The Logitech MX Creative Console ($199.99) is the first product from the peripheral powerhouse that’s made expressly for creative professionals. The two-piece set includes a wireless jog wheel and a pad with a set of nine LCD keys that are integrated with the Adobe Creative Cloud suite and programmable to work with other apps, too. The MX Console has the potential to be a very good starting point for editors who want something more than a simple keyboard and mouse, though we encountered some bugs with its beta software that we hope are worked out before its October 14 release. Until then, we’re holding off on giving it an official score.Design: A Jog Wheel and Keypad for Creative AppsThe MX Console comes in two pieces: a wired (USB-C) Creative Keypad and a Bluetooth Creative Dialpad wheel (powered by two AAA batteries). The Creative Keypad backs each of its nine keycaps with LCDs that you can configure with your favorite shortcuts, plus forward and back buttons. The Dialpad has a large jog wheel, a scroll wheel, and four configurable buttons. The Console works with macOS and Windows and includes preset profiles for Adobe Creative Cloud apps, and it’s configurable so you can craft (or download) custom profiles for other apps.
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The kit includes a stand, USB-C cable, Keypad, and Dialpad (Credit: Jim Fisher)
Each piece is around the same size as a dedicated numeric keypad. The MX Creative Dialpad measures 1.0 by 3.1 by 3.8 inches (HWD) and weighs 3.4 ounces, while the Creative Keypad is 1.3 by 3.7 by 3.6 inches and 4.5 ounces. An included desktop stand for the Keypad sets it at around a 30-degree tilt, but I found it most comfortable to use flat on the desk as the LCD-backed keys are physical buttons, not a touch screen like on the Loupedeck Live and CT.As for construction, the MX Console is mostly made from recycled plastic, though the jog dial is aluminum, a nice touch. The kit ships in recyclable paper packaging, sourced from an FSC-certified forest. There are two color options available: graphite or pale gray. I received the former for review.
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The Dialpad is wireless with Bluetooth and Logitech MX comms built in, and draws power from two AAA batteries (included) (Credit: Jim Fisher)
There aren’t many accessories in the box, just the aforementioned stand, a short USB-C cable, and a pair of disposable AAA batteries. The MX Console also comes with a three-month subscription to the full Adobe Creative Cloud Suite (roughly a $180 value) and includes premade profiles for After Effects, Audition, Illustrator, Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, and Premiere Pro. Better yet, the subscription works as an extension for existing subscribers, which almost pays for the price of the hardware on its own.The Competition: Diverse Alternatives for CreatorsThe creative console space is fairly diverse when it comes to design and concept. The MX Console is Logitech’s first crack at the idea, though it is certainly informed by devices from Loupedeck. Logitech acquired Loupedeck last year, and the MX Console’s app largely duplicates the configuration experience and Adobe integration of devices from the brand.
The Keypad is shown here in the included stand (Credit: Jim Fisher)
While it’s now a Logitech brand, Loupedeck’s older hardware is still available to purchase. It has a few different consoles that are of interest to creators. The Loupedeck Live ($269) is marketed for streamers, but I found it very useful for photo editing in Lightroom thanks to its simple mix of a touch screen, physical buttons, and six useful control dials that are perfect for highlight, shadow, contrast, and color tone edits. There’s also the Live S ($189), which is similar but only includes two dials and has fewer buttons. On the premium end, the Loupedeck CT ($559) is an upsized version of the Live series that adds a jog wheel with a touch surface on top along with extra control buttons.Tourbox makes hardware for a similar audience, but its consoles take a different approach to design. The USB-C Neo ($169) and Bluetooth Elite ($268) each include three control wheels and a bunch of configurable buttons, while its Lite ($95) is simplified with two dials and fewer buttons. Tourbox does not have any consoles with touch screens, however.
