Everything you need to get started streaming games
Thinking about starting a Twitch or YouTube stream? Here’s the most essential gear worth buying first, from GPUs and mics to lighting and capture cards.
Streaming games is a popular hobby, but starting out can be daunting. The price of fancy equipment does not guarantee a large audience. In fact, most new streamers only have around 100 viewers in their first few months. To begin, focus on what you already have and upgrade later when your audience grows. A CNET Group video franchise called Holiday Office Hours From the Labs offers a short list of essential streaming gear.
First, ensure your PC can handle both gaming and streaming. For most gamers, a PC running well with your current games is sufficient for streaming. When shopping for a new one, look for at least 16GB of RAM, an SSD instead of a hard drive, and a modern graphics card. These components are crucial because your PC must manage both streaming and gaming simultaneously.
The RTX 5060 from Nvidia is recommended. It has a built-in hardware encoder, which converts gameplay into a video stream without slowing down the game. This makes the RTX 5060 the easiest card to set up and forget. Be aware that demand from the AI boom has caused prices for RAM and graphics cards to rise, so compare prices before purchasing. A prebuilt PC costing around $1,000 should cover everything.
A capture card is not necessary if you're streaming from a PC. Free software like OBS can capture your gameplay directly. You only need a capture card if you're streaming from a console or using a second PC solely for streaming. The Elgato 4K S is a good choice, priced at about $160.
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