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Do You Really Need A Streaming PC?

do you need a streaming pc

A top of the line PC can be a real game-changer. From those who constantly have 10 CPU hungry applications open at once, to those hardcore gamers who want to max out the graphics on their PC, everyone can benefit from an efficient PC. For those that are in the Twitch streaming space and truly value quality every time they click that broadcast button, then the question of “do you need a streaming PC” becomes glaringly obvious. But let’s face it, not everyone has the cash flow to justify buying a dedicated streaming PC. 

So that leaves the question, is it going to be a worthwhile investment for you, or are you simply throwing your money at the wall? 

What platform are you gaming on?

Now of course not every stream is gaming-oriented, but we’re going to assume that the vast majority of people reading this are streaming gameplay of some form or another. If not, let us know! We promise to make it up to you with our free Twitch overlays, which you can flaunt on your next live stream. 

Consoles

The first thing to consider is what platform you’re gaming on. Are you a console gamer, playing on Xbox, Playstation or Nintendo Switch? If you are streaming off one of these platforms and want full control to your stream, including the ability to add custom Twitch overlays to your stream, then you 100% need a streaming PC.

Streaming internally from your console is possible, but if you’re wanting to take your stream up a notch, you’ll be significantly limiting yourself by doing so. However, if you’re not wanting to really push your stream, then don’t waste your time and money. Continue on the path that leaves you happy! 

PC

If you’re already gaming on your PC, the choice is a little more complicated. Although you won’t necessarily need another dedicated PC, it will almost certainly be beneficial to help the quality of your stream. But if you’re already rocking a top-quality gaming computer that doesn’t give you any issues, then you’re set!

Now if you’re still picturing yourself basking in the glory of a new dedicated streaming PC and are rubbing your hands together at the possibilities, then let’s keep going. Otherwise, if you’re happy with your current PC setup, skip ahead to the section of prioritising the look and feel of your stream.

Reaping the benefits of a dedicated streaming PC

So if you’re still tossing up whether or not it’s worth you splashing out the cash for a dual PC setup, let’s look at some of the benefits that it can create for your stream. 

  • One of the more obvious benefits is that the CPU on your current PC won’t be constantly overloaded. Instead of running all of the applications and windows needed to stream from one PC, you can alleviate the load from your gaming PC.
  • Video encoding takes its toll on your CPU, so having that dedicated PC for encoding will see your video quality increase on stream.
  • Having a standalone PC helps to distinguish between your console or gaming PC, allowing you to fully optimise it for its needs. This way you can focus on making that gaming PC fully set up to play all of the different games that you’re interested in playing and streaming. 
  • On the other hand, your dedicated streaming PC will be where your streaming software (such as OBS or XSplit) will live. You can have this fully set up to easily go live within a few clicks. 
  • You’ll also be able to achieve a higher image quality output to your Twitch channel or wherever you’re streaming. 

How much does a streaming PC cost?

This is another difficult question to answer as it really depends on how much money you’re willing to spend. If you’ve got a decent PC already, then you might need to put as much cash into your other dedicated streaming PC. You also should decide whether you want to build your PC from scratch or buy a fully kitted PC ready to go straight out of the box. 

Building a PC

Building a world-class PC from scratch could see the price tag jump up to as much as $4,000 (with the inclusion of a high-end intel core, incredible graphics card etc.). But, if you don’t think you’ll make full use of the potential of those top-end beasts, you could spend around $1,500 for still quite a high-quality PC build.

Again, you need to consider what you’ll be using the PC for. If you’re wanting to play the latest games with maxed out settings, you’re going to need a PC that can match your dreams and not sputter along at a snail’s pace. 

Prebuilt Gaming PC   

Prebuilt gaming PCs are obviously more convenient in a number of ways. If you’re not super technically savvy and want to be able to jump into using your PC as soon as you get it, then a prebuilt gaming PC is the way to go. 

If you are on a tight budget and are looking for more of an entry-level PC, there are a few decent options to check out, which will set you back around $1,250 – $1,500. The problem with going under $1,000 is that you’ll want to be upgrading before long. So you may as well fork out the extra money to make the investment in your prebuilt gaming PC worthwhile. 

Prioritising the look and feel of your stream

Before you think about buying a standalone PC, think about what you can be doing to boost the look and feel of your stream. If you’re wanting to add in custom overlays and you’re currently streaming from your console, then of course you’ll need to get yourself a streaming PC. 

