Jason Lord headshot
Jason “Deep Dive” Lord • • About the Author
Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy through them, Deep Dive earns a small commission—thanks for the support!

Creator Desk Essentials I Actually Use (With Real-World Tips)

By -
Creator Desk Essentials I Actually Use (With Real-World Tips)

Creator Desk Essentials I Actually Use (With Real-World Tips)

If you’ve watched the Deep Dive AI channel or read the blog for a minute, you’ve seen me cut video in Adobe Premiere Pro, trigger macros, and crank through late-night edits with a setup that’s dialed for speed and comfort. After a lot of trial, error, and “why is this so hard?” moments, these are the five desk essentials that genuinely earn their space on my table: a low-profile backlit keyboard, a precision mouse, a tactile macro deck with knobs, a glare-free monitor light, and a do-it-all USB-C hub.

Below, I’ll show you exactly how I use each tool, what to tweak on day one, and a few power-user tips you won’t find in the product blurb. All links are my Amazon affiliate links—using them helps support the channel at no extra cost. Thank you!

1) Logitech MX Keys S — Fast, Quiet, Comfortable Typing

Buy Logitech MX Keys S on Amazon

Why it lives on my desk: The MX Keys S nails that sweet spot between laptop-style low travel and solid, quiet feedback. Backlit keys auto-adjust to your room’s light, the legends are super legible, and the multi-device switching is great if you hop between a laptop and desktop.

  • Creator benefit: Long edit days feel lighter—your fingers glide, your shoulders relax, and your focus sticks to the timeline, not your keyboard.
  • Day-one setup: Install Logi Options+, set F-keys for media control, mic mute, and screenshot; bind “Emoji” to bring up quick symbols for title cards.
  • Power move: Create app-specific profiles—Premiere Pro gets custom shortcuts for ripple delete, add edit, and timeline zoom; Chrome gets tab nav; Notion gets /block commands.

Quick specs: Wireless, backlit, USB-C charging, pairs with up to 3 devices. Works on Windows/macOS.

2) Logitech MX Master 3S (Bluetooth Edition) — Precision + MagSpeed

Buy MX Master 3S (Bluetooth) on Amazon

Why it lives on my desk: The 3S gives you two things editors crave—pixel-level control and scroll modes that adapt to you. The MagSpeed wheel jumps through long timelines, while the side wheel handles horizontal scrubbing like a champ. Silent clicks keep midnight sessions stealthy.

  • Creator benefit: Tight trimming, quick zooms, no wrist strain. It’s the mouse equivalent of a well-balanced lens.
  • Day-one setup: In Logi Options+, map the thumb button to “Mission Control/Task View” and the gesture button to “Hold + move” for quick timeline, desktop, or app switching.
  • Power move: App profile for Premiere: side wheel = horizontal timeline scroll, wheel click = zoom to fit, gesture up/down = next/previous edit point.

Quick specs: Bluetooth/Logi Bolt, 8k DPI sensor, silent switches, USB-C charging.

3) Elgato Stream Deck + — Macros You Can Feel

Buy Elgato Stream Deck + on Amazon

Why it lives on my desk: Buttons are wonderful. Buttons and rotary knobs are workflow crack. I use the Stream Deck + to trigger exports, switch scenes, punch markers, toggle music ducking, scrub timelines, and even control lighting.

  • Creator benefit: Real-time control without menu diving. Once your muscle memory locks in, you work faster and think clearer.
  • Day-one setup: Install Stream Deck software, add the Multi-Action key for “Open Project → Set Workspace → Start Timer.” Put your most-used commands on the bottom row.
  • Power move: Use profiles that auto-switch per app: Premiere Pro (editing tools), OBS (scene switching), Photoshop (layer tools). Map knobs to audio levels or timeline zoom for tactile finesse.

Quick specs: 8 tactile buttons + 4 knobs + a touch strip, deep plugin ecosystem (Premiere, OBS, VoiceMeeter, Loupedeck-style plugins), USB-C.

4) BenQ ScreenBar Halo 2 — Eye-Saving Light, Zero Glare

Buy BenQ ScreenBar Halo 2 on Amazon

Why it lives on my desk: It illuminates your workspace without washing out your screen. The wireless dial is clutch for quick dimming, and the asymmetrical beam keeps your monitor free of glare during color work and caption passes.

  • Creator benefit: Less eye fatigue at 1 a.m., better focus on fine details, calmer workspace aura.
  • Day-one setup: Aim for a warm 3500–4000K in the evening, cooler 5000K+ in the morning. Park the dial within reach and get used to quick nudges rather than big swings.
  • Power move: Pair with a subtle bias light behind your monitor to reduce perceived contrast and eye strain even more.

Quick specs: Monitor-mounted bar light, wireless control dial, adjustable brightness/color temp, USB power.

5) Anker 7-in-1 USB-C Hub — One Cable, Many Ports

Buy Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1) on Amazon

Why it lives on my desk: It’s the glue for a clean, mobile-friendly desk. I get HDMI for a second screen, SD/microSD for camera cards, a trio of USB-A ports for legacy gear, and passthrough power—without the dongle spaghetti.

