Tech & Gadgets · Head-to-head
NEEWER GL1 PRO 15.5 inch Key Light vs Elgato Key Light
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Webcam Lights: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The GL1 PRO publishes the fullest specification here, including CRI97+ and TLCI98+, and it is the only light that can be controlled without depending on your Wi-Fi. The Key Light matches it on power and colour range with better documented optics and a cleaner app ecosystem.
NEEWER GL1 PRO 15.5 inch Key Light
Buy itThe highest published colour accuracy here, and the only one that works without Wi-Fi.
- A full specification: 192 LEDs, 332 by 231 by 36 millimetres, DC 12 to 15V at up to 45W maximum, 3700 lux maximum illuminance at half a metre, 0 to 100 percent dimming and 2900K to 7000K.
- CRI97+ and TLCI98+, both published as numbers, which is the highest stated colour accuracy in this comparison, on a flicker-free circuit.
- Three control paths: a 2.4GHz USB dongle that needs no Wi-Fi at all, a Wi-Fi app for PC and Mac, and Bluetooth from a phone, plus Elgato Stream Deck compatibility, with a desk stand, power adapter and cable included.
- Output is quoted as illuminance in lux at half a metre rather than in lumens, so it cannot be compared directly with the Elgato's figure.
- No weight is published.
- No warranty terms appear on the product page.
Elgato Key Light
Buy it2800 lumens through a four-stage diffusion stack, on a clamp that frees your desk.
- 160 premium OSRAM LEDs producing 2800 adjustable lumens across 2900K to 7000K, with CRI above 92 percent and consumption up to 45W.
- A proper optical stack rather than a plastic sheet: a reflector for even distribution, a precision scatter plate to eliminate hot spots, a double-layer diffuser and opal glass.
- Dual-band Wi-Fi on 2.4GHz and 5GHz with full app control, a desk clamp that expands to 6 centimetres and is padded, and a ball mount for angle.
- CRI above 92 percent is the lowest published colour accuracy of the two lights here that publish a number at all.
- Wi-Fi only, with no dongle and no Bluetooth, so control depends on your network being up.
- Mains powered rather than USB, so it needs an outlet and it is not portable.
Side by side
| NEEWER GL1 PRO 15.5 inch Key Light | Elgato Key Light | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Streaming and calls where colour accuracy matters and you would rather not put a light on your Wi-Fi. | A permanent desk setup where you want the softest light and the tidiest mounting. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $$$ · premium |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the NEEWER GL1 PRO 15.5 inch Key Light - The highest published colour accuracy here, and the only one that works without Wi-Fi. Choose the Elgato Key Light instead if a permanent desk setup where you want the softest light and the tidiest mounting.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Webcam Lights: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).