The Top PC Gaming Streaming Guide: How to Stream with Ease.
PC gaming has become increasingly popular over the past decade, with more and more people flocking to the world of gaming to enjoy their favorite titles. With the capability of streaming gameplay to a variety of different platforms, it’s no surprise that many gamers have taken to streaming their sessions live or even recording gameplay to watch later. However, how are gamers meant to know how to go about streaming their PC gaming? This article is here to guide you through every step of the way so that you can start your PC game streaming journey with ease.
What is PC Game Streaming?
PC game streaming is the act of running a game on a computer and broadcasting it to a streaming service, like Twitch or YouTube. This is different than streaming a console, as the setup process can be more complex due to needing additional software and comes with a larger set of variables to deal with. On top of this, PC gaming allows you to stream in higher quality compared to consoles, depending on the specs of the computer, as well as mods and graphical enhancements can be done to change the look and feel of a game to your liking.
What Do I Need for PC Game Streaming?
There is a variety of different software and hardware you’ll need before you can start streaming PC games. In terms of hardware, the most essential piece is a fast and powerful computer. The best CPUs for PC gaming will usually feature an Intel Core i5 or i7, depending on the needs and budget of the builder. 16 gigabytes of RAM and some sort of solid state storage on top of an adequate cooling system will also be needed to ensure a consistently smooth stream.
The other key piece of hardware you’ll need is a compatible webcam or headset. Most mainstream webcams will work, though you’ll want to make sure it’s HD video with a decent resolution. You’ll also want to opt for a headset so you can commentate your gameplay as you stream.
In terms of software, you’ll need some form of streaming software like OBS or Streamlabs OBS. This will be the program you’ll use to actually record or stream your game and adjust settings. You’ll also need a streaming platform such as Twitch or YouTube, as this is where your feed will be hosted and viewed.
How Do I Set up My PC for Streaming?
Once you have the necessary hardware and software lined up for streaming, you’ll then want to set up your computer for streaming. This often assumes that you have a high end PC to work with and some knowledge of computers in general.
The first steps should always be to ensure that your computer is up-to-date. This means ensuring that you have the latest drivers and update your operating system as soon as any new updates are available. It’s also worth planting some security software to keep any viruses at bay.
Once you have your computer up-to-date and secure, you may want to give the PC a performance boost by cleaning the system up and optimizing it for gaming. You can use a program like CCleaner to remove junk files and defragment the hard drive, and if you’re looking to get the most out of your computer you can also use tools like MSI Afterburner to tweak the performance of your components.
The next step is to install your streaming programs like OBS and your streaming platform of choice. After registering for the streaming platform and logging in, you’ll be asked to provide your game’s name, screen resolution and frame rate, along with microphone and camera settings. This data will then be used to stream your game online, and from there you should be good to go.
How Can I Enhance My PC Game Streaming Experience?
Now that you have an understanding of what’s needed to get setup for streaming PC games, let’s look at some additional tips and tricks to enhance your streaming experience. One of the biggest things to look at when streaming PC games is the quality of your stream, especially if those viewing your streams are expecting HD quality. To do this, you need to ensure that your bitrate is high enough to be able to capture the game’s graphics, while also making sure that you have enough upload speed that the video can reach its destination without losing too much quality.
Another great tool to use when streaming is a software called XSplit. This is a great program that allows users to customize their streams using different media like music overlay or even capture images or video while streaming. Additionally, XSplit allows users to customize their streaming settings with ease, including resolution and bitrate.
Lastly, you can make your streams stand out from the rest by investing in a capture card. Capture cards allow you to quickly and easily capture HD gameplay from consoles or PCs. Capture cards come in different shapes and sizes and can range from 1080p resolution up to 4K resolution. While this isn’t the must have for all PC game streamers, if you have the extra money, investing in a good capture card can significantly enhance the quality of your stream for those paying attention.
Wrapping Up
If you’re looking to start streaming PC games, this guide should have provided enough information to get your streaming journey going. In summary, you’ll need a powerful computer with a compatible webcam or headset, as well as some form of streaming software and a streaming platform. You may also want to look into additional tools and features like XSplit and capture cards, to further enhance the quality of your stream. With all that in place, you should now have everything you need to create a successful PC game stream.
Image Credit: Pexels