Elgato Gaming was the first game capture specialist to truly expand its product line to target streamers. While, yes, Elgato still offers great capture solutions, with the 4K60 Pro capable of recording very high-quality 4K 60 FPS gameplay, the company has now gone beyond basic capture, with a new emphasis on livestreams. Streaming isn’t always about just starting a game, pushing a “Stream” button and expecting everything to work. For streamers who want to take things to the next level, to really stand out from the crowd on their platform of choice, they need to improve the quality and include different scenes, overlays, and fantasy effects. Plus, all of this needs to be handled on the fly, in a live broadcast scenario. It can be a very difficult and frustrating process, especially when trying to focus on playing a game well and in a fun way. Arrive the Elgato Stream Deck Mini to help relieve some of the stress of streamers!
Elgato Stream Deck Mini Review – Fantastic Hardware / Software Combo
The Elgato Stream Deck Mini takes what made the original Stream Deck so great and packs it in a smaller (and cheaper, yes!) Package. The Mini offers six buttons which each have their own individual screens. These buttons are fully customizable in the Stream Deck app, allowing users to have a variety of functions at their fingertips. The Stream Deck Mini’s buttons go beyond keyboard shortcuts by recognizing when certain applications are open, providing feedback via screens, and enabling virtually unlimited functions via nested folders and folders.
This last point is what makes the Mini so convincing to me. While the Vanilla Stream Deck has more buttons, the ability to nest folders within folders means you can get a similar level of functionality over the miniature version. Users can also initiate multiple actions simultaneously or sequentially with just one touch. About to broadcast? Press your “Let’s do it!” »Custom button and all presets can start at once, with your microphone and other audio sources selected, the right capture device activated, a Tweet sent to let your audience know, and more!
Compared to its big brother, the Stream Deck Mini is heavier and sits more easily on the desk. The adjustable stand has been replaced with a big block of smooth plastic, and I really like it. Of course, you can’t change the viewing angle like you can with the normal Stream Deck, but the extra weight is a big deal and the set position is already perfectly correct. The rubber on the base of the device prevents it from moving, which is also appreciated.
I’m happy to see that Stream Deck has its own independent app, aside from Game Capture. The Stream Deck Mini’s software is simple, light and responsive, that’s all I was really hoping for. Users drag and drop various functions onto the six buttons and see those changes instantly reflected on the device. Brightness can be adjusted quickly, and different profiles can be imported and exported easily. Everything is working as expected, and the regular updates keep adding more and more features.
Elgato Stream Deck Mini Review – Who is it for?
When Elgato started developing products focused on streaming, I was a little skeptical, as I thought the passionate streaming market was too specialized. Obviously, I was very wrong, as the company is now selling an official Green Screen, Cam Link, and now the Elgato Stream Deck and Stream Deck Mini, all dedicated to enhancing the streaming experience.
Like Elgato’s other streaming products, the Stream Deck Mini is for those who stream live fairly regularly, take it a little bit seriously, and have advanced to the point where they incorporate additional graphics and other assets to help. to add a little flair to them.
However, like the larger Stream Deck that came before it, the Mini is also incredibly useful for content creators working with video, audio, or images. For example, I have a hard time remembering every little key combination to work in Adobe Premiere Pro, Audition, and Photoshop, and so having the Stream Deck Mini on my desktop allows me to assign these shortcuts to a button and label them clearly. Each time I start an editing session, I browse the “Apps” folder, then the “Adobe” folder, before selecting the application concerned. Then all of my easily forgettable shortcuts or presets are ready for me.
Buttons can be personalized with text and images. Elgato has a range of graphics to download and use for free on their website, but it’s also possible to assign your own. It is a very simple process and allows for a great deal of customization.
Of course, it’s when you actually stream that the Stream Deck Mini really shines. Without this device, streaming is a mess of keyboard shortcuts and clicks in and out of games to adjust buried windows. With the Mini, streaming becomes a snap, with all the distracting obstacles removed. Editing scenes, overlays, camera angles, audio sources, and most anything else you can think of is done with the push of a clearly labeled button.
Additionally, the Stream Deck Mini’s integration with the most popular streaming apps, as well as Elgato’s own capture app, unlocks more advanced features that a normal keyboard wouldn’t be capable of. The range of currently supported platforms and applications, each with their own out-of-the-box features, include: Game Capture, Mixer, OBS Studio, Streamlabs, Streamlabs OBS, TipeeeStream, Twitch, Twitter, XSplit, and YouTube . This built-in feature leads to a distraction-free streaming experience, where the streamer can focus on performing well in the game and keeping their audience happy, while also incorporating the quality overlays, clips, and memes viewers love. .
Elgato Stream Deck Mini Review – Another Winning Product
I use the Elgato Stream Deck Mini for much more than just streaming. While the device definitely saw the action during my daily GameRevolution live streams, where I use the Twitch and Streamlabs OBS features to make everything manageable, along with my aforementioned Adobe editing sessions, the The device has also been found useful for saving Windows shortcuts to various applications and folders on hard drives.
Websites can also be saved which allows me to display a bunch of tabs to help me write news where efficiency is key. Also worth noting – although I’m not sure how useful this is for the average user – is the ability to assign F keys beyond F12, as well as the numeric keypad buttons that don’t. not exist on my keyboard without keys. This is especially useful when mapping game controls to my mouse!
At $ 100, the Elgato Stream Deck Mini costs $ 50 less than the full-size Stream Deck. While the six physical buttons are a big step up from the fifteen larger ones, similar functionality can be achieved through folders. When combined with a more rugged design and a smaller footprint on my desk, this Mini Edition gets an easy recommendation from me. This is another victory for Elgato in streaming gaming, at a more affordable price. If you couldn’t justify the $ 150 for the Stream Deck, then the Mini might be just what you need to improve your stream without breaking the bank.
The Stream Deck Mini review unit was provided by Elgato Gaming.
