We’ll show you all the kit to look out for to help your first steps into the world of Twitch, YouTube and more.
Given the events of 2020, chances are your household has been stuck inside consuming a lot more online entertainment recently. We’re also willing to bet that someone in the family has asked if they can start ‘streaming’. Perhaps that someone is you. We won’t judge. But when these questions are raised, what do you actually need to get started? The equipment recommended by famous YouTubers sounds expensive, and the setup looks a nightmare to live with. But, can you actually do this on a budget? We’re here to tell you: sort of. That entirely depends on what streaming your kids (or you) actually want to get into. Vlogging online can be achieved with just a mobile phone and some decent lighting, but if gaming is on the menu then shedding some cash is unavoidable if you don’t currently have a decent PC or console. We’ve compiled a list of equipment to look out for in the upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales to lessen the strain on your wallet. If you’re lucky, Santa may notice you’ve been good this year. We also have guides to help you set yourself up after you’ve purchased what you need to get started. Check out our tutorial on How to stream on Twitch and How to stream on Youtube. The largest expense for streaming will be the device you plan on playing your games on. If you have a current gen-console or are planning on grabbing the Xbox Series X or PS5 then you can directly select to stream to Twitch from your console menu. If you want to capture a video of yourself playing then it gets a little tricky depending on what console you have. Whilst Xbox are generous enough to support a standard USB Webcam, Sony fans will have to pay for the official PlayStation Camera. The PS5 camera will launch on November 12. Your options are limited if you choose to stream directly from your console, but doing so will save you some cash. If you’re lucky enough to own both a console and a streaming PC, you can invest in a capture card like the Elgato HD60 S so you can feature some fun overlays and not be limited by console restrictions. Streaming games on a computer or gaming laptop is arguably the best choice given how much more powerful these machines can be compared to consoles. That isn’t to say that all PCs or laptops are created equal – the requirements for playing games in high quality are steep enough, let alone broadcasting yourself whilst doing so.
