Corsair Elgato Prompter review

The real magic, of course, is that big 9” bright screen. It's crystal clear, even in a brightly lit room, and the text scrolls smoothly, making it easy to read your notes or scripts without looking like you're reading from a cue card (we've all been there!).  You can adjust the scrolling speed to match your natural speaking pace, which is crucial for a polished presentation. No more "umms" and "errs" – just smooth, flowing prose, like a seasoned pro.  It's like having your own personal teleprompter but without the hefty price tag.

Now, here's the thing: a teleprompter is only as good as the software that drives it. And Elgato's software is… well, it's decent.  It gets the job done, allowing you to import your scripts, adjust the font size and scrolling speed, and even control the prompter with a foot pedal (sold separately, naturally). However, sometimes the connection can break if you move the prompter around a lot, like in a studio like ours.

The screen is detected as a secondary display on your Windows, MacOS and Android devices (no iOS, sorry) so even if you don’t want to wrestle with Elgato’s software, you can drop any window onto the display and get going. And it flips the content on the display for you. Twitch and YouTube streamers can drop their live chat on the screen and the Prompter will make sure you’re looking into the camera while reading your stream chat. You can even drop Zoom and Microsoft Teams here and look your boss straight in the eye while giving a presentation.

Arguably the most versatile thing about the Elgato Prompter is its mounting system that can house many sizes of camera lenses and even support smartphones and webcams. You also get a shroud backplate to block any light entering from behind the teleprompter. Bear in mind, it’s a bit tiny for big studios where the anchor is sitting more than 10 feet away so the Prompter is meant for recordings where the camera is physically closer to your face so the display text is legible.

So, the million-dollar question: is it worth it? If you're serious about live streaming or creating video content, then the Elgato Prompter is a worthy investment. It'll help you deliver polished, professional presentations without breaking the bank. It's not perfect with occasional glitches in the software on MacOS and a bit of light bleeding with white background content, but it's a solid piece of kit that does exactly what it says on the tin. And let's be honest, who doesn't want to look like a broadcasting legend? Just remember, practice makes perfect.