Elgato, makers of the Stream Deck+, are one of the top brands when it comes to streaming and content creation accessories, so if you’re involved in the online space, you’ve probably heard their name floating around. There will be
What is Stream Deck? These nifty kits act as an external set of quick keys that can be assigned custom commands based on the software you’re using. Stream Decks are often used for streaming because they allow you to easily control multiple devices and interfaces at once during a live show, but Stream Decks can also be assigned to command many applications such as Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Davinci, and more. can. solve it. It’s versatile and incredibly customizable, making it a great tool for any creative.
This review will focus on the latest addition to the Stream Deck series, Stream Deck +. I’m an avid content creator and artist, and after using this device for several weeks in a variety of applications, I can confidently say that it’s a revolutionary piece of technology that really improves your setup. But before that, if you’re just starting your streaming journey, check out our guide on how to stream on Twitch.
Stream Deck + Review: Design and Build
At 13.8 x 14 x 11cm, the Elgato Stream Deck + is just the right size for easy viewing on your desk. It has a sturdy construction with a luxurious feel. It features 8 square keys and 4 metal dials for a total of 12 customizable actions throughout. Like the old Stream Decks, each square key has a mini LCD screen that can be changed using the Stream Deck software. The keys feel nice to press with a satisfying click, thanks to an internal membrane underneath, and the LCD screen is vibrant and easy to read at great distances.
The four rotary dials are also nice to the touch thanks to their metal construction. The sides are nicely textured to make it easy to grip, and when you twist the dial it has a satisfying click similar to a button, clearly indicating your input. The new LCD screen strip is beautiful and easy to read. We’ll cover this new addition in a bit more detail in the next section. The included USB cable has a braided casing that prevents tangling and cracking. All in all, we feel the Stream Deck+ is very expensive and, if you’re going by aesthetics and build alone, it’s worth the money.
Stream Deck + Review: Features
As with other Stream Deck models, you have the option to customize each key by adding your own images, text and colors. Use your own visuals or access Elgato’s extensive library of pre-made assets. There are dozens of ready-made options available with different themes or specially designed to resemble programs like Photoshop and Premiere Pro.
I love the customizability of Stream Deck +. I had a lot of fun designing different page layouts depending on the software I was mapping and switching between them easily thanks to the touch screen. I especially enjoyed downloading the animated GIF pack, which contains a variety of quirky animations.
As we said before, another new detail that makes the Stream Deck+ better than the older model is the narrow touchscreen just above the dials. The screen is vibrant with adjustable brightness levels and the crisp display is easy to read. Displays the command assigned to the bottom dial. One of the best features of this touchscreen is that you can swipe your finger to change the page of commands currently assigned to the button.
Like buttons, touchscreen backgrounds can be customized, but currently don’t offer as many customization options as keys.
Stream Deck + Review: Performance
Performance-wise, the Stream Deck+ is essentially the same product as the older model, with some shiny new features and dials. Once you’ve downloaded the exclusive Stream Deck software, simply drag and drop commands onto the adjacent button and they’ll instantly appear on your Stream Deck device.
Given that Stream Deck is primarily aimed at streamers, we ended up mainly assigning commands to OBS studio and Twitch during testing. After assigning quick commands in the Stream Deck app, I found that the time between pressing a key and he taking action in OBS was instant with no lag. This makes streaming easy, and you can trust Stream Deck+ to quickly execute commands that you need to run separately in the apps you use.
I haven’t had a chance to test it myself, but you can also program quick commands for applications like Photoshop, Davinci Resolve, etc., making it very versatile for all kinds of creatives.
One small problem I had was when I decided to assign a GIF set to a key. The Stream Deck app struggled to process them as fast as flat images. Also, every time I changed from a static image to a gif, the app was lagging for about 10 seconds with a “Not Responding” error message. This wasn’t a major issue, and it didn’t actually crash, but given that this is the only software issue I’ve had, I felt it was important to be aware of.
Stream Deck + Review: Pricing
The price point is where I have a bit of an issue. FYI, the smaller Stream Deck mini with 6 keys sells for half the price plus $100/£100. The regular Stream Deck retails for $149.99/£149.99, while the beastly Stream Deck XL with 32 keys is $239/£249.
The Stream Deck+ is currently priced at $199.99 / £199.99, and considering it features a quarter of the keys of the XL, it seems like a pretty steep asking price that doesn’t offer much more than the other options. I feel
That said, as Elgato continues to update its software and add unique features that can be assigned to the rotary dial and screen, I’m sure the Stream Deck+ will become a more worthy choice over other models. .
Stream Deck + Review: Should You Buy?
Overall, I think the Stream Deck+ is a great device that most streamers and creatives will benefit from. However, if you own one of the older models, do you think it’s worth the upgrade? I really enjoy my time using the Stream Deck + and will continue to use it in my streams to improve my content Creates faster and provides easy access to quick commands.
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