But if you’re searching for ways to improve the quality of your stream and your current PC can keep up, then look at your stream setup itself. Does it look appealing and on-brand to what you’re hoping to achieve with your channel? Be honest with yourself. If you stumbled across your channel in Twitch, would you click on your stream and watch it?

Buying a dedicated PC might be a priority of yours, or it might be something that you consider investing in a few years time. Whatever your choice is, make sure that you’re doing all you can to provide your viewers with the best possible experience. The big decisions you make shouldn’t be entirely about money, as this will come later. Always keep your viewer preferences in mind and remain consistent with your stream.

Explore Streamplay

Streamplay offers a huge range of Twitch overlays, Twitch alerts and alert sounds, to help give your stream the professional look and feel that you’re searching for. If you’re looking for something to give you the edge in the streaming space and want a custom made solution, we also offer custom Twitch overlays.

All of these overlays and graphics are able to be directly added to your stream quite easily, thanks to software such as OBS. This is where that dedicated streaming PC comes in handy, particularly if you’re wanting to go all-in on your streaming career. 

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How to Get Affiliate on Twitch – Fast Ways to Break Through

Some days it can seem like a never-ending battle to see any kind of growth in your Twitch channel. As you keep pressing to meet Affiliate status, your overall motivation may begin to dwindle. If you’re getting to that point, stop yourself right there. First, ask yourself “Am I in this for the long haul?” and “Do I actually love being a Twitch streamer?” If you answered yes to both of these, then your perseverance will serve you well. If no, well you might want to ask yourself what you’re doing streaming in the first place.

However, even if you have a passion for streaming, looking for great ways on how to grow a Twitch channel and how to get Affiliate on Twitch fast are both reasonable pathways to explore. So if you’re ready to buckle down and break through the noise of Twitch to become a successful Affiliate on your way to becoming a Twitch partner, you’ve come to the right place.

Watch out world. Twitch has got a new superstar on their hands.

Prerequisites for the Twitch Affiliate Program

Not every streamer can become an Affiliate on Twitch. Hell, you might not even want to! But if you’ve come this far, we’re going to assume that you’re looking for some kind of advice on the matter.

If you’re wanting to join the Twitch Affiliate program, you’re going to have to meet a few different prerequisites first. From a strictly analytical point of view, these are the numbers you need to be hitting before Twitch shoots through an email which that shiny invitation to the Affiliate program:

  • Acquire at least 50 followers on your channel
  • Stream for a minimum of 8 hours cumulatively
  • Stream on 7 unique days
  • Maintain an average of at least 3 concurrent viewers on your stream

Now, these might not seem like huge numbers, but there’s an extra kicker to meet before you join the other qualified streamers. These stats must all be met at the same time across the last 30 days. If you’re not sure where exactly you stand on the path to Twitch Affiliate status, you can always have a quick look by heading to your Creator Dashboard. From here you select Insights, then Achievements to see your progress on this.

If you’ve been struggling on getting these numbers up or have been finding it difficult to maintain over a 30 day period, the following tips could be worth delving into.

Building Your Brand

Building a solid brand on Twitch will mean that you can grow your community of viewers as your name becomes known on the platform. Something like this doesn’t happen overnight, but you need to set the foundations right from the start to make sure you have a focused direction you’re heading towards.

The main assets you should create as part of building your brand on the road to becoming a Twitch Affiliate are:

  1. Your name – This is a CRUCIAL first step in building a recognisable brand. Don’t just choose the first thing that pops into your head like PancakeLover56, but don’t dwell too much on this as some people get hung up for days on end trying to find the “perfect name”.
  2. Your logo – Think about what logo can help to showcase both your name and the brand that you’re hoping to portray? E.g. if you solely play horror video games on Twitch, you might want to think about using a creepy font or effect as a great way to show off your vibe and type of content.
  3. Social media accounts – These accounts will be where your viewers and potential new audience members can find you. Setting up an Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter are all great places to start. Or you might have set up your own website or blog where you post regular updates and clips! You’ll be able to add updates, special clips from your live streams and post interesting content that will bring more viewers to your channel.
  4. Twitch bio – Don’t neglect your Twitch account bio and make sure to fill it out as comprehensively as you can. Include links to your social media accounts and make sure to keep it interesting, so people are always wanting to come back to your channel.

