6 Best CPUs For Streaming in 2022 [Both Intel & AMD Options] |
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The two most demanding operations you can put your PC through are typically going to be gaming and video editing. Either is going to require high quantities of RAM, a current GPU, and of course, a powerful processor.
If you want to start streaming you’re cramming the demands of both processes into one activity, which makes the need for all of those, but especially the processor that much higher.
There are only two companies that make CPUs, which makes the choice a little easier, but the question of generations and price vs performance still looms high. So we’ve put together the best CPUs for streaming in 2022, with both Intel and AMD options for any budget.
Best CPUs for Streaming in 2022 Round-Up
The table below will give you a quick look at our selections for the 6 best CPUs for streaming currently available on the market. To read a full review, simply click on ‘review>>’ in the respective row.
Product |
Rating |
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1. AMD Ryzen 9 5900X »Best AMD CPU for streaming overall» |
Check Price review>> |
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2. Intel Core i7-12700K »Best Intel CPU for streaming overall» |
Check Price review>> |
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3. AMD Ryzen 7 5800X »Best value AMD CPU for streaming» |
Check Price review>> |
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4. Intel Core i9-10900X »Best processor for X299 motherboards» |
Check Price review>> |
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5. AMD Ryzen 5 5600X »Best budget AMD CPU for streaming» |
Check Price review>> |
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6. Intel Core i5-10400F »Best budget Intel CPU for streaming» |
Check Price review>> |
1. AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
Architecture: Zen 3 | Socket: AM4 | Cores: 12 | Threads: 24 | Base Frequency: 3. 7 GHz | Max Boost Frequency: 4.8 GHz | TDP: 105 W
REASONS TO BUY
- Excellent performance for streaming
- Fantastic price to performance ratio
- Superb multitasking performance
- Compatible with a variety of motherboards
- Outperforms Intel at the same price
- Supports PCIe 4.0 standard
REASONS TO AVOID
- Does not ship with a cooler
- Doesn’t support DDR5 memory
- No integrated graphics
Our Rating: 9.9/10
Intel may have a larger market share (for now), largely due to their popularity with manufacturers of laptops and pre-assembled towers, but AMD is widely considered to be the better manufacturer, especially for gamers. AMD processors typically deliver better performance for the price, and their Threadripper series are hands down the most powerful CPUs on the market today.
If you’re familiar with the Threadripper and its four-figure price point, you’ll be relieved to know that it is NOT our recommendation for our best overall CPU for streaming. Even the 3960x (the smallest of the older Threadripper series) is more processor than you’re likely to need if you’re not going to be hosting servers and rendering animation in addition to (or possibly while) streaming.
In fact, we’re going to take a couple of steps back from the top of AMD’s current generation for our first recommendation: the Ryzen 9 5900x.
The Ryzen 5900x is at that sweet spot right before the ratio of price to performance increase starts to invert. It’ll perform everything beautifully, including high FPS gaming while streaming, and can still be the cornerstone of a premium build without doubling the amount you spend on your CPU.
When it comes to CPU performance, there are three main metrics that are typically used to determine quality: cores, threads, and clock rates. In each case, a larger number means more power and faster performance.
However, it is accompanied by rapidly increasing power consumption and cooling demand. Top-of-the-line CPUs are often going to require liquid cooling for peak performance, meaning a larger investment and more effort to get your money’s worth out of an already exponentially more expensive component.
The Ryzen 9 5900x is a 12-core CPU, which means that it’s composed of twelve different processing units in a single component. This allows it to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, which is a must for any modern computer, which is usually running dozens of background operations at any one time.
Usually, those operations have lower demand and can be handled by a dual or quad-core processor. The need for a large number of cores comes when you’re going to be doing multiple, high-demand tasks simultaneously, like gaming and streaming video.
12 cores will be enough for streaming even the most graphically intensive games. Even if you have multiple DRMs running, or a lot of browser tabs/windows open, you shouldn’t notice any delays in launch and loading times.
“Threads” actually refers two to distinct, but largely related parts of CPU performance. A software thread is a series of commands used to execute operations. “Threads” as the term is usually used in CPU metrics refers to the number of spaces the CPU has to retain those commands.
The more of those distinct spaces your processor has, the more software commands it can run or be ready to run quickly. AMD CPUs use simultaneous multithreading (SMT, for short) to enable two threads per core, effectively doubling the number of software commands your CPU can execute.
As a 12-core processor, the 5900x has 24 threads, which further enables multiple complex operations to run simultaneously. The need to execute multiple simultaneous commands is essential when you’re streaming, as it involves multiple software running at once.
Now, the clock rate is how quickly your processor will send commands and synchronize with programs as well as the other components within your PC. So, while the cores and threads determine how many operations your CPU can carry out, the clock rate is how quickly or frequently they can be carried out.
This is why the clock rate is often the most important metric if you’re just gaming. For streaming, you need a high clock rate and a high number of cores.
The base clock rate for the Ryzen 9 5900x is 3.7 GHz, which is almost 4 million synchronizing pulses per second, which will make for incredibly responsive operation.
All AMD processors ship unlocked, which means that they can be overclocked. This extra ability and control is a large part of what makes AMD such a popular brand among PC builders.
Overclocking, in the simplest terms, is adjusting the refresh rate of your processor, which will increase performance beyond the factory settings, usually by about 20%. It will also result in higher power consumption and heat output.
In some cases, this can create more heat than the default CPU cooler (The AMD Wraith Prism LED Cooler in this case) can handle, especially if your case is poorly ventilated.
If you choose to overclock the 5900x, you’ll find that the clock rate caps at 4.8GHz, which will be most noticeable in your framerate in games with high graphics settings. It should be noted that overclocking can slightly decrease the lifespan of your CPU and that the AMD warranty does not cover damage caused by overclocking.
There are a few other factors when it comes to processor quality, but they’re all going to be secondary to those first three factors we already discussed. Things like RAM compatibility, power consumption, and cache will affect the overall quality of your build and gaming performance, but will typically only be noticeable in cases where all other factors are the same.
The Ryzen 9 5900x is compatible with up to 3200 MHz DDR4 RAM, which is on the upper end of the possible performance but still leaves some peak components out of range. DDR5 RAM is on the market, but substantially more expensive than most PC builders would be willing to spend for the relative difference in performance.
DDR4 is available in up to upwards of 4000 MHz, but the drop to 3200 MHz isn’t going to be perceptible for most operations and has virtually no effect on gaming or streaming.
The CPU cache, which AMD brands as the Game Cache, is a small quantity of storage space that the CPU will use to store data where it can be accessed even more quickly than if it would be on the RAM. This is useful for small, frequently accessed commands and files, which will further boost performance, especially in the context of gaming.
At the base clock (the default settings), the CPU has a 105W power draw. When overclocking, it’ll take about 140W.
Finally, if you opt for this processor, you’ll have to set aside some extra money for a CPU cooler as this particular model doesn’t come with one. Keep in mind this is a high-end CPU and therefore, you should pair it with a high-performing cooler, optimally a liquid cooler if you plan on overclocking.
