Historically, if you happen to needed to nab your self a field of tips that can assist you for streaming and preserving your most used capabilities inside simple attain, you’d purchase an Elgato Stream Deck, and that might be the tip of that. Properly, if you happen to didn’t need to shell out on a Stream Deck or need to strive one thing totally different, the Loupedeck Stay S I’ve bought in entrance of me right here may simply be for you.
Loupedeck is an organization finest identified for some extra of its pro-grade decks designed to assist out inventive professionals as a lot as streamers, and the Stay S is their least expensive product to this point, clocking it at $179/£159/€179. For that, you’re getting a field that’s lots dinkier than a Stream Deck, however one which additionally comes with a pair of knobs you possibly can twiddle, three bodily buttons, and 15 touch-sensitive pads, versus buttons. The knobs listed here are properly tactile and agency to press, with a strong quantity of resistance, whereas the precise buttons on provide are pleasantly clicky, too. In an age the place loads of tech is changing into contact screens and capacitive pads, the Stay S’s buttons and knobs are a reminder of the enjoyable of precise bodily controls.
These knobs additionally home some intelligent performance themselves with help for MIDI dial mapping, which lets you use it with MIDI-enabled devices resembling a keyboard or synthesiser, or use the Stay S with a DAW, or digital-audio workstation. As a lot as this can be a gadget designed probably for streamers at first look, Loupedeck’s popularity for aiding inventive professionals has additionally been crammed into this tiny deck, too.
The primary pads provide related performance to a Stream Deck and might assist you to do something from locking your gadget to opening packages, and they are often programmed throughout the Loupedeck software program. The software program arguably isn’t as intuitive as Elgato’s, however there is a superb set of plugins natively supported, with presets for every little thing from Spotify for media playback to Remaining Minimize Professional for video enhancing on macOS. There’s additionally help for streaming platforms like Twitch and seize apps resembling OBS, too, and that’s barely scratching the floor of what the Stay S is able to.
Stay S specs
No. of buttons/dials: 4 buttons, 2 dials
Connectivity: USB Kind-C
Cable: USB Kind-C, removable
Dimensions: 140 x 138 x 110 mm
Weight: 168g/ 0.37lbs
Value: $179 | £159 | €179
Arguably one of many greatest issues right here although is native help for Adobe apps resembling Photoshop and Premiere Professional, which Elgato’s decks don’t have, and indicators once more the thought of the Stay S additionally being a strong product for creatives as a lot as streamers. It signifies that if you happen to’re a inventive and if you’d like a tool that’s going to be a strong possibility to make use of for all method of functions that you could be nicely usually use in your day by day workflow and provides you quick access to capabilities, you then’re going to really feel proper at residence with the Stay S.
The Loupedeck suite options its personal market, the place you possibly can obtain a pleasant vary of extra plugins and overlays to fit your wants right down to a tee. There’s a great vary of plugins, profiles, stream overlays and icon packs to go along with the Stay S, a few of that are free, and a few of that are paid for. It’s an intriguing system, related in some methods to Elgato’s software program, however one that permits Loupedeck to supply a type of multi function answer for streamers eager to get began with the Stay S proper out of the gate.
The Stay S can be an particularly slim gadget, with a a lot smaller and arguably sleeker profile than its rivals. It provides extra of a minimalistic look that received’t be obtrusive in your setup, and likewise received’t take up an excessive amount of house in your desk, both. Regardless of its smaller stature, the Stay S is an excellent-feeling gadget in the case of construct high quality. The textured plastic body feels strong, and there’s no flex in any respect, though even with just a few days’ price of dealing with, can get a bit grubby, though perhaps that claims extra about my palms that the Stay S’s end. Connectivity is stored good and easy with a USB Kind-C connector, full with a further USB Kind-A plug for extra of a legacy connection—which will seem to be a small factor to level out, however if you happen to’re utilizing an older system with some legacy apps on it, then it will possibly make such a distinction.
My solely actual subject with the Stay S’s design is that as a result of it sits so flat, it may be somewhat troublesome to easily look down and press on the icons to enter a perform. There’s a technique of elevating it up with the bundled stand that snaps to the underside of the Stay S, however it feels somewhat flimsy, being comprised of some skinny plastics which will break simply. It does not less than elevate the angle of the Stay S to one thing extra akin to the mounted angle of the Stream Deck Plus (opens in new tab) I checked out a few weeks again, however past that, the stand isn’t the very best factor on the planet.
So, can the Loupedeck Stay S knock the Elgato Stream Deck off its perch? Properly, not precisely, however then once more, it’s a barely totally different gadget that assaults issues from a unique angle.
The Loupedeck is primarily designed for these creatives who desire a smaller gadget they’ll use in apps resembling Photoshop and Remaining Minimize, or for musicians who desire a field of tips to regulate their MIDI-enabled units. It’s more likely to be a hoot for streamers although, particularly with the enjoyable of the Loupedeck software program market and easy accessibility to fifteen buttons and extra knobs and buttons for additional performance. It’s an costly gadget, however if you happen to’re a streamer or inventive skilled, it might simply be price a pickup.
