This desktop gadget wasn’t meant for productivity — but it made me faster at everything

Something I love to do is find a way to challenge myself to make myself more productive than ever before. No matter if it's finding tools that I can install on my computer to make managing dual monitors more accessible and easier, or using physical gadgets to make up for missing features from my keyboard, I love tinkering and making things more useful.

When I'm not playing games or streaming them on Twitch or TikTok, I've found that the ElGato Stream Deck Mini can be incredibly useful for productivity purposes. From accessing apps to punching in keyboard shortcuts, I've learned that this is useful for so much more than just streaming — it's become a valuable tool that I use far more than I would have ever anticipated before.

I missed keyboard shortcuts when using a TKL

Now, I can add my most-used shortcuts to my Steam Deck and use them whenever

I've been using the ROG Azoth X for roughly a year, and I've been over the moon with this keyboard. Great switches, great feedback, and a great experience all around. The biggest issue that I've had with it was the loss of a ten-key, making specific keyboard shortcuts impossible to use any longer. My faithful em dash, something I've used long before the likes of ChatGPT ruined it for me, was no longer possible to use.

Now? I can just press a button and boom — I've got myself an em dash once again. Using the Stream Deck software, I can set up keys to open websites, switch hotkeys, open applications, close programs, and much more. Even adjusting volume without needing to use my keyboard is a breeze, and I can quickly mute whatever I'm listening to with a quick tap of a button. Don't have a Print Screen button for screenshots, or don't want to Control + Shift + S every time you need a screenshot? Set up a dedicated button and let this do the heavy lifting.

Plug-ins make the experience even better

Sometimes, I don't want to dig through Discord menus or Windows Settings

Regardless of what program you're using, there's potentially a plug-in available directly from the ElGato Plug-in Shop that will get you moving in the right direction. If I'm messing around and editing a video in DiVinci Resolve, or I just want to ensure that my windows are getting snapped to a specific size on either my horizontal or vertical monitor, I can utilize the Stream Deck to simplify my day in countless effective ways.

Those who like to customize the look and feel of their accessories can also find a variety of different icon packs to jazz up how their Stream Deck, Stream Deck Mini, or Stream Deck + Knobs setup looks to match the aesthetics of their setup. Or, if you're just hoping to quickly hit someone with some Emojis in the middle of a conversation, you can quickly and easily do that with just a few button presses.

Launching my most-used apps is a breeze

I'm ready for the workday in just a few presses

As soon as my PC is booted, there are at least four apps that I need to jump into right away during the week. Slack, Asana, my browser of choice, and Discord. To save a little bit of space on my expanding taskbar on the bottom of my screen, I recently moved all of these apps to my Stream Deck, making it easier to launch them and remember what I should be focusing on.

Even if I need to switch between these programs during the day, I can just give whichever icon a press, and I'll be launched directly into it. If I hear the ping of a Slack notification, I can jump right in and check out what's going on in some of the channels I'm in, jump back into Asana to see what my plans are for the day, and hop into Edge to start writing my life away. It's incredibly straightforward, and setting up any of these icons only takes a few moments.

An expensive solution to a minimal problem

The Stream Deck isn't cheap, so it may not be the best for everyone

When I initially ordered my Stream Deck Mini, I had planned on using it for streaming and only streaming. But after taking a slight hiatus from doing that, it was just hanging out on my desk, collecting dust, and not being used. While I genuinely love that I have one after using it for as long as I have, it's an expensive solution to a problem that most people don't have.

But, since I have it and I don't want to see it just sitting there, finding out a way to turn it into a productivity powerhouse was the next best thing I could have done with it.

I love the Stream Deck for many different reasons

There are a lot of uses for the Elgato Stream Deck, no matter the size you get. After using it as a productivity helper, I do wish that I had gotten my hands on one of the bigger versions. But even if you're looking for a fun little gadget that can potentially make you a power user, this is a great little machine.

Other companies have been putting out their own versions of the Stream Deck that don't cost as much, so you could always try something along those lines if you wanted. Fifine has the Ampligame, which seems to be an acceptable replacement for the Elgato — one that I can only hope to try in the future. But until then, I'll be making profiles and swapping between apps with my faithful little desktop friend here.