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“Make Your PC Streams Shine: A Guide to the Best PC Gaming Streaming Software”.
Are you an aspiring PC streamer? Do you have an itch to share your gaming prowess with the world? If so, you need the right setup to ensure your streams are entertaining and engaging for your viewers. One important part of your streaming setup sees the help of software.
The right software can enable you upscale your stream quality, add engaging overlays, and enable better performance. This guide will provide you with the best picks for PC streaming software and give you the tools to make your streams shine.
What Is PC Streaming Software?
In a nutshell, PC streaming software is any program or application designed to help streamers display their content online. It can come in many forms, such as broadcasting software, overlay software, and performance-enhancement tools.
Broadcasting software such as OBS and Xsplit are two popular options used by streamers. These applications enable them to stream their gaming sessions and live videos to the likes of Twitch and YouTube from their PC. They also come with features such as scene switching, audio options, and recording, so you can create professional-looking streams.
Other streaming software may include shooting-game overlays and game performance-enhancing tools. Whether you need to make a subtle call for donations and sponsorships or add new visual elements to your stream, the right streaming software will bring your streams to the next level.
What Are the Best PC Streaming Software Picks?
No two streamers are the same and different streamers may find certain programs more helpful than others. That said, these are some recommended streaming software picks and tips that all aspiring streamers should consider adding to their setup.
1. OBS Studio
If you’re looking for free, lightweight broadcasting software that packs in a ton of features, OBS Studio is the way to go. This open-source software enables you to easily stream, monitor, and record your sessions all while adding professional-level overlays, audio options, and other customization options.
From novice to experienced streamers, this streaming software is the perfect pick for any streamer who wants to get started quickly and easily. Best of all, it’s completely free, so you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank to stream on the highest level.
2. Xsplit
Xsplit is another broadcasting pick that streamers of all skill levels will find useful. This software offers more in-depth features compared to OBS Studio, such as broadcasting through Discord, YouTube, limited Twitch integration, and a more customizable scene editor.
Though more advanced than OBS Studio, Xsplit remains user-friendly and intuitive. Plus, it does come with a free version, which will accommodate for streamers who are still learning the ropes.
3. Streamlabs OBS
If you like OBS Studio but want to reduce desktop clutter or want additional features, Streamlabs OBS (SLOBS) is the way to go. Like OBS Studio, this streaming software offers a lot of customization options, as well as further plugins, support, and even donations management.
SLOBS also comes with a hefty pro version that provides additional features such as deeper hardware integration, remote management, and support for exporting 1080p videos. But the free version of SLOBS should be more than enough for the majority of streamers.
4. Prohack
For those who play shooting games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO), Prohack’s overlay is one of the most used streaming software tools. Prohack overlay not only provides visual elements for your stream but also displays game information such as kill count, team score, and other essential in-game stats.
Thanks to mat_frame, a CS:GO feature that enables game information to be displayed on stream, it’s easy to install Prohack and its features directly into your streams. However, be sure to read their installation guide to make sure you get the best possible performance.
5. NVIDIA GeForce
Though this software won’t assist you in streaming, it may be the difference between your stream being watchable or unwatchable. NVIDIA GeForce driver is designed to help with performance and enable you to use the latest NVIDIA-exclusive features, such as NVIDIA Ansel and NVIDIA Freestyle.
Both of these features enable owners of supported graphics cards to customize graphical elements, as well as add several post-processing effects to their games.
6. ReLive
AMD fans rejoice, ReLive is the software for you. ReLive is similar to NVIDIA GeForce in that is helps your PC performance and comes with features such as the ability to capture videos, cut down on frame-drops, and enable AMD-exclusive features such as the AMD Chill feature.
It also helps enable cross-app streaming, so you can stream apps such as your web browser and Office documents. With its free version and ability to optimize gaming performance on AMD hardware, ReLive is a must-have for AMD streamers.
Make Your Streams Shine
If you want to take your streams to the next level, investing in the right streaming software is the way to go. From broadcasting tools such as OBS and Xsplit to overlay tools such as Prohack and performance-enhancing apps such as NVIDIA GeForce, you have plenty of options to make your streams shine.
We hope our guide to the best PC streaming software helped you get a better idea on which software is right for you. If you have any questions or recommendations, feel free to share them with us in the comments section below. Good luck and happy streaming!
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