Short answer: the Stream Deck Plus XL is the best Stream Deck for DaVinci Resolve in 2026. With 36 keys, 6 dials, and a touch strip, it’s the only model that gives professional editors everything they need without compromise. For most editors on a tighter budget, the Stream Deck Plus is still excellent — four dials are a genuine game-changer for colour grading, audio mixing, and timeline navigation. If you want maximum keys without dials, get the Stream Deck XL.
Now let me explain why — because the “best” model depends entirely on how you edit.
Can’t be bothered reading 3,000 words about Stream Decks?
Fair. Get the Stream Deck +XL if you’ve got the budget. Get the Stream Deck + if you don’t. Both have dials, and dials are the whole point for DaVinci Resolve.
Already own a Stream Deck? Check out our DaVinci Resolve Fastlane profiles — built for every device in the lineup.
Now go edit like the pro you are.
Why DaVinci Resolve Is Different
Most Stream Deck buying guides treat all software the same. DaVinci Resolve isn’t most software.
Resolve has seven distinct workspaces — Media, Cut, Edit, Fusion, Colour, Fairlight, and Deliver — each with its own set of shortcuts, tools, and mental context. There are over 500 keyboard shortcuts across the application. No one memorises all of them, and you shouldn’t have to.
On top of that, a huge chunk of DaVinci Resolve’s power lives in controls that are inherently analogue. Colour grading with Printer Lights. Scrubbing through a timeline. Adjusting audio levels. Zooming into nodes. These aren’t “press a button” actions — they’re “turn a knob” actions. That distinction matters when you’re choosing a Stream Deck model.
I’ve built Stream Deck profiles for DaVinci Resolve across every device in the lineup, and I’ve learned that the right model isn’t about key count alone. It’s about matching the device to how Resolve actually works.
Quick Comparison: Every Stream Deck Model
Here’s the full lineup at a glance. I’ll break each one down in detail below.
| Model | Keys | Dials | Price (USD) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stream Deck Plus XL | 36 | 6 | $349.99 | ⭐ The best for Resolve |
| Stream Deck Plus | 8 | 4 | $199.99 | Best value with dials |
| Stream Deck XL | 32 | 0 | $249.99 | Max keys, no dials |
| Stream Deck MK2 | 15 | 0 | $149.99 | Best budget option |
| Stream Deck Neo | 8 | 0 | $99.99 | Beginners on a budget |
| Stream Deck Mini | 6 | 0 | $59.99 | Skip for Resolve |
| Stream Deck Pedal | 3 pedals | 0 | $89.99 | Hands-free companion |
Stream Deck Plus XL (36 Keys + 6 Dials + Touch Strip) — The Best Choice
The Plus XL is the newest and largest Stream Deck in the lineup — and for DaVinci Resolve, it’s the clear winner. Thirty-six keys in a 9×4 grid plus six dials and a touch strip. At $349.99 it’s the most expensive option, but it’s also the only one that gives you everything a professional Resolve editor needs.
For DaVinci Resolve, the Plus XL eliminates every compromise. You get a full key grid for persistent navigation and deep shortcut access across all seven workspaces, plus six dials for colour grading, scrubbing, and audio. Six dials means you can dedicate four to Printer Lights R/G/B/Master and still have two spare for timeline jog and zoom — all on the Colour page, without switching modes.
The 9-column layout also opens up grouping possibilities that smaller devices can’t match. Nine columns across four rows gives you room for logical workspace layouts without cramming functions together. The bottom row handles persistent navigation, and you’ve still got 27 keys above for workspace-specific shortcuts.
Why It’s the Best for Resolve
- 6 dials — four for Printer Lights colour grading, two for jog/zoom. No other Stream Deck gives you this many analogue controls.
- 36 keys — more than the XL, with room for persistent navigation and deep shortcuts on every page.
- No page-flipping — enough keys to fit an entire workspace on one page, so you rarely need to dig into sub-pages.
- Touch strip — always shows which page you’re on, and lets you swipe between workspaces.
Having built the DaVinci Resolve Fastlane profile for Plus XL, I can say confidently: this is the device the profile was waiting for. Every workspace has room to breathe, the dials cover every analogue control Resolve offers, and the layout just makes sense in a way that smaller devices require compromises to achieve.
Verdict: If you’re serious about DaVinci Resolve and budget isn’t the deciding factor, the Plus XL is the definitive choice. Maximum keys, maximum dials, zero compromise. It’s a serious piece of desk real estate — make sure you’ve got room for it.
