Stream Deck Mini: Everything You Need to Know

For those streamers who haven’t yet seen one of these things in action. A Stream Deck is a physical LCD key control pad that allows for stream (and non-stream) related actions to be assigned to a single keys press. We’re not just talking simple tasks here. The Stream Deck Mini can be used to improve your Twitch streaming efficiency in a great number of ways. Here are just a few things you can do with a simple key-press:

1. Record, snapshot, and flashback gameplay
2. Send a Tweet to announce the start of the Stream
3. Create a custom soundboard
4. Control Twitch chat and Streamlabs without ever leaving your game

This is all done through their fully customizable keypads. From the images to the text, and of course the actions that follow. Stream Decks are as customizable as they are effective.

While these options are available on the original Stream Deck, Elgato’s Stream Deck Mini is a pint-sized heavy hitter that brings all of the same features in a more compact design.

With 6 keys at your command, the Stream Deck Mini is offering less than half of the keys that its big brother, the Stream Deck, has to offer. But hey, there’s no bad news to find here! With the drop in key selections comes a drop in price. Bringing the Stream Deck Mini to under $100 USD at the time of release.

On top of this, Elgato’s newest feature additions to Stream Deck’s capabilities allow one key to become so, so much more.

Folders

Folders, they speak for themselves. From our computers and our phones, we wield the ability to bury and stack. To take an action and push it below another. Stream Decks now allow for just that.

Imagine, instead of using three separate buttons to map your various scenes, you can now use a folder labeled “Scenes” with all the scenes then found within. One click to open the folder, one click to select your scene. That’s just economic if you ask me.

Multi Actions

Multi-Actions, however, may not be as clear-cut. But they need to be touched on, because it’s what I like to call, a game-changer.

1. First, you’ve got to get Streamlabs and OBS started…
2. Then you’ve got to send out a tweet to your awaiting fans…
3. Oh, don’t forget to get the “Starting Soon” scene onto the screen…
4. Let’s get some music started…Wait, are you sure you sent that tweet?
5. Has my mic been muted this whole time?!

Sure, it’s small-time when you run through it in your head. But then multiply these steps across the weeks, months, and years that you’ll be mundanely running through them. You’re not one foot in the grave, but you’re definitely taking up valuable time.

With Multi-Action, any streamer will be able to assign all the actions they desire into one key-press. Creating a macro that removes all the fluff that comes with getting your stream started. Even better, it allows for delays between actions. Meaning you’ve still got time to make sure there’s nothing in your teeth before you go live. This is an incredible addition to the Stream Deck’s capability and the Stream Deck Mini is all the more powerful because of it.

Above you can see an example of a Multi-Action I have created which starts streaming from Streamlabs OBS, swaps to the correct scene, tweets and unmutes my microphone over the course of a few minutes.

When deciding which is right for you, the original 15-key Stream Deck or the 6-key Stream Deck Mini, of course, the price comes into consideration. As mentioned above, the Stream Deck Mini comes in at around $100. Which is $50 less than the original Stream Deck. If you do a quick round of math, you’re technically paying more per button on the Mini. But cheaper is cheaper, especially if you account for what you can do with folders and Multi-Actions.

Structure and adjustability will also be something to think about. The original Stream Deck comes with an adjustable stand that lets you angle or flatten the panel as you see fit. The Stream Deck Mini does not come with an adjustable back. Instead, going for a solid, triangular design that keeps the buttons always positioned at an angle.

There’s also a no-slip bottom that keeps the device from sliding away from you on the Mini. Something that many have mentioned the Original could have benefited from.

The original is larger and has a slightly higher degree of accessibility if you think about the number of keys directly on tap (alright, that was the last pun). If folders aren’t your thing and you’d rather have 15 buttons directly at your fingertips, then the original Stream Deck is only $50 dollars more. Sitting at a price point of about $150 USD.

For a new Twitch streamer or even a streamer who’s far down the road but still wants to keep things well-budgeted, then the Stream Deck Mini would be a great addition to your setup. Elgato likes to call the Mini “tiny but mighty” and I really couldn’t agree more. With a lower price point and the newly added features that increase its potential, the Stream Deck Mini is a solid win.

My video on the Stream Deck Mini dives into some tutorial aspects on how certain things can be done. Like setting up those invaluable Multi-Actions and customizing icons. But there’s just so much more to show with these devices. I have plans to take a closer look at how you can get the most out of your Stream Deck. Let me know in the comments if you have questions or requests. I look forward to sharing more with you down the line!

Looking for custom icons for your Stream Deck but don’t want to make them yourself? Our friends over at Nerd Or Die have a whole pack of well-designed, eye-catching icons for you to download and use. Or Elgato have an icon maker to easily make something unique!