Final yr, Logitech entered the content material creator market Acquisition of Loupedeckwhich creates management interfaces for functions resembling Adobe Lightroom. Now, the corporate has launched the primary Logitech-branded management panel, MX Creative Consolea $200 system that features a keyboard, dial pad, and plug-ins for well-liked Adobe functions like Premiere Professional.
Logitech is preventing opponents like this travel box elite controller, and even its personal Lupedek CThowever its new merchandise are cheaper than the latter and extra trendy than the previous. MX Inventive Console contains a trendy design with a pair of smooth management dials and dynamic show keys that change relying on the app and web page you are viewing.
Logitech
Logitech MX Inventive Console is a thoughtfully crafted console constructed for creators, with clean controls and straightforward customization.
- good high quality and design
- Clean operation
- Straightforward customization
- Some apps haven’t got sufficient controls
I’ve examined many management panels going again to the unique Loupedeck in 2017. After utilizing the MX Inventive Console for greater than per week, I’ve discovered that it is highly effective in some conditions, however too restricted in others.
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The console is available in mild grey or darkish graphite and takes up little or no house on the desk (3.8 by 3.1 inches for the keyboard and three.6 by 3.7 inches for the dial). Additionally included is a stand that tilts the keyboard or dial towards you roughly 45 levels. I choose laying it flat on a desk for pace, however a stand makes it simpler to see the controls. The keyboard has 9 show keys, the contents of which change relying on the web page and software you’re utilizing. There are two common buttons under for altering pages, and there is a USB-C port on the backside.
On the coronary heart of the dial, in the meantime, is a giant “contextual dial,” as its performance modifications based mostly on the chosen motion. Moreover, there’s a scroll wheel within the higher proper nook, two buttons within the higher left nook, and two buttons on the backside of every nook. The lower-right button launches the dial’s “motion ring,” a round show on the display screen that provides you one other approach to alter issues like coloration and textual content.
The keys require a light-weight contact and a clean, click-free really feel. The scroll wheel on the dial has good friction and works exactly, permitting you to simply transfer body by body in Premiere Professional or shortly shuttle by the timeline. Nonetheless, it would not have any tactile suggestions just like the TourBox Elite. There’s a Bluetooth pairing change on the underside and an influence change on the again. It connects to your laptop by way of LT Bluetooth or Logitech’s Bolt adapter (additionally used with its mouse and keyboard (not included)).
Logitech says the merchandise are created from 72% post-consumer recycled plastic, low-carbon aluminum, micro-textured as an alternative of paint, and use FSC-certified accountable packaging. Nonetheless, the dial makes use of AAA batteries, both disposable or rechargeable. In accordance with Logitech, they will final just a few months, however that is an odd alternative for a product designed to be environmentally pleasant.
settings
MX Inventive Console is plug-and-play for Adobe functions, so you should utilize it proper out of the field. It is also customizable, permitting you to regulate in-app settings, create customized profiles, and extra. To set it up, I put in the Logi Choices+ app on my PC (and Mac, I examined each) and related the keyboard by way of USB-C. I put in the dialpad individually by connecting it to my laptop by way of Bluetooth.
As soon as the system is acknowledged, click on All Actions to put in the Adobe plug-in. It additionally immediately helps functions resembling VLC media participant, Spotify Premium, Seize One and Ableton. You may even use it to manage plug-in-free apps like your browser’s system quantity, YouTube movies, emojis, screenshots, and extra. I’ve discovered this solely helpful for system quantity (good day, crappy Home windows 11 audio controls).
Altering the default settings is straightforward. Once you open the customization web page, it shows the units (dial, keypad, and ring) on the left, and all attainable settings on the appropriate. To vary or add a brand new setting, simply seize the one you need from the checklist and drag it to the digital keyboard on the left. The keys could be rearranged on the identical web page, however shifting settings from one web page to a different is not simple.
As a Premiere Professional consumer, the very first thing I did was create a brand new keyboard web page and add buttons to change between sources, applications, and the timeline to keep away from clicking the mouse to carry out these actions. That is comparatively simple to do due to the search performance and intuitive drag-and-drop interface. Should you do not wish to customise it, Logitech gives a plug-in market within the Logi Choices+ app. I wasn’t ready to make use of it earlier than launch, nevertheless it ought to permit customers to buy or share plugins, profiles, and icon packs.
Operation
I primarily use Lightroom Traditional and Premiere Professional, with occasional Photoshop and After Results. All of those functions are supported natively in MX Inventive Console on Mac and PC.