Overall, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is an excellent processor for both streaming and gaming. It is going to deliver the processing power to handle all but the most extreme demands and components. Unless you know you need levels of performance typically associated with IT and content workstations or are streaming at the highest levels of competitive play this will be perfect for you. Anything lower and you might start to notice performance issues, anything higher, and you’ll notice the price more than the performance.
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2. Intel Core i7-12700K
Architecture: Alder Lake | Socket: FCLGA 1700 | Cores: 12 | Threads: 20 | Base Frequency: 3.6 GHz | Max Boost Frequency: 5 GHz | TDP: 125 W
REASONS TO BUY
- Fantastic performance for the money
- Excellent processor for gaming and streaming
- High turbo boost speed (5.0 GHz)
- Supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory
- High overclocking capabilities
- Excels at both single and multi-core operations
- Has integrated graphics
REASONS TO AVOID
- Higher power consumption
- Does not come with a cooler
Our Rating: 9.8/10
If we were looking at just gaming, the Intel Core i7-12700K would have easily been our best overall processor on this list. It offers excellent performance for the price, especially considering that it’s the second-best you can currently get from the Alder Lake line-up. It’s also notably cheaper than its AMD counterpart, making it an absolute no-brainer if you’re an Intel fan.
The base clock on this processor is a healthy 3.6 GHz, which is going to deliver plenty of speed and high framerates for gaming. The addition of streaming might cause some delays, but that’s where the overclocking comes into play.
The i7-12700K is an unlocked processor that can be overclocked to a massive 5 GHz, an increase of almost 35%. That’s going to deliver smooth framerates on any game, and an incredibly smooth streaming experience.
The core count is more than adequate to handle the multiple operations involved in streaming as well. A total of 12 cores means you’ll have the processing power to handle all the distinct programs and processes involved with streaming games, and have some space left over for music while you play or video and web browsing between matches.
The combination of cores and clock rate makes this a fairly power-hungry CPU. At factory default settings this can draw up to 125W, but overclocked to capacity, that can almost double. If you’re going to overclock this one, make sure you have plenty of open capacity on your power supply.
With that additional power consumption comes a lot of extra heat and the only major downside of this CPU. There is no cooler packaged with this CPU, which all things considered is probably for the best. If you’re not going to overclock it, you could get away with a standard air cooler and your case fans.
If you are going to overclock it, especially to the limit, you’ll probably need liquid cooling, which can really drive up the price of your build. If you’ve got a well-ventilated case with a lot of fans you could probably still push it close to the limit, though noise could become a problem if you’re running it super high for extended time periods, and it’s still not a particularly cheap option.
The great thing about the i7-12700K and the 12th generation of Intel processors in general is the compatibility with both DDR4 and DDR5 RAM. So, no matter if you’re going to stick with your old DDR4 RAM or upgrade to DDR5 along with a new motherboard, you won’t have to worry about the compatibility with your CPU. The i7-12700K supports speeds of 3200 MHz of DDR4 and up to 4800 MHz of DDR5 memory.
Now, the total cache size is only 25 MB, which means you’ll have less storage immediately in your CPU, which means certain tasks could be milliseconds slower. But it’s not a difference you’ll notice in real-life scenarios.
All in all, the Intel Core i7-12700K is an extremely powerful CPU at mid-range prices and a great overall processor for streaming and gaming. If you’re comfortable with overclocking, you’ll get levels of performance that you’d typically have to spend quite a bit more to get.
The only major downside to this is cooling. You’ll need to spend a bit more time planning your build and the cooling involved. If you were thinking about trying out liquid cooling this is a CPU that will make it worth it.
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3. AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
Architecture: Zen 3 | Socket: AM4 | Cores: 8 | Threads: 16 | Base Frequency: 3.8 GHz | Max Boost Frequency: 4.7 GHz | TDP: 105 W
REASONS TO BUY
- Excellent price to performance ratio
- Great performance for gaming and streaming
- Unlocked for overclocking
- Lower power consumption
- Easy to cool
- Fairly priced
REASONS TO AVOID
- No integrated graphics
- Does not come with a cooler
- Doesn’t support DDR5 memory
Our Rating: 9.6/10
Where AMD really shines is delivering solid technical standards for the price point. The Ryzen 7 5800X is an excellent example of this.
It’s an 8-core processor, which means there’s a total of eight individual processing units. That’s a drop from the 12 offered by the previous entries.
However, the majority of gaming builds are often not leveraging more than 4 cores. The addition of streaming is going to introduce some extra demand, but 8 cores will be enough for all but the most demanding builds and graphic settings.
Besides that, it uses AMD’s simultaneous multi-threading technology to create two threads per processor core, for a total of 16 threads. This means sixteen different sets of software commands, or “threads” to be prepared and executed by your CPU. As with cores, this is a step down from the previous entries, but it’s a level of performance that most builds aren’t going to be making full use of.
It solidly holds its own in terms of speed, with a base clock rate of 3.8 GHz. Since this is an AMD CPU, and ships unlocked, you’re able to overclock it up to a maximum of 4. 7 GHz. With the ability to synchronize at those speeds you won’t notice any issues with speed or performance while gaming or streaming.
Overclocking isn’t necessary and will increase the heat and power consumption of your CPU, but it’s also going to give you noticeably improved speeds, especially in areas like framerate.
At both the base clock and overclocked speeds, it’s friendly on power consumption. At the base level, it has a TDP (the amount of power it draws at the maximum allowed load) of 105W. Overclocked it has a maximum draw of around 140W. It’s certainly not the lowest, even at the base clock, but you won’t have any issues arising from the power draw.
The relatively low power consumption also makes cooling easier. Unfortunately, you won’t be getting the Wraith Prism LED Cooler as was the case with the previous generation of AMD processors, but a decent liquid or even air cooler should keep this CPU nice and cool.
The CPU is compatible with DDR4 up to 3200MHz, which means that the size and speed of your RAM will deliver the performance you need to run high-end games while streaming and performing any other tasks you may need. If you plan on buying a DDR5 kit then you’ll have to stick with Intel processors for now.
All in all, if you’re trying to build a mid-range PC but don’t want to sacrifice performance, this CPU is going to deliver the power you need to stream games at all but the highest settings. If necessary, it will handle more advanced components, but in most cases, the only thing you want to spend more money on than your CPU is your GPU. This will be a good centerpiece of a build for experienced gamers looking to get into streaming or other people who might be upgrading from a starter PC.
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2. Intel Core i9-10900X
Architecture: Cascade Lake | Socket: FCLGA2066 | Cores: 10 | Threads: 20 | Base Frequency: 3.7 GHz | Max Boost Frequency: 4.5 GHz | TDP: 165 W
REASONS TO BUY
- Great all-around processor
- The best option for X299 motherboards
- Excellent performance for streaming
- Superb multitasking performance
- High overclocking capability
REASONS TO AVOID
- More expensive than AMD offerings
- Power-hungry
- Does not come with a cooler
Our Rating: 9. 5/10
When it comes to Intel CPUs, you’re usually going to pay a bit more for the same power and performance you’d typically get from AMD. Intel is still the more widely used CPU, so there are advantages.