Stream Deck Plus (8 Keys + 4 Dials + Touch Strip)
Before the Plus XL existed, this was my top pick — and it’s still the best value option for DaVinci Resolve editors who want dials. Those four dials are the reason.
Let me explain why dials matter so much for Resolve, because this is the part most buying guides miss entirely.
Dials and Colour Grading
DaVinci Resolve’s Colour page has a feature called Printer Lights — a set of controls inherited from traditional film grading that let you adjust Red, Green, Blue, and Master intensity with simple numpad shortcuts. Each press of a key nudges the value by a small increment.
Map those four Printer Lights channels to the four dials on a Stream Deck Plus, and you’ve got a physical colour grading surface for under $200. Rotate a dial to adjust, press it to reset. It’s not a full DaVinci Resolve Micro Panel, but it’s remarkably effective for quick corrections — and it costs a fraction of dedicated grading hardware.
I cover this in more depth in my post on Stream Deck colour grading in DaVinci Resolve.
Dials Beyond Colour
The dials aren’t just for grading. Across other Resolve workspaces, they serve different purposes:
- Edit page: Timeline jog/shuttle, zoom in/out, undo/redo
- Fairlight: Audio level adjustment, pan control
- Fusion: Node navigation, zoom, undo/redo
- Colour: Printer Lights R/G/B/Master with bypass on press
The touch strip between the dials acts as a page indicator and page switcher, so you always know where you are. In the DaVinci Resolve Fastlane profile for Stream Deck Plus, the dials automatically change function based on which workspace page you’re viewing. Navigate to the Colour page and the dials become Printer Lights. Switch to Edit and they become jog, zoom, and undo controls. It’s context-aware without any manual switching.
The Key Count Trade-Off
The Plus only has eight keys — the same as the Neo. That sounds limiting, and on paper it is. But in practice, the combination of keys + dials + pages makes it more capable than the number suggests. You’re not wasting keys on functions that are better served by dials (scrolling, adjusting values, scrubbing), which frees up the keys for actions that genuinely need a button press.
Multiple pages compensate for the lower key count, and the touch strip makes page-switching fast and visible.
Verdict: The best value Stream Deck for DaVinci Resolve. The dials align perfectly with Resolve’s analogue-friendly controls — particularly Printer Lights colour grading, timeline scrubbing, and audio mixing. At $199.99 it’s $150 less than the Plus XL, and if four dials is enough for your workflow, it’s hard to beat.
Stream Deck XL (32 Keys)
If sheer visibility is your priority and you don’t need dials, the XL is unmatched. Thirty-two keys in an 8×4 grid means you can lay out an entire workspace’s worth of shortcuts on a single page — no folders, no page-flipping, everything visible at once.
For DaVinci Resolve, the XL layout I use dedicates the entire bottom row to persistent navigation. That’s eight keys for workspace switching (Media, Cut, Edit, Fusion, Colour, Fairlight, Deliver, plus a home key), always visible regardless of which page you’re on. The remaining 24 keys above change per workspace, giving you room for every core shortcut plus secondary functions that would be buried in folders on smaller devices.
The DaVinci Resolve Fastlane profile for XL spans 13 pages with sub-page navigation for deeper tools — and because of the key count, you rarely need to leave the main page for any given workspace.
Why Editors Love the XL
- No guessing — every shortcut is visible. You don’t need to remember what’s on page 2.
- Persistent nav row — bottom row stays constant across all pages, so workspace switching is always one tap away.
- Room for secondary shortcuts — functions like “Select All Before Playhead” or “Render in Place” that you use weekly (not daily) can earn a spot without displacing your core tools.
- Less page-flipping — fewer context switches means fewer interruptions to your flow state.
The Dial-Shaped Hole
The XL’s weakness is the same as the MK2’s: no dials. For colour grading with Printer Lights, you’re limited to key-press increments rather than smooth rotary control. For timeline scrubbing, same deal. It works, but it’s not the tactile experience you get with the Plus or Plus XL.
If you’re primarily an editor who spends most of their time on the Edit and Cut pages, and your colour grading is more “apply a LUT and move on” than “spend 20 minutes per shot on Printer Lights”, the XL’s key count advantage outweighs the missing dials.
Verdict: The best choice for power users who want everything visible and prioritise editing speed over colour grading finesse. The 32-key layout is unbeatable for complex Resolve workflows where you need quick access to deep shortcuts. But if you can stretch to the Plus XL, you get even more keys and dials.
