Video game streaming is hard work—just ask anyone who’s tried to do it. While it’s arguably never been easier to broadcast yourself on sites like Twitch, it’s also easy to get overwhelmed by the minutiae of the job, especially if you’re trying to build an audience. To ease the burden, you’ll find a few hardware options like the Elgato Stream Deck, which offers a customizable set of shortcut buttons to perform your most frequent commands while broadcasting. But PC component maker Cooler Master takes it to a new level with a unique modular board called MasterHub. We first saw it at last year’s Computex; it returns to this year’s show in its final form and will be ready for you to go live later this summer. A Master of CeremoniesCooler Master’s MasterHub is a content creation tool designed to fine-tune your streams with a versatile modular design. By swapping and attaching modules at will, would-be streamers can tweak the MasterHub to their needs on the fly.
(Credit: Zackery Cuevas)
How do you add a module? It’s easier than you’d imagine: The main base is peppered with pogo-pin contacts and built-in magnets to securely integrate different modules into your workflow. All you have to do is snap a module into place and voilà, you’ve added new functionality to your streaming command center. Use cases for the MasterHub range far and wide: A streamer might want one of the Stream Deck-style shortcut-button modules plus a fader panel. A video editor might prefer a scroll bar and encoder. The modules come in different shapes and sizes, so you’ll need to plan accordingly, fitting your necessities onto the 4.9-inch board like a game of Tetris. With some trial and error, I was able to install four modules at once. If that doesn’t satisfy you, Cooler Master plans to offer a version with a larger base in the future.
(Credit: Zackery Cuevas)
The beauty of the MasterHub lies in how versatile it is. You can use the board either vertically or horizontally to better meet your needs, while four USB-C ports keep power and data running no matter the orientation.I especially like the 15-button module, which features individual IPS screens on each key. You can customize the keys with any image you like, to either correspond with their functions or just add a meme button to your control panel. Naturally, RGB lighting wraps around the base, giving the MasterHub an eye-catching glow that streamers will love.To Your Audience and BeyondEven if streaming isn’t your forte, you might still find uses for the MasterHub. Cooler Master plans to offer packages for three different use cases: a Streamer Kit, a Video Editor Kit, and a Photo Editor Kit. Our preview unit included the base, the 15-button panel, the fader module, and a roller strip, and additional modules will be available for purchase. We also received an encoder module and customizable precision knobs to test.
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(Credit: Zackery Cuevas)
The utility software, dubbed MasterControl, lets you tweak the nuts and bolts of the modules in real time. I swapped a few modules in and out while the app was open and watched as the on-screen base adjusted automatically. As is, the MasterHub seamlessly integrates with Twitch and Streamlabs, though it remains to be seen if it’ll play well with other streaming platforms. Overall, the level of customization the modular MasterHub offers is impressive, and the device is sure to be worth the investment for full-time streamers who like to dive into the details of their online content. Meanwhile, if you’re not a streamer already, it will certainly entice you to start. We don’t yet know exactly how Cooler Master’s platform will compare to Elgato’s and how well it will play with other content creation apps, but we’re looking forward to a full review. While an exact release date and pricing are still classified, the company says it hopes to get the MasterHub into streamers’ hands this summer, so stay tuned.
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