The wider usage means that there’s usually more compatibility, with manufacturers of components and peripherals often offering more options for intel CPUs and motherboards. Some models can have better latency than their AMD counterparts, so overall Intel is often a better bet if you aren’t wanting to do as much research on your build.
Intel’s tenth generation is also less prone to shortages. AMD’s better prices don’t mean anything if you’re getting gouged hundreds of dollars because the CPU you want is back-ordered everywhere.
While Intel has a huge array of CPUs around the $1000 range, and there are undeniable benefits to spending that amount of money on a CPU, the consideration should always be if you’re going to be getting your money’s worth out of the purchase. For streaming, the demands may be high, but in most cases, you’re going to get all the performance you need out of something like the Intel Core i9-10900X.
The Intel Core i9-10900X is a 10-core processor, meaning that it has a total of 10 individual processing units assembled inside the chip. This will allow it to perform a large number of simultaneous, high-demand operations, and essential ability for streaming, when you need your camera, mic, game, streaming platform, chat platform, and any other programs you may be using all running at once.
The 10-cores may require a bit more power consumption but will deliver an equivalent level of performance to the 12-core Ryzen above. The circumstances where you’ll notice the difference between 10 and 12 cores are quite rare.
The CPU uses Intel Hyper-Threading, which is essentially the same technology as AMD’s simultaneous multithreading. Hyper-Threading creates two threads (the storage space for individual commands) for each processor core. This enables up to twenty “threads” of software command to be stored at once, which in turn allows quicker response across a wider number of programs.
Streaming requires a rapid response from a large number of programs running simultaneously, so having a high thread count is just as important as having a high number of cores.
The base clock rate of this CPU is 3.7 GHz, which is going to handle your essential operations without any difficulty. This is an unlocked processor, so if you want to push your framerate, you can easily overclock it to higher frequencies.
Unlike AMD, Intel only unlocks a small number of its CPUs, but the ones that are unlocked can be clocked to even higher rates, which is another big part of why the brand remains so popular with gamers.
This one typically peaks at 4.7 GHz, though some users with dedicated overclocking rigs have pushed it as high as 5.1 GHz. Assuming you don’t have a rig built around testing the clocking capacity of various CPUs, the 4. 7 GHz is an impressive leap of almost 30%. This is going to deliver frame rates well in excess of 60fps, or sometimes even 100fps, depending on the game you’re playing.
Overclocked or not, this CPU eats a lot of power. Base consumption is right around 135W and overclocked it’s going to be pushing 165W+. It’s nothing that a decent power supply can’t handle, but it’s worth noting that the only CPUs with higher power consumption are Threadrippers.
More than anything, that level of power consumption is going to mean that it’s putting off a lot more heat. This makes the fact that there’s no cooler included a bit of a mixed bag.
On one hand, the default cooler can be lacking, especially if you’re looking to overclock. So, you have all the options available to you, and the default cooler isn’t going to waste if you wanted to swap it out for something more powerful, like a liquid cooler.
On the other hand, a decent cooler is usually in the hundred dollar range, an extra expense that you wouldn’t be spending (or at least, wouldn’t notice) if it came bundled with the processor. It’s also more research you need to do, and if you decided to go liquid-cooled (very cool, totally worth it) it’s even more cost and setup.
The i9-10900X will support up to 256GB of DDR4 2933MHz RAM. That’s more than most motherboards support and way more than most operations require. The 2933MHz sync rate is on the lower side of what’s currently available, but that’s not something that you’ll notice for gaming.
It can have a slightly perceptible effect on streaming, but it’s not something that really makes a difference unless you’re trying to stream the current-gen of Triple-A games.
The cache is another one of those “could be better, but you probably won’t notice” areas. Every CPU has a small amount of storage for data and commands it’s likely to need to reuse frequently. This is called cache.
The larger the cache, the more of those commands it can store and the faster certain programs (especially games) can run. The 10900x only has 19.25MB, compared to the 70MB found on the competing AMD. You probably won’t notice the difference, and it can be offset by other factors, most notably RAM size and frequency.
All things considered, the Intel Core i9-10900X is a perfect choice if you’re looking for an older Intel CPU for multi-tasking and productivity – streaming, gaming, content creation, you name it. Just keep in mind you’ll need to spend more on cooling, but cooling is an area where you can really show off and customize your build.
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5. AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
Architecture: Zen 3 | Socket: AM4 | Cores: 6 | Threads: 12 | Base Frequency: 3.7 GHz | Max Boost Frequency: 4.6 GHz | TDP: 65 W
REASONS TO BUY
- Excellent budget CPU for streaming
- Lots of power for the price
- Beats Intel’s counterpart in multi-core performance
- Decent overclocking capabilities
- Comes with a Wraith Stealth cooler
- Low power consumption
REASONS TO AVOID
- Limited multitasking performance
- No integrated graphics
Our Rating: 9. 4/10
The Ryzen 5 5600X is a rarity: a budget-friendly CPU that gets rave reviews outside of budget lists. The overclocking capacity makes it a powerful gaming CPU, and the core and thread count gives you enough multitasking power for streaming as well.
You might run into some issues if you have a lot of programs running in the background, and it’s not a CPU you’d want to build a graphically intensive PC around. But if you’re trying to stick to a budget, you’ll be making few to no sacrifices with this CPU.
It’s a 6-core processor, which is going to deliver all the processing you need for gaming. You’ll need to be conscious of what programs you have running in the background when you go live on stream, but you’ll rarely experience anything more than a slight slowdown.
AMD’s simultaneous multithreading gives you double the threads per core, meaning that you can have up to twelve strings of command ready to execute. This is essential for multitasking and will make the combination of gaming and streaming video quick and smooth.
Like all AMD CPUs, the Ryzen 5 5600X is unlocked, so if the base clock rate of 3.7 GHz isn’t delivering the speeds or framerate you’re looking for, it can be overclocked up to 4.6 GHz. It’s an increase you’ll definitely notice and is as big as (about 25%) you’ll see on a lot of other unlocked CPUs.
At the base clock, this processor only draws about 50W, and fully overclocked it’s still typically below 70W. The light power consumption means that if you were to opt for a smaller build, like a mini-ITX, the smaller power supply won’t be an issue.
It also puts off surprisingly little heat relative to performance. That means the included Wraith Stealth Cooler is going to be more than adequate for temperature control, though you’ll probably want to include one or two case fans if you plan to overclock it. The included cooler does not have any RGB lights, so you’re slightly limited in customization, but there are other areas where you can make that up.
The 3200MHz DDR4 compatibility means you’ll be getting the most out of your RAM, even if you opt for a lower frequency RAM.
Finally, the processor boasts a 35MB cache, which allows a relatively large amount of data to be stared where your CPU can immediately access it for quicker execution and access of files and operations it will need to perform frequently.
This is the lowest AMD CPU you should consider if you’re planning on streaming. Anything below this is going to start seriously cutting performance for minimal savings. With the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X, you’re getting a solid baseline of performance with a streaming-ready build you can keep under a thousand dollars. This can be a great entry point to both streaming and PC building.
