Loupedeck Live Review | A Modern Console For All Content Creators

Matthew Saville

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Today we are diving into the worlds of post-production and content creation! To be specific, what about the tools & accessories that make our lives much easier? Whether you’re a photo/video editor, a vlogger, a streamer, or you just edit all different types of photos, videos, and/or audio, then you need to read this Loupedeck Live review.

As content creators, there are so many different tools and accessories that we never knew we needed, until we try them. Beyond a camera and a lens, we often need…another camera and more lenses, lol. Then we need lighting, tripods, audio equipment, and so many other little things. Intimidating, maybe, but some accessories can truly revolutionize the way we work, and significantly increase the amount of work we can get done! The Loupedeck is such a product. In its relatively compact, portable form factor, it provides an advanced recording/streaming/editing control board.

The Loupedeck Live takes the interface of the Loupedeck CT (Creative Tool) and makes it even more compact, lightweight, and affordable. A powerful desktop tool for photo & video editing in its own right, the previous model came in at a price of $558, while the Loupedeck Live comes in at $269, as well as ~30% smaller and ~30% lighter, too!

So, how do you use this thing? Is it a quality product? How much time can it actually save you as a content creator? Let’s dive into this Loupedeck Live review and find out…

Loupedeck Live | What Is It?

The Loupedeck Live is what is known as a control console that adds functionality to your editing workflow. As you can see in the comparison above; it is essentially identical to the Loupedeck CT (read our full review here!) from the top down to the first row of physical (circular) keys, but it omits the lower section of keys and the large digital display dial. Compare both of these with my relatively large (15 inch) laptop, and you can tell that both of them are relatively portable, but the Loupedeck Live is truly compact.

It offers six physical knobs that can be set up to control various things such as editing sliders, (contrast, saturation, highlights, shadows, etc) …or maybe as independent volume knobs for your video editing and/or live streaming. Also, these knobs have push-button clickable buttons built-in, which can often be used to “reset” whichever dial the knob is currently controlling.

Between these knobs there is a grid of digital display buttons, which are all effectively little individual touchscreens, offering both tap and swipe capabilities! Again, these are pre-programmed for various useful functions right out of the box, whether you’re working in Adobe Lightroom for editing photos, or Premiere for editing video, and much more. Lastly, there is a row of 8 physical circular keys along the bottom, which can be programmed for additional functionality.

Keep in mind, of course, that when using the included software for setting up the Loupedeck Live, all of the knob & key functions, and even the icons on the digital display, can change depending on which application you’re using. Furthermore, even within the same application, you can save multiple workspaces so that with just a single swipe of a digital button or a press of a physical key, you can double (or triple, etc) the Loupedeck’s functionality!

All in all, this makes for a truly powerful add-on to what your traditional keyboard, mouse, and/or touchpad are usually capable of. If you’ve ever experienced the incredible benefits of customizing just a few hotkeys on your standard keyboard or mouse, you’ll absolutely love what the Loupedeck Live can do.

Loupedeck Live Review | Quality & Design

Physically speaking, the design and build quality of the Loupedeck Live is superb. The device feels solid, sleek, and professional. The USB-C cable that is supplied is also very high quality, with one end sporting a a convenient 90-degree angle connector.

NOTE: The Loupedeck Live seems to have a significantly longer USB cable than the other Loupedecks we have reviewed in the past. I’m going to assume that this is because the Loupedeck Live is especially tailored towards content creators who need a little extra space, such as being on-camera while filming a vlog, or streaming. So, if you need just a little bit of extra desk space, don’t worry, Loupedeck thought of everything!

In terms of rugged durability, the Loupedeck Live feels similarly rugged and robust like the Loupedeck CT. I’d recommend transporting it in a padded compartment of your camera bag, of course, to prevent the knobs or keys from snagging or getting crushed by all the other stuff you cram into the outer pockets of your camera bags/backpacks. Having said that, I believe the Loupedeck Live should offer many years of professional service.

Loupedeck Live Review | Setup & Installation

Right out of the box, the Loupedeck Live can be plugged in and immediately ready to go with all the default settings. It will even recognize whether you’re actively using Lightroom, Photoshop, Premiere, Capture One, or an OBS studio app.

Of course, to really get everything functioning amazingly, you’ll want to dive into a little bit of customization. For this, the included (free) Loupedeck software is easy to install, and although the learning curve is a little steep at first, the interface is pretty intuitive once you get the hang of it. (In most cases, you simply drag-and-drop the functions you want onto the visual representation of the Loupedeck.)

Loupedeck Live Specifications

  • 12x Programmable digital keys with integrated display
  • 7x Programmable physical keys
  • 6x metal dials w/ haptic feedback & clickable keys built-in
  • Dimension: 5.9 x 4.3 x 1.2″ (150 x 110 x 30 mm)
  • Weight: 8.1 oz (230 g)
  • Connection / power: USB-C cable, 6 ft  (USB-A adapter included)

Loupedeck Live System Requirements

  • Windows 10 or later
  • MacOS 10.15 or later
  • Internet connection to download the Loupedeck Software
  • USB-C or USB-A connection (adapter is provided)

Loupedeck Live Review | Workflow Integration

The original concept, throughout Loupedeck’s product history, has been simple: it assists you with your editing, whatever that may be. With all editing apps having dozens of different adjustment sliders, dialing them all with a mouse (let alone a trackpad/touchpad) can be monotonous and sometimes frustrating.

