So…you want to start streaming on Twitch? Well, you’re gonna need some gear and you’ve come to the right spot. In this post, I’m gonna break down all the pieces of gear YOU will need to start streaming on twitch and the best budgets for that. And before we jump in, if you find this guide helpful or informative, feel free to share and follow our social channels to keep up to date on gaming/tech news and deals!
I’m gonna start off with the most important piece of hardware, you might assume it’s camera but it’s definitely not. Camera quality is nice but a large chuck of your potential watchers are going to be watching you on a phone and your little tiny camera will be in the bottom corner of that. So what microphone do you want?
Your best route is going to be a dynamic microphone of some kind. Dynamic microphones are made in a way that they help isolate your voice and ignore background sounds.
You could argue your interface is more important the mic but I’ll let you decide that. The interface is what is going to allow you to connect your mic to your computer. Since we’re only talking about streaming primarily we’re only going to look at single inputs as opposed to a multi input interface that you might need to podcast.
So cameras are tricky because you can spend insane amount of money on cameras, lenses, filters, and etc and absolutely get your moneys worth but that doesn’t mean you need it for streaming. So For my two options I’m going to include two cameras that, by themselves, will be everything you need to stream on twitch.
For many streamers, they may want to play their games on console, which is great idea! Consoles are often time less hassle than PC and ,if your PC isn’t very powerful, it’ll be less draw on your pc to stream from a console instead. The market is pretty much a monopoly on quality graphics cards but there are still some alternatives if you don’t want to spend the premium dollars
An often overlooked piece of the streamer arsenal is lighting. It’s crucial as a streamer that your viewers are able to see you and see you well (crazy, right?). And for this item I wont be doing a best and a budget as I don’t feel you need to go out and drop 100+ dollars on a piece of lighting equipments
So, what gear do you need?
Well, it depends on what kind of streaming you plan on doing. All streamers will need a few very basic pieces of hardware (microphone, headset, camera, mouse/keyboard, audio interface) but what if you want to stream and play games on console? Well then you will also need a capture card. What if you want to stream retro games? Well then you might need a video converter. Or maybe you want to stream and play instruments? Then you might need an audio interface along with some microphones. Regardless of your set up, we’re going to cover the essentials as well as some tools for some different niche streams.Microphone
I’m gonna start off with the most important piece of hardware, you might assume it’s camera but it’s definitely not. Camera quality is nice but a large chuck of your potential watchers are going to be watching you on a phone and your little tiny camera will be in the bottom corner of that. So what microphone do you want?
Your best route is going to be a dynamic microphone of some kind. Dynamic microphones are made in a way that they help isolate your voice and ignore background sounds.
Best: Shure SM7B
The current meta for dynamic microphones right now is the Shure SM7b. Just about every popular streamer/podcaster today uses this microphone: Joe Rogan, Ludwig, Shroud, DrDisRespect. All of these big names have or currently use the SM7B. Shure is well known brand known for making quality equipment in the music/sound scene and now their microphone has become almost an icon in how often you will see it in streams and on podcasts. This is rightly so as it’s a high quality microphone that is gonna give you the best performance for the price.Budget: Fifine USB Studio Condenser Mic
The Fifine Usb Mic will do a great job for a streamer on a budget. It includes not only the mic but also the audio interface, that we will discuss below, and the arm to hold the mic. If you’re just getting started lets not get too complicated and keep it simple while still getting great quality.Audio Interface
You could argue your interface is more important the mic but I’ll let you decide that. The interface is what is going to allow you to connect your mic to your computer. Since we’re only talking about streaming primarily we’re only going to look at single inputs as opposed to a multi input interface that you might need to podcast.
Best: Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen
Focusrite has been making audio interfaces for a long time and that’s because they’re one of the best hands down. The Focusrite Solo is a standard in the industry so if you’re looking for peak performance and quality, this is what you need.Budget: Fifine USB Studio Condenser Mic
Like I said before this mic has everything you need technically and for the price you really can’t beat a Focusrite.Camera
So cameras are tricky because you can spend insane amount of money on cameras, lenses, filters, and etc and absolutely get your moneys worth but that doesn’t mean you need it for streaming. So For my two options I’m going to include two cameras that, by themselves, will be everything you need to stream on twitch.
Best: Sony A5000
The Sony a5000 is fantastic option for a mirrorless camera dedicated to streaming. It’s lightweight, easy to use, features a removeable lens (allowing you to swap lenses if needed), and a great sensor for the price. It’s quite a bit more expensive than your standard webcam but could certainly take you far in a streaming careerBudget: Logitech C930c
A standard webcam that will certainly get the job done. The C930c is a great budget option, 1080p and 4x digital zoom will give you plenty of options until you’re ready to make the jump to a better camera.Capture Card
For many streamers, they may want to play their games on console, which is great idea! Consoles are often time less hassle than PC and ,if your PC isn’t very powerful, it’ll be less draw on your pc to stream from a console instead. The market is pretty much a monopoly on quality graphics cards but there are still some alternatives if you don’t want to spend the premium dollars
Best: Elgato 4k60 Pro
Elgato is the premiere name in capture cards and most streaming paraphernalia alike. They make great products and the UI for all of their equipment is second to none. If your PC doesn’t have an extra PCIE slot then also take a look at their HD60 S+. It’s a great second option.Budget: Digitnow 4k Video Card
I’d still recommend the Elgato over the Digitnow. The Elgato is just the best option in capture cards hands down, however, if you absolutely need a budget option for streaming then this is the way to go. For $80 you can stream at 4k 60fps, you cant hardly beat that for the price.Lighting
An often overlooked piece of the streamer arsenal is lighting. It’s crucial as a streamer that your viewers are able to see you and see you well (crazy, right?). And for this item I wont be doing a best and a budget as I don’t feel you need to go out and drop 100+ dollars on a piece of lighting equipments