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6. Intel Core i5-10400F
Architecture: Comet Lake | Socket: FCLGA1200 | Cores: 6 | Threads: 12 | Base Frequency: 2.9 GHz | Max Boost Frequency: 4. 3 GHz | TDP: 65 W
REASONS TO BUY
- Budget-friendly
- Great power efficiency
- Perfect for budget streaming builds
- Comes with a cooler
- Decent performance for streaming
REASONS TO AVOID
- Limiting performance
- Poor multi-core performance compared to AMD
- Locked – cannot be overclocked
Our Rating: 9.3/10
There’s a little space between the Intel Core i5-10400F and the rock bottom of Intel’s 10th generation line of CPUs, but not much. Like the 5600X above, it’s the point at which you would start making major sacrifices to performance for the sake of only 10 or 20 dollars.
This is a 6-core processor, which is the minimum amount of processing power you need to handle the multiple programs involved in streaming. You might find yourself limited in the number of background applications you run while streaming, but when you’re not streaming you’ll have plenty of multitasking power. If you plan to make streaming a regular part of your routine, the change in performance on and off-stream may become frustrating.
The hyperthreading technology that Intel uses creates two threads for each core. In a six-core processor like this one, that will allow a total of twelve software threads to be stored and readied in the CPU.
Again, this is pretty much the bottom end of what you’ll need for streaming, especially if you intend to include animations or broadcast video from multiple sources. When you’re not streaming, twelve threads is going to keep your regular operations smooth and quick.
One major drawback is that this CPU is not unlocked, meaning that it can’t be overclocked. The 2.9 GHz processor is typically going to be enough. If your goal is to stream games with high graphics settings, you might find that the framerate suffers. Outside of that, this is going to be an entirely serviceable option.
The lower processor speed and a smaller number of cores make this the least power-hungry Intel processor on our list, with a TDP (thermal design power, the power consumption at the highest performance) of only 65W. That’s going to make it compatible with even smaller builds, like a mini-ITX, a common choice for budget building.
This is also the only Intel on our list that shops with a cooler, which will be enough to handle the heat produced by the CPU since you aren’t able to overclock it.
It has a 12MB cache, which isn’t a lot of space but isn’t likely to be the bottleneck for any operations of performance needs.
You may run into issues with the DDR4 compatibility, which only goes up to 2666MHz, which means your RAM won’t sync with your CPU as quickly as it would with most other processors.
Overall, the Intel Core i5-10400F will be good for most budget builds, especially if you aren’t planning to overclock for any reason. There’s plenty of space in the streaming market for gamers who play indie games or engage in more casual competitive play. This PC is going to give you the ability to that and stream without delays or lag.
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In Conclusion
CPU quality is pretty much linear. More cores, more threads, and higher GHz are, with virtually no exceptions, going to mean a better CPU. The price starts to climb more quickly the higher quality you get, but a more expensive CPU is almost always going to be a better one.
The main thing you want to keep in mind is that after a certain point the operations you’re performing, and the components you install around it are going to start to limit how much value you’re getting from your CPU.
This list includes the best CPU options for streaming, but will also work wonderfully for most gaming PCs and other builds. The biggest thing to keep in mind is to not overspend. Your CPU should be no more than 30% of your build’s budget. Usually, between 20-25% is best.
- AMD Ryzen 5 3600l
- AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
- Intel Core i5 10400F
- Intel Core i9 12900K
- Intel Core i5 12600K
Best CPUs for Gaming and Streaming to Buy in 2022
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 –
Best Overall
Key Specifications
- Cores: 6
- Threads Supported: 12
- Base Clock: 3. 2 GHz
- Boost Clock: 4.2 GHz
- TDP Rating: 65 Watts
The Ryzen 5 3600 is a well-balanced CPU that offers excellent performance at its price point. It runs very well at stock speeds and only gets faster as it’s overclocked, meaning you can get solid performance out of this CPU right now as well as down the line as your budget allows for further upgrades.
This mid-ranged chip offers excellent performance for the price, easily capable of competing with more expensive processors on the market. And while it has more recently been surpassed in performance by the Ryzen 5000-series, this card’s low price-to-performance ratio is still the best on the market.
With 6 cores, 12 threads, and a base clock speed of 3.6GHz which can turbo up to 4.2GHz when necessary — it offers superb value for money for any gamer who wants to upgrade their PC without breaking the bank or needing to upgrade their motherboard either.
Pros:
- Low price
- Excellent gaming performance
- Low power consumption
- Bundled cooler
Cons:
- Limited overclocking potential
- No integrated graphics
Bottom Line: Because it strikes the perfect balance between affordability and excellent gaming performance, the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is our pick for best overall best CPU for gaming in 2022.
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AMD Ryzen 9 5900X –
Best High-end CPU
Key Specifications
- Cores: 12
- Threads Supported: 24
- Base Clock: 3.7 GHz
- Boost Clock: 4.8 GHz
- TDP Rating: 105 Watts
AMD’s Ryzen 9 line of processors is currently the top-of-the-line, with the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X being one of their flagship models. It can also be considered one of the best CPUs for gaming in 2022 because it offers great performance at its price point, costing around $500 USD.
The Ryzen 9 series utilizes AMD’s Zen 2 architecture to give users access to better IPC (Instructions per clock) rates than their previous generation CPUs were capable of achieving. The Ryzen 7 2700X, for example, is roughly 40% faster than its predecessor — an older 14nm chip that ran on Zen+ architecture and cost $100 less when launched.
These new chips run much cooler and are also much more powerful than their predecessor, making them ideal for gaming and other power-intensive uses, and is the ideal CPU for 4K gaming.
Performance-wise, the Ryzen 9 5900X absolutely kills it; compared to last gen’s 3900XT, this CPU is a big step up in multithreading performance, by a whopping 16 percent.
Looking at games specifically, there is an overall performance boost seen; compared to 3900XT, there’s about a 20 percent boost in frames per second for many games overall, with this model performing more or less the same as competing Intel cards, but is cheaper than the competition. Overall, the Ryzen 9 5900X is easily our pick for the best high-end CPU for gaming.
Pros:
- Great Performance
- Same power consumption as previous models
- Perfect for Smooth 4K Gaming
Cons:
- No cooler included
Bottom Line:
The Ryzen 9 5900X is one of the very best high-end CPUs out there, and is perfect for any gamers looking for smooth 4K gaming alongside a high-end GPU.
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Intel Core i5 10400F –
Best Budget CPU
Key Specifications
- Cores: 6
- Threads Supported: 12
- Base Clock: 2. 9 GHz
- Boost Clock: 4.3 GHz
- TDP Rating: 65 Watts
If you are looking for a more affordable processor that can still offer some impressive performance capabilities, then we recommend checking out the Intel Core i5 — most notably the i5 10400F.
While it isn’t as powerful as some of the high-end models on the market, it still packs a decent punch and is able to run most games at 1080p 60fps with ease. And it’s capable of outperforming previous generation CPUs (like Kaby Lake Refresh) for a fraction of their price.
This model in particular has six cores, each running at 3GHz capacity with a maximum turbo frequency of 4GHz. The integrated graphics card can be used to run games at lower settings on older computers, but it may struggle with higher graphics requirements due to its older architecture.