NOTE:

If you’re just starting out, take a look at our guide on how to start streaming before reading any further.

Choosing Your Stream Schedule

One of the key parts of the Twitch Affiliate prerequisites that many streamers find hard to achieve is the average of 3 concurrent viewers in the last 30 days. Making sure that you have a consistent stream schedule that you’ve communicated properly with your audience can help to ensure that you get those numbers on your channel on a consistent basis. Finding the time to get this right can make all the difference.

If possible, adjust your schedule based on peak viewing times and keep an eye on when you get the most viewers on your stream. Having a consistent schedule will also allow you to easily hit the “stream on 7 unique days” prerequisite too.

Professional Graphics For Your Stream

Twitch is very much a visual platform. Although the subject of your stream or the video games that you’re playing are both super important, the overall production quality matters just as much. This doesn’t mean you have to create crazy custom animated sequences to fit into every stream you do (although that’s not a bad idea), but you should think about what graphics you can add.

For example, implementing animated Twitch overlays that align with the game that you’re playing can be a big addition. Not only will this look immersive and on-brand with the game and your channel, but you’ll also be giving more people a reason to watch your stream or click through to your channel when they see a thumbnail pop up on Twitch.

Benefits of Becoming an Affiliate

The major benefit of reaching Twitch affiliate status is that you’ll be able to start getting some cash rolling through from streaming. By adding advertisements to your channel, you’ll join the ranks of other qualified streamers who are getting ad revenue from their live streams. You’ll also have the ability to gain bits and channel subscriptions, all your hard work can finally start seeing some money.

As a bonus, you’ll also be able to add a max of 5 emotes to your channel as those subscriptions start coming through. This is a great way to show your community just how much they mean to you. The people that visit your live stream are what create growth for you, so don’t forget to always be providing value to the people that support you.

Level Up With Streamplay

Looking for how to get Affiliate on Twitch fast doesn’t have to be a long and strenuous process. Now that you know your gameplan as a streamer, you can move forward with purpose and before long you’ll be close to becoming a Twitch Partner!!

If you’re wanting to get started on your journey, or perhaps hit the refresh button on your channel, take a look at the range of animated stream overlays, Twitch panels, Twitch alert sounds and the rest of the top quality assets that Streamplay has on offer.

Trust us when we say, you’ll be smashing your streaming goals before you know it. More and more people will be coming to your Twitch account to see a rising star in action!

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Streaming On Twitch vs YouTube – What’s Best?

The streaming platform that you decide to broadcast on can have a HUGE impact on your success. Streaming on Twitch vs YouTube might be the difference between you hitting the big leagues instead of never being able to break through. Streamers that live stream on Twitch might have a vastly different experience to those streaming similar content on YouTube. Content creators have been flocking to both platforms in search of the high viewer numbers that both sites can generate. But what’s best for you?

Choosing a suitable platform is often the first step new streamers make before they launch into creating a Twitch channel or YouTube channel. However, some people are a bit sceptical about setting up their creative endeavours on a platform that’s going to take a chunk of your earnings. But there’s a reason that you don’t see new streamers streaming from an independent site.

If the downfall of Microsoft’s Mixer platform has taught us anything it’s that you can’t simply set up a new streaming platform and let the content creators and streamers do the rest. Although there are a few platforms out there, including Facebook Gaming, the two main guns at this point in time are Twitch TV and YouTube.

Let’s dive into streaming on Twitch vs YouTube to find out which platform could potentially catapult you to success.

Streaming on Twitch

One of the main reasons that people often consider Twitch over other live streaming services is that they’ve proven they can bring many eyeballs to your content. Unfortunately, platforms like Facebook Gaming just don’t have the same live streaming audience that Twitch has, particularly for video game streams.

Thanks to the intuitive and easy to use interface, setting up your stream on Twitch can be done in a couple of hours. But before you rush in and set up a new channel, you should keep in mind that Twitch focuses on video games. A quick look at the home page on Twitch TV will tell you that the leading Twitch streams are primarily gaming-focused.

That’s not to say that you can’t create a new channel where you live stream your baking creations. But you might not see the success that you were hoping for.