The Dialpad’s wireless design makes it an appealing add-on for editors who work on a laptop (Credit: Jim Fisher)
The other name in this space is Monogram, which uses an extensible system of input devices that snap together magnetically in its Creative Console, so you can mix and match components to build out your own editing rig. Building a Monogram rig can get expensive (its Studio starter bundle is $499), but the mix-and-match aspect helps to justify its cost. Unfortunately, the company is having trouble keeping up with demand, prompting a public apology from Monogram’s CEO on Instagram about the lack of stock.Logi Options+ App: Eminently ConfigurableLogitech developed a new app, Logi Options+, to drive the MX Console. Currently in beta, the app works with macOS 13 or later and Windows 10 or later, but does not support Android or iPadOS, so there’s no compatibility with Adobe’s mobile creative apps.
The Logi Options+ app is used to install and edit custom profiles (Credit: Logitech/PCMag)
The Logi Options+ app is where you’ll go to fine-tune or craft your own custom profiles. There, you can also explore a Marketplace tab to download plugins for apps that don’t include out-of-the-box support, like Apple Final Cut Pro and Capture One Pro.It’s pretty easy to customize a profile, as Logi Options+ shows a visual representation of both pieces of hardware on the screen, and the app has a list of every assignable function available. You get a separate tab to set up each app, and the software automatically switches to the right profile as you swap between apps. For some, it even lets you set up different sets of functions based on where you are in the application. For example, you’ll see a different set of touch buttons in Lightroom Classic’s Library organization panel versus in its Develop editing mode.
Logi Options+ makes it pretty easy to assign app functions to the Keypad’s LCD buttons (Credit: Logitech/PCMag)
I like the straightforward approach to setup. I spend most of my creative time in Lightroom Classic, which has a laundry list of assignable options. I find the Creative Keypad very useful to swap between my favorite film look presets—it’s great to be able to tap and go between a black-and-white, retro film, or modern look for a photo—but you can assign nearly any function you’d like to a button press.The Dialpad is just as configurable as the Keypad, though I ran into some bugs with its beta software. The jog dial is supposed to let you scrub through a video timeline in Premiere Pro or scroll from photo to photo in Lightroom’s Gallery view, but didn’t do either for me.
The Action Ring is a clickable on-screen interface that works in conjunction with the Dialpad (Credit: Logitech/PCMag)
The app also has an Action Ring function that’s assigned to the bottom right button on the Dialpad by default. The Action Ring is an on-screen overlay that works in conjunction with the Dialpad to change settings—for example, you can use the Ring and jog dial together to mix exposure channels in Lightroom, or adjust the volume of your speakers from the macOS Finder or Windows Explorer. Unfortunately, I could not get the Action Ring to work properly with the beta software. No matter what app I was in, it only showed volume and screen brightness controls.
Pop into the app’s Marketplace tab to install plug-ins for more apps and grab premade profiles (Credit: Logitech/PCMag)
Logitech tells me it’s aware of these software issues and is working on a fix for them and some other bugs, and hopes to have things ironed out ahead of the Console’s release. Verdict: Plenty of PotentialWith the MX Creative Console, Logitech turns its attention to the creative community with a set of specialized control surfaces that make more sense for photo and video editing than for spreadsheets or gaming. The Creative Keypad is a handy tool to access shortcuts and app functions with a single press, and the Dialpad adds a jog wheel, a tool that video editors will find especially useful. We’re looking at the hardware ahead of launch, and while we see its potential—and value given the included Adobe subscription—we’ll wait for Logitech to finish the software and work out the bugs before rendering a final verdict. In the meantime, we’ll continue to recommend the Loupedeck Live as our Editors’ Choice in this category, as its software app is fully baked and it includes a mix of touch buttons and control dials that work well for both live streaming and creative apps.
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About Jim Fisher
Lead Analyst, Cameras
Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I’ve covered cameras at PCMag for the past 13 years, which has given me a front row seat for the DSLR to mirrorless transition, the smartphone camera revolution, and the mainstream adoption of drones for aerial imaging. I have extensive experience with every major mirrorless and SLR system. As a Part 107 Certified drone pilot, I’m licensed to fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for commercial and editorial purposes, and am knowledgeable about federal rules and regulations regarding drones. You can find me on Instagram @jamespfisher.
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