If you’re a streamer or a macro player, you’ve probably heard of Elgato’s Stream Deck. This little gadget has a simple premise: fifteen customizable keys, each with a small LCD on the back, that can be bound to do a lot from switching scenes in OBS and monitoring keystrokes. your computer’s vitals to launching programs or muting your microphone. Normally the Stream Deck costs £150, but today it’s down to £90 at Amazon UK.
This particular Stream Deck is the ‘Stream Deck Classic’, aka the original model that launched in 2017. There is a newer ‘MK.2’ model, which was released this year, but both are the same. surprisingly different – they run the same software and use the same keys, the only difference being that the new model has interchangeable faceplates, a fixed 45-degree stand instead of original adjustable and USB-C plug instead of Micro USB. Functionally, they’re essentially identical – so choosing the cheaper ~£40 makes a lot of sense to me!
Of course, Stream Deck isn’t the only macro pad out there – Everest has produced similar DisplayPad, use a 2×6 grid instead of a 3×5 grid here, and there are probably a few other alternatives as well. The reason Stream Deck is the go-to choice is because Elgato (and parent company Corsair) have been working on Stream Deck for many years and have built a huge library of pre-prepared integrations with popular software. variable, from streaming shows. like OBS and Xsplit, to social media like Twitter, to streaming sites like Spotify and YouTube. There’s also an open SDK that allows developers to write their own Stream Deck integrations, so it’s no surprise that there’s a huge amount of third-party ‘apps’ for you to install at your leisure. .
Stream Deck is also very easy to use, with a simple drag-and-drop interface, folders to provide access to more than 15 functions, and an icon generator that lets you make each button look perfect. You can also record macros and set up profiles, making it easy to adapt the Stream Deck to basically any game or task it can automate – and of course with good software integration too. iCUE by Corsair.
At £90, Stream Deck makes a lot of sense for streamers, content creators and automation enthusiasts, so if you fit into one of those boxes – or you’re just curious ! – then this is definitely worth a try.
