[Beaver117]

I find it hilarious that old keyboards used to have most of these buttons. Gradually people migrated to "60% TKL" keyboards to save space, and now apparrently buy an entire stream deck to replace their missing buttons? I admit it looks cooler though

[jcowdy]

The advantage I find using a Stream Deck is that it can be configured to use the context of your active window to show a subset of buttons. This unlocks a lot of power in terms in application specific shortcuts / macros that can all be triggered from a small device. I have >100 different buttons but only see the most relevant by default based on what I’m doing.

[tehbeard]

≥ old keyboards used to have most of these buttons

Hmmm, I only recall one previous "proper" keyboard having OLEDs under the keycaps...

Slightly facetious, I know, but I think one key element you missed is the adaptability.

Yes keyboards used to come with calculator and mail and internet buttons, but often times you were stuck with those options only, or worse, the particular apps hardwired in the drivers.

Not only can this solution adapt to what you are doing / context aware, it can give feedback. That mail button can pull and render an inbox count. Online contacts profile pics can display in a select few buttons when they are available.

Price/gamer tax on this type of solution and how useful to the average user, that's up for debate.

[stinkytaco]

If you're a game streamer, the keyboard might not be an option (since you're using it to play), and that's who it's aimed at, I think. I can definitely see the appeal, just leaning over to tap while in a meeting or watching a video or something. It would be useful in a conference room as well. It's a luxury item, but it definitely fills a niche.

[mdbauman]

I've tried a similar setup with a Novation Launchpad that I had bought to function as a sort of Stream Deck before this product existed (but without the little displays of course.) It's just a MIDI controller, so I could use a [piano-style] keyboard too.

Although my normal keyboard does still have function keys and a numpad, I like being able to map annoying shortcuts to individual buttons. For example, Photoshop's "Merge Visible Layers" (default Ctrl+Shift+E) is hell on my wrist, so I map it to a button on the MIDI controller.

It's also nice having extra buttons to access F13-F24 for whatever behavior I want since virtually nothing uses them by default.

[tuananh]

it's kind of like general purpose (old keyboard) vs specialized customizable keyboard (stream deck)