Elgato Stream Deck Mini Review – The Perfect Tool for Streamers?

Final Thoughts

How Much Does it Cost?

The Elgato Stream Deck launches today with an MSRP of £89.95 in the UK, $99.95 in the US, and 99.95 EUR in the rest of Europe. That’s not cheap, but for the level of features, ease of use, and from such a respected brand name in the streaming world, it’s a pretty fantastic deal. If anything, it’s invaluable to streamers.

Overview

The Elgato Stream Deck is a fantastic little product. I mean, it delivers the level of performance and features it promises on the box, which is always nice. However, what most impressive is just how well it does what it does. It’s amazingly easy to use, and I will no doubt spend plenty of time tinkering with it to see what else I can come up with. I won’t lie, I’m more likely to create a bunch of soundboards on this thing just to wind up my girlfriend and my kids. However, there’s nothing wrong with using it for a soundboard, it’s literally a feature.

Streamers

Ok, so we’re not all pranksters annoying their family. For those seeking to give their streaming life a professional edge, the Stream Deck is a vital tool. From taking quick and easy control of your chat clients to adding effects to your videos. I love that I can trigger an overlay, play a soundbite, and take a screenshot or video clip, tweet the whole thing, then change it all back in one button. When you’re gaming, you don’t want to tab out of the thing, pause, type a message, edit a sound clip. It’s cumbersome, annoying to watch and easy to screw up. With Elgato, hit the button, BAM! you’re done, everyone is impressed, and watch your tips roll in.

Live not Later

Before, recording a video, then adding overlays, then adding effects and sounds were the norm. Now, everyone wants to get instant control. Before, this is something that would be the reserve of professional editing controls in a TV studio. The kind they use for live sports. Now that you can get the full-fat package in a six-button interface for under £100, that’s amazing. Not only is it for pros, but I’d buy my 11-year-old on of these for Christmas, just to annoy his mates online, have fun with on Fortnite, etc. It’s a great tool, but possibly a great gift too.

Should I Buy One?

Not everyone needs a little gadget like this. Personally, I know I really don’t need one, but I still love having it on my desk. It’s just a cool thing to have day to day. For normal gamers, you could use this as a macro launcher for game commands, which is great for MMO gaming. However, for those who are into streaming, or those who want to get into it, I think it’s one of the best tools to give your channel a professional edge. Highly recommended for streamers and non-streamers alike!