Qanba Drone 2 REVIEW: Is this PS5 fightstick worth your money?

[@cattyg9495]

Having only 2 and half pounds to carry around a venue for several hours as I get second hand GamerMisted™ sounds nice, but I don't want my arcade stick launching off of my lap into a crowd of innocent bystanders when I do my luke triple perfect chipotle charge combos. Great review.

[@HushMySweet1]

The ol' extra greasy triple perfect chipotle charge combos. Sounds like your Luke is really coming along. But yeah, I definitely wasn't a big fan of the weight. Thanks for commenting!

[@oo0HardTruth0oo]

Weird flex that you're weak

[@mat_max]

Sony's licencing fee for ps5 is definitely the worst that has happened to this generation of fightsticks. Every single release has been a straight downgrade in materials and parts quality from the previous one while also being way more expensive. I mean, this one costs almost twice as much as the first drone did. And the worst part is that they're just straight up discontinuing the previous versions, leaving us with no choice but to buy a worse product than the one we could get just months before.

[@HushMySweet1]

100% agree.

[@bofo2323ify]

Get a PC

[@irregulargamer1352]

I agree. The ps5 sticks that have come out lately have all been lack luster. Cheap plastic and the same layout we've had for literal decades. Selling people a 40 dollar product for hundreds because they have to not only make a profit but appease sony's greed

[@irregulargamer1352]

​@@bofo2323ifyhey genius. If you want to play fighting games with friends or go to tournaments and locals your controller needs to work with ps5 and/or xbox.

[@barryschalkwijk9388]

i caved and bought a brooks usb converter. the latency on ps3 sticks is great and i love using my Madcatz TE for sf6, or my ps3 pad for 4 button fighters.

[@vthegrigori9137]

Not overly harsh. I feel the same way about recommending a first stick. I usually try to explain that a new buyer will likely end up paying more later either to upgrade parts or even the entire controller (as your mentioned). Some people just want to buy now or buy new rather than spending a bit more or saving up. Less money ≠ better value. Also confused with Qanba's lack of faith in their own parts. After the three SKUs of the Q8, I would have expected at least the Drone 2 or Titan to be rocking them. Oh well. Keep up the great work!

[@HushMySweet1]

"Less money ≠ better value." 100% yes! I had to rein myself in a few times so I didn't get completely away from the review to talk about that element, and encourage people to just save once for something nicer. Thanks for watching/commenting!

[@trumpameri1638]

I just buy this garbage because he is PS5 official.. now i must replace low quality buttons asap😂😂😂.. i don't know what is best quality option

[@voraminfantes5264]

It really is the price that kills this enclosure. I managed to fit a LS-32 in an old Drone by going with the fastener version, and so I was waiting for this stick to just have a nice portable Seimitsu parts enclosure where I could use a link and travel light. Then Qanba hit us with the $150 price tag. Omron switches are nice, but there is no such thing as middle ground on parts. They are either good enough for serious players to use them in a tournament, or they are budget. Suzo Happ's decline attests to this fact. $100-125 would've been fine but $150 is literally the cost of those dongled pcb sticks on the market, particularly Mayflash. The thing is, despite Sony's stupid decision to restrixt their controller protocols, Mayflash has a $35 that makes their sticks work on PS5 native games. For the same price, you can get a Sanwa parts f300, or $30 more gets you a F500 with a decent case that is still $60 cheaper than the Titan. If you want a good case for Seimitsu parts, the mayflash comparison gets even worse. If you want something with less input lag and you like non-standard parts, a Pico board with a brook FGC adaptor is in all likelihood going to outperform the Drone 2, and just about every custom case save for an AFS is going to beat it out or equal it in price if we include modding in good parts. The Drone 1 had a clear market position that the Drone 2 lacks despite being in a market with many of the same budget competitors. Truth be told Qanba feels really arrogant with their pricing this generation. The Titan as a case is certainly inferior to the Obisidian 1, and it feels like they are vulnerable to someone coming in and making a PS5 Sanwa Vewlix option below $240. That being said, the Titan is their best product in terms of just giving consumers a Sanwa Vewlix preassembled ps5 option. It feels like competition this generation is simply less. Hori has gone off and done their own thing, and it's a good product for people who like their work, but with Razer refocusing on their button box and Madcatz being a zombie corpse it feels like Qanba is simply counting on being the only player that can get easy ps5 compatibility on a Sanwa Vewlix stick, and they're going to charge alot for the privilege. Only time will tell if Qanba's just having to deal with egregious licensing fees from Sony and there won't be any competition, or if they're overplaying a somewhat fragile hand.