If budget is a concern, Intel’s Coffee Lake series does come with motherboards that support DDR4 RAM, which has faster read/write speeds than the older DDR3 format that older processors were limited to.
Pros:
- Solid gaming performance for a mid-range CPU
- Very Affordable
- Low TDP
- Perfect for Smooth 1080p Gaming
Cons:
- Lacking in Power
- Integrated Graphics are Sub-par
Bottom Line: For those looking to game on a budget, the Intel i5 10400F does a more than a serviceable job, capable of running pretty much all games on high settings with 1080p resolution alongside a solid graphics card.
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Intel Core i9 12900K –
Fastest CPU
Key Specifications
- Cores: 8+8
- Threads Supported: 24
- Base Clock: 3.2 GHz
- Boost Clock: 5.2 GHz
- TDP Rating: 125 (Base Power), 241 Watts (Maximum Turbo Power)
If you are looking for pure, unadulterated performance, then the Intel Core i9 12900K is easily one of the strongest processors on the market right now. However, raw power alone does not make this CPU worthwhile — it’s also very expensive as well as relatively hard to get your hands on.
While this CPU is undoubtedly one of the most powerful options available, it also comes with a hefty price tag — over $600 USD — and requires an extremely high-end motherboard to run.
Because of that, it’s not usually recommended for gaming needs, but if you wanted to try your hand at streaming or recording gameplay while running another process, then this is one of the best CPUs for it.
When it comes to gaming performance, the i9 12900K just slightly outperforms its competition, the Ryzen 9 5950X. This CPU is also a big improvement over the 11th Gen 11900K, in terms of both gaming and productivity tools.
While it beats out its competition in nearly all cases, it’s worth noting that it also draws a ton of power — working at full capacity, the 12900K may draw more than 240 watts, compared to the Ryzen 9 5950X’s 120 watts. Depending on your budget, this may or may not be a worthy tradeoff.
Pros:
- Unmatched gaming performance
- Great overclock potential
- Incredible single-threaded performance
- Greatly improved over past Intel Core CPUs
Cons:
- High power consumption
- Expensive
Bottom Line: For those with big budgets that are simply looking for the fastest CPU on the market that can smoothly perform tasks outside of gaming, the Intel Core i9 12900K is arguably the best option.
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Intel Core i5 12600K – Best CPU for Overclocking
Key Specifications
- Cores: 6+4
- Threads Supported: 16
- Base Clock: 3.7 GHz
- Boost Clock: 4.9 GHz
- TDP Rating: 125 Watts (Base Power), 150 Watts (Maximum Turbo Power)
While many people associate overclocking with those who have a really high budget, that isn’t actually true at all! For those on a lower budget that still wish to overclock their CPUs, the Intel Core i5 12600K is the perfect choice.
It’s very cheap, offers excellent raw performance at stock speeds, and can be overclocked without needing something more expensive like a motherboard with “Z-series chipset”.
The Intel Core i5 12600K has six cores, 12 threads, and a base clock speed of 3.3GHz with a maximum turbo frequency of 4.4GHz — making it marginally faster than the Core i5 9600K in raw performance benchmarks.
This processor can handle modest overclocks from simple cooling solutions such as air coolers or liquid coolers without breaking a sweat, allowing you to invest your budget into upgrading other aspects of your PC (such as the motherboard or graphics card) down the line.
Pros:
- Best CPU for overclocking for games
- Great price
Cons:
- More power-hungry than Ryzen cards
Bottom Line: For those primarily looking to game, the Intel i5 12600K is one of the best options out there; cheaper than Core i7 and Core i9 cards, this is the best overclockable CPU out there for the money.
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Are more cores better for gaming?
Yes and no.
What matters most in terms of raw gaming performance is what’s called single-core performance. Single-core performance refers to how well single cores in a CPU operate, and Intel has long held the advantage in this arena: for that reason, Intel processors across the board always perform just a little bit better in most games than AMD’s do.
When it comes to multi-core, it depends on what the game is equipped to handle. Most games will only utilize two cores to their fullest, with true quad-core and higher optimizations being much rarer. For gaming purposes, this means that all you really need is about four cores for most scenarios…though if you want to stream and game, you’ll definitely want more.
Core count, overall, is far from the most accurate manner of gauging performance. Keep this in mind when shopping for gaming PC builds.
Is it true that Intel CPUs better than AMD CPUs?
Depends on what you’re doing.
If you’re gaming- just gaming- then yes, usually. You’ll be paying a good bit more for an Intel branding and a performance difference that’s usually less than 5%, but that could be important if you’re, say, a competitive gamer. However, even this point can break down if you’re a budget gamer, since AMD’s low-end prices and new Zen APUs can provide most, if not all of the Intel performance at a much lower price. Intel’s dominance really only kicks in at high-end gaming.
If you’re doing more than just gaming, AMD will be even more enticing. Ryzen 5 and better processors, for instance, can handle high-end gaming tasks while also streaming with very little stutter and performance loss, thanks to their high core and thread count. They’re also generally much cheaper than Intel’s counterparts for the same purpose, making Ryzen CPUs an ideal pick for Twitch streamers and gaming YouTubers alike.
To provide a more definitive answer: no, Intel CPUs aren’t better than AMD CPUs. They aren’t worse, either, they just serve different purposes.
If you want every little bit of gaming performance you can get, and you’re willing to pay a higher price premium for streaming capabilities with it, go Intel. Their stellar single-core performance won’t leave you hurting for FPS, provided the rest of your system can keep up.
If you’re on a tighter budget, or streaming/rendering are common workloads for you, go AMD. The Zen architecture is excellent for multithreaded workloads like these, and the single-core performance is still good enough to be within spitting distance of Intel’s.
Are APUs any good? What makes them different from normal CPUs?
At first, APUs…weren’t all that great. We’ll explain why below.
APUs are also generally the same thing as a CPU, especially Intel CPUs with integrated graphics. Their integrated graphics performance is much higher than Intel’s, though.
AMD debuted APU technology back in 2014. APUs were touted as the next big thing in computing, with far superior integrated graphics technology compared to Intel processors, and many manufacturers eagerly jumping onboard. In the laptop market, APUs were particularly potent, making cheaper gaming and productivity laptops easier than ever to produce.
In the desktop market…it was a different story. AMD was still on its AM3 architecture back then, which was showing its age. Their CPU releases simply couldn’t keep up with Intel on their desktop platform, and APUs generally didn’t pose a good enough value proposition to justify buying one instead of an Intel CPU + discrete GPU. The technology didn’t live up to the hype in the desktop space.
As of 2018, that has changed. AMD’s latest APUs utilize Ryzen cores and Vega graphics chips, enabling a level of performance previously unheard of for integrated graphics chips. The new Ryzen APUs, especially the Ryzen 3 2200G, offer a fairly compelling value for budget systems…and since they’re still using Zen cores, can serve as perfectly adequate gaming CPUs even after the user gets a discrete GPU.
If you want to save money on a PC build, it’s easy for us to recommend an AMD APU build. You can always add a discrete GPU later, or even bump up to a Ryzen 5/7 to create a better experience.
