StreamEnjin Hands-On Review | Streaming. Simplified.

Diffusion. Simplified.

That’s the slogan of the StreamEnjin – an incredibly awesome new kit from Cooler Master. This is an all-in-one live broadcast mixer that lets you tweak and change your inputs for seamless streaming of your content. With its portable form factor and multi-camera inputs, the StreamEnjin might be just what you need to take your streaming gaming to the next level.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on StreamEnjin before it was released. I laughed at a few test VTs, started the iPad app, loaded everything up, and got to work putting it to the test.

What exactly is the StreamEnjin?

The StreamEnjin is essentially a vision mixer, allowing you to easily switch between eight custom scenes on your stream. It currently comes with an iPad app, so you can change the overlays as you like. With its simple controls and portability, the potential it has for accessible streaming is an incredibly exciting prospect.

One thing I especially liked about the StreamEnjin was the fact that it streams directly from the device. This is, in theory, great news for gamers who want to jump into the streaming scene, but can’t afford a high-end streaming PC. In theory. More on that later.

What will I know about the broadcast kit?

As someone with a background in TV production and in the studio it was the closest I felt to being standing in my old TV gallery. The StreamEnjin wouldn’t look out of place as a standard studio vision mixer – it’s sleek, professional, and stylish. For streamers who want all-in-one integration of live streaming, content mixing, stream capture, and editing, StreamEnjin is perfect.

The console has audio controls, which allow you to easily adjust the volume of individual scenes. I especially liked the transition slider, which allows you to queue a VT in the preview window and then switch at your own pace.

When working with multiple scenes, the buttons light up depending on what has been loaded in the preview window and which scenes are currently playing. It’s an incredibly useful feature that I wish more vision mixers had. However, the tactile feedback on the stage buttons felt slightly cheap, with little grip on their surface. I found myself having to really push the buttons to record an input, which can be a problem when mixing between multiple VTs in a show.

The reality of classism in production

Can I say with confidence that the StreamEnjin is one of the best streaming kits I’ve got my hands on? Well, it’s definitely up there.

However, with its steep price, it’s hard to recommend it to 99% of streamers. While testing its features, I wondered what target audience this kit was aimed at. Production houses often buy from big brands, such as BlackMagic for integrated live TV studio work. Streamers can purchase the StreamDeck, which may not have physical audio controls, but works seamlessly with OBS and StreamLabs for any modification.

The StreamEnjin costs £ 899.99. That’s sky-high, given that potential buyers will have to consider that they need an iPad to function, which can almost double the cost. Of course, Cooler Master has planned an Android version of their app, but that can always add an extra £ 200-300 to your production setup. For this price, it is difficult to justify this equipment compared to a copy of OBS and a PC dedicated to streaming / gaming.

I compared it to my old BlackMagic ATEM Mini and the more affordable and accessible Stream Deck from Elgato. I have used these two products a lot in my career. In fact, I found the traction on both consoles to be more tactile and satisfying, even if they looked less stylish.

From an accessibility standpoint, it’s just a shame to see streaming overshadowed by less wealthy, but equally talented, content creators.

So, is the StreamEnjin worth your time?

Looking to produce high quality multi-camera productions from the comfort of your room? For you, there is no better option on the market than the StreamEnjin. I loved how intuitive the app was, the sleek styling of the Vision Mixer, and the options it gave me for advanced flow controls. However, with cheaper alternatives on the market, it’s hard to say if the StreamEnjin deserves a place in your setup.

Featured Image: Cooler Master