Elgato Stream Deck + review: handy haptics, so-so support

In my evaluation of the Elgato Stream Deck +, I examined the newest addition to Elgato’s stream deck lineup. It’s a flexible software that has confirmed to be a game-changer for creating stay content material and enhancing productiveness in varied digital actions.

Over the previous a number of years, Elgato has constantly innovated within the streaming house, producing {hardware} – and accompanying software program – that content material creators the world over have clamored to get their fingers on. From one of the best seize playing cards to key lights, and inexperienced screens to one of the best webcams, the Corsair-owned model has managed to determine itself as a market chief whereas staving off stiff competitors from the likes of Logitech, Razer, and others.

The Stream Deck is an more and more ubiquitous piece of tech that sits on the desks of a lot of the greatest streamers within the sport, permitting them to change scenes, tweak settings, and rather more utilizing the programmable keys each product within the lineup possesses. It’s additionally potential to set off complicated automation by assigning a number of actions to a single key, pushing what’s potential on broadcast whereas making partaking with their group a much more fluid expertise – no extra clicking round OBS. A tool with devoted macro keys isn’t a brand new invention, however Elgato has actually helped popularize proudly owning one.

By placing dynamic macros – powered by the intuitive Stream Deck software program – at your disposal, Elgato has additionally created a robust productiveness software. For instance, I’ve a multi-action set off on my trusty Stream Deck MK.1 – some extent of reference for this evaluation – that immediately opens all the net pages I must go about my day, a key for a Pomodoro timer that’s baked into the deck itself, and a few completely different profiles that may mechanically pop up primarily based on which program I’m working in (it’s particularly helpful for Adobe Photoshop since I don’t have all of the keyboard shortcuts dedicated to reminiscence). Certainly I don’t want something extra? Elgato appears to suppose in any other case.

Having initially launched again in November 2022, the Stream Deck + was initially praised for its potential. Nevertheless, it in the end lacked the software program assist to get one of the best out of its bells and whistles – its contact display and dials. On the time, it was arduous to vindicate its $200 price ticket when for 50 bucks much less you possibly can get its little brother, the 15-key Stream Deck MK.2, which had a greater use case for many. Now a yr on, has the Stream Deck + cemented its place as one of the best stream deck? Or is it a tool that you must keep away from decking your streaming setup with? The reply is situational, so learn on for my breakdown.

Specs

Elgato Stream Deck + specs:

Design

The Elgato Stream Deck + is the lankiest sibling within the Stream Deck household. I used to be happy to search out that it isn’t too massive for the hole between my displays and their stand. Dealing with it for the primary time, I used to be impressed by how strong the construct high quality was, particularly when it got here to the textured metallic dials. The principle physique itself is an all-plastic building, although I’m quietly assured it will simply survive the ~two-foot drop onto my carpet ought to I by chance ship it flying.

In terms of the eight LCD keys which might be nested just under the Stream Deck branding, there are a few small enhancements to report over the opposite fashions. The Stream Deck + keys are 33% bigger (I measured them as 20mm x 20mm) than these on my MK 1, and the LCDs not solely render colours higher than my MK.1 however the textual content can also be a lot crisper. They’re nonetheless utilizing the identical membrane-based design as the opposite Stream Decks, ending their descent with a tactile bump, however there’s far much less mushiness on the newer mannequin. Granted, this might change with use over time, however for now, I’m impressed.

With that being stated I can also’t assist however really feel just a little disillusioned, as I’m certain that Elgato may’ve popped a few further keys into the Stream Deck +’s chassis with house to spare if it needed to. Seeing the perimeters of the embossed strip that homes the dials aligning completely with the garishly chunky bezel surrounding the 4.2” x 0.5” LCD touchscreen, however not with the buttons themselves is low-key upsetting to take a look at. It’s a minor gripe, particularly contemplating how a lot performance you get from Stream Deck +’s distinctive inclusions. Nonetheless, Elgato doesn’t need you to have all of it with out shelling out for an accompanying deck.