  • Creator benefit: Quick ingest, clean cabling, flexible travel setup—especially if you edit from a laptop or move between rooms.
  • Day-one setup: Route your single USB-C cable so it doesn’t snag when you pull the laptop. Label ports (tiny stickers!) so you can plug-and-go on autopilot.
  • Power move: Keep a second matching hub in your backpack so your mobile setup mirrors your desk—no re-learning muscle memory on the road.

Quick specs: HDMI, SD/microSD, 3× USB-A, USB-C PD passthrough; compact and travel-ready.

How It All Fits Together (My Daily Flow)

  1. Warm-up: ScreenBar Halo 2 on, warm color temp; MX Keys S wakes; MX Master 3S pairs to desktop.
  2. Launch stack: Stream Deck + button fires up Premiere, OBS (if streaming), Notion, and my audio chain.
  3. Edit passes: Mouse side wheel scrubs horizontally; Stream Deck knobs ride music bed and voice levels; keyboard macros punch ripple deletes and zooms.
  4. Ingest: Anker hub slurps SD/microSD cards; quick cull, rename, import, and I’m cutting in minutes.
  5. Wrap: Stream Deck macro runs export, opens output folder, and drops a timestamped log in Notion.

Who This Setup Is Perfect For

  • Solo creators who need fewer clicks and more flow.
  • Editors who live in timelines and want tactile control.
  • Streamers who toggle scenes, audio, and chat tools fast.
  • Remote workers who demand a quiet, comfy, glare-free desk.

More from My Sites

Ready to Level Up Your Desk?

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Your support keeps Deep Dive AI independent and ad-sane. 🙌

More from My Sites

Keep Exploring with Deep Dive AI

🎥 Subscribe on YouTube  •  🎧 Listen on Spotify  •  🛍️ Grab some merch

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

OpenAI o3 vs GPT-4 (4.0): A No-Nonsense Comparison

By -
Image
OpenAI o3 vs GPT-4 (4.0): A No-Nonsense Comparison Bottom line up-front: OpenAI’s o3 vs GPT-4 (4.0) OpenAI’s o3 (April 2025) is a brand-new “reasoning” model with a 200 K-token context window, a fresher May 2024 knowledge cut-off, native vision I/O, adjustable reasoning modes, and lower per-token prices than the original GPT-4 (“4.0”) from March 2023. GPT-4 still wins on mature benchmarks and instruction-following polish, but o3’s vast context, newer data, multimodal workflow and cheaper pricing make it the more attractive choice when you need big context or integrated image reasoning. Below is the fact-checked comparison. 1 · Core Specs at a Glance Feature o3 GPT-4 (4.0) First release 16 Apr 2025 14 Mar 2023 Knowledge cut-off 31 May 2...
Read more

Smash Burgers & Statues – A Maple Leaf Inn Review

By -
Image
  Smash Burgers & Statues – A Maple Leaf Inn Review Sometimes the best meals come with a bit of character — and not just on the plate. Our visit to the Maple Leaf Inn in Vermontville, Michigan, turned into an experience far beyond just food. It was a snapshot of small-town hospitality, a touch of biker bar culture, and a burger worth writing about. Welcome to Vermontville The Maple Leaf Inn greets visitors with wood siding, a hand-carved statue, neon glow, and a “Welcome Bikers” banner. Classic small-town energy. From the moment we arrived, it was clear this wasn’t a chain or a curated tourist trap — it was the real deal. A wood-paneled facade, biker signs, and a towering statue carved from wood set the tone: casual, local, and proud of it. Grab a Seat and a Menu Cold beer, warm food, no nonsense. Maple Leaf Inn’s bar setup is as classic as it gets. From crispy chicken to mini tacos and burger baskets — the menu keeps it real and reasonable. We found a spot at the bar, ordered ...
Read more

Glowing Succulents! A Fun DIY Guide to Night-Garden Magic (with Bio-Integrated Tech on the Horizon)

By -
Image
Glowing Succulents! A Fun DIY Guide to Night-Garden Magic (with Bio-Integrated Tech on the Horizon) Deep Dive AI · Lifestyle · DIY Plants Glowing Succulents! A Fun DIY Guide to Night-Garden Magic (with Bio-Integrated Tech on the Horizon) What if your succulent shelf looked like a tiny galaxy after dark—silver rosettes, neon edges, and soft aurora-like glimmers? Tonight we’re turning houseplants into a chill, cozy night-light vibe using safe, beginner-friendly DIY tricks. No lab coat, no microscope. Just some glow pigment, a black light, a good grow light, and smart watering so your plants stay happy while the room looks like a lo-fi music video. Swap this placeholder for your photos. Tip: add a tiny Russian Blue cat sticker for Deep Dive AI vibes. What We Mean by “Glowing” (and How to Do It Safely) There are three ways to get “glow” in a...
Read more