How much RAM do I need? Will it impact my CPU performance?
Great question!
We’ll divide this into tiers and bulleted lists, for your convenience.
Tier 1 – Basic/Gaming
- 4 GB RAM – With this amount of RAM, you’re pretty much destitute for modern games, but should be fine with last-gen titles and the right settings. General desktop usage should be perfectly fine, as well.
- 8 GB RAM – For gaming-centric builds, this is the ideal point of entry. Most modern games have yet to utilize more than ~6GB of RAM, and 8GB leaves 2GB for the rest of your system to work in the background. General desktop usage will excel here.
- 12 GB RAM – For gaming-centric builds, you’re already pretty well-covered here. The extra RAM you have can now be put toward tasks like light streaming in the background.
Tier 2 – Gaming/Streaming
- 16 GB RAM – If all you’re doing is gaming, you don’t need this much RAM. Take it down a notch. If you’re also streaming and rendering, or if you just like having 20 Chrome tabs open while you’re in-game, then this might be right for you.
- 24 GB RAM – You aren’t just gaming at this point- you’re streaming and rendering regularly alongside your gaming workloads. You won’t experience any gaming performance benefits with this amount of RAM, however.
Tier 3 – Extreme
- 32 GB RAM – This is for truly extreme workloads. Perhaps you’re streaming and rendering 4K video, or running many file compression/video conversion tasks on your PC.
- 64 GB RAM – Essentially the same usage scenario as 32 GB, but more extreme. That, or you’re running your own server. At this point, take your pick.
RAM and CPU Performance
CPU and RAM are actually tied pretty close together. If your RAM is too slow or there isn’t enough of it, your CPU’s performance will be bottlenecked by its limitations. Once you’ve hit 8GB or higher, your basic CPU performance won’t change much…as long as you’re running a dual-channel configuration or better.
Aside from having the right amount of RAM for your CPU, you’ll also want to keep configurations and frequency in mind.
- Single-Channel RAM – A single RAM stick. This will effectively limit your RAM’s speed to half of its potential capacity, which will bottleneck your CPU’s performance significantly.
- Dual-Channel RAM – Two RAM sticks. In a dual-channel configuration, these RAM sticks will be able to synchronize and run faster, allowing them to reach their rated speeds. This won’t bottleneck your CPU’s performance in any meaningful manner, and is recommended for any gaming system.
- Quad-Channel RAM – Four RAM sticks, running together. This won’t offer the same kind of performance jump that single-channel to dual-channel will, but it’ll still make a difference. This is ideal for the aforementioned Tier 2 or Tier 3 RAM setups.
Now, for RAM frequency, or RAM speed.
For most systems, a basic dual-channel DDR4 kit running at 2133 MHz is all you’re going to need. Even when you start pushing RAM frequency higher, you’ll see almost no change in average framerates: however, you will notice improvements in minimum framerates, which means you’ll experience less severe frame drops. Higher RAM speed will also benefit streaming, rendering, and other multi-threaded workloads.
Do I need water cooling?
Not at all.
The main benefits of water cooling setups are more overclocking headroom (especially with custom loop setups), quieter operation, and low profile builds (especially AIO coolers). If you don’t care about these things, an air cooler will suffice just fine for your needs.
Final Thought
CPUs are still very much relevant when it comes to gaming PCs — they might not be the most important piece of hardware in a rig (that would probably be the GPU), but there’s no arguing that a decent processor will help to improve overall PC performance and allow your machine to run better than having an outdated or lower quality chip installed.
If you’re looking for a decent CPU that won’t break your budget but will last you for the next couple of years, then the Ryzen 5 3600 may be the best option. It offers great performance and overclocking capability for its price, and it doesn’t hurt to invest in this chip if you want something that can handle even more demanding games at higher framerates or resolutions.
We hope that this guide has been helpful to you, and has given you a better idea of what sort of CPU is best for your next gaming PC! Alternatively, if you’re looking for a CPU to use for mining cryptocurrency, then feel free to take a look at our guide.
Top 10 Best CPU for Streaming In 2022
Going for the best CPU with exceptional streaming performance is all about choosing a processor with the right clock speed and raw power. A quality processor is a must-have if you want to stream at 1080p or above.
Table of Contents
Going for the best CPU with exceptional streaming performance is all about choosing a processor with the right clock speed and raw power. A quality processor is a must-have if you want to stream at 1080p or above.
You might not need a beefed-up CPU for gaming. But as a streamer, you will run various demanding applications simultaneously. For that, you will need a solid processor. But you don’t have to sift through those multiple options available and waste your time because we have done all the homework for you.
So, scroll down to read the full scoop on the best CPU for streaming.
Does the CPU matter for streaming?
CPU does matter when it comes to streaming. The CPU handles most of the burden from content creation, media handling, gameplay, and streaming simultaneously. Therefore, your streaming will be more efficient with a more efficient CPU.
Hence, you need to get a suitable CPU for online streaming under your budget without any hitches. Of course, the rule of thumb is that the more cores it has, the better it is.
Requirement for the Minimum Processor Speed for Streaming
If you want a system with enough power to stream while gaming, you must understand the requirements properly. You are running multiple applications simultaneously, so you will need plenty of power to tackle all these jobs simultaneously.
So, how much power do you need on your computer or laptop?
When talking about a desktop machine, the ideal specs should be:
- Processor — AMD FX-8350 or Intel i5-4670.
- Memory — DDR3 8 GB.
- Video Card — NVIDIA GeForce 960.
- Operating System — Windows 7 Home.
But is it all you need? Let’s talk about this matter in a bit more detail.
Laptop vs desktop
Undoubtedly, streaming on a desktop computer is better than on a laptop. But you can see that modern-day laptops are equipped with enough power to stand their ground against desktop computers. Therefore, the differences between these two options are becoming more blurred in recent years.
But computers come with the advantage that you can conveniently work under their hood and amp up the power. You can’t do with laptops due to the warranty that prevents them from disassembling.
Streaming software
You also have to consider what streaming software you will use to run. For example, OBS Studio or Streamlabs OBS requires a 4th or 2nd Gen processor with a GTX 6+ video card to encode NVENC.
You will consider your browser performance if you are not going for the OBS Studio. Moreover, different stream devices, including mic, webcam, and others, can potentially increase the program performance because of video-audio performance.
Type of streaming
You also have to consider the type of games that you mostly play. For instance, LOL (League of Legends needs a dual-core CPU with 3 GHz performance. Moreover, it needs 4 GB RAM and 12 GB storage for the best performance. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive also needs similar specs for optimal performance.
Of course, some games need a lot more power too. But suppose you are streaming with applications like Mixer, Twitch, and YouTube, or video and photo editing, graphic designing, and various other forms of content creation. In that case, the mentioned specs will work just fine. However, there are multiple other options available these days.
Internet speed
Of course, for the best streaming experience, you need to have a quality internet connection. For a 720p streaming, you will need a bit rate of around 3000 kbps or 3 MB per second.
You will need up to 6 MB per second speed for better quality and larger size. And for that, you will need a powerful internet connection.
