Traditionally, if you wanted to get a trick box to help you stream or keep frequently used features within reach, you could just buy an Elgato Stream Deck and be done with it. However, if you don't want to pay for a Stream Deck or want to try something different, the Loupedeck Live S may be the perfect fit for you.

Loupedeck is a company well known for its professional-grade decks designed to help streamers as well as creative professionals, and the Live S is their cheapest product to date, at $179/£159/€179. Live S is their cheapest product to date, priced at $179/£159/€179; it is a much smaller box than the Stream Deck, but instead of buttons, it has a knob, three physical buttons, and 15 touch-sensitive pads. The knobs are tactile and press with firm resistance, and the actual buttons have a pleasant click. At a time when so much high-tech is going to touchscreens and capacitive pads, the buttons and knobs on the Live S remind us of the pleasure of actual physical control.

These knobs support MIDI dial mapping, which allows you to use Live S with MIDI-compatible instruments such as keyboards and synthesizers, or with a DAW (digital audio workstation). At first glance, the device is designed for streamers, but Loupedeck's reputation for helping creative professionals is packed into this little deck.

The main pad functions similarly to the Stream Deck and can do everything from locking the device to opening a program, which can be programmed within the Loupedeck software. The software is not as intuitive as Elgato, but excellent plug-ins are natively supported, with presets for everything from Spotify for media playback to Final Cut Pro for video editing on macOS. Streaming platforms like Twitch and capture apps like OBS are also supported, hardly skimming the surface of what Live S can do.

But arguably the biggest takeaway here is the native support for Adobe apps like Photoshop and Premiere Pro, which Elgato's deck does not, and the idea that Live S is a solid product for creators, not just streamers It once again demonstrates the idea that Live S is a solid product for creators as well as streamers. If you are a creator and want a device that supports all the applications you might use in your everyday workflow and has easy access to features, you will find Live S to be a perfect fit. plug-ins, profiles, and stream overlays that fit Live S, icon packs, etc., some of which are free and some of which are paid for. It is an interesting system, and while it is similar in some ways to Elgato's software, Loupedeck can offer something like an all-in-one solution for streamers who want to start using Live S right away.

The Live S is also a particularly slim device, much smaller than its competitors and definitely has a sleek profile. It has a minimalist appearance that does not get in the way of setup and does not take up much space on a desk. Despite its small size, the Live S is an excellent-feeling device with respect to build quality. The textured plastic frame feels solid and does not flex at all. However, it can get a little hand-worn after a few days of handling. Connectivity is kept simple with a USB Type-C connector and an additional USB Type-A plug for legacy connections.

The only thing that bothers me about the design of the Live S is that it is flat, making it a bit difficult to look down and press icons to enter functions. One option is to fit the included stand into the bottom of the Live S and lift it up, but it feels a bit flimsy and could easily break because it is constructed of thin plastic. At the very least, you can raise the angle of the Live S to an angle similar to the fixed angle of the Stream Deck Plus (open in new tab) we saw a few weeks ago, but beyond that, this stand is not the best in the world.

So can the Loupedeck Live S pull the Elgato Stream Deck down from its perch?

The Loupedeck is designed primarily for creators who want a small device that can be used with applications such as Photoshop and Final Cut, and musicians who want a gadget box to control their MIDI-compatible devices. Streamers will especially enjoy the Loupedeck software marketplace, easy access to 15 buttons, and knobs and buttons for additional functions. It's an expensive device, but if you're a streamer or creative professional, it might be worth getting.