The best gear for streaming won't be the same for every content creator. Not only is each person's content different, and requires different bits of equipment to help piece it together, but beginners won't need the same level of tech that the pros use. Sure, the absolute best mics, capture cards, and cameras are nice to have, but when you see how much this can all set you back, you quickly realize the appeal of the cheaper products.
Getting set up for live streaming on Twitch or YouTube isn't as easy as it seems. I'll warn you now that it will likely require a lot of time, effort, and budget to pull together. Depending on what platform you play games on, what PC hardware you're rocking, and your budget for accessories, your requirements will vary from everyone else's. Sure, you can opt for a simple streaming setup, and these days you can get by as a beginner with streaming directly from a console - even without one of the best capture cards. As soon as you want to take live streaming seriously though, you'll probably need to invest in more gear for it, because a professional setup does require a lot of moving parts.
Luckily, we're here to help you save your money while getting the exact accessories you need for the content you aim to make. Streaming has become a huge market, and there's a lot of viable equipment out there for you. We've listed the main elements of a streaming setup below, as well as some accessories for you if you're looking to freshen up or add some more personality. Currently, I'm in the middle of testing out various streaming controllers and mixers, and we'll have a dedicated list of those soon too. Until then, take a gander below to find the best gear for streaming in 2024.
The best capture cards
The AverMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 is the last word in external capture cards these days. It takes the great features set down by the last-gen's Elgato HD60X and boosts them to today's standards. Full warning: this isn't going to be needed for everyone, but if you want the best of the best for recording and streaming gameplay, look no further.
You get up to 4K60 capture here, as well as VRR passthrough of up to 144Hz. HDR and Ultrawide monitor support are standout features and a slew of in-software recording options give it versatility. Annoyingly, the companion application, RECentral 4, doesn't have any color grading settings and doesn't let you change the captured image settings. Fortunately, these things are set pretty well out of the box.
Its design bucks a few trends, especially since most capture cards don't put a lot of effort into the looks department. The Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 has a gentle RGB array on its front that you can sync with your PC's RGB. There's also a practical horizontal design that helps cable routing.
This card performs brilliantly when recording footage, and its passthrough lacks no detail compared to using a regular HDMI 2.1 cable. Speeds were a similar story - it was so easy to use this with Streamlabs OBS, with no delay to speak of. Captures are crystal clear with really vivid colors, and besides some lacking clarity when recording multiple files back to back, it's excellent. If you play competitively and don't want to compromise on your 4K components, this is a superb option. Just keep in mind that Twitch still has no ability to make use of 4K streaming capabilities.
Elgato is one of the biggest, best-known names in the video game content creation market, and for good reason: their devices are relatively cheap, easy to use, and function well.
The Game Capture HD60S is easy to set up. You simply plug it in between your PS4/Xbox One and the TV, and you get 1080p/60fps capture with loads of ability to change resolution and more. It's great regardless of what platform you're trying to record on, and its low-latency passthrough means you can play from the capture window with no problem. Another great bonus is that you don't need the software running to use it: as long as it can draw power it'll send a signal to your screen so there's no need to unplug it when you don't want to capture.
The capture software that comes with it is clear and easy to use, with a few basic, useful options to fiddle with the audio and streaming setups. Elgato recommends using the 4K capture utility these days, but the OG Game Capture app is more conclusive in our opinion. Just keep in mind that it can be buggy at times. There's an audio in port on the unit itself if you want to add audio directly to your stream, and a range of streaming screens set up for in-set cameras and so on.
For beginners and anyone just streaming from a games console, this is all you really need - especially for Twitch.
We're currently testing out a new internal capture card from Elgato - the 4K Pro. Until we have a verdict on it though, this is probably your best bet if you want an internal capture card that slots into your PC. The 4K60 Pro is also going to be cheaper for a good while yet, so you'll save yourself some money on this for now anyway, and don't miss out on too many features.
If you’re serious about capturing gameplay at the highest resolution and frame rates possible then this is one of the ones to opt for. As the only internal capture card on our list, it does mean that you’ll need either a high-end or recent-generation CPU and GPU.
The only slight niggle with it (and it really is slight) is that, although the software is pretty good at keeping up with you, the optimum way to play while using this card is to make use of the lag-free HDMI pass-through and send the feed to a second monitor or 4K screen. Like all internal capture cards, you're missing DisplayPort here, but then that's nothing new.
The Rode Streamer X promises more than any other capture card you'll find. It can record footage at up to 4K30, but it's also an audio interface with all the pedigree of the Australian brand behind it.
