PXN CB1 Control Box – Button Box Review

PXN CB1 Control Box – Button Box Review

The selection of commercially available button boxes on the market is still comparatively small and there are currently hardly any offers, especially in the budget range under €100. This is where the CB1 Control Box from PXN comes in, which is available for less than €100 and offers a total of 30 functions.

Ordering and shipping

The CB1 Control Box from PXN can currently be ordered by European buyers from various third-party suppliers via Aliexpress. The offers range in price from €70 to €90, depending on the shipping method (delivery time 1 to 4 weeks) and the discounts offered.

Scope of delivery

PXN also supplies a table bracket with the box as well as the corresponding mounting material and two USB cables.

• CB1 Control Box
• Desktop mount
• USB-C to USB-A cable
• USB-C to USB-C cable
• M5 screws
• M5 Allen key

Specs

PXN provides the following specs for the CB1 Control Box:

Compatibility

The Button Box is designed exclusively for operation on a PC. For this purpose, there is a USB-C connection on the back, which can be connected with one of the supplied cables. There are also a total of seven M5 threaded holes on the back. Three of these are for the supplied table mount and four are designed in the familiar 100 x 100 millimetre VESA mounting pattern.

Mounting

The Button Box can be attached directly to the desk using the table clamp supplied. According to PXN, additional brackets for aluminium profiles, for example, are available separately. Alternatively, VESA-compatible standard brackets (100 x 100 millimetres) can also be used.

In order to be able to use the table clamp without a desk, here you will find a holder for aluminium rigs, which is mounted with two M8 screws and the matching T-slot nuts.

Features

The Button Box is equipped with an on/off switch on the back and offers the following functions

• 2 encoders with additional push function: Two illuminated encoders are installed at the top left, which can be turned without much resistance. They are also equipped with a very crisp trigger force..
• 8 buttons: There are eight illuminated buttons of medium quality on the left-hand side of the button box, the bottom two of which are latching.
• Kill Switch ON-OFF toggle switch: There is an illuminated Kill Switch ON-OFF toggle switch on the right-hand side.
• Start button: There is a large start button next to the toggle switch, which is surrounded by a plastic frame.
• Joystick: The highlight of the button box is the large four-way joystick, which is ideal for navigating through menus, for example.
• ESC/ENTER buttons: There are two small illuminated buttons above the joystick, which are predefined as ESC/ENTER buttons, but can also be used as normal buttons.
• 4 toggle switches: There are four illuminated metal toggle switches on the underside, with the three on the right being latching. A reversed layout would probably have been better for simracers.

LEDs

A highlight for a button box in this price range is certainly the seven-colour adjustable lighting, which can also be adjusted in brightness (also seven levels). The following colours are available

• Blue
• green
• Purple
• Red
• White
• Yellow
• Turquoise

Materialis

The button box is made entirely of textured ABS (plastic) and yet makes a high-quality impression. The labelling is already integrated, which looks very classy, but unfortunately also makes personalisation much more difficult.

Software

A clear advantage is the Plug&Play operation, without the need for special software to operate the Button Box. It is simply recognised by Windows as a game controller and all functions are treated as simple buttons. It couldn’t be simpler.

The following options are available for making settings on the box

• Colour: Press the “Handle” button and turn the “ABS” encoder at the same time.
• Brightness: Press the “Handle” button and turn the “TC” encoder at the same time.
• ESC/ENTER buttons: Pressing the “Handle” button while simultaneously pressing the respective button. This allows you to switch between the function as an ESC/ENTER button or a normal button.

Conclusion

The PXN CB1 Control Box offers very good value for less than €100 and provides a total of 30 functions to enhance your cockpit. The extensive scope of delivery and the adjustable lighting in combination with plug & play operation without additional software make the button box a real buy recommendation in the budget range.