I began with Premiere Professional, testing on Home windows and Mac. After some considering, I positioned the keypad on the left facet of the keyboard and the dial pad on the appropriate facet between the keyboard and mouse. This works nicely visually, permitting me to fine-tune edits and make changes with my proper hand and press buttons with my left hand – similar to I already do with a keyboard and mouse.
At first, I did not suppose the console would pace up my workflow in edit mode, since I have already got most of Premiere’s keyboard shortcuts memorized. I am additionally nervous that I will be always leaping between the watch face and the mouse. Nonetheless, after taking part in round a bit, I observed that scrubbing the timeline with the dial offered finer and quicker management than the keyboard and mouse, particularly when utilizing the scroll wheel to zoom the timeline (I would wish to see quicker scrubbing speeds ) Logitech has shrunk it, although).
From there, I added break up performance and different click-free mouse instruments that I have not touched shortly. With this, I can work nearly as quick as utilizing a keyboard and mouse, relying on the duty, regardless of my earlier considerations. Whereas I actually am hesitant to make use of it for modifying, I feel it is an ideal workflow for brand spanking new Premiere Professional customers as a result of it shows actions visually so newbies need not bear in mind shortcuts.
The MX console is especially helpful for coloration correction in Premiere. After choosing a clip, you possibly can click on the dial button within the decrease proper nook to launch the motion ring, transfer your mouse to one of many actions (publicity, distinction, white, saturation, and so on.), then flip the dial to regulate that setting. To keep away from utilizing a mouse, you can even program major coloration changes into the keyboard. Then, simply maintain down the button on that setting whereas turning the dial.
Then there’s Lightroom Traditional. This software makes probably the most sense for a console, because you’re largely performing operations on a single picture (coloration correction, cropping, and so on.). Shortcut keys embody develop mode, white steadiness selector, auto white steadiness, auto upright, and score instruments. As soon as you’ve got imported your pictures into the library, you possibly can soar to Develop, use the dial to change between pictures, and use the motion ring to regulate coloration, similar to in Premiere. Likewise, in case you choose to maintain your palms on the MX Console, you possibly can program regularly used capabilities (temperature, saturation, highlights, and so on.) into the keyboard.
The MX console additionally has buttons for copying and pasting improvement settings, back and front views, and cropping and opening pictures in Photoshop. Lightroom superior customers can add extra shortcuts to additional enhance effectivity. This makes it nearly as quick as the favored Loupedeck+ panel, however leaping between pages within the keyboard could gradual you down.
Sadly, I discover the MX Inventive Console to be the least helpful for Photoshop. Management Panel is finest for single-purpose duties like coloration correction and audio changes, however Photoshop is designed for extra complicated operations. This implies I am completely taking my palms off the keyboard and dial and onto the mouse and keyboard, making me much less environment friendly (if in any respect). It will have been helpful in Photoshop’s Digicam RAW utility (which has Lightroom-like controls), however Logitech says that software has no API and would not assist plug-ins.
wrap up
The principle competitor to the MX Inventive console is the $268 TourBox Elite, which has three dials and ten buttons. Designed to be used with a keyboard and mouse, it is highly effective for skilled editors however appears a bit low-cost. As compared, Logitech’s MX Inventive Console is extra refined, and the visible interface offered by its keyboard is extra appropriate for novices. It is also price noting that the Elgato is priced equally Streaming Deck+ latest additional An Adobe Photoshop plug-in, though primarily designed for stay streaming. It supplies quick access to Photoshop instruments and changes by way of 4 dials and eight show keys.
Different choices are dearer resembling $529 Lupedek CT, $395 DaVinci Resolve Velocity Editorthe $499 DaVinci Resolve Mini Panel and the $595 Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve Editor Keyboard. These are extra highly effective and look extra skilled, however will clearly value extra.
Logitech’s MX Inventive Console is a high-quality system with appreciable utility for functions like Premiere Professional and Lightroom Traditional. As Adobe provides extra supported functions and the Logi Market grows, its usefulness will undoubtedly enhance. Nonetheless, it merely would not have sufficient buttons and dials to carry out duties discovered in lots of Adobe apps with out having to resort to a keyboard and mouse. Should you do use a handsome app like Lightroom, it might probably make you extra productive and look cool. It ships subsequent month for $200, and Logitech can also be providing a free three-month subscription to Adobe Inventive Cloud.