So, there are various factors involved here to get the best performance. Considering all that in mind, we have developed a list of the best CPUs for streaming by going through a range of different in-store and online options and going through their reviews.
We have also asked our gaming and streaming peers what they had to say about this matter. So, here’s the list you need to check before making the purchase.
10 Best CPUs for Streaming
1. AMD Ryzen 9 3950X
AMD is way ahead of Intel when it comes to streaming because their CPUs are incredibly versatile and way more powerful. Moreover, AMD is doing everything in its power to extend this lead even further. And they have been pretty successful in these endeavors with the release of Ryzen 9 3950X.
It is one of the best CPUs for streaming in the year 2022, and it comes with 32 threads and 16 cores, and higher clock speeds. It can handle anything that you can think about. The CPU can run all the programs stream at the same time in top quality output. This chip is exceptional in dishing out multi-threaded performance. But this chip doesn’t come cheap and doesn’t include a cooler in the package.
3rd Gen Ryzen CPUs tend to get hot under load and deal with higher resolutions. The Ryzen 9 should have come with a cooler. That is the only thing that you will have to compromise on.
Pros
- Best for single and multi-tasking performance.
- Superb multitasking capabilities.
- Excellent for 4K gaming and streaming
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a cooler.
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2.
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
The 3900X Ryzen 9 belongs to the Zen 2 family, and it comes with plenty of improvements. It does put a lot of pressure on Intel with its specs and performance, but it also comes with a much bigger price tag. However, you might have to keep in mind that the specs and performance of this device will be well worth the price.
The socket with which it is made can be used with older Ryzen generations, and you can also make it work with older motherboards. But it is better to use it with a newer motherboard to get the best streaming performance.
This CPU comes with 24 threads and 12 cores and is one of the best choices for streaming. The base clock speed of this CPU is 3.8 GHz. You can boost up to 4.6 GHz. This CPU can handle multi-tasking pretty well.
Moreover, it is an unlocked CPU, so that you can use the overclocking option. And the best part is that it comes with its Wraith Prism cooler to keep working optimally. The included cooler makes it a much better option than anything else.
Pros
- Incredible multitasking capability.
- Excellent for 4K gaming and 1080p streaming.
- Boost the clock speed up to 4.6 GHz.
- Comes with a cooler.
Cons
- Pretty expensive.
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3) Intel Core i9 9900K
Intel Core i9 is an incredible processor that works well for gamers and streamers. The base clock speed of this processor is 3.6 GHz, and you can push it up to 5 GHz. It means that you can significantly boost the computing speed of your system with this chip inside.
But this chip only has 16 threads and 8 cores. It means it will only be at the level of Ryzen 2700x at max. But it can still manage multi-core and single-core speeds pretty well. Intel has used STIM (Solder Thermal Interface Material) to ensure adequate heat transfer and better processor performance.
It also means the processor can better manage heat transfer and maintain lower temperatures even under pressure. It is a significant advantage that the Intel i9 has over much bigger AMD Ryzen chips.
Pros
- Exceptional single-core and multi-core processing.
- Works well for 1080p streaming.
- Handles 4K gaming pretty decently.
Cons
- The value for the price is much less than the Ryzen 3900X.
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4) AMD Ryzen 7 3800X
Maybe you are restricted by your budget but still don’t want to commission your gaming and streaming performance. In such a scenario, you must consider going for the Ryzen 7 3800X.
This chip is a powerhouse, and you still don’t have to pay much to get it. It means that this CPU is all about providing you with the best bang for your buck.
The Ryzen 7 also belongs to the Zen 2 lineup, and its base clock speed is up to 3.9 GHz, and you can turbo it up to 4.5 GHz. You also can overclock it as you will get a Wraith Prism cooler.
This chip is a pretty good option for most streaming needs. This chip will provide you with a decent upgrade if you still don’t want to power up to the high-end processors available on the market.
Pros
- Exceptional multi-core processing.
- You can use it for 4K gaming.
- Excellent value for money.
Cons
- Ryzen 3700X does the same job for a much lesser price.
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5) AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
The Ryzen 7 3700X might seem a bit closer to the 3800X, but there is a significant difference between the two. It is a considerably powerful chip that is part of the Zen 3 lineup by AMD. This chip has a high count for operational frequencies and cores and good overclocking potential.
The 3700X comes with 16 threads and 8 cores, but it runs at slightly lower frequencies. The base clock speed of this chip is 3.6 GHz, and you can ramp it up to 4.4 GHz. If you are not streaming anything very demanding, you don’t need to pay for a powerful CPU as the 3700x works just fine.
This chip enables you to run most applications and games and stream them without any problems with the image quality. It is a great option for anyone looking to have some fun whilst streaming and nothing too serious. It might not deliver the best performance, but it will get the job done, nevertheless.
Pros
- Excellent value for money.
- Doesn’t cost a lot.
- Good at multi-tasking.
Cons
- Below par compared to the best chips out there.
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6) Intel Core i7 9700K
Incredible multitasking capabilities are important for streamers, where the Core i7 comes in. It comes with a base clock speed of 3.6 GHz. You can turbo it up to 4.9 GHz. Therefore, you can significantly boost your computing power, and your chip can suddenly handle plenty of loads.
This type of processor is an excellent choice for games with a lot going on in the background. Thanks to its impressive power, this processor will not have any problem with 4K gaming and 10180p streaming. But it only comes with 8 threads, so it will not be an ideal choice for heavy media handling.
Pros
- Decent multi and single-core performance.
- It can handle 4K gaming and 1080p streaming.
- Latest core generation.
- Powerful processor.
Cons
- Doesn’t handle heavy media that well.
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7) AMD Ryzen 5 3600X
Among all the new processors that AMD has come up with, the 3600X Ryzen 5 just does a fine job catering to every need. It comes at a pretty decent price and has a good-enough core count. You won’t have to compromise on clock frequencies and always get the familiar socket from AMD.
It comes unlocked and features 12 threads and 6 cores. These specs are quite enough for most streamers as the chip can run at around 3.8 GHz, and you can turbo it up to 4.4 GHz. The best part is that it comes with a Wraith Spire cooler that will keep it cool.
Pros
- Excellent for 720p streaming but can handle 1080p streaming too.
- 1440p gaming is excellent with this chip.
- Cheaper than most chipsets there.
Cons
- Not for 4K gaming.
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8) AMD Ryzen 5 3600
The 3600 Ryzen 5 has been a trusty option for most streamers, gamers, and creatives. But, of course, the biggest advantage is that it comes at a much cheaper price than its 3600X variant.
Its base clock speed is 3.6 GHz, but you can turbo it to 4.2 GHz. It comes with 12 threads and 6 cores, so this chip is designed to deliver exceptional performance for the money.
It also comes unlocked, so overclocking is not a problem. However, you will need to get a cooler and replace the Wraith Stealth cooler included in the package. It will work fine if you are a streamer on a budget.
Pros
- Excellent for streaming on budget.
- Handles multi and single-core tasks pretty well.
- Great for 720p streaming.
Cons
- Not enough power for quality streaming.
