Stream controller buying guide
Updated: October 2026
A page titled Stream Deck might be Elgato, SOOMFON, or STREONOR, and the key count in the photo will not tell you which app you are buying. This stream controller buying guide is the order to use first: the app, the keys you can see at once, the operating system against the current help page, and the USB lead. Shelf prices are the seven amazon.co.uk extracts in our [stream controller comparison](/hub/diy-supplies/stream). Peter F. used those listings on 15 October 2026 and did not run a lab test. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
A page titled Stream Deck might be Elgato, SOOMFON, or STREONOR, and the key count in the photo will not tell you which app you are buying.
A page titled Stream Deck might be Elgato, SOOMFON, or STREONOR, and the key count in the photo will not tell you which app you are buying. This stream controller buying guide is the order to use first: the app, the keys you can see at once, the operating system against the current help page, and the USB lead. Shelf prices are the seven amazon.co.uk extracts in our stream controller comparison. Peter F. used those listings on 15 October 2026 and did not run a lab test. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | App | LCD keys | Operating system | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Elgato Elgato Stream Deck Neo | Elgato app | 8, plus two touch points | Not named on the listing | 9.6 | about £69.99 | View offer |
| Preis-Tipp |  Elgato Elgato Stream Deck Mini | Elgato app | 6 | Windows 10, macOS 10.11 | 9.4 | about £49.99 | View offer |
| Alternative |  Streonor STREONOR S15 | STREONOR app | 15, plus a dashboard | Windows 10, macOS 11; no Linux | 9.2 | about £67.99 | View offer |
On this page
Start with the app, not the key count
Four listings use Elgato’s app: the Mini, the Neo, the MK.2, and the XLR bundle. The black and white SOOMFON decks and the STREONOR S15 use their own installers. A profile built in one of those apps does not open in the other, on the evidence in these listings. If you already use Elgato plugins, stay with the four Elgato pads even when a 15-key pad is cheaper. That split is on Elgato Stream Deck versus SOOMFON and STREONOR.
Fifteen keys on the wrong program do not beat six keys on the right one. The black SOOMFON and the Neo are both £69.99. One is fifteen keys in SOOMFON’s app. The other is eight LCD keys plus two touch points in Elgato’s.
Keys, touch points, and the one XLR listing
The Mini’s title says six customisable LCD keys. If two keys would only change page, four actions are left on the glass. The Neo’s title says eight keys, and two info touch points change page without spending a key. The MK.2 says fifteen keys at £109.99.
The £227.03 listing is the only XLR input here. The bullets claim 75 dB of gain and 48 V phantom power. Buy it only when the microphone is XLR. The white SOOMFON card shows up to three items and is not pressed. The STREONOR dashboard is the same kind of panel.
The operating system on the listing and on the help page
Elgato’s help page, updated 25 June 2026, asks for Windows 11 (64-bit, Intel or AMD) or macOS 13 Ventura or later, and it says Windows on ARM may not work as expected. The Mini’s amazon.co.uk line still says Windows 10 and macOS 10.11 or later. The MK.2 table says Mac OS 12 Monterey and Windows 10. The Neo’s table does not name an operating system.
SOOMFON’s bullets say Windows 10 64-bit or higher and macOS Catalina 10.15 or higher. STREONOR’s say Windows 10 64-bit or later and macOS Big Sur 11 or later, and Linux is not supported. Those lines belong to their own apps. They are not a promise that Elgato plugins will install.
USB, price bands, and the 30-day right to reject
Put the lead in a port on the computer. None of these listings is wireless. STREONOR’s notes say to avoid hubs. A UK Mini review linked a hub on a MacBook to flicker. The Mini’s table lists both USB-C and Micro USB. A UK review says the Neo is USB-C. None of the box lists includes a BS 1363 plug.
The Mini is £49.99, the 15-key pads run from £67.99 to £69.99, the Neo is £69.99, the MK.2 is £109.99, and the XLR bundle is £227.03. If the pad is faulty, section 22 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 normally gives 30 days to reject. Clearing a logo is the next job, on set up a stream controller.
Common questions
Do I need Elgato’s app, or will a cheaper 15-key pad run the same profile?
The Mini, Neo, MK.2, and XLR bundle use Elgato’s app. SOOMFON and STREONOR use their own installers, and these listings do not show a profile moving across. A pad at £67.99 or £69.99 can still fire shortcuts in that other app. It does not inherit Elgato’s Marketplace. If your plugins are already Elgato’s, the extra keys do not close the gap. Decide the app, then the key count.
Is six keys enough, or do I lose two keys to page changes?
Six is enough when one workflow fits on the Mini and pages are only a spare. It is not enough when two keys exist only to change page, because four actions remain. The Neo’s two touch points change layout without spending a key, on a history of 198 ratings. If fifteen actions must be visible, the MK.2 is the Elgato pad in this set, at £109.99.
The listing says Windows 10. Does Elgato’s current app still say that?
Elgato’s help page of 25 June 2026 asks for Windows 11 (64-bit, Intel or AMD) or macOS 13 or later, and it warns that Windows on ARM may not work as expected. The Mini and the MK.2 still print Windows 10 on amazon.co.uk. Check the help page against your computer. SOOMFON and STREONOR publish their own baselines, including Catalina and Big Sur. Those lines are not Elgato’s requirement.
When is the £227.03 XLR bundle the wrong buy?
It is the wrong buy when the microphone is already USB, or when you only want shortcut keys. It is the only XLR input here, with 75 dB of gain and 48 V phantom power on the bullets. Elgato publishes 48 V at 7 mA for the original dock. This file does not name the dock generation. One UK review reported delay and white noise with in-ear monitors. Skip it for a USB mic.
What can I do in the first 30 days if the pad is faulty?
Section 22 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 normally gives 30 days to reject faulty goods. Once the trader agrees, section 20 allows 14 days for the refund. A 12-month or two-year line on the listing is the warranty beside that right. The black SOOMFON states 24 months and the white one 18 months. A missing month count on the Neo or STREONOR does not remove the 30 days.
Does a 5 V USB pad need a UKCA mark on the listing before I can buy it?
The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 cover 50 to 1,000 V AC or 75 to 1,500 V DC. A pad powered at 5 V from USB is outside that scope. EMC and RoHS can still apply, and UKCA or CE is the marking route where they do. None of these seven listings states a mark. A blank row on the amazon.co.uk table is not proof either way.
Related pages
Sources
Elgato’s range and help pages, the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and the GOV.UK note on the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016. Prices and star counts are the amazon.co.uk extracts used for the scores dated 15 October 2026. Shelf prices move.
- Elgato, which Stream Deck to get (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Elgato help, Stream Deck software system requirements, 25 June 2026 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Elgato help, blank keys, 23 June 2026 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Elgato, Zoom certification (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Elgato, Microsoft Teams controls (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Elgato help, original XLR Dock specifications (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 22 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (retrieved 15 October 2026)