Foot pedals and macro control ยท MMO and PC gaming

Elgato Stream Deck Pedal vs PCsensor Triple USB Foot Pedal: which should you buy?

Both are three-pedal USB footswitches for hands-free controls like push-to-talk and mic mute. One runs full Stream Deck software profiles; the other sends fixed keystrokes for less than half the price.

The short answer

Get the Elgato Stream Deck Pedal if the same three pedals need to do different jobs across an MMO, Discord, and OBS, or run per-app Stream Deck actions and plugins. Get the PCsensor Triple USB Foot Pedal if you just need three fixed keyboard shortcuts, program them once, and never touch the config again. For most players adding push-to-talk plus one or two desk controls, the fixed PCsensor pedal does the job at under half the price.

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Before orderingRecheck the exact configuration

Software profiles, or three keys that never change.

Both pedals put three programmable inputs under your foot. The real decision is whether you need those three inputs to switch jobs depending on what app is active, or whether three fixed keystrokes cover everything you need.

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Elgato Stream Deck Pedal, three-footswitch black unit
Best for multi-app control

Elgato Stream Deck Pedal

Best for: a player who wants the same three pedals to change jobs between an MMO, Discord, and streaming software.

Tradeoff: needs the Stream Deck app running in the background, costs more than double the PCsensor pedal, and adds one more piece of software to keep updated.

Interchangeable springs (four soft, four medium, four hard, plus two stoppers) and a 930 g chassis let you set pedal resistance and stop it sliding on carpet, per Elgato's published specs.

Check current price on Amazon
PCsensor triple USB foot pedal, black three-switch unit
Best for a fixed budget setup

PCsensor Triple USB Foot Pedal

Best for: three permanent keyboard shortcuts you configure once and never touch again, at a third of the Elgato's price.

Tradeoff: no per-app profiles, no plugin ecosystem, a lighter ABS build several buyers describe as sliding on hard floors, and a 3.9-star rating from a small review base.

Its photoelectric switches are quiet and shaftless, and PCsensor rates the pedal to bear up to 220 lb of standing weight without damage.

Check current price on Amazon

How Elgato Stream Deck Pedal and PCsensor Triple USB Foot Pedal differ where it matters

Rows where both are equivalent (three pedals, USB connection) are left out. Specs are as published by Elgato and PCsensor, plus the current Amazon listing price tier.

Elgato Stream Deck Pedal vs PCsensor Triple USB Foot Pedal, decision specs
Spec Elgato Stream Deck Pedal PCsensor Triple USB Foot Pedal Edge
Control model Stream Deck app profiles, plugins, per-app switching Fixed HID keystrokes set once via FootSwitch utility Elgato
Software required to operate Stream Deck app must be running None after initial programming PCsensor
Pedal resistance Interchangeable springs: 4 soft, 4 medium, 4 hard, 2 stoppers Fixed photoelectric switch, no spring options Elgato
Weight / chassis 930 g, polycarbonate Lighter ABS build; several buyers report sliding on hard floors Elgato
Price tier ~$90 class ~$40 class PCsensor
Amazon rating (review count) 4.5 stars (1,659 ratings) 3.9 stars (17 ratings) Elgato

Amazon availability and configuration can change. The links open the configuration described above; the Elgato listing has shown intermittent stock gaps sold direct by Amazon, with other sellers listing the same configuration.

The real gap is software, not the number of pedals.

One app controls everything, or nothing needs to run at all

The Stream Deck Pedal only does something while the Stream Deck app is open: its three pedals hold whatever action, plugin, or multi-step macro you assigned in that app, and can change automatically when you switch which game or program has focus. The PCsensor pedal is programmed once through its FootSwitch utility. After setup, it behaves like a plain USB keyboard, with nothing to keep running in the background.

Plugins turn a keystroke into an action

Elgato's plugin catalog covers OBS, Twitch, YouTube, Discord, Spotify, and Philips Hue, so a single pedal tap can trigger a multi-step action, not just one key. PCsensor's pedal has no plugin layer: each press is one keyboard, mouse, or media-key output, mapped directly, with no conditional logic.

Pedal feel is adjustable on one, fixed on the other

Elgato ships four soft, four medium, and four hard springs plus two stoppers so you can set how much pressure each pedal needs before it fires; a buyer reviewing the Elgato pedal specifically credited the added weight and adjustable tension with keeping it from sliding on carpet. PCsensor's photoelectric switches are quiet and shaftless but not spring-adjustable, and several buyers describe the lighter chassis sliding on hard flooring, which matters for players who use a foot control during combat in an MMO like the setups covered in the OSRS setup hub.

Which foot-control setup matches your workflow?

Running Discord, OBS, and an MMO from one desk

Elgato Stream Deck Pedal

Per-app Stream Deck profiles mean the same three pedals can mute a mic in Discord, switch scenes in OBS, and trigger a different bind in-game, without reprogramming anything.

Wanting adjustable pedal feel

Elgato Stream Deck Pedal

The included spring set lets you tune how much force each pedal needs, useful if you rest a foot near the pedal without wanting to trigger it.

Three permanent shortcuts on a tight budget

PCsensor Triple USB Foot Pedal

At roughly a third of Elgato's price, it covers push-to-talk plus two other fixed binds with no ongoing software requirement once programmed.

Moving between a work laptop and a gaming PC

PCsensor Triple USB Foot Pedal

Once programmed it works as a generic HID keyboard on any machine, with no Stream Deck app install or sign-in required first.

What neither one fixes

Neither pedal replaces a well-organized keybind layout; both only add one to three more inputs, so a cluttered hotbar or conflicting binds stay just as cluttered with a pedal added. Neither is an analog control: both send discrete key presses, so they can't ease into an action the way a game controller trigger can. Foot placement takes real practice on both units, since you're pressing a pedal you cannot see without looking down, and PCsensor buyers specifically report a settling-in period before muscle memory kicks in.

Questions people ask about the Stream Deck Pedal vs PCsensor pedal

Can a foot pedal be used for Discord push-to-talk?

Yes on both. The Stream Deck Pedal can hold a push-to-talk action through its Discord plugin, switching automatically with per-app profiles. The PCsensor pedal sends a held keystroke instead, so it works the same way as long as you bind that key to push-to-talk in Discord's own voice settings.

Does the Stream Deck Pedal need the Stream Deck app running?

Yes. Actions live in Stream Deck software profiles, so the app has to be running in the background for the pedal to do anything beyond nothing. The PCsensor pedal needs its FootSwitch utility only once, to write key codes onto the device; after that it works as a plain USB keyboard with no app required.

Can a foot pedal trigger MMO combat abilities safely?

Both send ordinary keystrokes, the same as a keyboard, so neither pedal automates a rotation or presses keys on its own. What changes is convenience: freeing a key for push-to-talk, mic mute, or a screenshot bind without moving a hand off mouse and keyboard during combat.

Is the PCsensor pedal a keyboard replacement or a Stream Deck alternative?

It's closer to three extra keyboard keys under your foot. It emits fixed keystrokes with no per-app switching, plugin ecosystem, or visual feedback, which is exactly what keeps it in the ~$40 class against the Stream Deck Pedal's ~$90 class list price.

Which pedal is easier to move between a work laptop and a gaming PC?

The PCsensor pedal, once it's programmed. It behaves as a generic HID keyboard on any OS with no companion app required to function. The Stream Deck Pedal needs the Stream Deck app installed and signed in on each machine before its profiles do anything.