Elgato Key Light Neo review

If people start asking you for your best horror stories every time you're on camera, there's a good chance you're in need of a better lighting setup. Thankfully, key lights have become a staple for most PC users, which means there's a massive range on the market. Elgato was one of the first gamer brands to branch out into these streamer solutions, and the newest on offer is the Key Light Neo.

It's a part of the Neo lineup which boasts simplicity with plug and play functionality and clean white designs, at a mid range price. When you can pay pennies for a light that will get the job done, $90 USD will take some justification. Allow me to begin.

The Neo lineup has the simplicity motif down to the packaging with simple white recycled boxes. Inside is the Keylight Neo, monitor mount, and a braided USB extension cable. That last part is handy because the attached one is pretty short. On the face of the product, one at each corner, three buttons and a dial are positioned for manual control over power, brightness, and temperature. They're super easy to locate and operate, even with a blaring light in your eyes. 

The back offers some cable management. On the bottom is the standard 1/4-20 UNC screw mount connection, which works with the included folding monitor stand and most other stands I have. While it's a nice and thoughtful monitor stand, complete with transparent front lip, lighting is something I often like to move around. The complete package included with the Keylight Neo makes that really easy, especially compared to bulkier lights.

You'd expect a nice soft, even, flicker free light from Elgato and this little light absolutely delivers across both warm and cool settings, and all levels of brightness. As well as physical buttons for control, brightness and tone can be adjusted via the Elgato Control app via USB. Or set the Key Light Neo up on your Wi-Fi and use the app on your PC or phone. I even added it to Home Assistant and can control it from there, including adding it to rooms. 

Of course, it also integrates seamlessly with Elgato's Stream Decks, including the matching Stream Deck Neo, so the options feel pretty limitless.

If you don't want to bother with other options, you can run the light just via USB (any 4.5 watt port on your PC) and get 400 lumen brightness, which is good for a webcam setup, and that includes in-app control. Even if you want to forgo the PC, a basic power bank or supply gives at least basic light and full manual control. 

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The wired cable is USB Type-A to the PC (Type-C for the device), but if you've got USB ports rated to 7.5 watt they'll knock the brightness up to 700 lumens. If you want to get the best out of this light, plug it into 12 watt power and get plastered with 1000 lumens. 

This is complete overkill for what is most likely to be your monitor mounted light only a few feet away from your precious retinas. While being blinded in testing, I was able to turn the light on its monitor stand to the walls in my office. Because I'm in a corner and have white walls, those lumens bounced right back at me giving me a far more even lighting setup than I've had before at my desk.

A lot of my filming and lighting requirements have seen me depart my desk, however. I'm in the middle of the room, under downlights with a lot of obstructions. It's absolutely disgusting. Thanks to the standard mount connection, USB extension cable, multiple control options, and easy form factor of this light, moving it around to find the best spot was about as easy as it gets. 

This flexibility let me try out different configurations and brightness levels. Right now it's sitting on an old camera tripod pointed at a very home made bounce panel and just doing an excellent job considering its the size of my hand span.

For its size and versatility, Elgato's Key Light Neo is one of the best monitor top lights I've ever seen. I've never had a light that was this easy to move around, which is incredibly helpful for managing multiple setups, or even just dialling in one. I can also easily control it no matter where I am or what I'm doing. Its clean and simple design makes it easy to underestimate but it's a capable little beastie, especially with that 1000 lumen brightness. Even the lower settings provide wonderful basic lighting, but being able to go ham and actually use it as a bounce light has me mad with power, and I'm looking amazing doing it.