Useful for BOTH work and play - the Elgato Stream Deck Neo fits both sides of your personality

In the years I have owned my first Elgato Stream Deck, it has never left my side. It was my loyal companion during my COVID era. I took it with me to Washington, D.C. [music] when I took up a master's degree, and I took it back home to Manila with me a year ago along [music] with some other Elgato friends. I am thus not new to the Elgato [music] Stream Deck family. I have my Philips Hue lights wired up to my Stream Deck and programmed it to go off [music] every time my girlfriend sent me a code word meant to bother me. Just when I thought that I would never need [music] another Elgato product, here comes the younger brother of the Elgato Stream [music] Deck, the Stream Deck Neo. Hi, I'm Rafael from Hardware Sugar, and I have spent at least [music] 5 years with at least one Elgato Stream Deck. But, today we are also here to give our review of the Elgato [music] Stream Deck Neo. For purposes of disclosure, while Elgato sent this over for review, they had no say in how we reviewed [music] and are watching it for the very first time alongside you. Now, if you don't know what a Stream Deck is, a Stream Deck is quite simply a customizable shortcut switch, which you keep next to your desktop or laptop so that you can do certain things faster and more efficiently. There are actually so many recipes [music] and tricks on what you can do with a Stream Deck that it is overwhelming. However, I'll link you to Naughty who I've learned fantastic [music] Stream Deck ideas from in the past. But, for me, I'm a very basic guy. I use a Stream Deck mostly to quick launch folders, screenshot my computer screen, [music] launch 10 websites at a press of a button or many buttons so that I can pay my bills. I organize which websites [music] are placed in dated folders so I know what date to open each website to settle a utility bill. By the way, if you're wondering why I just don't online enroll Meralco to pay itself, yeah, I don't know why Meralco refuses to just let do big any Why? Anyway, like I said, I'm a very basic guy. However, I'm willing to bet [music] that there are a lot of basic people out there who don't need to make the Stream Deck do overly complex [music] things. I'm not saying you shouldn't. In fact, the Stream Deck is such a capable companion. [music] I don't doubt you would think of much more imaginative uses. But, that is the beauty of the Stream Deck. At the very basic [music] level, your Stream Deck is a tool which is so flexible in its ability to adapt to how anyone needs to use it for their purpose that my Stream Deck use would be completely different from the way you would use your Stream Deck. >> [music] >> Now, let's talk about the Stream Deck Neo. To be honest, when I saw the Neo come out, I was an Elgato snob because I knew it was their budget range. Yet, even if I never wanted to buy it, I couldn't help but look at the Neo set and say, "Damn, that's a clean setup." At the time, I think they only had [music] this white Neo version set. But, apparently there are black versions of this Stream Deck Neo as well. In terms of design, there are three things which you must know immediately about what makes this different from its slightly more expensive older brother, the Stream Deck Mark II. Stick to my favorite reasons in the end. First, the cable is disappointingly built into the Stream Deck itself. Overall, this is a poor design choice. I like the flexibility of being able to choose the length of my cable. However, it is not a deal breaker, just a minor annoyance. In case you have a similar problem as me in which the cable is way too short to reach your desktop, then just buy an extension cable. It is, however, an additional cost which the budget-conscious should take note of. The Stream Deck Mark II and Plus allow you to change out the cable. Second, the kickstand from the original Stream Deck Mark I seems to have made a comeback. You can adjust the Stream Deck into two different positions. This comes in handy depending if you have a preference on how long or high you want it. On aesthetic point, I would have preferred keeping it similar to that of the Stream Deck Mark II where the kickstand [music] is completely gone and you just have this nice minimalist block. >> [music] >> However, I was pleasantly surprised that due to the large front face, I never actually see the ugly kickstand unless I literally pick it up and look at it. This is therefore a most definite positive upgrade from the original Mark [music] I's kickstand. Third, and the most important feature which really adds extreme value to the Stream Deck Neo is the left and right swipe touchscreens at the bottom. The ability to move back and forth without taking up any of the buttons is not possible in the Stream Deck Mark I, II, or XL. Instead, I always [music] had to sacrifice a button in order to create a back button. Why this is so epic [music] is because your eight buttons are in actuality an infinite number of button sets. You just need to swipe left to right to get each set of programmable buttons. Let's say for instance your first set is in [music] charge of your volume controls and play buttons. Basic stuff essentially. >> [music] >> You would have no room for things like launching browsers, but with the tiny swipe of the screens, it's as simple as you just moving back and forth between programmable sets. The fact that you have this feature for less than $50 from that of the Mark II makes the Stream Deck Neo the better option if you ask me. Yes, the Mark II has 15 buttons, but I realized that I don't actually need 15 buttons all in one go. Also, the smaller form factor of the Neo [music] makes it a more minimalist choice for those who do not want to go overboard with their desk setup. The Stream Deck Plus on the other hand has these dials and also has a screen which allows you to swipe left or right, similar to the swipable 1-in screen in the Neo. It is, however, $60 more, and I'm going to have to admit, but I haven't used [music] the switches all that much. I actually use the Mark II and the Neo much more than I use the Plus. I know [music] lots of people have an obsession on whether or not the buttons feel satisfying to press. A lot of people in the early days disliked the sort of gummy-like sensation is to press the original Mark I. And to be honest, this isn't all that different. I think it is still a little gummy, albeit probably firmer. It could be my imagination. Nevertheless, if you didn't like the way it felt before, you'll probably feel the same way with the Neo. For us regular folk though, I have no issue with them, and I love pressing them. My biggest regret when it came to buying my Stream Deck Plus was that I think I would have preferred the same color as my Mark II, black. The fact that my Mark II now appears as the ugly duckling in the family now makes [music] me regret having gone white or black. Just in in general, just buy your just match the colors, guys. Just match the colors. The Stream Deck Neo is priced at $95, [music] the Mark II at $150, the Plus at $160, and the XL at $230. If you're a new to Stream Deck and don't know how it would fit into your work style, then highly recommend you get the Stream Deck Neo. It's the most versatile, compact, and cheapest from among all the four. With the Neo, you get a little bit of the plus, but without the plus cost. And in reality, I have a feeling most people won't be using the dials anyway. This is especially true if you [music] aren't a creator and just have a desk job which requires you to do Excel and [music] Office. Hey, if this video has helped you out in any way, please consider liking and subscribing to Hardware Sugar. It is a free way to help out the team, and it would mean so much to us. One major drawback, which is also its biggest [music] pro, is the 1-in swipable line screen thingy. They are not always responsive. They seem to work best when your whole hand is clutching the Neo, and it sometimes fails if your touch is too light. When it fails to react, it sort of takes you out of the magic of the seamlessness of the Stream Deck. I did not [music] notice this problem with the plus, which is always reliably responsive when I move from left to right. Another drawback which I recently found out is that if you intend to use this [music] for your work laptop, which has a strict system which requires your employer to okay certain programs to be installed on your computer, you will be surprised that quite a number of employers refuse to allow the Stream [music] Deck software to be installed into your work laptop. Which sucks because this thing is a beast [music] for work productivity. I mean, think of all the AI prompts you could paste with this guy. Not that I'm saying that everyone uses AI for their work. Oh, hey. By the way, this script was entirely written by me without the help of AI. As a former literature major, I felt like I needed to take a stand and [music] rebel in some way. So, if this review is a little more circuitous than most, it's because it isn't optimized, which I think makes it more down-to-earth and authentic. What do you think? I guess the best thing about the Stream Deck in general is how you can always get another form of it later on when your budget permits. It is always so amazing how it makes me such an efficient worker bee, whether I [music] use it for work, my hobbies, or chores that regardless of which one I have, it always makes me more effective at what I do. In fact, when I travel, I always have the Stream Deck Mark II with me alongside [music] my laptop. I take the Stream Deck more than I take an extra mouse when I travel. That's how attached I am to this macro pad. If I was someone who never owned a Stream Deck, my response as your friend and confidant is not whether you should get one, but which one you should get.