Of course, with a jack-of-all-trades like this, there's going to be some trade-offs. Strangely, there's no HDMI 2.1 support, so while captures of up to 4K30 are possible and a passthrough of up to 4K60 is supported higher frame rates aren't going to be possible above 1080p. Luckily, VRR and HDR are present - here's hoping Rode puts out a sequel in time that can deal with some beefier visual capture.
The design of this capture card is very in line with Rode's other streaming gear - it has customizable Smart pads, XLR ports for top-drawer microphones, and some handy gain dials that are readable thanks to clear lighting. Conveniently, it has dual-PC output and pretty solid HDMI passthrough for varying resolutions, and its price for the combined efforts of an audio interface and capture card will no doubt be enticing for those looking to consolidate their streaming gadgets.
As an audio interface, it's no surprise that this does the trick. Rode is excellent for audio gear, and in our review, we found it to be almost as solid as the BEACN Mic Create, although it was somewhat hampered by its small form factor and lack of more dials.
Best microphones for streamers
Shure’s certainly got a history of audio excellence behind its name, and its recent SM7B mic is probably the one you've seen in all the professional podcasts wherever you find them. The MV7 is a slightly more versatile option though, since it works as an XLR or USB-C device and still packs excellent quality. These are undoubtedly the most expensive microphones you can get though, so unless you're a professional, we wouldn't necessarily recommend it.
Shure's mics sound rich and full of detail out of the box with no need for plugin tinkering. Some subtle refinements to the EQ response that flatter a recorded vocal are a standout.
What’s more surprising is that the dual-input layout feels genuinely useful. Not everyone has an audio interface with XLR ins, so the USB connection solves that potential pitfall just as well as Rode's Podmic USB. For those who do opt for a streaming mixer or audio interface, recording a scratch track via the USB creates a handy failsafe, and can be used as a dry performance track to sit beneath an affected one in your DAW. (You might even nudge one fractionally ahead of the other for an efficient doubled vocal effect).
Shure's mics are the one to go for if you spare no expense and want the last word in audio quality. For the rest of us mere mortals, other mics will still come close to this quality and are worth considering.
- Read more: Shure MV7 review
Blue, which has now been absorbed into the larger Logitech G brand, is very well known when it comes to streaming mics, and for a good reason - they were masters of the craft when it comes to bang for buck. The budget Yeti Nano (the scrappy younger sibling of the larger Yeti range) is very impressive. It packs the accessible price tag of the entry-level Snowballs mics into a really professional package that sounds almost as good as any USB mic you'll find.
Hitting hard with great audio and a dual condenser setup, it perfects the Yeti formula while reducing that microphone's cost. It's a whole lot smaller and lighter, too; the Nano is half the weight of the original Yeti, making it much more portable than its counterpart. Thanks to a plug-and-play USB connection, you can be recording in no time. Annoyingly, as the mic has aged, its micro-USB connection is getting more annoying to deal with.
This is an amazing option for those who want to take advantage of Blue Yeti quality without forking out the cost of a full-sized one. If you're a beginner and you can find this on the shelves, it's all the microphone you really need. Its mute button is a handy feature too if you don't have a streaming mixer. The newer Logitech G Yeti GX now exists, but for us, the best value still lies with the Nano. When that changes, we'll let you know.
Whether you opt for the cheaper USB SteelSeries Alias or the pricier XLR Alias Pro, you're grabbing one of the very best microphones available today. These dropped late in 2023 and were immediately met with universal praise for their convenient all-in-one package. Their companion software, Sonar, is as conclusive as you'll find, and if you don't mind it hogging some CPU power, it has some excellent customization features.
First and foremost, these are both brilliant microphones. They capture sound at a professional, studio level, but they also look very classy. Inside both the Alias and Alias Pro is a cardioid capsule that manages to get that rich podcast quality up close, but doesn't fail to maintain quality if you move a bit further away from it.
That's honestly just the tip of the SteelSeries iceberg though, because the Sonar software you get with your purchase takes things to a whole new level. Whether it's noise canceling or managing multiple audio profiles, this software really has it all. Lump in the fact that you get a small mixer/interface with the Pro model, and you have a true all-in-one package.
Best webcams for streaming
Sequels are so hard to get right these days. Particularly when one comes out hot on the heels of something as good as the Razer Kiyo Pro, which we deemed the best webcam on the market before this arrived.
The Kiyo Pro Ultra had a lot to live up to, and we're pleased to say it smashed through what was expected. This is by far the best webcam money can buy right now. Other than a seriously steep price of admission to the tune of $300 / £300, this trounces all other rivals before or since. There's just no arguing with the quality this thing captures.
Up to 4K in 30fps is all most people will ever need, but it is a shame 4K60 isn't possible for those pairing it with a next-gen capture card. Lesser resolutions still look stunning though, and can record at a wider range of frame rates. Even without a ring light, the images are so well-balanced. Low-light scenarios were a big point of attention for the designers at Razer, and beyond going for a much more expensive camera that isn't designed to sit atop a monitor, I haven't seen one as good as this in low light.
