Premium all-in-one fight stick or cheap DIY arcade kit?

Display

Neither product includes a display or screen, so there is no meaningful winner here. This category is effectively not applicable to either product. For buyers searching this comparison, the real decision is about control quality, platform support, and how much assembly you want to do.

Performance

Product A wins decisively. The MAYFLASH F500 Elite is a complete arcade stick with Sanwa buttons and a Sanwa joystick, which are widely regarded as the gold standard for responsive, consistent arcade controls. It is designed for low-latency input and broad platform compatibility, including Xbox Series S/X, Xbox One, PS4, PS3, Switch/Switch 2, Android, Windows, and macOS. Product B is a USB encoder kit for DIY builds, so performance depends heavily on how well you install it, wire it, and choose your enclosure and parts. In other words, Product A delivers predictable performance immediately, while Product B can be good but is much more variable.

Build quality and design

Product A wins by a large margin. MAYFLASH’s F500 Elite is a finished metal-and-plastic arcade stick with premium Sanwa components already installed, so the build is aimed at durability, stability, and competitive play. It feels like a proper consumer product rather than a project. Product B is a parts bundle: USB encoder, buttons, coin buttons, sticker, and wiring-oriented components for a DIY arcade panel or cabinet. That means the final build quality depends on your own craftsmanship, the enclosure you source, and the exact parts included in the kit. If you want something polished and reliable from day one, Product A is the clear winner.

Battery life

Neither product is primarily battery-powered, so this category does not meaningfully apply. Both are intended for wired arcade control use rather than portable play. That said, Product A’s ready-made design is much more straightforward for everyday use, while Product B’s setup may introduce extra complexity if you are building a custom cabinet or multi-player station.

Price and value for money

Product B wins on raw price, but Product A wins on value for most buyers. At £42.88, the EG STARTS kit is £86.07 cheaper than the MAYFLASH F500 Elite, which is a huge gap. If your goal is simply to get the cheapest possible route into a two-player arcade control build, Product B is attractive. However, the value calculation changes once you factor in what you are actually getting: Product B is not a complete controller, and it requires you to supply the cabinet, layout, mounting, and likely additional hardware or tools. Product A costs more, but it includes premium Sanwa controls, a finished enclosure, and broad device support. For most shoppers, that makes the extra money easier to justify.

Game library/features

Product A wins handily. The MAYFLASH F500 Elite supports a wide range of systems, including Xbox Series S/X, Xbox One, PS4, PS3, Switch/Switch 2, Android, Windows, and macOS, which makes it far more versatile for modern gaming and retro collections alike. It is a plug-and-play arcade stick for fighting games, shmups, retro collections, and emulation. Product B is aimed at PC, MAME, and Raspberry Pi-based arcade projects, with support centered around DIY arcade cabinets and two-player setups. That is useful, but much narrower and less convenient. If you want one controller that can move between platforms, Product A is vastly better.

Overall user experience

Product A wins overwhelmingly. The MAYFLASH F500 Elite is the product for someone who wants to start playing immediately, with premium parts and minimal setup friction. It is the safer buy for anyone who values consistency, tournament-style controls, and compatibility across multiple devices. Product B is only better if you specifically want to build your own arcade machine or two-player control panel and enjoy the DIY process. For everyone else, the extra assembly time, variable component quality, and limited turnkey usability make it a harder recommendation.

Overall summary: the MAYFLASH Arcade Stick F500 Elite is the better product for almost all buyers because it delivers premium Sanwa controls, much wider platform support, and a far better out-of-box experience. The EG STARTS kit is cheaper and can be a good project part bundle, but it is not a true alternative in terms of convenience or finish. Unless you are specifically building a custom arcade cabinet on a budget, buy the MAYFLASH.