First Look: Logitech’s MX Creative Console Set to Compete with Elgato’s Stream Deck Line

Logitech announced today: Logitech MX Creative ConsoleThe first product to benefit from the technology underlying the Loupedeck is a company Purchased in July 2023.

I am a user of Loupedeck products Since 2019.When I heard this acquisition last summer I was curious. Loupedeck has positioned itself as a premium accessory for creatives. The company’s first products special keyboard-like accessories For applications like Adobe Lightroom Classic. With Loupedeck Live and later, Live SLoupedeck’s focus has expanded to include the needs of broadcasters and automation in general.

Suddenly, Loupedeck was going head-to-head with Elgato and the Stream Deck line of peripherals. I always preferred the Loupedeck’s higher-end hardware over the Stream Deck, but it cost more and I think that made it hard to compete.

Fast forward to today, and the first Logitech product to use Loupedeck’s know-how has been announced: Logitech MX Creative Console. A new direction for hardware, with familiar software. I’ve been using Logitech’s new device for a few weeks now, and I like it a lot. The MX Creative Console is built for Adobe users first and foremost. That’s clear from the three-month free trial to Creative Cloud that comes with the $199.99 device. Not only did Logitech partner with Adobe for the free trial, but it also worked with Adobe to create a series of plugins specifically for Adobe’s most popular apps, but plugins for other apps are also available.

I use Adobe apps, but my interest in the MX Creative Console is the ability to run keyboard shortcuts, trigger various system events, and string together multiple actions as macros. For example, I use the MX Creative Console to browse RSS, add files to DropOver, manage my windows, and take screenshots. These are things you can do with a Stream Deck, too, but Logitech’s MX Creative Console has a few special features that I like.

First, there’s the fact that the MX Creative Console is made up of two pieces. The first is a wireless keypad that includes a large button, a scroll wheel, and four programmable buttons. The keypad is wireless because it doesn’t have a screen, allowing it to run on AAA batteries. The second piece is a keypad that includes nine customizable buttons and two buttons for paging through multiple sets of nine buttons. The two devices can work together, allowing you to control the brightness via the keypad’s button by pressing something like the brightness button on the keypad.

The design of the keypad is closer to the Stream Deck than the Loupedeck, which sacrifices some of the Loupedeck’s premium feel, but I still like it better than the Stream Deck. The keys are similar but perhaps have a slightly shallower throw and aren’t as concave as the Stream Deck. This means that the icons assigned to each key’s small display aren’t as distorted by the shape of the keys as they are on the Stream Deck. There’s also a subtle lip on the edge of each key and a bump on the center key that makes it easier to orient your hand without looking at the MX Creative Console’s keypad.

As for the keypad, it connects to your computer wirelessly via Bluetooth or Logitech’s proprietary Bolt connector. Either way, the keypad can pair with up to three devices, like many of the company’s keyboards—something I wish Apple would do with its own input devices. In addition to a button that’s great for adjusting sliders or scrolling horizontally, there’s a scroll wheel and four programmable buttons for scrolling through long vertical pages. The keypad also works with an iPad, connecting via Bluetooth and working the same way a third-party mouse does for scrolling and clicking.

Overall, my first impressions of the MX Creative Console’s hardware were positive. By splitting the device into two pieces, it made it much more portable than many similar devices. I wouldn’t hesitate to throw one or the other, or both, in my bag, due to their compact size and minimal weight. When I’m at my desk, the keyboard also includes a stand that holds the device at a slightly more than 45° angle.

I’m less excited about the MX Creative Console’s software. I’m using the beta version, so I’ll reserve judgment until the final release in October, but so far, programming the device isn’t great. That goes for the Stream Deck. Like it, Logitech uses Logitech Options+, a cross-platform app that appears to be built on web technologies and isn’t very good. Loupedeck users will recognize elements of the Loupedeck software when they look at Options+ to program their keypad or keyboard. But that familiarity isn’t an advantage, as Loupedeck’s software was also one of its weakest points. Logitech has done an admirable job of competing on hardware, but at least in beta form, Options+ feels like it’s trying to steal the Stream Deck’s crappy setup software crown. The only positive thing is that anyone who’s used a Stream Deck or Loupedeck before won’t be surprised by Options+’s limitations.

Still, the Logitech MX Creative Console is excellent overall. I would have preferred better software support, but it’s worth noting that the Options+ version I used was in beta and did the job. While the hardware isn’t as good as the Loupedeck Live S, I prefer it to a standard Stream Deck and appreciate that it’s split into two components, allowing for a variety of desk setups and easier portability. I can’t wait to see where Logitech takes the MX Creative Console next and how Elgato responds.

The Logitech MX Creative Console is available in black and light gray and is available for pre-order today Amazon or Logitech’s websiteAccording to Amazon’s statement, pre-orders for the device will be delivered on October 16.