Why we chose this
We've used Stream Decks for years, and the Live S is the first 'second-generation' streaming deck we'd swap in. The rotary encoders fundamentally change what's possible (continuous control vs. discrete presses), and the software is finally good enough to recommend without a 'but...' attached.
The review
Loupedeck's Live S sits between an Elgato Stream Deck and the company's larger CT — fifteen LCD buttons, two rotary encoders, and a touch strip, in a footprint that fits next to a 14-inch laptop on a coffee shop table. The new firmware finally treats macOS as a first-class citizen (the older Loupedeck software was a Windows-first apology on Apple), and the plugin library covers OBS, Premiere, Lightroom, DaVinci, Logic, and a deep set of streaming integrations including Twitch, YouTube, and Streamlabs. The build is mostly aluminum, the buttons have a satisfying click, and the encoders have detents (which sounds minor until you've used a knob without them for an hour and missed a target). The use case shines for creators who switch between apps — keying a chat alert, scrubbing a timeline, and tweaking exposure during a live session no longer means thirty keyboard shortcuts.