[@HushMySweet1]

Excellent comment and I definitely get what you're saying. (And I lol'd at Mad Catz zombie corpse.) I guess time will tell how this generation of sticks will turn out, but I'm not too optimistic based on this start. Thanks for watching!

[@zakutenakazumiya1516]

I once remarked that for 150, it SHOULD'VE had the Gravity parts by default given how expensive the Drone 2 is. Until a developer drops the ball and forgets that Sony Licensed PS4 sticks are natively compatible on PS5 games, investing on a PS5 stick should kinda be your last option in the meantime. The price is the only thing holding back the new generation of Qanba sticks imo. Too pricey for what they offer, esp the Obsidian 2, which costs as much as the Dragon, but it uses Sanwa parts rather than the Gravity parts.

[@HushMySweet1]

Well said, and I agree with everything. Qanba needs a reality check on their pricing structure for what they are offering this gen. If they want that bigboy money, then they need to make sure what they are offering justifies the price. Right now, I'm not seeing it.

[@Sansanmar]

I have a drone 1 that I bought dirt-cheap, put on some gravity buttons, changed the lever for a Sanwa, an octagonal gate, and I love it! The only thing that I'm missing is cool art (more like, how do I do it) for it to be perfect.

[@goldensheikh6432]

does drone 1 works on ps5 playing street fighter 6?

[@Last-Crusade]

did you find out I need to know before switching to ps5@@goldensheikh6432

[@Zahoops]

Solid review! I bought this as my first fight stick about a month ago to play Strive. I really like using it, but I can't really compare it with other sticks because I've never tried anything else. The buttons feel just OK, the stick feels fine. It does the job and feels fun to use. My biggest gripe is that it's so obnoxiouly loud! So when I play with friends, I have to mute myself and unmute which makes it rather difficult to talk shit. I don't think this can be helped with new buttons because the plastic does not dampen the sound, but rather exacerbates it. I think for SF6, I may just stick with pad because it's the one I play the most with friends.

[@HushMySweet1]

You're right about the noise and I think it's partially the enclosure's fault and partially the button's. Really, if I were to mod this, the first thing I'd do is swap the buttons out. Hey, thanks for taking the time to comment and share your experience! Good luck with SF6!

[@Doyoulike4]

Old comment but I can say with confidence that silent buttons/lever do help, but 100% the Drone/Drone 2 actual case/shell amplifies noise, realistically silent buttons and maybe a silent lever take it down to even with or slightly below "normal" fightstick noise. Also because of how cramped it is in there realistically only the silent JLF/JLX, and Qanba's own Gravity lever really fit in there, you'd have to do some adjustments to get any of seimitsu's silent offerings to fit at least from my own testing. Silent buttons though any snap-in 30mm buttons should fit fine, Gen 2 Silent Sanwa aka the OBSFE-30 would be my recommend.

[@Zahoops]

@@Doyoulike4 I bought a Qanba obsidian 2 since then. But I appreciate the recommendations and will see if I can fit it in that.

[@kojisyntax]

i think you're the first person i've seen review it that mentions they aren't qanba buttons and lever.

[@HushMySweet1]

Glad I was able to cover some new ground then (I try not to watch too many reviews so I don't get biased.) When I had originally ordered, I had just wrongly assumed that at $150, we'd be getting their Gravity stuff.

[@atl_kyvi]

That outro is hilarious

[@deminator1472]

Great review! Qanba always make great stuff, so the whole new lineup of 2's (obsidian, drone, etc..) are interesting to see

[@deminator1472]

Any updates on who you've been enjoying in SF6?

[@HushMySweet1]

Thanks for commenting! It will be interesting to see how this whole gen of sticks shapes up.

[@HushMySweet1]

@@deminator1472 I have been super busy with other stuff (hence my late replies here), so I think I have probably less than 10 hours on SF6 right now. Most of that is with Gief, but I don't think I'm going to main him. Right now, I think I'm leaning Juri. She feels most similar to Vega with her st.MK and good walk speed. A poor man's claw, but what can you do. Who you playing?

[@deminator1472]

@@HushMySweet1 started out with Manon but just got Marisa into gold so probably sticking with her for the time being

[@Salvatorez1980]

I appreciate the honesty. I was deciding between this or the hori ALPHA as a gift for my cousin since he's been play arcade SF2 and MK. He's always been energetic so I want something to last and the first drone always felt hollow/light to me. At this point if you play on PC getting custom 3D parts seems better for the price imo.

