Societal changes, newer technology and an always-connected generation has led to an interesting shift in how individuals interact with games around the world.
According to recent data, many people would rather watch streamers play games than play the game themselves. Putting things into perspective, the biggest live-streaming platform, Twitch, has over 240 million unique visitors alongside 1.8 billion hours of video views during its biggest months.
Soon, a new generation of streamers became ultra-popular celebrities in their own right, many rivaling the biggest names in more mainstream media like film and music.
Whether its Twitch or YouTube or Facebook, video game streaming has come with some serious monetary benefits for creators. Small creators can earn between $50 - $1,500 monthly while mid-tier streamers can make $5,000–$30,000. Those at the upper crest like Ninja ($500,000+ per month) and xQc (over $300,000 per month) easily make six figures or more monthly.
Of course, many want to follow in their favorite streamer’s footsteps, play games for their friends to watch, or something or somewhere in between. To help those interested, we’re here to help you get started when it comes to hardware.
Gaming PC or video game console
What kind of streamers are you looking to be? That honestly depends on the individual and their particular taste.
On the more traditional end, most of today’s most popular streamers use the best gaming PCs for games including Fortnite, Call of Duty, League of Legends, World of Warcraft , and Counter-Strike 2, among others.
Meanwhile, console gamers will need something like a Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Xbox Series X|S or Sony PlayStation 5. Consoles are usually popular for anyone looking to watch first-party exclusives like God of War or Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Capture card
Console gamers who play on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S have native support for Twitch built into the console. All they’re going to need is a solid webcam and possibly some sort of microphone.
The same isn’t true for Nintendo Switch which requires a capture card to a PC or laptop.
Meanwhile, serious PC gamers are going to need a capture card as a way to offset the resource load from streaming out video of more visually intensive or e-sports-leaning games.
Capture cards come in at various prices and specifications, so anyone looking for the right one can check out our list of the best capture cards of this year.
KVM-equipped monitor
The average streamer who plays on PC uses one for gaming and another for conducting the actual stream.
Controlling both PCs at once is done through KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) technology, which enables control of multiple PCs using a single keyboard, monitor, and mouse.
The best gaming monitors like the Gigabyte M27F and MSI MPG 271QR now feature built-in KVM functionality, making it easier for streamers to switch between devices without clutter.
Console gamers also benefit from KVM, using it to seamlessly switch between gaming and work or stream sessions.
Microphone
Separate from an actual gaming headset, which is used to hear the game and communicate with teammates, microphones are the best way to speak directly to viewers of your stream.
There are so many great mics for streaming out there that can work between various setups, across many different budgets.
That doesn’t even count the feature set and even design with some featuring cute RGB lighting as well.
Webcam or camera
Visitors aren’t going to watch a stream without seeing its star. That’s why a webcam at the very least is going to be absolutely necessary.
Just understand that what you spend is going to determine both capture resolution and streaming frame rate. Then there are other things like the type of lens that you'll need to consider as well.
Users who want to take their stream to a new level can get an actual video camera or high-end digital camera with video output and hook it up through a capture card as well.
Streaming PC or laptop
In addition to your actual gaming PC, you'll also need a PC or laptop to process the actual stream, as using the gaming PC by itself can be cumbersome and potentially affect the performance of the game you're playing.
It might be best to get one of our favorite mini PCs to process the captured video. The video capture PC doesn't have to be the most high-end, and even some of the best cheap laptops are more than enough to get the job done (though stay away from Chromebooks).
Lighting
Serious streamers will know that the best webcams and video cameras can be limited by certain lighting conditions.
This is why it’s important to have some sort of professional-ish light source to put you in the best, well, light.
Users can find an affordable ring light or mini light through online retailers like Amazon or go for something more expensive like the Logitech Litra Beam LX.
Green screen
A green screen (or sometimes a blue screen) is a great way to add some flair to a stream.
These colored screens are used to isolate a streamer from the background on video, which allows them to be placed in different backgrounds, or to remove the background of the room they are in entirely, while they are streaming. Some of our favorite green screens even come with lighting as well.