This is a webcam for content creators that will roll a DSLR camera and face-cam into one package. As a result, you'd be hard-pressed to find a pricier webcam, and unless you really need the best of the best, it isn't necessary to spend this much.
The Logitech StreamCam is aimed squarely at the amateur streaming market. More specifically, it's focusing on members within that market running high-quality machines that can really push this device to its limits.
With footage captured at up to 1080p resolution at 60fps, you're getting particularly impressive video quality here, all running silky smooth and taking advantage of additional software features like backlight correction, center framing, and image stabilization.
You may need to fiddle with a few of these settings to get everything working just right for you, dropping down the framerate to allow the center framing to react quickly, for example, but if your PC can withstand the considerable power draw this webcam requires, this is an amazing piece of kit.
This is what we'd recommend for beginners at the moment, although the webcam offerings from various brands have been expanding this year, so it might not stay our beginner's pick for long.
The Insta360 Link is the best of the bunch when you look for a tiny 4K webcam that has a lot of AI features inside it. For such a small camera, it packs a lot of power and a myriad of features inside it. It's up there with the Kiyo Pro Ultra, and might even be more feature-rich as a product. Its image quality is just a tad off that monster though.
I find it really hard not to humanize this webcam's design. Like Obsbot's Tiny 4K range, it resembles a tiny WALL-E, with all the animated expression a single tiny eye can give it. It's so weirdly cute, and its impressive movement speed exudes a giddy excitement that's hard to come by.
It's not all looks though, the Insta360 Link is packed with great-performing features for content creators and remote workers. AI facial tracking, 4K resolution, whiteboard mode (for presenting during video calls), and clever gesture controls are just the tip of the iceberg. DeskView is also a thing, so if you want a funky camera mode to unlock for your chat so they can watch your hands instead of your face - this versatile cam is for you. That could even be good for animators or artists streamers too
Of all the webcams with AI facial tracking I've seen, the Insta360 Link is the best, and most natural. Admittedly, this is one of the pricier webcams you can go for, and most people don't need this many features. If you can afford it though, this is a webcam that won't let you down.
The best streaming accessories
The Lumecube Ring Light Pro is more than an Instagram influencer's ring light. This is a versatile tool that's begging to be used by more content creators. It's a great size at 17.5 inches since it's big enough to light bigger scenes, but not overbearing or difficult to maneuver.
The light itself is excellent for balancing out shots, and when paired with a webcam like the Razer Kiyo Pro Ultra, you get impeccable results. Being able to control the temperature of the light, in particular, is a very nice feature. Natural light from a window can be a really nice inclusion in your shots, and trying to balance it with cold lighting without a key light can be difficult. In an ideal world, for the money you pay, I'd have liked an even broader color range, but that is why key lights exist.
One of the best things about Lume Cube's Ring Light Pro is how well and how easily it controls. The back of the ring features an LCD display which shows you how the battery life is lasting, as well as what settings the light itself is shining at. As if that wasn't enough, you also get a handy remote control so you can adjust light levels and temperatures without having to leave the shot. That's super useful, and if you make content as a 1-person crew worth having.
For your money, you do get an awful lot here - there's a convenient carry case, a great stand that can tilt, and extend, and the ring light itself has bundled options for mounting smartphones and cameras. All-in-all, this is a super ring light for content creators.
If imitation is the most sincere form of flattery then Elgato must be blushing from head to toe because of this nifty little stream controller. Anyone who’s ever looked at the Stream Deck, or Stream Deck + will find the Razer Stream Controller X eerily familiar. To be honest, it’s more than eerily familiar, it’s practically identical. This is the follow-up to Razer's first crack at a Stream controller, and we're glad to say that it's a real improvement.
In fact, this is probably the best stream controller out there if you've already bought into the Razer ecosystem and run a lot of things through Synapse. The Razer Stream Controller X is powered by Loupedeck’s software and works really easily when it comes to creating profiles for live streaming, general PC tasks, and video editing.
While in theory, you have 15 buttons to customize, in practice it’s 13 or 14 as the corners are allocated to navigating between pages of commands if you have them set up. It’s a strange choice, an unnecessary self-nerf when Elgato has proven a folder system works perfectly well. I’m all for suggesting a user allocates some buttons to paging, hey, even set that as the default, but don’t force them to give up buttons that could be used in other ways if they prefer.
Regardless, from a hardware standpoint, it’s great thanks to its strong build quality and super steady stand. It's also a bit cheaper than a lot of the more popular options, so it's a good middle ground to shoot on a stream controller for those that are getting a bit more serious.
