price, you would probably think that the stick is cheaply made or not of a high or decent quality, right? Well, I’m happy to report that this stick is pretty study and constructed damn well. At first, glimpse, if you didn’t already know how much the stick was going you’d probably think it was priced a bit higher. It’s that good. It is no frills however and there wasn’t anything extra that came with the stick. In fact, the only thing included in the box was the joystick, a cleaning wipe and a small zip lock bag that includes a rounded gate and an octagon gate in case the square gate that comes already installed isn’t your style. There are also 2 button covers that are also included in case you want to convert the stick from 8 buttons 7 (Vewlix layout) or 6 buttons.
The stick is well-constructed and during gameplay, it wasn’t so light that it moved however at the same time it wasn’t too heavy to be considered cumbersome, I’d say it weighs about 4.5 – 5 pounds despite the official weight being listed at 6 pounds. I half expect that I could drop the stick off controller stand and the stick wouldn’t be damaged, no I’m not going to test that for you, however. I don’t drop joysticks as that’s just cruel to the stick.
The design of the stick is very nice as well with its black on gold details and the glossy overlay, again showing that you can get a lot for just under $80 dollars. Smooth sides, decent button placement and even a few extra features such as rapid-fire. And for all out there who love to give your sticks a touch of flavor you can still swap the top panel. In fact, if you head on over to FocusAttack.com you can order a new top panel cover with custom graphics if you feel inclined to do so.
There’s even a secret compartment on the left side of the stick which houses the USB cable, just unlatch the door and out it goes. My only complaint about that, however, is that the cable is a tad on the short side with a distance of 4 feet. So if you aren’t sitting directly in front of your console or PC then you’re going to have to get a USB extension cord. A bit annoying but workable in the grand scheme of things.
The joystick comes by default with Qanba’s own joystick and buttons, decent for what they are and for most beginners they’re doing well. For others, however, I’m sure you’re going to want to swap them out with a Sanwa joystick and buttons. Thankfully the Q1 makes it pretty easy to do that, simply remove a few screws, pop the top off and you have access to the stick and buttons that are connected via a few quick connects.
And finally the last but most unique of the stick is the table clamp. In fact, it actually has a pretty nifty that I wish all joysticks had. Just unscrew the two clamps, side the joystick onto a table, a desk or whatever you can fit in between the clamp and then tighten it. The clamp is actually connected by a tab on the top that lets you quick release it and a screw on the bottom. Despite that, the table clamp is surprisingly pretty stable especially since looking at it gives a different impression. Though at the same time the tab on the top is actually pretty redundant since you really can’t quick disconnect it without undoing the screw at the bottom.
All in all the Qanba Q1 is a pretty decent stick especially at the price point that it comes in which lets the stick fight in the arena that’s typically filled with joysticks from Madcatz and Hori.
The Qanba Q1 can be picked up for a song at either Amazon.com ($79.99) or directly via Eightarc’s website ($69.99)
Overall
The Qanba Q1 is an excellent entry level joystick for those who have never owned a joystick, at the same time this stick would be a great addition to anyone’s current joystick line-up. As a multi-platform stick it will work on both a PS3 / PC (As reviewed) or Xbox 360 / PC, so it’s sure to satisfy just about any gamer without the need to swap out their PCB. At $79.99 but if you look around you can pick this up for $69.99 this joystick is a steal, especially for a beginner who’s looking for their first stick. This stick would be perfert if it came with a 6 foot cable instead of a 4 foot cable but thankfully this can be extended with a USB extension cable. And if you look modding your joysticks you’ll be happy to know that under the hood are quick connects which let you quickly swap out the buttons and joystick for a high quality ones.
Pros:
- The joystick is a beautiful stick. The design isn’t tacky or full of hundreds of graphics. Just a simply black on gold finish.
- Perfect size and weight. It’s not very bulky nor is it so heavy that it becomes a chore to carry the stick around with you.
- The stick is study. While constructed out of plastic the stick doesn’t feel flimsy at all.
- Inputs are lag-free. I haven’t noticed any lag on any of the games I’ve played which have been mainly fighters and a few Shoot ’em up’s.
- Table clamps. All joysticks should have this feature.
- The USB cable has a secret compartment that let’s you wrap and conceal the cable in.
- The price is right. At $79.99 but if you look around you can pick this up for $69.99 this joystick is a steal, especially for a beginner who’s looking for their first stick.
Con:
- If you’re new to joysticks then this may be a bit loud. Both the joystick and button presses generate a loud click. You’ll get used to it however.
- The USB cable is pretty short at 4 feet which may cause issues for gamers who sit further away from their console or PC.
I definitely recommend this joystick!
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A excellent starter joystick or a solid addition to your current joystick line-up