[@HushMySweet1]

Hey, thanks. I try to keep things on the level. This stick is pretty mid, but I have a future vid planned to try and make it a bit better with some mods. Still probably not worth the additional time/money to do that though, so I'd likely still recommend something else, especially if you only play on PC. Anyway, thanks for watching/commenting and I hope you stay tuned for more fightstick stuff.

[@Salvatorez1980]

@@HushMySweet1 update I bought a used HORI rap 4 for $100. The guy only used it once and switched to pad and I found out my cousin can just buy the ps4 version of street fighter 6. I’m just upset the drone 2 is nearly TWICE the price of the drone 1. I’d understand $100 for the ps5 pcb and Inflation but $140 feels like way too much for a beginner stick.

[@HushMySweet1]

@@Salvatorez1980 Yeah, I agree. It's pretty steep. At least you scored a cool Rap 4 though!

[@trumpameri1638]

​@@HushMySweet1great video.. what is best button to replace this low quality drone 2 ??

[@HushMySweet1]

@@trumpameri1638 Yeah, the buttons they have in this device are pretty poor. However, button alternatives are all personal preferences. Sanwa is sort of the standard, default option, but there are of course other options. I have an older video on this channel comparing different buttons to give you an idea of the feel and the sound. Good luck.

[@johnlund3088]

I own 9 sticks and I bought the Madcatz Alpha brand new at a retail store a few years ago for 25 dollars lol so no imo you weren't too harsh. It's not a reasonable price for what you pay for. I do however think the joystick is fine without ever touching it since it has the jlf layout and omron switches so in theory it should be good. I would have changed the buttons to obsf and called it a day lol.

[@HushMySweet1]

I actually agree with you on the components. The joystick was better than I thought it would be, but the buttons were loud and would sometimes stick, and all in all, just seemed poor quality. They would likely go first if I started modding this stick. Thanks for watching!

[@sharweendeez]

I just got it for $108 with free shipping. Then purchased 4 gravity ks and a sanwa lever for $36 both. So a total of $144. Was this a good deal?

[@HushMySweet1]

Yeah, that's more reasonable for sure. I would grab a couple more buttons just to even it out a bit, but yeah, your changes will make it better than stock for sure. Hope it serves you well! Thanks for watching.

[@sharweendeez]

@@HushMySweet1 I'm so glad i didn't mess up with this purchase Thank YOU!

[@Alternatedimension2]

I agree with you, funny enough I’m just watching this, wondering how others felt about it. This all bc I purchased it two weeks ago on eBay for $100 and free shipping. At $100 I can say I’m happy with it. I wasn’t willing to pay anything over. Thanks for the video.

[@HushMySweet1]

Yeah, I feel that's a fair price as well. I hope it serves you well! Thanks for watching.

[@OmnipotentO]

After trying noir layout for like the past year I think I still prefer viewlix because it's more comfortable to angle my hand inwards. So viewlix ends up being more ergonomic for me. I did probably develop the habit by using viewlix for so long but still

[@HushMySweet1]

That's true! I find noir and Sega P2 more ergonomic, but some people just won't. Fair point and thanks for watching!

[@timdane6132]

quick advice, looking for this against hori alpha. just a casual or begginer. but i want to have one that last long for personal usage.

[@YourboiPancho]

Bro me too. I’m looking to see which is better but I can’t decide. The hori alpha is $70 more but do you think it’s worth it

[@timdane6132]

@YourboiPancho notice hori is easy to customize, if i have issue i can chane or customize stuff by myself. Theres a game expo and evo is coming in my city next week, might hop their and check the feel of it before i get one. Probably im getting the sf6 edition

[@HushMySweet1]

I would definitely take the Alpha over the Drone 2.

[@HushMySweet1]

The Alpha is worth it over this imo.

[@codyeakinsbradley]

With what I have seen, as to recent releases, I'd recommend 8bitdo to any first time buyer. The damn usb cable on these new units pisses me off just to look at

[@ForgedRaven]

Great review, and sick Primal Rage controller! where did you get that?!?

[@HushMySweet1]

There's another video on this channel talking about the Keeb Brawler which breaks down that Primal Rage controller if you're interested. Thanks for watching!

[@LlamasIlamas]

Where can I get this deskmat? This is so cool!