While they aren't necessarily an essential part of the streamer experience, a good green screen can go a long way to upping your production quality. That's where the Neewer Collapsible Backdrop comes in. It's affordable and portable and has a pop-up design. Unlike some other green screens, this model unfolds and then can be mounted in multiple ways to the included stand, either horizontally or vertically, to fit your camera setup.
The best thing is the price here, as depending on size, the Neewer Collapsible Backdrop starts from around the $50 mark. You've also got the option of either green or blue, as it is reversible, meaning that you can choose which color is easier for you to chroma key out in editing, or before your stream goes live.
For a higher-end green screen option consider:
How to start streaming gameplay
How to live stream with OBS / capture cards
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The best way, in our experience, to live stream gameplay to the likes of YouTube Gaming and Twitch is through OBS Studio (Open Broadcasting Software). If you'd like a more technically proficient version of the software that gives you more creative range, we'd go for OBS Streamlabs. This free program gives you full control over the different elements you want to broadcast to your viewers.
It all starts with a "scene" (which acts as a kind of folder for your input methods), for your gameplay that's captured either directly from your PC or from a capture card for your consoles. From there, you can add additional layers for your webcam, your microphone, as well as overlay graphics. There's also the option to put elements like live Twitch / YouTube chat, subscribers and donations on-screen.
So using these different "scenes" you create your normal gameplay screen layout, maybe a loading screen scene, or any other transitional elements you might want. These scenes can take a little while to learn, but they'll help to make your stream feel unique and keep our audience engaged.
A scene can contain as many media sources as you want, although it may put some hefty demands on your computer hardware if you don't use a capture card. A basic OBS stream will generally consist of the gameplay layer, your webcam, and your microphone audio, as seen below:
If you intend to stream on Twitch then you will need to input your Twitch stream key into OBS which essentially pairs the website to the program, and acts as an authenticator of sorts. You can find your Twitch streaming key by selecting the Settings tab in your profile menu. From there, open up the creator dashboard and the stream key should be found under "Stream Key and Preferences" in a drop-down menu.
YouTube Gaming works essentially the same way. Generally, you can find your Server URL address and Stream name/key in the Encoder Setup found in the Live Stream Manager dashboard. Simply copy that into OBS Studio or Streamlabs, and you're away.
It's worth noting that YouTube has a tendency to change things around, though, and as a general note, YouTube channels don't tend to integrate into OBS quite as easily as Twitch channels do.
How to live stream directly from Xbox Series X / PS5
Alternatively, if you're after a quick and easy way to stream gameplay on your console of choice then you can do so natively on both Xbox Series X and PS5. Options exist for PS4 and Xbox One as well, though those consoles are a bit more limited.
Live stream on PS5:
On PS5, it really is as simple as pressing the "Share" button found on the Dualsense controller when in-game. This brings up a menu that allows you to screenshot, record, or start streaming footage directly from the console. You'll need to link your Twitch or YouTube gaming account through the drop-down menu which can be done by pressing the respective icon.
An option will come up that says "Link with Twitch" and from there, the easiest way is to follow the prompts on-screen until you're given a QR code and an 8-digit set of letters and numbers. A web address will come up to activate your Twitch account, which you can either punch into the address bar of your phone or computer or scan the QR code. Once you've entered the code, you'll see a prompt that says "Your Accounts are Linked" and confirmation that your Twitch account is now set up on PS5.
Linking YouTube Gaming works exactly the same way, but with fewer steps. Simply press "Link with YouTube" from the drop-down menu, and then you'll be presented with the PS5's web browser version of the YouTube sign-in screen. From there, all you have to do is enter your account details, and everything else is taken care of.
You're ready to live stream!
Live stream on Xbox Series X:
On Xbox Series X, you first need to download the Twitch app from the Microsoft Store. Opening that up will bring up a sign-in screen with a website address you need to follow along with an 8-digit code. Simply punch the string of letters/numbers in on either your PC, tablet, or smartphone's web browser and it's all linked up. Once everything's activated, you'll find your account signed into the app.
To live stream gameplay, press the "broadcast" tab from the top menu, you'll then be greeted with a list of options to suit your gameplay streaming preferences, with controls to alter your camera position, broadcast bar position, and then your audio levels. The most important things to consider are your bitrate and the stream resolution, though. You'll need a strong Wi-Fi connection, or to be wired in via Ethernet, to stream 1080p or higher resolutions. After that all looks good to you, press the "start streaming" button and that's it!
You'll need to be comfortable should you want to stream for long periods, that's where the best gaming chairs and best cheap gaming chair deals come in. Additionally, should your space need an overhaul, the best gaming desks should be your next port of call.