Stream Deck MK2 (15 Keys)
This is where things get interesting on a budget. Fifteen keys in a 5×3 grid gives you enough real estate to build a proper DaVinci Resolve workflow.
With 15 keys, you can dedicate the bottom row to persistent workspace navigation — one key each for Edit, Cut, Colour, Fairlight, and Deliver — and still have 10 keys above for the shortcuts that matter in each workspace. Switch pages and your navigation stays consistent while the top rows change to match the active workspace. That’s the layout pattern I use in the DaVinci Resolve Fastlane profile for MK2, and it works brilliantly.
The MK2 also has the physical presence to be a permanent desk companion. The removable magnetic stand lets you angle it for comfortable viewing, and at $149.99 it’s priced at a point where most working editors won’t hesitate.
What the MK2 Does Well for Resolve
- Bottom-row navigation — persistent workspace switching without flipping pages
- Room for core shortcuts — blade, ripple delete, markers, renders, and more per workspace
- Multiple pages — extend beyond the visible keys when you need deeper access
- Price-to-value ratio — hard to beat for what you get
What It’s Missing
No dials. That’s the one significant gap. If you spend serious time colour grading in Resolve, you’ll want physical dials for Printer Lights adjustments, timeline scrubbing, and audio mixing. The MK2 can trigger these via key presses (tap to nudge a value up or down), but it’s not the same as a smooth rotary dial.
Verdict: Excellent value and the best budget option for DaVinci Resolve. If your workflow is primarily editing and you don’t do heavy colour grading, this is the sweet spot.
Stream Deck Neo (8 Keys + Info Strip)
The Neo bumps you to eight LCD keys and adds an info strip between two touch points at the bottom. That info strip can show your current page name, which is handy when you’re flipping between multiple pages of shortcuts.
Eight keys across multiple pages is a workable setup for DaVinci Resolve. You can dedicate a page to each workspace — one for Edit shortcuts, one for Colour, one for Fairlight — and use the touch points to flip between them. The info strip means you always know which page you’re on, which prevents the “did I press the right thing?” anxiety.
The main limitation is density. With only eight keys per page, you’re making hard choices about which shortcuts earn a spot. There’s no room for a persistent navigation row, so switching workspaces requires flipping pages rather than a single tap.
Verdict: A decent starting point if you’re new to Stream Deck and want to test the concept with Resolve. Just know that most editors outgrow it within a few months as they realise how many shortcuts they actually want at their fingertips.
Stream Deck Mini (6 Keys)
The Stream Deck Mini gives you six LCD keys in the smallest form factor Elgato makes. At $59.99 it’s the cheapest entry point.
For DaVinci Resolve, though, six keys is genuinely limiting. Resolve’s workspace model means you need navigation shortcuts just to move between pages — and once you’ve spent two or three keys on navigation, you’re left with three or four keys for actual editing functions. That’s barely enough for one workspace, let alone seven.
Could you make it work for a single-workspace setup? Sure. If you only ever work in the Edit page and want quick access to blade, ripple delete, and a couple of markers, the Mini can handle that. But the moment you want to jump between Edit, Colour, and Fairlight — which is most editing sessions — you’ll hit the wall fast.
Verdict: Skip the Mini for DaVinci Resolve unless your budget is extremely tight and you only work in one workspace. The Neo costs $40 more and gives you meaningfully more room to breathe.
What About the Stream Deck Pedal?
The Stream Deck Pedal ($89.99) isn’t a replacement for any of the above — it’s a companion. Three foot pedals that you press while your hands stay on the keyboard, mouse, or another Stream Deck.
For DaVinci Resolve, a pedal is genuinely useful for hands-free actions:
- Play/Stop — review footage without moving your hand to the spacebar
- Mark In/Out — set edit points while scrubbing with a mouse
- Record/Stop — hands-free voiceover control on the Fairlight page
The pedal shines when paired with a Plus or Plus XL, adding a third input method (keyboard, Stream Deck, feet) that keeps your hands free for precision work. It’s not essential, but editors who use one tend to wonder how they worked without it.
Can You Use Multiple Stream Decks?
Yes — and for DaVinci Resolve, a dual-device setup is genuinely compelling.
The Stream Deck software supports multiple devices simultaneously, each running their own profile. This means you can pair devices to cover each other’s weaknesses:
- Plus + MK2: Dials for colour grading and audio on the Plus, 15 keys for editing shortcuts on the MK2. A great combo for serious DaVinci Resolve users who want both key density and rotary control without the Plus XL price tag.