Streaming on Youtube Vs Twitch

Bringing in Viewer Numbers

One of the most popular ways that people find new streamers to watch (apart from the featured homepage streamers) is through searching through popular games that they want to see gameplay of. So chances are if you’re streaming a particular game that has garnered a lot of interest, there’s probably a large number of people playing the same game.

That’s the catch. The allure of more potential viewers often makes people forget that you’ll have intense competition too. Whereas, if you stream a relatively unknown game, the average number of viewers will be lower, but your chances of being the top streamer for that game are much higher. It’s all about finding that sweet spot in streaming the content that you’re interested in as well as what other Twitch users want to see.

Streaming on YouTube

Although there is a YouTube Gaming section, the platform itself is more encouraging of all types of content (not just video games). Having said that, live streams of popular games are still some of the most-watched channels on the platform. YouTube Gaming used to have its own separate app, but it now lives on the main platform itself, making it easier for the millions of people watching YouTube to find your live stream.

One benefit over Twitch is that the complex algorithm of YouTube can help in showcasing your live stream to different people on the platform. However, much like Twitch, it can be difficult to gain attention when you’re just starting out. Another option that YouTube offers is that you have the ability to create regular videos instead of just live streaming every day (unlike Twitch users.)

Although you might like live streaming, you can mix up your content and offer new ways of attracting viewers, by posting regular videos on your channel. Or you might have some old pre-recorded videos that are sitting on your hard drive that you’d like to get some use out of. YouTube channels offer creators to post more dynamic content in comparison to Twitch, so keep this in mind

Can You Stream on Both YouTube and Twitch?

Some people have attempted to stream on multiple platforms at once, including others such as Microsoft’s Mixer (now non-existent) and Facebook Gaming. It is possible to stream on YouTube and Twitch at the same time through a number of different external applications. Once you have everything set up in OBS then you can stream to multiple platforms at once through something like restream.io for example.

Note: Once you surpass Twitch’s affiliate program and move on to become a Twitch partner, you won’t be able to stream on multiple platforms as part of the partner program agreement.

youtube stream overlays

Let’s Talk Money – How much can you really make on both platforms?

Here are the juicy bits. Most people want to know exactly how much money you can potentially earn on each platform. Where the money goes, people will follow (and vice versa). Streaming on Twitch vs YouTube can result in varying levels of income. The good news is that both Twitch and YouTube can be quite lucrative when it comes to making ad revenue from your live streams. But there are different ways that streamers can make money from their live streams on each platform.

Twitch Streamers typically make more money on the platform when compared to YouTube or Facebook Gaming as Twitch users are more open to donate and subscribe to live streams on the platform. Whereas on YouTube, content creators have noticed that their Super Chat donations aren’t as frequent. Plus with YouTube taking a hefty 30% of these donations, many streamers are keen to set up a new channel on Twitch where they pocket their earnings from the donation systems they implement.

If you are struggling to see the growth you’re hoping for, check out our guide on how to grow a Twitch channel.

What about ad revenue?

Although donations are the best way to support creators, with many Twitch streamers and those streaming on YouTube live raking in a healthy paycheck each month, another primary revenue stream is through ad revenue. The equation is simple here. The more viewers you have, the more ad revenue you’re going to make. Many streamers find that with this numbers game, they’ll see their income increase exponentially as their stream attracts new viewers and has a higher average number of concurrent viewers.

Making the Right Choice For Your Live Stream

Don’t feel the need to rush in and start streaming straight away. Streaming on Twitch vs YouTube will be different depending on what type of streamer you are. Take the time to understand each platform before you decide on the right choice for your channel.

  1. Examine what types of content you want to be streaming and who would be interested in it.
  2. Understand where your ideal audience spends their time.
  3. Formulate a strategy around the exact value that you’re going to be providing to these viewers.

Once you’ve given all of these aspects a proper analysis, you’re ready to take the next step! If you are just starting out, make sure to check out our guide on how to start streaming.

Don’t Forget Your Overlays!

One of the most important aspects of the overall look and feel of your stream is the overlays and sounds that you have on your channel. Take a look at the range of premade overlays that we have at Streamplay Graphics, and if you’re looking for something a little more specialised, we can help you with your custom Twitch overlays too.

If you are just starting out in the world of streaming, we’d recommend that you get your hands on our Twitch Stream Packages, which have all the essentials for your stream in one affordable package.