Live streaming equipment is becoming more and more ubiquitous among modern gamers, especially since the functionality of these devices goes far beyond simply blending scenes in a stream. Loupedeck released its Loupedeck Live S console last year, bringing a smaller yet powerful alternative to its more expensive brother, the Loupdeck Live. How is the Live S holding up and is the device worth the high price in the end?
specifications
- Buttons: 4 tactile RGB face buttons; 15 touch capacitive screen buttons
- Dials: 2 dials with push function
- Interface: USB-C (including USB-C to USB-A cable)
- Dimensions: 5.91 x 3.39 x 1.18 inch / 150 x 86 x 30 mm
- System requirements: Windows 10 or higher / MacOS 10.14 or higher
- Includes Stand: Yes
- Price: $179.00 on Loupedeck website
first thoughts
At first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the Loupedeck Live S is a stripped down version of the company’s previous offering, the Loupedeck Live (or Razer’s Stream Controller, since it’s simply a redesigned Live). The Live S has just four tactile buttons that can switch between different pages set up in the software, while the full-featured Live has eight tactile buttons. However, the Loupedeck Live S makes up for this with three additional touch-capacitive front buttons, for a total of 15 buttons that can be programmed on the device’s central touchscreen.
The Loupedeck Live S has two analog dials on the left side of the device that can be programmed to do quite a bit, especially when paired with a program that can use them. Brush size in Adobe Photoshop is effortlessly adjusted with a simple twist, while scrolling timelines in Premiere Pro is now a breeze.
The low profile of the device itself – it’s very, very thin when placed flat on a desk – may appeal to some, but I immediately found myself looking for an included stand to more conveniently reach the Live S. I appreciate the stand, even if it’s a bit flimsy, although it hasn’t really caused me many problems over the past few weeks of testing the device.
The main touchscreen is the focal point of the Loupedeck Live S and reflects the functionality of Elgato’s Stream Deck line. Here the fifteen buttons are fully programmable, with the LCD screens behind them clearly showing what each section has to do. Here you can assign applications to open, keyboard shortcuts, audio sources and much more for quick access.
I also like the fact that Loupedeck has opted for a touchscreen LCD instead of a button. I like Elgato’s design, but the Stream Deck buttons can feel muddy at times. With the Loupedeck Live S, the vibration feedback I get is perfect, letting me know I’ve pushed the button without it feeling muddy. This can be set in the software itself if you’d rather not have haptic feedback, but honestly I can’t operate it without it now.
While there are four tactile buttons on the display to quickly jump to a preset page, you can also swipe left or right on the touchscreen to turn a page. Swiping up and down takes you to a new page for the two watch faces, allowing you to assign more than one function to them and quickly switch between them when needed.
Controlling content with the Loupedeck Live S
Having previously reviewed the Razer Stream Controller, I was already fairly familiar with Loupedeck’s software. This made setting up the Live S fairly easy as I could just use predefined shortcuts for many of my main drivers. Loupedeck also makes it pretty easy to get up and running with pre-built profiles for the device. Just plug it in, tweak here and there, and you’re on your way.
Streaming is pretty much the focus of the Loupedeck Live S, so the device comes preloaded with some streaming basics set up in the profile. From there it was just a matter of setting up my own workflow in Streamlabs, e.g. B. Set buttons for scenes, transitions, audio and sound clips, and more. It took about five minutes to set up from start to finish, and the end result was a nice, simple workflow that mirrored my stream controllers.
As someone who doesn’t necessarily need the analog knobs for audio control over my stream (I still use Beacns Mix Create for my audio mapping), these two knobs were largely left unused during the stream. Additionally, since the Loupedeck Live S doesn’t have the Live’s two flanking dial strips, it was difficult to see at a glance what those dials were controlling, unless I wanted to sacrifice the LCD buttons next to them to always display the dial function. Switching between dial pages felt clunky, as most of the time I would accidentally open an application or trigger what was mapped to the button I was swiping on, rather than swiping between dial profiles.
