If you’ve ever considered being a vlogger, streamer or any sort of a video-based content creator on the internet, there has never been a better time to get started. And while it can take as little as a laptop to get started, the right streaming setup can really help your content hit the next level.
To really step your content game up, having the right desktop computer, camera, lighting and microphone can make a huge difference for your day-to-day streaming activity.
But more specifically, we’re talking about the right streaming setup for Twitch. While platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok are all cultural institutions in their own right, Twitch has quickly become one of the most interesting platforms on the internet due to its focus on live streaming, and the fan-supported business model for streamers.
Twitch was started as a platform for gamers to broadcast their gameplay sessions across the internet, but in time, it has started to attract more varied and diverse audiences. These days you’re just as likely to stumble across a live music performance, a political podcast, a virtual seminar on film theory, a VR rave, or a dating show. There has even been a streamer by the name of Ludwig Ahgren on Twitch who has been streaming non-stop for more than three weeks.
If you’re reading this, there’s already a good chance you know what the deal is with Twitch, so we will spare you the history lesson. Instead, here are 11 of the essential gadgets you need for your Twitch stream.
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1. Logitech C922 1080p Webcam
BEST WEBCAM FOR YOUR STREAMING SETUP
This should be obvious, but the first thing you’re gonna need in your Twitch streaming setup is a camera. Sure you could use the webcam on your laptop, but that would be like using a golf cart as a race car. Instead, you can pick up the Logitech C922 for a relatively affordable price and easily upgrade your image quality on stream. With 1080p resolution, autofocus, the ability to automatically isolate you from your background and solid low-light handling, this is a good all-around solution that will serve you well.
2. Blue Yeti X USB Microphone
BEST USB MIC FOR YOUR STREAMING SETUP
You might think the microphone on your laptop or gaming headset sounds good enough, but don’t underestimate the impact of having top-tier sound on your stream. The more pleasant your voice sounds, the longer people will want to stay tuned into you on Twitch. And that can lead to more subscribers, more money and more fame as a streamer. And if you want a mic that expertly blends excellent performance with ease of use, it’s the Blue Yeti X Microphone.
Designed specifically for streaming, podcasting and gaming, the Blue Yeti X offers customizable pickup, adjustable gain, a full array of effects and the professional-grade audio quality that Blue is known for.
3. Alienware Aurora R13 Gaming Desktop
BEST DESKTOP PC FOR YOUR STREAMING SETUP
There are few things more demanding on computer hardware than video and gaming-related tasks. As such, any serious Twitch streaming setup should have a fairly powerful computer that can render video and play the latest games without crashing or suffering from a slowdown. For this reason, a Windows gaming PC is the best possible computer you can integrate into your Twitch setup given all the computing power it offers. The Alienware Aurora R13 Gaming Desktop combines Intel’s 12th-generation Core i7F CPU with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti GPU that will give you plenty of power to run your games and silky smooth framerates while encoding video for your Twitch stream on the fly.
4. Elgato Key Light
BEST LIGHTING FOR TWITCH
As important as a good camera is when it comes to looking your best, it means nothing if your lighting is poor. Your camera sensor needs plenty of light to deliver the video quality you desire and for a twitch streamer, there’s no better option than the Elgato Key Light. Although ring lights are popular with YouTube vloggers, having a light directly on your face for hours on end is not ideal for Twitch streamers. Instead, an LED panel like the Elgato Key Light can be adjusted to light the room and stay out of your eyes.
Not only is this LED Panel is capable of producing 2800 Lumens, you can adjust the color temperature along a range of 2900 and 7000 Kelvins. But even better this light connects to your computer Wi-Fi so you can make adjustments on the fly and even link it up with multiple Elgato Key Lights. While this is not the cheapest option when it comes to lighting, the versatility, space-saving efficiency and performance you get compared to a softbox makes this well worth the investment.
SEE MORE: The Top-Rated Ring Lights of 2021
5. Gigabyte G27QC 1440p Gaming Monitor
BEST MONITOR FOR YOUR STREAMING SETUP
Streaming is not a lifestyle for the fainthearted. While you can stream for a couple of hours at a time if you like, the top streamers can easily spend 8 hours a day on camera. (Or if you’re Ludwig, you might spend a month straight on stream.) If you don’t want to lay waste to your eyes, you will definitely want a pair of high-resolution gaming monitors with a silky smooth framerate to reduce the amount of eye fatigue that comes your way and give you plenty of real estate to manage all aspects of your stream. Buying one monitor, let alone two, is never a cheap shopping adventure, but the Gigabyte G27QC is a 27-inch Monitor with 1440p resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. But even better, it’s curved, so that when you place two of these side by side, they provide a more seamless experience for the various apps and games you’re running simultaneously.