- XL + Pedal: 32 keys for everything visual, three pedals for play/stop and mark in/out. Maximum visibility with hands-free transport control.
- Plus XL + Pedal: The ultimate setup. Everything the Plus XL offers, plus hands-free transport controls. Overkill? Maybe. But editors who try it don’t go back.
Smart Profiles in the Stream Deck software can automatically switch both devices when DaVinci Resolve comes into focus, so you don’t need to manually activate profiles.
My Recommendation
After building profiles for DaVinci Resolve across every Stream Deck model, here’s what I’d tell a friend:
- The best overall: Get the Stream Deck Plus XL. 36 keys and 6 dials means every workspace has room to breathe, and the dials cover every analogue control Resolve offers — Printer Lights colour grading, timeline scrubbing, audio mixing, node navigation. It’s the device the DaVinci Resolve Fastlane profile was designed for.
- Best value with dials: Get the Stream Deck Plus. Four dials still cover the most important analogue controls, and eight keys with pages handles the rest. $150 less than the Plus XL, and still genuinely excellent for Resolve.
- For power users who want everything visible: Get the Stream Deck XL. Thirty-two keys means less page-flipping and faster access to deep shortcuts. You’ll miss the dials for colour work, but the key density is unbeatable at its price.
- For budget-conscious editors: Get the Stream Deck MK2. Fifteen keys with a persistent navigation row is a rock-solid setup. It won’t do colour dials, but it’ll handle 90% of your editing workflow beautifully.
Whichever model you choose, a well-configured profile makes an enormous difference. If you want to skip the setup time and start with a profile that’s already been built around DaVinci Resolve’s workspace model, check out the DaVinci Resolve Fastlane profiles — available for the Plus XL, XL, Plus, and MK2, with a free icon sampler if you want to see the quality first.
And if you’re curious about how to actually set up a DaVinci Resolve workflow on your Stream Deck — which shortcuts matter, how to organise pages, what dials to configure — I wrote a detailed walkthrough: How I Edit Twice as Fast in DaVinci Resolve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — it’s my top recommendation. The Plus XL is the only Stream Deck that gives you both a full key grid (36 keys) and enough dials (6) to cover all of Resolve’s analogue controls without compromise. Four dials handle Printer Lights colour grading, while the remaining two cover timeline jog and zoom. The 9×4 key grid means every workspace has room for persistent navigation plus deep shortcuts. For a deeper look at how dials work in practice, see my post on colour grading with the Stream Deck.
No, you don’t need it — but it’s a fantastic option if key visibility is your priority and you don’t need dials. The XL’s 32 keys let you see an entire workspace’s shortcuts without flipping pages, which reduces cognitive load and speeds up your workflow. That said, the Plus XL gives you even more keys (36) plus 6 dials, making it the better choice if budget allows. The standard XL is best suited to editors who prioritise editing-page shortcuts over colour grading dials.
Yes, the Stream Deck software and profiles work on both macOS and Windows. DaVinci Resolve uses the same keyboard shortcuts on both platforms (with the standard Cmd/Ctrl swap), so a well-built profile works cross-platform. All of the DaVinci Resolve Fastlane profiles include both Mac and Windows shortcut mappings.
Yes. The Stream Deck Pedal sends keyboard shortcuts just like any other Stream Deck device, so it works with DaVinci Resolve out of the box. The most useful pedal bindings for Resolve are play/stop (spacebar), mark in/out (I and O), and record start/stop for Fairlight voiceovers. It’s best used as a companion to a Plus XL or Plus rather than as a standalone device.
Start with workspace navigation (switching between Edit, Colour, Fairlight, etc.), then add the shortcuts you use most frequently in each workspace — blade/split, ripple delete, markers, render, playback controls. Avoid trying to map everything; focus on the shortcuts where the Stream Deck genuinely saves you time compared to keyboard shortcuts. I’ve written a complete breakdown of which DaVinci Resolve keyboard shortcuts work best on a Stream Deck.
They solve different problems. The Speed Editor is a jog/shuttle dial optimised for the Cut page. The Micro Panel is a dedicated colour grading surface with trackballs. Both are excellent at their specific jobs but limited to those jobs. A Stream Deck is more versatile — it covers every workspace, supports custom icons and labels, and you can reconfigure it for any software. If you only colour grade, a Micro Panel is better. If you edit across all of Resolve’s workspaces, a Stream Deck (especially the Plus XL with its 6 dials) covers more ground for less money.