As you adjust the dial, the LCD to the right of it will change, making it easy to see what you’re doing, e.g. B. adjusting the volume or scrolling through a timeline. games such as StarCitizen and Microsoft flight simulator 2020 have custom profiles that you can download to take full advantage of these controls, as well as the creative tools that extend Live S’s functionality.
I really appreciated the new audio mixer options built into Live S, which allowed me to mute program-level audio with a simple button press. For those who rely on the Loupedeck Live S to control stream audio, this will come in handy, especially when you need to quickly mute your Discord chat or a video but don’t want to completely mute your audio for the stream. I wish there was more functionality in audio controls such as B. fading audio files in and out like music, but this is a nice step in that direction.
The software might still be daunting for some users, but the more I’ve used it, the easier it has become. Much of this is drag and drop, although there are some tricky features to work through, such as B. setting up keyboard shortcuts or multi-action toggles. I also wish there was a standard folder feature to further expand the functionality of the Loupedeck Live S. However, mastering the software shouldn’t take too long, especially if you’re focused on what you want to get out of the device. If all you need is the streaming profiles, these are relatively simple and straightforward.
It also helps that Loupedeck has a marketplace to share custom profiles, plugins, soundboards, and more. I’ve used some of the custom icon sets on my site and enjoyed what’s on offer, although I’ll say the marketplace isn’t nearly as populated as Elgato’s third-party plugins. There’s also a lack of gaming-related profiles and plugins that Loupedeck could benefit from. Integrate games like World of Warcraft, EVE Online, Elite Dangerous (please, please Elite Dangerous), PUGB, and more would just add more value to the package, especially since this product is so focused on live streamers (many of whom stream the most visible games).
Final Thoughts
As a result, using the Loupedeck Live S has become almost seamless in my setup, and where Loupedeck has an edge over Elgato here is that there are so many creative features out of the box, not just when streaming. Video editing software, photo editing, audio mixing and much more can be controlled natively and out of the box thanks to Loupedeck’s built-in dynamic profiles. I also appreciate this feature as I don’t have to bother going into the software to change profiles – Loupedeck’s software recognizes that I have a supported program loaded and just switches for me, ready to work.
For someone who is constantly editing photos for that gig, creating videos for friends, and streaming occasionally, the Loupedeck Live S sits comfortably on the desk alongside my Beacn Mix Create as the two go-to devices. It relegated my Elgato Stream Deck Mini to a glorified light switch again, as the Loupedeck plugin for Elgato’s lights doesn’t work exactly how I’d like it to. But if it does, who knows? Using the knobs to adjust the brightness is much more accurate than a button.
At $179.00, it’s not cheap, but it’s right there with Elgato’s new Stream Deck+, which offers essentially the same functionality: adjustable knobs, familiar tactile buttons, and endless customization options. The Loupedeck Live S is a bit cheaper though, and with so many features out of the box, in addition to just live streaming, it’s a compelling option. Loupedeck has an uphill battle against Elgato, especially since integrating the full range of Elgato products will be easier with a Stream Deck.
However, the Loupedeck Live S shouldn’t be tossed aside if you’re looking for a workspace controller. It’s $100 cheaper than its Loupedeck Live brother without sacrificing much functionality either. It’s a compelling option that just keeps getting better as Loupedeck iterates its software more and more. You just can’t ignore the level of creative functionality you get right out of the box, making full setup a breeze from the start.
The Loupedeck Live S is a fantastic alternative if you’re in the market for a sub-$200 controller that focuses on live streaming but can do so much more. It’s a welcome alternative that brings Loupedeck’s years of custom controller expertise to the live streaming space, and does it well. It’s another welcome alternative for streamers and content creators out there.
Full Disclosure: The product discussed was provided by the manufacturer for the purpose of this review.
