Since the first version of the Elgato Stream Deck was released several years ago, it has become an essential accessory for those streaming on Twitch and YouTube to easily access the features they use most often. Since the first version, a whole family of these products has been released, and the latest in that long series is the Elgato Stream Deck + (or Plus if you hate symbols), which I was able to get my hands on today.

The big thing here is the addition of four knobs on the bottom of the Deck (no kidding, I'm not kidding...).

Elgato markets these four dials as helping to integrate this particular Stream Deck into a wide range of streaming gear offered by brands under the Corsair umbrella, such as the Wave line of microphones or a set of key lights. Using a dial, one can adjust microphone gain, key light color temperature, etc., which is particularly useful.

You can also use these dials to adjust the volume of the system, and each dial also has a push-down button for things like mute, doubling the functionality. Speaking of more functionality, the Stream Deck software (more on that later) also has this dial stacking feature that allows you to assign multiple functions to a single dial.

Even though there is not as much to choose from compared to the vast array of button-based customizations and features, there should still be enough to keep people occupied.

Aside from the addition of four metal, tactile dials, the Stream Deck + is another classic iteration of Elgato's fine product. There are a total of eight buttons to control, each with its own display, and thanks to the myriad of selectable icons in Elgato's software, you can drop your gaze on one and immediately see what you have set. The primary use for these buttons is in programs like Twitch, YouTube, or OBS, but there are also plenty of plug-ins for other apps, making the Stream Deck + an excellent productivity device.

For example, you can control presentations in PowerPoint or Keynote, or select specific functions in Photoshop. And if you're particularly clever, there are games you can play with the buttons, or if you set up a button-press counter, you can waste time watching the numbers increase with each button press. At this point, I think I've pressed it almost 200 times.

In short, the Stream Deck + is a very fun product to use, with endless features. Other versions may have more buttons, but the addition of a dial is just one more form of control, and all of the various props, plug-ins, and gizmos available with the Stream Deck + can be found in Elgato's Stream Deck software. The software is surprisingly simple to use. Once the device is connected, simply download the software and it will recognize that the device is connected.

Getting the plug-ins for Stream Deck is as easy as downloading them from the free in-app store, and once downloaded, they will appear on the right side of the app's main interface. getting them to appear in Stream Deck + is a drag and drop typical practice, and once that's done, the actual button will show an icon of whatever you've set up. Mine has Spotify media playback controls, a CPU power widget, weather, analog clock, and stock widget.

In a more general sense, the Stream Deck + is a good-looking device and has a dominant presence on the desk. The angles are comfortable and make you want to look in and quickly remember what each button and dial you set up does. The touch bar above the dials (yes, really) is also quite responsive, as are the dials themselves. One would think that using such a device would require a variety of cables, but it is convenient that a single USB Type-C cable is all that is needed.

Maybe one day Elgato or parent company Corsair will make a wireless version of the Stream Deck in a few years, but for now, a single USB Type-C cable is sufficient.

The Stream Deck + is definitely a useful tool, not only for streamers, but also for those who simply want to make their workflow as simple and easy as possible. However, 100 large buttons to add dials may not be appealing to some. At least not if you already have the Stream Deck, which already comes with more buttons and has the same or better features as this one, just in a different shape. But for those who have never used the Stream Deck before, it is easy to understand its appeal.