Best Stream Deck 2024: for Twitch, YouTube, Discord and more

The newest addition to Elgato’s Stream Deck household, the Stream Deck + is probably the most versatile choice on our checklist, with nice options at an inexpensive worth. The Stream Deck + combines eight huge sq. buttons – the usual management interface on its different fashions – with a novel 4.2” x 0.5” LCD contact panel, in addition to 4 rotary dials that may also be pushed to cycle between features.

Because of this performance, the chances are infinite whether or not you’re utilizing the Stream Deck + to regulate your Elgato Facecam or Elgato Wave:3, are placing on stay productions, or fine-tuning pictures and video in your enhancing software program of selection – having the ability to use the dials to clean by and reduce footage in Adobe Premiere is a particular excessive level for us.

Whereas the Stream Deck + lacks as many devoted macro buttons because the Stream Deck MK.2 and the jumbo-sized Stream Deck XL – one thing we’d like to see remedied in future iterations – that is offset by the truth that biking by macros is quicker and extra environment friendly than earlier than. Response instances on the Stream Deck + are noticeably faster than its model mates, and not having to dedicate macro buttons to change between pages due to swipe gestures on the touchpad is a marked enchancment.

With that stated, we do want that Stream Deck + had tactile suggestions on the contact bar, consistent with the bump that may be felt when pushing in one of many macro keys or dials. It’s a small gripe, however having to have a look at the deck to make sure sure instructions have been registered defeats the article of a workflow help.

If you happen to’re already seeking to spend $150 (£150) on a Stream Deck MK.2 and may stave off a bit of longer, then we’d advocate investing the additional $50 to improve to the Stream Deck +.

If you happen to love having a number of macros in a single place, or you’ve gotten an entire host of fancy visible results in your stream, then managing them concurrently utilizing the Stream Deck XL is totally the best way to go. Whereas it’s a lot pricier than the feature-packed Stream Deck + and the extra modest Stream Deck MK.2, the price-to-key ratio is technically higher right here than on its smaller siblings.

With that stated, we wouldn’t advocate the Stream Deck XL in the event you’re a extra informal streamer, or don’t have a robust sufficient use case for having your whole macros out there directly. Whereas we get pleasure from having the ability to have separate sections on our XL devoted to every part from enhancing to Twitch, to peripherals due to the elevated actual property, it’s not obligatory for everybody. Saving your self ~$100 by selecting up Elgato’s MK.2 mannequin and dedicating a macro key or two to switching between pages is a significantly better worth proposition.

The Stream Deck XL is ideal for advanced manufacturing, and an awesome accompaniment to the Stream Deck + in the event you actually wish to increase your setup, however as a standalone choice there are extra smart selections on the market.

If you happen to’re seeking to choose up a stream deck with out breaking the financial institution an excessive amount of, the Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 is a superb selection – at the very least so far as software program is worried. Because the follow-up to what’s most likely the most well-liked stream deck in the marketplace, the MK.2 is the proper device not just for streamers but additionally for these seeking to increase their productiveness.

Sporting 15 macro keys, unfold throughout three rows of 5, there are greater than sufficient buttons to assign to something you’d want from Elgato’s glorious plugin library. Granted, Elgato’s buttons have by no means felt probably the most premium – there’s this innate mushiness to them that you just gained’t discover in one thing just like the Razer Stream Controller X – however there’s nonetheless a satisfying sufficient tactility to their bump.

Not a lot has actually modified from the unique Stream Deck MK.1, barring the welcomed shift to USB-C. Nonetheless, as Elgato took a step ahead, it has additionally taken a step backward by taking out the angle-adjustable stand.

The Loupedeck Reside is an absolute dream for editors and solves the most important qualm we have now with the Stream Deck + in that its haptics – on each its six dials and capacitative contact display screen – are exemplary.

Whereas the Loupedeck Reside doesn’t have bodily buttons like the opposite decks on this checklist, its touchscreen is principally the macro keys and contact bar of the Stream Deck + rolled into one panel. Its native integration with enhancing and manufacturing software program is definitely its largest promoting level, and the added capability to tweak a number of parameters inside apps like Lightroom at a time with the dials makes enhancing a breeze.

The Loupedeck Reside will not be excellent, nonetheless. The standard of its plastic stand is questionable, and its app retailer will not be almost as populated with third-party choices as Elgato’s. Moreover, establishing your Loupedeck could be a daunting process, as issues like multi-action macros and keyboard shortcuts take some routing round within the deck’s software program to arrange.

As a productiveness device, the Loupedeck Reside is incredible, however in the event you’re on the lookout for a deck purely from a gaming perspective, we’d advocate going with an Elgato mannequin. As an apart, in the event you’re questioning why this appears to be like a lot like Razer’s important Stream Controller, it’s as a result of the product’s precisely the identical – the 2 corporations partnered up for Razer’s launch. As such, in the event you do go for one of many two, go along with whichever hurts your financial institution stability the least.

If you happen to’re after a well-constructed stream deck with buttons that you would be able to’t cease urgent, then Razer’s Stream Controller X is the best way to go. Because the gaming tech model’s reply to Elgato’s Stream Deck MK.2, we’re huge followers of its premium construct high quality.

Whereas the pair look almost similar, the Stream Controller X’s keys are significantly much less mushy, with much less journey time and higher tactility than Elgato’s providing. Moreover, its customizable faceplate is magnetic, making for a extra seamless transition between kinds than the clip-based system used on the MK.2.

Nonetheless, the Stream Controller X is beholden to the identical software program limitations because the Loupedeck Reside, as a result of Razer operating off of Loupedeck’s personal software program. This may at the very least imply you don’t must run Razer Synapse, although you gained’t discover devoted RGB controls in your different Razer units consequently.

Finally, the Stream Controller X doesn’t actually deliver something new to the house. It’s an Elgato clone that by no means actually makes an attempt to compete in an important house of all – software program. Nonetheless, in the event you’re all about construct high quality, then it may be yours for a couple of {dollars} lower than the MK.2.

If you happen to’re on the lookout for a productiveness or streaming help for the bottom potential worth, then we advocate the Elgato Stream Deck Mini. Though it solely comes with six buttons, there’s loads of maneuverability as you’ll be able to stack folders full of useful macros relying on what program you’re utilizing.

Whereas this does require an additional key press or two to get to what you want, it’s definitely price it contemplating the Mini is available in at round half the value of the usual MK.2. You gained’t be getting probably the most handy stream deck expertise, however it’s going to nonetheless be infinitely higher than, for instance, having to manually open teams of commonly-used webpages, or tab between packages on single-monitor setups.

Moreover, in the event you work on the go, then having a bite-sized companion that may be sat subsequent to your laptop computer is one thing we particularly love in regards to the Mini.

The Mini nonetheless retains the identical flaw because the MK.2 with regard to mushy buttons, and we’re dissatisfied to see that it doesn’t include a removable USB cable – a foul hangover from the unique MK.1 Stream Deck that ought to’ve been iterated out by now.

Whereas the Mini’s worth can fluctuate, it’s gone as little as $50 at factors (based on camelcamelcamel) which places its price-per-key on the identical degree because the MK.2’s. We wouldn’t advocate spending something over $80 for one, however remember to store round as there are bargains available.