Optus Mobile Review ALDI Mobile Review Amaysim Mobile Review Belong Mobile Review Circles.Life Review Vodafone Mobile Review Woolworths Mobile Review Felix Mobile Review Best iPhone Plans Best Family Mobile Plans Best Budget Smartphones Best Prepaid Plans Best SIM-Only Plans Best Plans For Kids And Teens Best Cheap Mobile Plans Telstra vs Optus Mobile Optus NBN Review Belong NBN Review Vodafone NBN Review Superloop NBN Review Aussie BB NBN Review iiNet NBN Review MyRepublic NBN Review TPG NBN Review Best NBN Satellite Plans Best NBN Alternatives Best NBN Providers Best Home Wireless Plans What is a Good NBN Speed? Test NBN Speed How to speed up your internet Optus vs Telstra Broadband ExpressVPN Review CyberGhost VPN Review NordVPN Review PureVPN Review Norton Secure VPN Review IPVanish VPN Review Windscribe VPN Review Hotspot Shield VPN Review Best cheap VPN services Best VPN for streaming Best VPNs for gaming What is a VPN? VPNs for ad-blocking In terms of its compact size, there are cheaper options from Elgato, but the price is comparable to the Loupedeck Live, which is the basis of the Razer Stream Controller. If price is everything, go with a cheaper Elgato model. But if you’re willing to put in the time to master the depth of the Razer Stream Controller—especially if you use it for more than just streaming—there’s more value to find the deeper you dig. Admittedly, that stand is a bit on the flimsy side, so it’s no wonder that there are more robust alternatives to find on sites like Etsy. Still, I’d argue some form of stand is borderline essential for an angled view while you’re training your fingers on the muscle memory of the options on each page. First-time streamers can breathe a sigh of relief: the Razer Stream Controller is effectively a plug-and-play device. It has minimal Razer Synapse integration, but the bulk of the depth is found in the Loupedeck companion software, which you’ll need to have running at all times on your PC or Mac in order to use the Razer Stream Controller. Thankfully, the Razer Stream Controller device is incredibly intuitive to use with some great default functionality. The homepage covers the basics, including Chrome browser, game applications (Steam and Battle.net), as well as shortcuts to webpages (Twitch, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube). By default, the second page has some Twitch functionality baked in (emotes, subscriber, raid, etc.) while the third page even has a handful of audio samples to spice up your stream. Pro tip for first-time streamers like me: Twitch Studio Beta makes streaming even easier than going through a browser. But back to the Razer Stream Controller. It was a great streaming companion in my streaming tests, particularly once I attached the stand. The LCD touchscreen is bright and the slight haptic feedback whenever you lightly touch an on-screen option offers subtle actuation that lets you know you’ve done something. You can get away with a lower-quality webcam (or none at all), particularly if you’re streaming on older hardware and/or slower internet. I would advise ensuring you at least have a decent microphone for communicating with your viewers who will appreciate the clearer audio. Start with a decent headset microphone in a gaming headset, but also consider a USB mic or something from RØDE if you want broadcast-quality audio. You can use tools like Nvidia Broadcast with a compatible Nvidia graphics card to minimise background noise (including clattering keyboards). Greenscreens are optional but will help turn a cluttered or busy space into something that doesn’t have distractions in the background. Alternatively, frame the webcam in such a way to cut out potentially distracting background stuff. This is also a good idea if you’re streaming in a room where the people you live with want to move freely behind your camera. This means a stream deck should be plug and play. We then evaluate a stream deck on what default functions it has included. Ideally, we want a stream deck that makes first-time streaming simple. Digging beneath the surface, we look into how the companion software works. We like a stream deck that makes it simple to reconfigure functions without being overwhelming. Price is also evaluated in the context of close competitors, and then we run test streams to see how practical and easy-to-use a stream deck truly is.
