Do you want to start streaming your plays in games like League of Legends or Apex Legends? Do you want to share your screen and skill with your friends online? Before you start streaming, here’s a quick guide on the best gaming setup.
In 2017, 666 million people worldwide watched gaming content by fans and publishers. Today, you can bet that that number is much higher than any of us expect. Thanks to the rise of streamer audiences, there’s also a booming growth in video game streamers.
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Start With the Best Camera to Capture Your Reactions
Let’s begin our list with a streaming camera or webcam. When you’re shopping for a webcam, always look for high-resolution cams. A high-resolution camera will record with sharper lines. It also won’t be or look grainy.
You also need to look for a webcam with a high frame rate. Like in gaming, your webcam’s frame rate gets measured in FPS or frames per second. The more FPS, the smoother the video will e. For streaming, look for a camera with at least 15 FPS up to 30 FPS.
Some best cameras for streaming include the:
- Logitech C922 Pro
- Razer Kiyo
- MEVO Start, and the
- Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000
A decent budget camera for streaming is the Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000. Razer Kiyo already has an integrated LED light ring. If you want a versatile webcam, the Logitech C922 Pro is the best choice.
Make Your Best Gaming Setup Visible With Proper Lights
No matter how high-end or high-quality your webcam, it’ll be useless if you don’t have proper lighting. The best gaming setup has bright, even lighting that won’t blind you as you play.
If you plan to live stream, consider adding these lights for your setup:
- MOUNTDOG Softbox Lighting Kit
- Elgato Key Light
- Aputure 120D Mark 2
- Fovitec Softbox Continuous Lighting Kit
Make sure you look for the best positioning of your lights. If you’re playing in a place with little natural light, you’ll need different types of lighting. It’s best to research the importance of three-point lighting, loop lighting, and backlight.
Deliver Your Messages With a High-Quality Microphone
The next thing you’d want to include in your gaming setup is the microphone. When you’re looking for a mic, it should block out all surrounding noise. Another useful feature is the quick volume control.
Some good microphones to consider are:
- Blue Yeti X
- Elgato Wave 3
- HyperX SoloCast
- HyperX Quadcast S
HyperX SoloCast is a good microphone if you’re on a budget. The HyperX Quadcast S is the best microphone for gaming. If you want to focus on an easy-to-use and top-tier streaming mic, choose Blue Yeti X.
The polar pattern of a microphone will determine which direction it will pick up the audio. Top-earning gamers like Ninja, who earned $17 million in 2020, likely use cardioid mics. If you also plan to create ASMR videos, you’ll want a mic with a stereo polar pattern, too. Besides, you need feature-rich audio mixer software to complement your streams with interesting sound effects.
Adjust Volumes on-the-Spot With a Pre-Amp
Most microphones come with an app or program to manage your recordings. If you want to sound more professional and have an easier time adjusting your volumes, get a pre-amp. A pre-amplifier will adjust the volumes of different sources without grain or noise.
For example, you can lower the game’s volume and increase your mic volume. If you’re chatting with other players, you can use the pre-amp to lower or increase the volumes of their voices.
If you’re going for a budget gaming setup, a pre-amp isn’t necessary.
Contain the Game’s Sounds With a Good Headset
If you’re not used to using a headset, now is the best time to start. The headset will contain game sounds and improve your streaming quality. After all, you don’t want your microphone picking up your speakers’ sounds and doubling it on the stream.
The best gaming PC setup doesn’t need to come with a cute headset with built-in cat ears. You only need a high-quality pair with good directional audio. Some headsets to consider for gaming include:
- Razer Blackshark V2
- Razer Kraken X
- HyperX Cloud II Wireless
- Razer Thresher Ultimate
Some headsets come with a mic. These make good alternatives if you’re short on budget. Remember to look for headsets with noise-canceling mics.
Spot Every Detail With the Best Monitor Setup
If you want the best console gaming setup, you need to make sure you have an HD monitor. A good monitor will help you aim with more accuracy, react faster, and play better. Monitors with TUV Eye Comfort Certification are ideal for visual and ergonomic comfort.
Here is a list of the top gaming monitors:
- Dell S3220DGF
- Razer Raptor 27
- Lenovo ThinkVision P32-u
- Lenovo ThinkVision T27p-10
A good monitor for gaming will have a high display resolution, refresh rate, and response time. You can also find monitors with a borderless or edgeless design. This type of design optimizes your screen space.
Take Care of Your Posture, Get a Gaming Chair
The best Xbox gaming setup always includes an ergonomic gaming chair. Sitting too long creates back problems as well as a slew of other health problems. To prevent developing these issues, you need to make sure you have the proper posture.
Check out our list of the top gaming chairs:
- Secretlab Titan Softweave
- Noblechairs Epic Black Edition
- DXRacer Master
- NZXT x Vertagear SL5000
By design, gaming chairs take into account the time you’ll spend seated. They will offer the best comfort and help you stay in good posture as you stream, record, and edit videos. Most also use easy-to-maintain materials like leather.
Hide Your Room With a Green Screen
If you’re looking for quality green screens, here are your options:
- Neewer Chromakey Green
- LimoStudio Chromakey Green Screen
- Emart Photo Video Studio
Not everyone has a clean, spacious, or organized room or gaming area. Many people also prefer to keep their bedrooms private and out of view of their audiences.
If they can’t sit against a wall because they lack space, they’ll hide their backgrounds with a green screen. Let’s not forget that green screens make it easy to add fun and quirky virtual backgrounds to your streams.
Find a Powerful PC for Streaming and Gaming
Your best gaming setup isn’t complete without a robust and powerful gaming computer. Not all gamers can afford or make time to invest in gaming computers.
That is one reason why some people watch others play video games. The same applies to consoles like Xbox and PS5.
You may already have a gaming PC and want to cater to audiences who want to see what it’s like to play certain games. However, having a gaming PC isn’t enough. Your computer also needs to be powerful enough to let you stream.
If you want to buy a pre-built gaming PC, consider the following:
- NZXT Streaming PC
- Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition R10
- Corsair Vengeance i7200 Series Gaming PC
You can also build and upgrade your gaming PC by yourself. Building a PC will educate you further on the top specs to watch out for. It’s also a great long-term project if you can’t afford to buy a high-end gaming PC in one go.
Optimize Your Controls With a Top-Tier Keyboard and Mouse
Now, let’s talk about two of the most vital pieces of equipment for gaming and streaming.
Your gaming keyboard needs to be a mechanical type. Mechanical keyboards use a spring and lever-based mechanism. This keeps the keys responsive and precise.
The layout of your keyboard also needs to be optimal for gaming. Many gaming keyboards come with extra buttons to assign certain commands. If you want to create the best budget gaming setup, click the link to find the best deals on gaming keyboards.
Like your keyboard, a quality gaming mouse should also have fast response rates. Consider the DPI (dots per inch) and CPI (counts per inch) of a gaming mouse before you buy it. Aim to get a higher DPI mouse if you have a large screen.
CPI is the physical resolution of the camera used in the sensor of the mouse. The CPI and DPI of your gaming mouse will determine its sensitivity. Don’t forget to consider a gaming mouse’s weight, type of sensor, and grip style.
Create Your Ideal Gaming Setup and Start Streaming
Now, you know what you need to create the best gaming setup for streaming. We hope that this guide helped you find the best gear for your gaming and streaming setup.
There are other extra accessories you can get to improve your streams and gaming. These include a stream deck, multi-camera streaming controls, and more. If you want to learn more about setting up an extensive gaming setup, check out our other guides now.