With the Loupedeck, and especially the CT/Live models with their digital displays, you have access to physical controls throughout your entire workflow. From start to finish, whether you’re loading up Adobe Lightroom and importing photos, culling/rating them, editing, or even exporting final files, the Loupedeck can assist you.

It even automatically switches its functions based on whichever application you currently have open!

Additional Ways To Enhance Productivity

Whether you’re creating, editing, or simply getting work done at your desk, having a Loupedeck Live to go along with your keyboard and mouse can be an incredibly useful productivity tool. When you’re not actively editing photos, for example, you can make all the buttons and dials perform standard functions for your computer, such as a master volume knob for all your computer media, or even computer display brightness control.

Whether you are using a Mac or a PC, you can also customize the Loupedeck to perform basic tasks such as opening new Explorer/Finder windows, copying+pasting files or text, or other commonly used functions.

So, from start to finish, you’ll quickly find yourself naturally reaching for your Loupedeck. One of the best advantages of the Loupedeck Live, of course, is that it’s so compact, you’ll never hesitate to bring it with you for an on-location setup, or any sort of travel-related content creating or editing.

Loupedeck Live Review | Value

Although the price tag is quite a bit more than the average high-end gaming keyboard or similar tool, the functionality of the Loupedeck Live provides an incredible value. Few other accessories can enhance your productivity like this can.

As I mentioned initially, the Loupedeck Live is substantially more affordable than the Loupedeck CT Although the Live does omit the large control dial of the CT, the price point of the former is an excellent balance of price VS performance.

Of course, if you’re on an even tighter budget, you can also consider the Loupedeck Live S, a slightly smaller version of the Loupedeck Live, which sells for just $189.

Loupedeck Live Review | Who Is It For?

Simply put, the Loupedeck Live is portable enough and affordable enough that we would recommend it to the widest audience of any Loupedeck product we’ve ever used! We’d recommend saving up for the Loupedeck CT if you are a full-time photo/video editor who spends hours at a computer every week, and appreciates the precision control of the larger digital display dial as well as the other buttons.

Having said that, almost all content creators will likely want to consider the Loupededeck Live first It’s simply the best balance of price, functionality, and portability for almost everyone.

Using The Loupedeck Live For Streaming & Live Content Creation

Of course, as its name suggests, the Loupedeck Live is especially designed with a whole new generation of content creators in mind. As I hinted before, I’m talking about utilizing the Loupedeck’s capabilities DURING content creation.

Indeed, streaming has exploded in popularity over the last few years, whether you are a gamer, a vlogger, or any type of content creator. “Going live” is an incredible way to engage with your audience, no matter what type of art or entertainment you create!

Unfortunately, it can be very daunting to get into streaming, with complicated equipment setup needs and a whole host of potential pitfalls once you’re actively streaming. Even your first attempt at using screen recording/streaming software can seem complicated at first, let alone creating a whole studio setup…

That is where the Loupedeck Live can make your life much easier. It can control literally everything, from launching your OBS app to starting/stopping recording/streaming, controlling multiple inputs, both video and audio, capturing screenshots, and so much more!

Once again, the learning curve can be a little intimidating at first, but with a device such as the Loupedeck Live as your streaming assistant/tool, you will feel like a natural at streaming much more quickly.

The only drawback we can think of in this regard is that there are, of course, dedicated streaming/broadcasting consoles, and although they aren’t nearly as versatile as all-around editing/creating devices, they may have a few subtle advantages in terms of displaying or controlling dedicated streaming equipment such as lights, cameras, or other functions. In other words, unless literally the only thing you do is live stream, (and you don’t do any sort of editing of photo or video content) …we absolutely recommend the Loupedeck Live compared to any alternatives.

Loupedeck Live Review | Pros & Cons

The advantages and disadvantages of the Loupedeck Live are very simple, so we can cover them in bullet point form. Simply put, there’s very little to complain about, and the drawbacks aren’t unique to the Loupedeck, they’re inherent to the very nature of what we’re doing as creators…

Pros:

  • Intuitive, sleek design
  • Excellent physical build quality / durability
  • Expansive, nearly infinite customizability & features
  • Unique combination of digital display buttons with touch/swipe integration, plus physical dials & buttons with excellent haptic feedback

Cons:

  • Missing the fantastic, smooth-operating large dial of the Loupedeck CT
  • Learning curve for n-depth, advanced customization can be intimidating
  • Among dedicated streaming consoles, functionality may not be as vast

Loupedeck Live Review | Conclusion

All in all, it’s very easy to recommend at least checking out the Loupedeck Live. We can’t think of any major drawbacks, especially if you’re interested in the technical details of your workflow, and if you enjoy the process of customizing a tool perfectly suited to your needs.

It may be a device that you hadn’t considered yet, however, the deeper you dive into editing, or content creation of any type, the more you’ll likely find that you can’t live without it! The combination of an efficient workflow, convenient customization, and sheer time saved will absolutely make the Loupedeck Live one of your most valuable purchases as a content creator.

For more info, you can check out the Loupedeck Live here or purchase it here. (currently $269)