6. Sony A6000 Mirrorless Camera
BEST MIRRORLESS CAMERA FOR STREAMING SETUPS
While the Logitech C922 is one of the best webcams for sale right now, if you really want to give your streams that professional look, you are going to want to step up to a mirrorless camera that can capture you in more detail than any webcam ever could. This is the type of product where paying more will get you better end product. But unless you’re bringing in thousands of dollars in streaming revenue, we’d recommend holding off on breaking the bank. Instead, grab the Sony A6000, a mid-range mirrorless camera with a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor that can serve as your workhorse.
In addition to having a lightning-fast, 24-point autofocus system, this camera shoots at resolutions up to 4K and works with a variety of different lenses to really make your stream pop. Furthermore, the 16-50mm kit lens gives you the versatility to use the A6000 in a variety of different scenarios, or experiment until you find the exact focal length that works best for your streaming environment.
6. Elgato Cam Link
MUST-HAVE ACCESSORY FOR MIRRORLESS CAMERAS
This one is very straightforward, but if you want to integrate a DSLR, mirrorless camera or action camera into your twitch streaming setup, you’re going to need a way to send that live video stream from your camera to your computer. While many cameras can send a live feed to your computer via USB, the strain on the camera’s image processor that comes with encoding can lead to issues with streams that last more than a few hours. The Elgato Cam Link alleviates some of that processing burden and helps turn your mirrorless camera into a bonafide, supercharged webcam.
8. Razer Mamba Wireless Gaming Mouse
BEST MOUSE FOR YOUR STREAMING SETUP
Having a good wireless gaming mouse might not seem like the most essential thing for a stream, but you don’t want to accidentally show something on screen because the sensor on your mouse or trackpad is anything less than inaccurate. Plus, if you’re playing competitive games, you are going to need a high-DPI option with fast tracking regardless. Luckily, the Razer Mamba is an affordable and versatile mouse that can handle nearly any type of game you have in mind and offers up pinpoint accuracy. You can rest assured that any errant clicks will never be the fault of the mouse.
9. Elgato Stream Deck
BEST ACCESSORY FOR ADVANCED STREAMERS
Once you’ve gotten the hang of streaming and you’re probably going to want to streamline your workflow so that you don’t get caught up having to configure your stream with your viewers watching. The Elgato Stream deck is a favorite among top Twitch streamers when it comes to their streaming setups because it lets you quickly create custom shortcuts that can be assigned to 15 different keys. You can switch between input sources and on-screen elements, trigger sounds and emotes, and so much more. Compatible with many of the top software-based streaming tools, there’s virtually no limit to what you can do with this small-yet-powerful box.
10. Sennheiser HD 599SE Headphones
BEST HEADPHONES FOR STREAMING SETUPS
When it comes to the best wireless headphones for your Twitch streaming setup you don’t need a pair with a ton of advanced features. Because you’ll have a nice microphone a gaming headset is largely unnecessary. And because you’ll be sitting at a desk in a quiet environment, a pair of wireless, noise-cancelling headphones are also not necessary. But if you want a pair of headphones that can make voices, music and in-game sounds come to life, you can’t go wrong with the Sennheiser 599 SE open-back headphones. These are audiophile-grade cans that are not only known for their incredible audio detail, but also their comfort. Lightweight, ergonomic and outfitted with a pair of soft earpads, you can wear them for an entire marathon stream and forget they’re even on.
11. Elgato Capture Card
BEST FOR NINTENDO SWITCH STREAMING SETUPS
This one is for the Nintendo Switch fans out there. In order to play your favorite Switch games on Twitch, you’re going to need some sort of a capture card, since the console does not have a Twitch app for uploading live gameplay footage to the internet. Elgato has been making video capture cards for years and are still one of the best companies around in that regard. While this might cost a pretty penny, it can capture your Switch footage at the console’s full resolution and frame rate (1080p60) and attract a new wave of Nintendo fans to your Twitch Channel.