I stopped looking for the perfect Stream Deck alternative and built one instead

Building a DIY Stream Deck alternative using an ESP32-S3 microcontroller offers full customization, mechanical key feel, and smart home integration at a fraction of the cost. The ESP32-S3 is recommended for its built-in Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, GPIO pins for button matrices, native USB HID support, and compatibility with open-source firmware like FreeTouchDeck or ESPHome. Adding rotary encoders and small IPS/OLED displays enables layer-based macro navigation without sacrificing keys. When connected to Home Assistant, the device can display live system stats and control smart home devices simultaneously. The total parts cost is around $30 versus $150 for a retail Stream Deck.