Would I recommend this product to non-streamers?
I bought an Elgato Stream Deck a few months ago and have used it daily. I thought I'd share why I bought it and if I'd recommend it for non-streamers like myself.
Disclaimer: This isn't a sponsored blog post. I'm sharing my thoughts and opinion in case you may be interested in this product for your own personal use.
What Is the Elgato Stream Deck?
The Elgato Stream Deck is a gaming control panel consisting of programmable buttons for use with a computer. It's targeted to gamers who livestream their gameplay regularly.
The Stream Deck allows gamers to trigger an action without having to disrupt their gameplay and livestream. For example, a gamer could open and display a commonly accessed website, play an animation onscreen, or start a sequence of events with just a push of a button.
Why Did I Buy It?
I learned about the Elgato Stream Deck from watching tech videos on YouTube. I sometimes enjoy learning about new tech whether I'd want to use it or not. However, I saw potential in the Stream Deck and did more research.
It was after I searched for Elgato Stream Deck for Artists and Elgato Stream Deck for Content Creators that I realized that this product was a great way to create and house macros, keyboard shortcuts, and other actions in one control panel.
For years, I've created macros using programs like Auto Hotkey to trigger a series of actions. Auto Hotkey allows users to write a script for various triggers, but the Stream Deck seemed quicker and easier to setup. The Stream Deck had the added benefits of triggering actions with a single push of a button. The LCD screen and the ability to create custom icons also appealed to me.
The Stream Deck app was the hub for the ultimate customization. It made creating "Multi Action" sequences seem easy. Script writing seemed easier with the drag-and-drop features within the app.
I bought the first edition of the Elgato Stream Deck with fifteen keys this past August through the Amazon Warehouse as used-like new. I was grateful for this discovery because I've yet to see the Stream Deck on sale online or in-store.
Fortunately, the product I received was in great condition. Only the box it was shipped in was damaged.
Despite the high price tag, I've used the Stream Deck every time I use my computer. It hasn’t gone by the wayside. I primarily use it when I edit my websites, edit photographs, edit videos, and creating digital doodles.
The Stream Deck is also useful for opening file folders, applications, and websites I access often. Sure, I could always navigate to something with several clicks of the mouse button. But it's nice to be able to complete an action, or multiple actions, with a single press of a button.
When I created a "Profile" for a specific application, the Stream Deck would automatically open that "Profile" when the application is opened. This is especially convenient when I'm working within Adobe Photoshop or Camtasia Studio where I frequently use keyboard shortcuts.
I use the Stream Deck alongside my Huion Kamvas Pro 12 drawing tablet. The tablet has a few programmable buttons I take advantage of, but the Stream Deck allowed me to program even more buttons for actions I also want to use while I'm drawing.
To my surprise, my favorite part about setting up my Elgato Stream Deck was creating colorful, custom icons to display on the LCD buttons. I enjoyed creating
Would I Recommend This to Non-Streamers?
The reason you skimmed and scrolled through this blog post to this point, is because you want to know... Would I recommend the Elgato Stream Deck to non-streamers?
My answer to your question is... Yeah, sure, if you have extra cash you're willing to spare on this purchase.
At $150 USD for the first edition, it's more pricey than other alternative options like the Stream Deck Mini with six keys or the Auto Hotkeys application. If you're hurting on money, trying to save money for a more important purchase, or don't take advantage of keyboard shortcuts or macros often, you may want to pass on this purchase. But you can at least keep an eye out for a sale or discount that would make it worth the cost for you.
However, if you regularly use keyboard shortcuts or macros, consider this product more like a luxury purchase. It's convenient to use, but it's not a necessity to have. The Stream Deck beats having to memorize so many keyboard shortcuts and write scripts to trigger sequences of actions you want completed with fewer clicks.
Setup with the Stream Deck app is as easy as drag-and-drop. Literally. If something you wanted to create isn't available within the app, there's a way to search for and add features that would allow you to create the ultimate macros.
The app setup could be saved as a backup and imported on another computer. I use the Stream Deck setup on both my laptop (Windows 10 OS) and desktop (Windows 11 OS). All I need to do is unplug the Stream Deck from one computer to the other and I'm good-to-go.
Considering the many positions and responsibilities I had when I worked in higher education, I can imagine scenarios where this product would be useful to better streamline repetitive tasks in office administration, training and delivery, instructional design, accounting, help desk support, and more.
The next question is... Am I satisfied with my purchase?
My Thoughts
I'm satisfied with my purchase of the Elgato Stream Deck. I've used it daily since I bought it last August.
Over time, I modified my setup to better fit my needs as I complete productive tasks (e.g., website maintenance) and do fun stuff (e.g., play video games). I'm making changes today to include generic text that, with the push of a button, would add my typical "What's Next?" section at the end of each blog post.
I wished I had this when I worked in higher education. The Stream Deck is like the Auto Hotkeys application but with physical buttons separate from the computer keyboard and visuals to identify which button does what.
What's Next?
Did you know about the 25 Days of Winter Arts & Crafts on my YouTube channel? Each day from December 1st through December 25th, I'll upload a winter-themed video that may be of interest to you. Feel free to check-out the channel to see what I have to share.
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Thanks, and have a great day!
Simply Jelly Jam