I just tested this PS5 arcade stick — and it’s the best you’ll find on a budget

The Qanba Drone 2 ($109) is a great budget-friendly peripheral for anyone new to arcade sticks. Though it doesn’t have all the features of a premium controller like the Qanba Obsidian 2, this update to the popular Qanba Drone has almost everything you need to win ranked or offline matches.

Instead of Sanwa parts, the Drone 2 features a Qanba joystick and buttons. While these components aren't as premium as genuine Sanwa parts, they’re still highly responsive. The all-black lightweight plastic chassis looks good and is easy to carry around.

The cable compartment is a nice quality-of-life feature that makes it easy to tuck the cable away. There’s also a convenient quick access panel on the bottom if you want to switch out the ball top. Having this on a budget device is a nice touch.

While the Drone 2 offers excellent gaming performance for its price, some aspects denote this as a budget controller. Yes, the buttons and joystick work well, but they’re overly loud, which can get annoying. I’m also not a fan of the hard top panel, which can make it uncomfortable to rest your left wrist for extended periods.

The Qanba Drone 2 isn’t for hardcore arcade stick enthusiasts, but it’s one of the best arcade sticks for those new to such peripherals. Find out if the Drone 2 is for you in my full review.

Qanba Drone 2 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? The Qanba Drone 2 is a budget-friendly, officially licensed PlayStation arcade stick.
• Who is it for? For those who don’t want to spend a lot on their first arcade stick.
• What does it cost? The Qanba Drone 3 currently costs $109 on Amazon.
• What do we like? We like the compact size, solid gaming performance and relatively low cost of entry.
• What don’t we like? The loud Qanba parts and hard top panel.

Qanba Drone 2 review: Specs

Qanba Drone 2 review: The ups

The Qanba Drone 2 is an ideal arcade stick for newcomers thanks to its solid compact build, simple cable storage, great gaming performance and low asking price.

Compact design

At 14 x 8.7 x 4.57 inches and 2.6 pounds, the Drone 2 is a relatively small and lightweight arcade stick. Due to that, it’s not difficult to carry around or store. If you’re used to larger arcade sticks like the Victrix Pro FS or heavier ones like the Mayflash F700 Elite, the compact Drone 2 is a nice change of pace.

Though it’s made entirely of plastic, the no-frills all-black angular design is fetching. I like the top panel’s matte texture since it prevents smudging. Despite its size, your hands have enough room to comfortably move around. Four rubber pads on the bottom do a decent job of keeping the arcade stick stable on your desk or lap.

The easy-to-reach top panel buttons are located just above the joystick and buttons. The buttons in question include Select, Home, L3, Turbo, Share, Mute and R3. There are also small toggles to switch between directional buttons (D-Pad, LS, RS) and platforms (PS5, PS4, PC), and a touchpad. Unfortunately, there’s no tournament lock switch. All these buttons are plenty responsive and satisfying to press too.

Like the Obsidian 2, there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack located along the controller’s top side. While I appreciate this port’s inclusion, I wish it were located somewhere else since your headset’s wire can brush up against your left hand if it’s on the shorter side

As I said in the intro, you can swap out this controller’s joystick top by unscrewing it through a quick access panel on the bottom. Like with the Obsidian 2, you won’t need a screwdriver since the panel’s cover serves as that tool. However, you will need a screwdriver if you want to open the controller and swap out its parts. Customization isn’t as easy as with other controllers I’ve tested, but I can forgive that since this is a budget peripheral.

Easy cable storage

For most budget arcade sticks, cable management (if you can even call it that) involves wrapping the cable around the controller. Thankfully, you’re not forced to do that with the Drone 2.

There’s a sizable gap (or hole) on the front where you can easily tuck the cable when you’re not using the controller. You’ll want to fold the cable beforehand so it slides in without fuss, but doing so only takes a few seconds. The actual cable doesn’t protrude too far from the controller, so it’s not likely to accidentally catch on something.

The fact that cable management is arguably easier on this budget controller than on the more expensive Qanba Obsidian 2 is commendable.

Solid gaming performance

The Drone 2 features a Qanba OV7 Omron switch joystick and Qanba 30mm B30 buttons. These components don’t feel as good to use as proper Sanwa parts. The stick is somewhat loose and the buttons don’t offer much resistance when pressed. That said, you’ll still experience great performance from this arcade stick.

I tested a variety of fighting games on the Drone 2, including Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8 and Guilty Gear Xrd Rev2. Fireballs, 10-hit combos and Roman Cancels came out flawlessly thanks to the responsive stick and buttons. I also had fun playing side-scrolling beat ‘em ups like TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge.

The Drone 2 is compatible with PS4, PS5 and the best gaming PCs. I tried the controller on PC and PS5 and found the experience equally responsive on both. The Drone 2 isn’t compatible with the Xbox Series X out of the box, so you’ll need a wired stick converter to play on Microsoft’s gaming console.

Qanba Drone 2 review: The downs

The Qanba Drone 2 is a step above similar budget-focused competitors, but it has certain aspects that betray its price point.

Loud buttons & joystick

While the Drone 2 offers gaming performance almost on par with more expensive arcade sticks, its parts can get extremely loud, especially during heated matches. This poses two major problems.

Firstly, the loud button clacks can drown out a game’s sounds. If you’re like me and don’t use the best gaming headsets with noise cancelling, the loud buttons can get annoying fast. The arcade stick is also loud, though not on the level of the buttons.

Secondly, if you’re playing against anyone sitting next to you, they might be able to tell what moves you’re going to do from the sounds the joystick and buttons produce. Granted, the loud buttons could actually distract your opponent, but I wouldn’t take that chance.

On a related note, I’m also not a fan of the hollow sound the buttons produce when you press them. Unlike the Obsidian 2, there is no metal inner plate underneath the top panel to dampen the sound.

Uncomfortably hard top panel

Most of the arcade sticks I’ve tested have clear plastic panels. That’s not the case with the Drone 2, which sports a pure matte finish top panel. Yes, it looks stylish and prevents smudges, but it’s not exactly comfortable to rest your hand on.

During my testing, I often had to occasionally lift my left hand off the top panel to relieve the pain I’d feel if I kept it on there too long. Sure, the Victrix Pro FS objectively has a harder top panel since it’s made of aluminum, but its smooth curved surface feels nice and doesn’t cause me pain. I can’t say the same about the Drone 2, unfortunately.

Qanba Drone 2 review: Verdict

Despite some of its flaws, the Qanba Drone 2 is a fantastic arcade stick for newcomers. Its lightweight design, easy cable storage and great gaming performance are aspects even experienced stick users will appreciate. Likewise, the fact that it now costs $109 at places like Amazon compared to its original $150 makes it more enticing.

The Qanba Drone 2 isn’t perfect, but it’s a quality officially-licensed product worth checking out.