You can choose AMD or Intel processors for your streaming PC. AMD and Intel both offer powerful multi-threading processors. You should look for 32 to 64GB of RAM, a dedicated graphics card, and a great broadband connection. Moreover, you should purchase a solid motherboard to control your PC’s accessories. As a gaming PC, you should select a powerful model with a decent microphone and high-quality speakers. Besides, the lighting in your gaming PC is more important than the dual-streaming setup.
CPU
Choosing the best CPU specs for a dedicated streaming PC depends on what you plan to use the PC for. A dedicated gaming PC will likely need a higher-end GPU, while a streaming PC will be used primarily for video streaming. You’ll also need a decent amount of RAM, preferably 16GB. A dedicated gaming PC is best equipped with a minimum of 8GB of RAM, but a larger amount is recommended.
Streaming PCs require a powerful processor to run demanding games and transcode video in real time. While the GPU is used to render graphics, the CPU is responsible for encoding video. Since a dedicated gaming and streaming PC puts heavy demands on the CPU, a processor with more cores is more appropriate. The more cores a processor has, the more easily it can distribute the workload across its cores.
The best CPU for a dedicated streaming PC is the Core i9 10850K. It’s essentially a 10900K, but with slightly lower boost clocks and overclock potential. This CPU trades blows with the Core i9 3900X, which is a bit more expensive. But if you’re not planning to stream video, the 10850K may be a better choice. Alternatively, you may want to look at the Core i9 5800X, which is the same price as the 10850K.
GPU
If you’re looking to buy a new GPU for your gaming PC, you’ll need to be aware of the processor and GPU specs. A CPU with a sufficient amount of cores and threads is ideal for a dedicated streaming PC, while a GPU with a low base clock speed is best suited for casual gamers. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X features eight cores and 16 threads and should be able to run a stable 1080p 60FPS.
A dedicated streaming PC can make use of the GPU of a gaming rig, so you might want to consider selling your old graphics card on eBay to fund your new dedicated video editing and streaming PC. The gaming rig will still be a great backup, but a dedicated streaming PC should be built with a better GPU than the one used on the gaming rig. It is important to note that the CPU should also have onboard graphics, though it may not be the highest performing option.
A dedicated streaming PC needs only CPU, memory, monitor, keyboard and mouse, as it will be used primarily for broadcasting. A quad-core CPU with enough cores will be powerful for the job. It’s a good idea to choose a CPU with 4GB or more of DDR4 RAM. The graphics card is optional, but adds a bit of upfront cost and power draw. A dedicated streaming PC can also support multiple simultaneous streams and be a great gaming machine.
Storage
If you want to become a professional streamer, you should know that your PC must have a high-quality storage capacity. The storage capacity will be critical in streaming games and videos that are in heavy format. Many professional streamers use this feature to increase the quality of their content, and this is a prerequisite to be able to work with multiple platforms. However, if you’re just starting out and don’t plan on working with many platforms, you can put the storage requirements on the back burner and focus on purchasing the best streaming PC for yourself. Also, keep in mind that an 8GB RAM is sufficient for streaming, but you should not opt for a lower amount because you will likely become obsolete in two years.
Dedicated systems are ideal for professional streamers, as they allow them to save recordings on Twitch and other platforms and have low system requirements. However, amateurs can also use a gaming PC configured for streaming. The storage requirements of a dedicated streaming PC are slightly different from those of a regular gaming PC, so the choice is up to you. A dedicated streaming PC is also more reliable because the main computer won’t become overloaded with recording sessions.
If you’re a novice at video editing, an 11TB HDD is an excellent place to start. A good HDD for this purpose is Western Digital Blue. Seagate BarraCuda is another great HDD. The smaller SSD should be able to store the OS for faster boot times. A big HDD can also be used for storing project files. A dedicated streaming PC should also be easy to setup and use.
RAM
When you build a dedicated streaming PC, you will need a good CPU. A mid-range CPU such as a Ryzen 5 3600 or a Ryzen 7 3700X is usually sufficient. You can choose a more powerful CPU if you need to stream high-quality videos. RAM is another important component of a streaming PC. It is advisable to have 2x8GB of RAM to ensure maximum stream quality.
When choosing RAM, make sure that you purchase the highest frequency possible. While you can get by with a lower memory frequency, the more RAM you have, the better the streaming experience will be. For older games, 2133MHz should be more than enough. However, if you’re preparing to stream video games, you should get a higher memory frequency. Generally, higher RAM is better for gaming, but you can still get away with using a standard PC if you want to save money.
A dedicated streaming PC should have at least 8GB of RAM. The video stream is encoded on the CPU and sent over the Internet. It is not stored locally, so it needs a high-speed processor. In addition, you should have a lot of free space on your hard drive. A dedicated streaming PC can stream video even if the gaming PC restarts. This way, you don’t have to worry about your streaming PC being overloaded by too much RAM.
Hard drive
Dedicated streaming PCs are more powerful than traditional desktops and offer many other features. For example, a 2TB Western Digital Blue hard drive can handle large video files. Its dual-drive configuration lets you choose an OS drive and a secondary storage drive. The OS drive should be the primary drive, while the storage-only drive will be the secondary. The processor, RAM, and hard drive will all run at 2,666 MHz.
Dedicated streaming PCs can also be built to run games smoothly. The AMD Ryzen 3 3100 CPU runs at 3.6 GHz and the included AMD RX 550 is an excellent budget graphics card. It is also a great place to upgrade if you plan on playing more demanding games. The system also comes with a 240 GB SSD and 8GB of DDR4 RAM. This PC is ideal for casual streamers, but if you plan on doing more intense streaming, you’ll want to upgrade to a larger computer.
For streaming games in high definition, you’ll need a dedicated streaming PC with a beefier CPU. The game, itself, can be demanding on a PC’s CPU, and a large hard drive will help keep the streaming experience running smoothly. A dedicated streaming PC will be more powerful than a gaming PC, but it will cost you more money and setup time. You’ll need two cases, two keyboards and mice, two sets of RAM, a power supply, and a capture card.
Capture card
There are two main types of capture cards for a dedicated streaming PC. These are the standalone units and the add-in cards. The standalone models are able to capture up to 4K, while add-ins have lower frame rates. PCs can handle the additional load with a 60fps card, but beginners should avoid this option. Lastly, 4K capture cards are not practical for most streamers due to the high storage and bandwidth requirements.
A dedicated streaming PC is not required to have a video card. In fact, you can get away without a video card entirely, if you only use the PC for streaming. A capture card is essentially an ‘echo card’ for a video source. It copies the video output of the source and provides an output for the broadcasting software. It can then be sent to streaming platforms to broadcast live.
For the streaming PC, the capture card should have HDMI IN and USB OUT ports. You should connect the HDMI cable to the capture card’s HDMI IN port and the USB OUT port to the streamer’s PC. Don’t connect the two computers using USB hubs; the latter will cause connectivity problems. You should also consider the size of the capture card itself. Capture card sizes and capacities will differ greatly from one another.
