Give the device a short job description
Imagine preparing a drawing session: open the project folder, launch the drawing app, start a timer and control the reference audio. Those are candidate commands, not a promise that every app offers the same integration. Write down the few actions you actually repeat, then check their documented software routes. A controller should earn a place beside the keyboard through that short routine, rather than through a collection of impressive icons that have no assigned job.
Six keys can be an intentional limit
Elgato describes Mini as a six-LCD-key control pad. Pages and folders extend the available layouts, so six physical keys do not mean six actions for the entire setup. For a routine that fits on one clear page, fewer visible choices can be entirely sufficient. If reaching a second page would interrupt the task, count the commands needed at the same moment rather than treating the total number of saved actions as the purchase requirement.
Neo separates page navigation from the keys
Neo has eight configurable keys, an Infobar and two Touch Points for changing layouts. That gives the comparison a specific question: would dedicated page navigation help preserve the wanted commands on the main keys? The Infobar is a distinct display area, not two extra action keys. Sketch the first two pages with honest labels. If the second page is only hypothetical, its navigation advantage may not justify changing an otherwise adequate arrangement.
The application matters more than the icon
The official comparison says both models use the Stream Deck desktop application and support plugins, folders and profiles. Hardware choice therefore does not establish that a particular drawing command is available or that a plugin reports the result correctly. Check the relevant integration before assigning it a key. A shortcut can request an action without verifying the document was saved; use the application’s own confirmation for work that must not be lost.
Choose the layout you will keep understandable
Mini is a reasonable candidate when the useful routine fits six visible controls and occasional page changes are acceptable. Investigate Neo when eight visible controls or separate page Touch Points answer a named frustration. Verify the exact host and USB arrangement before selecting either. Keep the first layout modest and leave an obvious way back to it. The useful outcome is a small understandable control surface, not a prediction that owning more keys automatically produces more creative work.
Sources & further reading
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