Tested: What is the best macro pad for your budget? | Tweakers

Macropads, also called stream decks, are separate keyboards for your PC with buttons to which you can assign a lot of different functions. For example, you can use them to quickly open certain programs or applications, such as YouTube or Spotify. You can also connect key combinations to it, such as control+V, or, for example, set a button that allows you to quickly mute your microphone. In short, macro pads can be useful even if you’re not a professional streamer.

There are a lot of macro pads on the market, in very different price ranges. For this comparison we have selected four representative models: the relatively cheap DisplayPad (60 euros), the (semi) professional XK-24 (150 euros), the Elgato Stream Deck+ (210 euros) and the even more expensive LoupeDeck Live (269 euros). .

Mountain’s DisplayPad is the smallest and cheapest keyboard in our test. The device consists of twelve keys, with a small LCD screen underneath. With the accompanying software you can set an image for each key that is visible through the transparent buttons. For example, you can set the YouTube logo for the YouTube shortcut.

In that software, called Base Camp, you can also set different profiles. You can assign different functions to the buttons per profile. You can then choose which profile is used when starting the PC, and which profile should become active for certain programs. For example, you can set it so that when you start a game, the icons on the macro pad automatically change into key combinations that are useful in a game. If you use video editing software, you can switch the icons to shortcuts that are useful for editing.

The keyboard does have a few disadvantages. For example, entering macros, or mouse and keyboard combinations, quickly becomes confusing. With a few of these combinations you quickly have a long list of macros, making editing them quite cumbersome. The font of the text under the keys is also quite small, even at the highest adjustable font size. Because all text must fit on one line, you can only fit seven characters in this font size.

Want to know more about the Mountain DisplayPad such as specifications, user experiences and the stores with the best prices? Then view the overview in the Tweakers Pricewatch.

The LoupeDeck is basically a fairly flat device. A plastic bracket is included, but it is a bit light and fragile. This also places the macro pad at a slight angle of only 25 degrees, while the Stream Deck is quite upright due to its stand with an angle of 50 degrees.

The Loupedeck has a lower entry threshold than the Elgato and the DisplayPad, as a number of commonly used actions are already assigned to the buttons out of the box, such as shortcuts for WhatsApp, Google Chrome and Gmail. The programmable keys are displayed on a touchscreen and are therefore not tactile. There are physical buttons at the bottom of the screen to cycle through up to seven ‘pages’ of shortcuts. There are also rotary knobs with which you can adjust the volume and screen brightness, among other things.

The software allows you to download test layouts from other users, so you don’t have to manually fill in seven pages of shortcuts yourself. You can also enter text more easily with the Loupedeck software than with the DisplayPad. There is automatic text wrapping so you can store more characters and the text can be a lot larger.

Want to know more about the Loupedeck Live such as specifications, user experiences and the stores with the best prices? Then view the overview in the Tweakers Pricewatch.

The best-known macro pads are probably the Stream Decks from Elgato. The Stream Deck+ is the newer model. This model has eight physical buttons, four programmable dials and a touchscreen. You start with a blank screen, so you have to set everything yourself first. You can configure ten pages of eight buttons each via the software. You can switch between these pages with a swipe on the touch strip. Just like with the DisplayPad, you can also have the icons and associated functions automatically changed based on the program you have open.

You can use the four rotary knobs to adjust the volume, among other things, but you can also use them in combination with the regular buttons. The Dial Stack feature allows you to change the function of the dial with each press of that button. For example, if you’re working in a Word document, you can set the button as follows: one press is Control+A for selecting all text on a page; a second press is ‘copy’ and ‘paste’ by turning the knob to the left and right respectively; and a third press is Control+S for ‘save’ and Control+N for ‘new’.

Although the Stream Deck software is very extensive, it is disappointing that you cannot set macros for mouse actions. You can use additional third-party software that can do this (and more), but it sometimes costs money.

Want to know more about the Stream Deck+ such as specifications, user experiences and the stores with the best prices? Then view the overview in the Tweakers Pricewatch.

The XK-24 from X-Keys looks more like an extra regular keyboard than a traditional macro pad. It is a sturdy device with 24 physical keys and, with an inclination angle of just under 5 degrees, it is much flatter than the rest. The device is intended more for professional users than the other pads tested. Programming software is included so that users can manually write commands, but a software interface is also included.

Although the software looks old-fashioned, it works fine and is fairly intuitive. By pressing a key, you can assign it a macro, shortcut or other function. The XK-24 does not have a built-in screen behind the keys, so you cannot see which function you have assigned. So you have to stick labels on the keys yourself. A few blank labels are included. The software also contains a built-in ‘label maker’ with printing functionality.

The XK-24 has one more trump card up its sleeve: you can combine keys into larger keys, for example for actions that you want to be able to perform blindly. For this purpose, the manufacturer supplies a number of covers for double keys, which you can click horizontally or vertically over the smaller keys.

Want to know more about the X-Keys XK-24 such as specifications, user experiences and the stores with the best prices? Then view the overview in the Tweakers Pricewatch.

We are least satisfied with the LoupeDeck Live and XK-24. The former is a fairly nice device, especially because you don’t start with a blank screen, but it feels a bit unpleasant for the hefty price. The touch buttons work less well than regular keys and the fragile, plastic stand does not suit a product costing almost 250 euros. The XK-24 is also too expensive for what it is: a simple mini keyboard. The software is in order, although it is a bit old-fashioned.

The Stream Deck+ is slightly cheaper than the LoupeDeck and offers a more pleasant experience, especially due to the physical buttons and sturdy casing. It’s a shame that you start with a blank screen, but the software is well put together, although the programmable macros are limited to key combinations.

If you have less to spend, the DisplayPad is a nice starter. You get physical buttons with a display behind them, excellent software and all for a super low price. However, editing macros could be a bit smoother, and the text display on the keys is too small. If you still think 60 euros is too expensive, or just want to try out how it works, you can also use an old phone and get started with software such as Touch Portal and Stream Deck Mobile. Based on our test sessions, that also works fine, but pressing physical buttons does have added value.