[@HushMySweet1]

lol, glad you dig it! This was my custom graphic for the old synthwave fighting game OST remix part of the channel. I just had a custom mousepad company make me one big enough to have a cool review backdrop. Thanks for watching!

[@trumpameri1638]

I buy this drone 2 and buttons are low level quality..... what is best button to replace this

[@mat_max]

where did you find/buy those flatbox designs you showed at 5:33? I been looking forward to build one myself but the stock case and button design didn't really strike me and didn't find alternatives on 3d printing sites

[@HushMySweet1]

Find the user "TheTrainGoes" on github. He has a various Flatbox revisions and the one you see here is the one he lists as Flatbox rev 5 RGB case - Preminum Art Case. Good luck!

[@mat_max]

@@HushMySweet1 Thank you!!!! i've been looking for this kind of things for a diy build i'm planning to do with my pops

[@Genocidechaos]

Hi you mentioned around 1:20 that the Vewlix layout is not ergonomic. Which layout do you recommend for sticks in general for ergonomics?

[@kojisyntax]

Noir is nicer for ergonomics. I have both layouts and I don't really find much of a difference personally.

[@HushMySweet1]

I like Noir and Astro City Sega Player 2 the best of the standard layouts. You can also go custom and really dial in that feel for you and how you like to play though.

[@Nrver]

honestly thinking of buying this to replace my hori rap n, want something smaller and lighter for ease of use compared to the hefty rap n (not a fan of hitboxes or all that personally) good idea or nah? i got some custom buttons on my rap n that i can use to replace the qanba ones

[@HushMySweet1]

I have a vid lined up (but still like 2 months out) where I mod the Drone 2 to try and overcome its shortcomings. I'm just not a big fan of this stick for the price, but maybe modding it can bring it up to snuff. That said, if you like the size and the light weight appeals to you, far be in for me to say you shouldn't get it. Definitely start with a button swap though because these stock ones are garbage. Good luck with your decision!

[@Nrver]

@@HushMySweet1 tyvm! its got a sale cause of evo rn so if i do get it its now or never, looking forward to the video!

[@homersimpson5501]

Could I get a Korean lever in there? I’m thinking the crown 309mj benylis

[@HushMySweet1]

Do you know the depth of that? My gut says there won't be enough room, but I obvs haven't tried. Also, another issue you're likely to encounter when you install K levers is the hole diameter. J-levers typically have a smaller joystick hole whereas some full collar K-levers need a comparatively larger hole. I would have to sit down and look at the lever and space inside to make a better assessment, however. Good luck in the install!

[@homersimpson5501]

@@HushMySweet1 yeah it’s 40mm. I appreciate the heads up about the hole diameter. I’ll get a drill bit just in case

[@TrojanSalesmen1]

Remember if you live in America at least the warranty is not void if you take that sticker off

[@life64]

What would you recommend for a stick in general or is it better to build one yourself?

[@HushMySweet1]

So it really depends on A) your budget, and B) what systems require compatibility. If you have a very high budget or you only intend to play on PC, then you can basically just get whatever you want. I'm all about the custom builds, but they are pricier, especially if they require PS5 compatibility. If you want an over-the-counter stick, then my two favorite picks from the last generation of sticks were the Hori Fighting Edge and the Qanba Pearl (the Pearl is basically the same as the Obsidian but white and with a better layout). I also reviewed the Hori Alpha on this channel a few months back and found it alright, and most definitely a better option than the Drone 2. Everyone has different sensibilities when it comes to size, weight, and components, so it's hard for me to give an all-encompassing "best stick" recommendation.

[@pftmclub]

@@HushMySweet1 i thought custom build with brook are always cheaper

[@HushMySweet1]

@@pftmclub If you repurpose an existing box for your enclosure and you use a Brook Zero, then yeah. Customs are hard though because all the components are up in the air and you can spend as little or as much as you want. There are empty custom cases/enclosures that are worth as much or more than full stick offerings from certain places. Check out the Vega marquetry case in my very first vid on this channel.

[@life64]

@@HushMySweet1 I see I was just curious to see your take since you took a different stance than most people I talk to about it. I’m getting myself a used hori rap 4 Kai for 65 bucks so I guess I took something somewhat in the middle

[@SeroSerereSeviSatus]

Did you ever make a fully 3D-printed fighting stick?

[@HushMySweet1]

I actually have plans for that sometime down the line. I haven't done it yet though.