Shifting right down to the touchscreen itself, although it solely is available in at a decision of 800 x 100, the panel renders textual content superbly, and as with the keys places the legibility of my Stream Deck MK.1 to disgrace. The strip is greater than shiny sufficient to be seen in most day-to-day situations, and you may simply tweak the brightness within the Stream Deck software program if you end up flashbanged each time you shift between pages. I’ve already famous the inelegant bezels, however the truth that they’re squared off whereas the remainder of the deck sports activities rounded corners at each alternative is, once more, a design inconsistency I turned my nostril up at.

In direction of the bottom of the Stream Deck + we now have the 4 aforementioned rotary encoders. Every dial could be rotated 360 levels each methods, providing an apt quantity of resistance between intervals. They will also be pushed in with a pronounced and extremely satisfying haptic click on which suggests you gained’t have to take a look at the panel to verify you’ve enter a command. That is extremely helpful should you’re attempting to retain eye contact together with your adoring viewers whereas messing together with your settings. Sadly, the contact bar didn’t fairly get the memo, so I can’t award full marks for tactility right here.

As we attain the bottom of the Stream Deck + I’m as soon as once more left scratching my head as to why Elgato continues to insist on a static orientation for its current-gen Stream Deck stands, as an alternative of the adjustable one packaged in with the unique MK1 deck. The 45-degree slant is good for many streamers, however I might be way more inclined to make use of it for enhancing workloads if I may lay the machine flat on my desk à la Loupedeck Dwell. You’ll be able to unscrew the bottom of the deck, however with the place the USB-C port is situated on the again of the unit it’s unimaginable to take action even then – that’s, until you fancy suspending the deck over the aspect of your desk, or gouging a gap in it to permit the wire via.

The Stream Deck + is available in two colours – black and white. Whilst you can’t customise its faceplate as you possibly can with the Stream Deck MK.2, you possibly can change out the dials – Elgato at the moment shares gold, silver, blue, pink, purple, and purple. With that being stated, there are many third-party covers on websites like Etsy, alongside alternate dial colorways for individuals who need one thing just a little extra bespoke.

Options and Efficiency

One factor I’m pleased to see within the present era of Elgato’s Stream Deck merchandise – barring the Stream Deck Mini – is the shift to a detachable 1.5m USB-C cable to energy the machine. It’s a fundamental quality-of-life enchancment over the soldered connection on the MK.1, however it’s value noting.

Plugging the Stream Deck + in for the primary time I used to be greeted with… nothing. The unit remained seemingly lifeless, and I feared that it had died in transit to me. Nevertheless, as soon as I loaded my Stream Deck software program, I discovered that it was just because I hadn’t assigned something to the keys but.

After loading it up with varied capabilities, the membrane keys present an instantaneous response when triggered. Whereas I didn’t discover any actual distinction in pace when pitted towards my MK.1’s keys, that’s just because these merchandise already carry out excellently at their bread-and-butter perform. There are nonetheless some foibles elsewhere.

Trying to toggle a setting utilizing the contact display would typically set off one of many different dials as an alternative. At one level, the lights on one dial had been getting flicked on and off as I repeatedly tried to mute a program assigned to 1 on the different finish of the deck. Whereas my neighbors most likely discovered the solo rave I used to be seemingly having in my workplace humorous, I used to be much less amused as I jabbed my finger on the panel in a futile try to revive order. Fortunately, this isn’t a constant situation and the display has behaved for essentially the most half, however you’ll want to load up a drum ‘n’ bass playlist simply in case issues get just a little… oontz oontz.

