Elgato Prompter Review: A Teleprompter Built Like a Peripheral
Elgato Prompter verdict: the first teleprompter built like a computer peripheral, the easiest route to scripted delivery with real eye contact.
The first teleprompter designed like a computer peripheral rather than a camera rig - the easiest route to scripted delivery with real eye contact, best paired with a Stream Deck for control.
- Design & setup 4.6
- Versatility 4.5
- Display 3.8
- Value 4.0
Strengths
- Genuinely all-in-one: traditional prompters need a separate tablet, this has the screen built in
- Works as a normal secondary monitor - drag in Google Docs, OBS chat, a Zoom call, anything
- Fits DSLRs, mirrorless, webcams and phones via included rings and brackets
Watch outs
- Modest 1024 x 600 resolution - fine for scripts, cramped for 4K monitoring
- No remote control included; smooth manual speed control really wants a Stream Deck or foot pedal
- Reading proximity can make eye movement visible on camera until practised
- Best for Talking-head creators, presenters and video-callers who want lens eye contact
- Standout feature Built-in screen - no tablet or phone needed, unlike traditional prompter rigs
- Bonus use Doubles as a small second monitor for chat, notes or the call itself
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- Display
- Built-in 9-inch panel, 1024 x 600, appears as a standard secondary monitor
- Glass
- Beamsplitter - part reflective (shows the screen), part transparent (camera shoots through)
- Camera support
- DSLR/mirrorless via backplate with 9 step-up rings (49-82mm); webcams and smartphones via universal bracket; dedicated Facecam backplate
- Connection
- Single USB-C to the computer (signal and power); DisplayLink driver auto-installs; USB 3.0 required
- Software
- Camera Hub prompter mode: script editor, scroll speed, fonts/colours/margins, Twitch chat view, shot-preview overlay, Voice Sync speech-following scroll (needs NVIDIA RTX 2060+ or Apple Silicon)
- Control
- Stream Deck integration for one-touch scroll/speed; no dedicated remote in the box
- Mounting
- Two 1/4-inch threads plus two cold-shoe mounts
- Dimensions
- 224 x 219 x 282mm
- Weight
- 690g
- OS support
- Windows 11+, macOS 13.3+
- In the box
- Prompter, universal bracket, mounting screws, 200cm USB-C cable, cleaning cloth, step-up rings and backplates
Synthesised from https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/reviews/elgato-prompter-review · https://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/Editorial/Featured-Articles/Review-Elgato-Prompter-165037.aspx
- Consistently praised
All-in-one convenience
The built-in screen removes the tablet dependency of traditional prompters; Digital Camera World calls it a fantastic all-in-one that suits nearly any use case.
- https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/reviews/elgato-prompter-review
- Consistently praised
Second-monitor versatility
Streaming Media found real value beyond scripts - hosting Zoom, Teams, PowerPoint and webinar windows behind the lens to preserve eye contact.
- https://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/Editorial/Featured-Articles/Review-Elgato-Prompter-165037.aspx
- Mixed feedback
Scroll control limitations
Basic in-app scrolling is limited for polished narration; reviewers point to a Stream Deck, pedal or third-party prompter software for finer speed control.
- https://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/Editorial/Featured-Articles/Review-Elgato-Prompter-165037.aspx
- Mixed feedback
Reading visibility takes practice
At desk distances it can be obvious the presenter is reading; the effect fades with practice and the shot-preview overlay helps minimise eye travel.
- https://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/Editorial/Featured-Articles/Review-Elgato-Prompter-165037.aspx
The Prompter applies Elgato's tidy-desk philosophy to an old and usually fiddly category. Where a traditional teleprompter expects you to supply a tablet and wrestle with mirroring apps, Elgato builds a 9-inch monitor into the housing, so the beamsplitter glass in front of your lens can reflect whatever window you drag onto it: a script, your notes, live chat, or even the video call itself. That second-monitor trick is the quiet killer feature, and reviewers found it as useful for holding eye contact in webinars and calls as for reading a script.
Setup is thorough, with backplates and mounts for a wide range of cameras, and it slots naturally into an Elgato-based desk. Because the prompter is just a monitor to your computer, controlling it is simplest with a Stream Deck, which turns scrolling, speed and source-switching into single button presses while you stay on camera.
For a YouTuber, course creator, streamer or frequent video-caller who delivers scripted or semi-scripted pieces to camera, it is the easiest way to keep natural eye contact. Off-the-cuff creators who never script will not need it, and mobile shooters without a computer in the loop should look at a phone-based prompter instead.