Any mid-range PC from the past five years should be able to meet that specification, although laptops may need to be a little newer or higher end. Twitch recommends a system with at least 8GB of RAM and an Intel Core i5-4670 CPU. If you just want to stream yourself in a VLOG format or podcasting, then all you really need is your phone, but if you want to record gameplay footage, play around with green screens and 3D visual effects, then a reasonably powerful computer is a must. You don't need a monstrously powerful PC for streaming, but it can help. Luckily, the latest NVIDIA GPUs make this functionality readily available for third-party apps. Shadowplay isn't as capable a streaming solution as OBS or SOBS, however, so power users will want to opt for either of those options instead. That can preclude the need for a capture card too, potentially saving you money in the process. Unlike most streaming software, it encodes your footage using the GPU rather than the CPU, offering a much more powerful encoding solution. If you have a powerful Nvidia graphics card, you could opt to use Nvidia's Shadowplay. It also lacks a Studio Mode, which more advanced users (or aspiring advanced users) might miss. It also claims to have greater optimization for better performance, but many would argue otherwise. It's built on the same foundation as OBS, but has a more intuitive interface that could help you get up to speed quicker and more easily. If you find OBS a little daunting to learn, Streamlabs OBS is much easier to get to grips with. It's also compatible with Windows, MacOS and Linux, so whether you're capturing footage to your desktop PC, MacBook or low-power Linux machine, you can use OBS just the same as anyone else. It's a high-performance, real time video and audio capture suite that is well supported by major streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube and has deep support for audio and video sources, letting you customize your stream to your heart's content. The most popular streaming software is Open Broadcaster Software, or OBS. Whether you're recording videos for later editing and upload or streaming live to your followers, the right streaming software can make all the difference. What is the Best Live Streaming Software? It includes HDMI 2.0 input and outputs, USB-C 3.0 high-speed data transfer and power, and 3.5mm jacks for headphones and microphones, making it capable of audio mixing if you want to stream without a dedicated audio interface. It offers 1080p 60 fps recording with 4K 60 fps pass-through, so you don't have to limit your own visuals just because you're streaming at the same time.

It's not cheap, but the Razer Ripsaw HD capture card is much more affordable than the best of the best, and it works just as well recording PC footage as it does for consoles. Razer Ripsaw HD Game Streaming Capture Card BUY FROM AMAZON

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