The Top Video Game Streaming Equipment Necessary for Twitch or Mixer
Twitch has exploded in popularity in recent years due to streamers like Ninja, Dr. Disrespect, and Shroud bringing the platform into the spotlight.
But, you don’t have to have millions of followers (or thousands of dollars in equipment) in order to start streaming your own gaming sessions. However, there are some bare necessities that you’ll need in order to provide a quality experience for your viewers.
Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about what video game streaming equipment you need.
A High-Quality Microphone
A built-in microphone on a laptop or external webcam isn’t going to cut it if you want to achieve a professional level of quality while streaming. Instead, you’ll need to invest in an actual microphone.
‘High-quality’ here doesn’t have to mean ‘expensive,’ though. There are plenty of affordable microphones suitable for streaming that you can connect to your computer or laptop through its USB port.
If you want top-tier quality, though, you’ll have to take an extra step past a USB connection, as studio-quality microphones require an audio interface in order to use them with your computer.
For those with an extensive setup budget, this is the best route to take if you don’t mind configuring an extra device. If not, a USB microphone will do just fine (especially in the era of your Twitch streaming).
Check out our top microphone recommendations here.
A Pop Filter or Windscreen
Ever seen someone mount a circular, mesh-looking device in front of their microphone? This is known as a pop filter, and its function is crucial to facilitating quality recordings.
When we say words that have a ‘B’ or ‘P’ in them, the puff of air that our mouths produce causes the volume of the recording to briefly spike, resulting in a low-quality, popping sound. You may have noticed this while watching other streamers or during interviews where the speaker uses a bare microphone.
A windscreen is a foam covering you often see on microphones during news reports, and it serves a similar purpose.
While a windscreen is easier to set up (you simply slip it on over the microphone), it can cut off the higher frequencies of your voice, which may result in a slightly muffled sound while you’re speaking.
Regardless, it will prevent you from spiking the audio during your streaming sessions. If you’re looking for a top choice, we recommend this universally fitting windscreen by Dragonpad.
A Microphone Suspension Stand
Placing your microphone on your desk in front of you isn’t an ideal way to record your audio.
If you don’t want to continually hunch over while you speak into the mic, you’ll need to turn up the gain value (this controls how sensitive the microphone is).
While it’s great to be able to sit up straight and speak, a microphone with the gain cranked all the way up is sure to pick up plenty of white noise. These include things like AC units, passing cars, and even people’s voices in other rooms.
Additionally, a microphone with a high gain setting that picks up loud noises (like a dog barking or door slamming) can cause a drastic spike in audio that your viewers won’t appreciate.
Instead, you’ll want a microphone stand that you can mount to the side of your desk or another nearby surface. This will allow you to adjust your microphone to an ideal distance from your head while you speak.
If you prefer, you can even extend the arm of the stand over your head and mount your mic upside-down, allowing you to record without the microphone in the frame or your video recording.
Our recommendation is this microphone suspension boom by FIFINE, it even comes with a windscreen.
Speaking of video, you’ll also need…
A Webcam
Your viewers not only want to see who you are, but they also want to see how you react to different situations while you play. It’s in your best interest to get an external webcam to record yourself, as built-in cameras are often notorious for their poor quality.
Many webcams on the market are designed with streaming in mind, allowing you to record at 30 FPS in 1080p quality. While you could take things a step further and record in 4K quality, only viewers with a monitor that can display 4K resolution will benefit from this.
So, 1080p will be just fine for your streaming sessions, as all standard displays can handle this quality.
Read our review on the best webcams for streaming here.
A Capture Card
If you’re playing PC games while you stream, you won’t need this device. You’ll be able to use software to record your screen while you play so that your audience can watch.
If you plan on streaming console games, though, you’re going to need a capture card.
Luckily, there are cards you can connect to your computer’s USB port to make the process as simple as possible. From here, you can connect both your computer and your TV to the HDMI port.
This will allow you to stream your gameplay in high-quality resolution even while you’re playing a device like a Gamecube or Xbox One.
Stronger capture cards require installation in your machine, so those who want to avoid this scenario or use a laptop for streaming are better off with external capture cards.
Read our review on the top capture cards for the highest quality stream.
Twitch Video Game Streaming Equipment: Final Thoughts
Since you have the potential to make money off of your Twitch streams, consider this video game streaming equipment an investment.
From here, you can focus on growing your following and providing the best experience possible for your viewers.
Want to learn more about how to grow your Twitch channel? This article has plenty of useful info.