Dial stacking can also be a hit-and-miss characteristic for me. The flexibility to cycle via a number of settings on a single rotary knob ensures that I can load all the pieces I would like to regulate my PC quantity, microphone, and lighting from a number of sources concurrently – I can’t qualm the performance right here, and the flexibility isn’t any joke. Nevertheless, lengthy press actions appear to be fully disabled when a perform is put right into a stack, as I may not flip my Key Mild Air or Hue lights on or off as soon as they had been grouped up. That is tremendous if you wish to pop them on utilizing their apps earlier than going stay, but it surely’s a weird omission for certain.

Software program

The approachability of Elgato’s Stream Deck software program and its huge plugin library has traditionally been what units the Stream Deck expertise aside from its competitors. Assigning capabilities – even a number of actions – to the deck is extremely simple, requiring you solely to tug and drop them onto the visualized model of your Stream Deck + interface. Keys could be personalized utilizing the litany of downloadable icons, and you may even label them with textual content. You’ll be able to’t get as inventive as you possibly can with Loupedeck’s software program, but it surely’s sufficient for my wants.

While you’re initially establishing your new Stream Deck +, you’ll spend a lot of your time searching the just lately revamped Elgato Market. This used to exist inside the Stream Deck software program, however Elgato has now opened up a devoted website from which you’ll obtain icons and different components on to your deck. Profiles have to be manually imported into the software program out of your PC as soon as downloaded, nonetheless.

Right here you’ll discover essential plugins to getting your stream ship form, resembling these from OBS, Twitch, and Voicemod, alongside varied free and paid-for property that you should use to amp up your manufacturing worth. Whereas the Stream Deck + doesn’t include pre-configured profiles for main productiveness apps like these within the Adobe suite – one thing the Loupedeck does – you possibly can a minimum of purchase a third-party one for round $30 from the shop. That is disappointing contemplating photograph and video enhancing are core elements of the fashionable streaming expertise, so hopefully we’ll a minimum of see some fundamental free-to-download alternate options from Elgato in some unspecified time in the future.

Elsewhere within the retailer, there are some actually enjoyable instruments you can pay money for, resembling a reminiscence sport and a magic eight ball. In fixed search of dopamine, I downloaded a profile that turned my deck right into a Tamagotchi, full with the flexibility to feed it and put little hats on it – lovely. Nevertheless, this was solely configured to work with my Stream Deck MK.1 – a operating theme for many profiles I took an curiosity in. Devoted Stream Deck + assist nonetheless looks like an afterthought normally, and third-party assist for the product stays missing.

One neat factor that Elgato has opened as much as Stream Deck + is entry to its Wave Hyperlink mixing software program with out having to personal a Wave microphone. This successfully turns the deck right into a {hardware} mixer akin to the GoXLR sans the XLR enter, permitting you to get extra from a few of the different greatest streaming microphones on the market. You will get an identical software program expertise via a mix of Voicemeeter and OBS plugins should you don’t have any of those merchandise, however Wave Hyperlink is much extra intuitive. It’s not a promoting level, however a welcomed further.

Do you have to purchase it?

• Sure: should you don’t have a bodily audio mixer
• Sure: when you’ve got different Elgato merchandise just like the Key Mild and Streamcam
• Sure: should you don’t thoughts the fixed-angle stand
• No: should you’re seeking to improve from an present non-Mini Stream Deck
• No: should you’re not streaming or utilizing productiveness apps usually
• No: should you’re an editor

If the Elgato Stream Deck + isn’t for you

Verdict

No matter my qualms, the Stream Deck + is a strong machine total. It’s responsive, well-built, and supplies iterative upgrades over the opposite members of its product household. Nevertheless, after a yr there are nonetheless solely restricted plugin and profile choices for this mannequin, so its contact display and dials stay largely luxurious additions. At $200, this makes it arduous to advocate to those that need to improve from a Stream Deck that’s bigger than the Mini, or a bodily mixer that already controls their stream audio – it’s overkill, in any other case.

Should you’re planning on wading out into the world of streaming, learn our information on one of the best streaming setup for learners. It’s stuffed with nice suggestions.