Let us talk about the best streaming setup in the context of a starting gaming streamer in 2021. A lot of people stream a lot of things like music, hosting a podcast, or just chatting, but let our short read be all about gaming.
After how the 2020 pandemic has thrust live game streaming into the entertainment mainstream forefront, game streaming has never been followed by the masses than ever before. Along with this arose the need for every streamer to stream through the best media streaming setups that their money can afford. Our favorite Twitch pro streamers did not just get to where they are now by luck. They are at the top of the streaming game thanks in big part to the stream setup they use.
How to stream like the pros, you may ask? A good stream is as good as the setup you stream with, really, and we’re here to give you tips on what gear you need to be at par with the best Twitch streams out there. Your setup need not break the bank to stream like the best especially if you are just beginning to learn how to start streaming on the Twitch TV platform.
Table of Contents
Your Computer: You most likely know that playing the latest and best games these days demands high-performance CPUs (central processing unit) and GPUs (graphics processing units). Titles like Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, DoTA 2, Valorant, League of Legends, Apex Legends, and Fortnite are the most played and most viewed games in Twitch and to stream these games at the same time require you to use high-performance computer parts particularly in the CPU and GPU end of things. These parts are not exactly cheap but there are CPU and GPU options that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
CPU: Using one computer for gaming and streaming is not optimal but if you want a separate gaming and streaming machine, then just choose from these budget-friendly CPU’s that can handle the job:
GPU: More commonly known as your video card or graphics card, these computer parts’ prices have skyrocketed due to cryptocurrency mining. Luckily some graphics cards have good performance and are also affordable.
RAM: 16 GB of RAM will meet the minimum requirements for your gaming or streaming machine. If you want to, you can upgrade to higher RAM when you eventually garner some success as a game streamer.
Multi-Monitor Screen Setup: Having 2 monitors is not just a frivolity if you wish to be a game streamer. One monitor is for your Twitch chat and technical shenanigans and the other monitor is solely for your gaming. Imagine having both your game and your Twitch viewer chat on one monitor. It just won’t work.
Pro tip: Have your Twitch chat and technical monitor in portrait orientation for an easier time reading your Twitch chat from top to bottom.
Gaming Monitor: An ordinary office monitor will not do. Its refresh rate is too slow and that means that an office monitor will take a fraction of a second longer to show what is going on in the game. And in competitive gaming that margin will mean the difference between winning and losing. You don’t want that and you will want to have all disadvantages eliminated to give you all the chances of winning. Your viewers, followers, and subscribers will probably prefer that you win your games, anyway.
Best bang for the buck gaming monitors and their specs:
Twitch Chat Monitor: Your old monitor or any functioning office monitor would do but the best one would be any office monitor that you could orient vertically for an easier time glancing at Twitch chat.
USB Microphones: Get a separate mic and do not use your headset’s microphone as these tend to crackle and pop when you laugh, get excited, or breathe into them. You can get professional-quality USB microphones for less than $100. Forego the XLR microphone because it is less convenient and bulky as they require XLR cables and an audio interface. USB mics can be easily powered by your computer and setting them up is less complicated.
Webcam: Viewers appreciate a streamer’s efforts to show their face in their streams. It puts a face to their stream star’s personality, and viewers just love it when they see a streamer’s genuine reactions during in-game.
Do not use your built-in webcams if you want optimum visual quality for your streams. Instead, buy a separate HD webcam. Some choices are cheap but as good or even better than the hyped-up brands out there.
Gaming and Other Peripherals: Complete your streaming setup with these peripherals:
Now that you have all the stuff you need to begin your career on twitch, summon in you the fortitude and the passion to commit to this most blessed of careers. The way will be paved with a lot of challenges but remember to soldier on and endure and your few viewers and followers will eventually become the droves you have dreamed of.