[@Silvervette96]

What's your thoughts on using this to play Pac-Man and Galaga etc?

[@HushMySweet1]

Pacman just needs a 4-way joystick, yeah? That shouldn't really matter though, and you can use arcade sticks to play other non-fighting games. Shmups and arcade classics are go-to secondaries for a lot in the fightstick niche.

[@Silvervette96]

@@HushMySweet1 I never play fighting games, but old school classic arcade games like Pac-Man, asteroids, centipede etc. that's what I want this for. I can't imagine why it wouldn't work well

[@HushMySweet1]

@@Silvervette96 Yeah, you should be fine! Good luck in the gamin'!

[@Silvervette96]

@@HushMySweet1 thank you. And thanks for the review!!

[@marcusmeins1839]

Which one do you recomend?

[@HushMySweet1]

So much depends on what a user prioritizes, so it's hard to give a catch-all recommendation. If you just want something out of the box that needs to work on PS5 (and has options to easily mod with different lever, buttons, art down the road), then I like the Hori Fighting Stick Alpha better than a lot of other brands since it's $200 whereas so many others are $300 or beyond. But! I am a huge custom enthusiast, so would always get behind a user building their own stick with the footprint/weight/layout/parts they want. Things can potentially get more expensive, but the ideal fit is priceless. I have another video on this channel I published just a couple days ago that features a full fightstick part list and walks a user through the whole process to make it as easy as possible. Good luck in getting the best fightstick for you!

[@billkozac7974]

Can you get a cable extension for it?

[@HushMySweet1]

I don't think an official one exists, but I suppose you could always fab something up.

[@sharkpyro93]

on EU amazon is almost eur200, absolutely overpriced for what it is

[@HushMySweet1]

Completely agree.

[@sharkpyro93]

@@HushMySweet1 same price as the hori alpha, i would say that is overpriced too but at least you get hayabusa stuff with that

[@yourchildrensghost9736]

All of the new Qanbas are too expensive.

[@HushMySweet1]

Yes.

[@alexaparicio12]

Suscrito. Muy bueno el contenido 👍

[@HushMySweet1]

¡gracias por ver!

[@t7justkc64]

I managed to get this stick at $80 hehe

[@HushMySweet1]

I wish that's what they retailed for. But good on you for scooping at a more appropriate price! Thanks for watching!

[@iHernandez620]

OG drone is better than this that's for sure

[@iHernandez620]

So I ended up buying a drone 2 and I'm so disappointed.

[@Cbas619]

I’d rather get a custom as my first

[@HushMySweet1]

I am all about the customs as well! However, for a first stick, a lot of players won't have dialed in any true part preferences yet because they have zero experience. So going through the steps to get custom artwork, components, enclosure/layout, w/e might be a bit daunting. So I suppose it's nice to have some off-the-shelf options so people can dip their toes into the scene a bit easier. Thanks for watching/commenting!

[@Cbas619]

@@HushMySweet1 true. I just love having custom interchangeable artwork on the face of the stick so I might look around for a retail model like that.

[@johanseth3277]

Buying PS5 sticks is just straight extortion and a scam It's best to buy a second hand official ps4 stick cause they have the same quality They're just re releasing the same product but make it ps5 compatible It's stupid

[@Ryan-so4xl]

keep looking is a pretty useless conclusion. There is no ps5 compatible fight stick at or around the same price, and all ps4 fight sticks have gone up in price substantially due to scarcity.

[@HushMySweet1]

I disagree. There are still options and deals to be had. There is the Hori Fighting Stick alpha for sale right now for 189.95 on AS (and everything was cheaper on Black Friday just a couple weeks back). That's not that much more in terms of price but a whole lot more in terms of value. And PS5-compatible GP2040-CE boards are like $50 and could pair with older builds/cases with a bit of elbow grease. However, if a user doesn't want to shop around or break out the screwdriver to open up an old stick, then my take should at least point them toward the "saving a bit more" category instead of blowing their money on this thing here so they can get something more deserving.

[@Ryan-so4xl]

@@HushMySweet1 what’s as

[@HushMySweet1]

@@Ryan-so4xl Arcade Shock

[@bofo2323ify]

Ppl jus put your money into a PC fuck Sony plus less input lag

[@kris.swoant]

just got this to mod with a samducksa (crown) lever and buttons! am from OCE and this shipped to me from their website for FREE while others charged around A$100 for shipping.

[@HushMySweet1]

Nice! Good score on the shipping deal.