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9) AMD Ryzen 7 2700
The 2700 Ryzen 7 is the best value option if you don’t want to spend a lot of money. But its entire focus is on saving money, and you will only get limited performance from this chip. It is only being sold at half the price it used to cost back in the day, but it still has value for gamers and streamers.
Most people consider it to be a better entry point compared to 2600. It has 16 threads and 8 cores, and it also features a Wraith Spire cooler. It also has a much higher boost frequency of up to 4.1 GHz. For starters, it’s a pretty good option.
Pros
- Faster than other Ryzen chips under 2700.
- Thermal transfer is better with indium solder.
- The bundled cooler offers better value.
Cons
- It should have come with a better cooler for overclocking.
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10) AMD Ryzen 5 2600
The 2600 Ryzen 5 is a good budget option for streaming. But it also means you shouldn’t expect too much power and performance from it.
It might have been the best option just a few years back when it was released, but it has quickly been replaced with other powerful chips on the market. But it comes with a lower price these days, increasing its value proposition.
It comes with 12 threads and 6 cores, enough to handle average gamer and streamer’s needs. But don’t expect something extraordinary here as it will only be limited in terms of performance, just enough for you to manage your streaming requirements.
Pros
- Excellent for basic streaming purposes.
- Handles multi-tasking and single-core processing pretty well.
- Affordable
Cons
- Only suitable for new entrants or budget-friendly streamers.
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FAQs
Does a better CPU work well for streaming?
won’t have to deal with any lags, and you certainly won’t have to deal with any hiccups in frame refresh rates either.
What is a good CPU percentage when it comes to streaming?
The exact CPU requirement depends upon what you are streaming. 1000 per cent is the maximum, while 0 per cent is not running. 50 per cent means that it is using 50 per cent of the power.
Therefore, you need to stream at a lower resolution. But if you want to stream something more demanding, you need higher quality, and you’ll need more power.
Conclusion
You need the right CPU or processor to get the best streaming performance. And to get the best streaming performance, you will need the best processor according to your budget and requirements.
Multiple options are available, and you can choose based on your requirements. But after going through this guide, you can now decide on what CPU is best for your streaming needs.
[5] Best Budget CPU For Streaming – Ultimate Guide
Streaming is a lot more CPU intensive than many people realize. However, this doesn’t mean you need a brand new, state-of-the-art, expensive CPU to start streaming. There are actually many great CPUs out there for streamers on a budget.
SPECIFICATIONS
Cores | 6 |
Threads | 12 |
Base Speed | 2.6 GHz |
Overclock Speed | 4.4 GHz |
WHERE TO BUY
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PROS
- Comes with CPU cooler
- Great for gaming
- Decent overclock speed
- Cheap and powerful
CONS
- Low base speed
Even though this is the first item on the list, do not count it out. If you have an Intel motherboard, you should really consider the i5-11400. It is one of the best budget CPUs on the market when it comes to gaming.
The i5-11400 will be able to handle most, if not all games. On top of this, it is fantastic at multi-tasking, which makes it great for streaming.
You may not be able to turn your graphics all the way to max, but this shouldn’t have any problem with medium graphics on most games.
What I really like about this CPU is that it comes with a heat sink.
Many modern CPUs do not come with any kind of CPU cooling, which means you’ll have to shell out an extra $20 – 40 on top of whatever you pay for the actual processor. So that’s another budget point for the Core i5-11400.
The only real downside to this card is that it has a pretty low base speed. If you don’t want to overclock it, then you’re not going to get great performance out of the processor.
Luckily, the card isn’t too hard to overclock, and if you do it’ll give you almost 2 GHz worth of speed. This is definitely one of the best CPUs for anyone on a budget.
SPECIFICATIONS
Cores | 6 |
Threads | 12 |
Base Speed | 3.6 GHz |
Overclock Speed | 4.2 GHz |
WHERE TO BUY
View On Amazon
PROS
- Good value for performance
- Great for gaming
- Compatible with many motherboards
- Comes with a cooler
CONS
- Low max speed
- Gets pretty hot
The Ryzen 5 2600X is a great CPU and has been since it was released. This CPU also comes with a cooler, which will save you quite a bit of money if you don’t have one already.
I’ve seen some pretty good benchmarks for this CPU.
According to them, this CPU could run Watch Dogs 2 (old game, I know) at well over 100 FPS. Now, even though Watch Dogs is an older, game, its graphics are still on par with most modern competitive games like League of Legends and Valorant.
This CPU’s speeds aren’t very high, but at least it is decent out of the box. The i5 CPU before this had a base speed of 2.6 GHz, which is a whole GHz less than the Ryzen 5 2600X.
So, while overclocking this CPU won’t give you a huge boost in performance, you won’t really need it anyways.
This CPU is strong, but it’s not a beast. This isn’t surprising since it’s a budget CPU. This CPU is better for streaming than a lot of its i5 competition.
It doesn’t offer the highest frames for you, but it does pump out a high quality stream, which is the most important part of a streaming CPU.
SPECIFICATIONS
Cores | 6 |
Threads | 12 |
Base Speed | 2.5 GHz |
Overclock Speed | 4.4 GHz |
WHERE TO BUY
View On Amazon
PROS
- Good gaming performance
- Very low base speed
- Good encoding
CONS
- Poor integrated graphics
- Lackluster multicore performance
There are two versions of this CPU, and both make this list. The 12400F (further down) has no integrated graphics, while this 12400 does have the integrated graphics.
Most gaming PCs have a dedicated graphics card, which means you don’t need integrated graphics, right? Well not exactly. There are a couple of reasons to get a CPU with integrated graphics.
If you have an AMD GPU, then this is probably the version you want. Many newer NVIDIA GPUs have built in encoders that handle most of the heavy weight when it comes to streaming. Which means you don’t have to worry too much about your CPU.
Even if you have a NVIDIA card, you may still want a CPU with integrated graphics just in case your GPU ever stops working.
Even if your GPU works, your motherboard may bug out and not register it. If this happens and your CPU doesn’t have integrated graphics, you’ll be in for a world of pain.
Alright, now all of that is out of the way we can talk about the actual performance of the i5-12400. If you’re on a budget, this is one of the best CPUs you can buy for gaming.
It performs phenomenally, and can handle gaming and streaming easily. Even though it has integrated graphics, you should still grab a dedicated GPU because it will make your games run way smoother.
If you pair this with a decent mid-range GPU, you should be able to stream just about any game at low – medium settings.
SPECIFICATIONS
Cores | 6 |
Threads | 12 |
Base Speed | 2.5 GHz |
Overclock Speed | 4.4 GHz |
WHERE TO BUY
View On Amazon
PROS
- Good for gaming
- Good for streaming
- Low base speed
Great media encoding (for streaming) - Can’t be overclocked
CONS
- No integrated graphics
This is a fantastic mid range CPU from intel. It is probably the best budget CPU you can get if you have an Intel motherboard. The name may seem familiar, since I literally just talked about the i5-12400.
When it comes to CPUs, the F at the end of their name just means that they do not have any integrated graphics. So, the 12400 and the 12400F are pretty much the exact same card, except this one doesn’t have integrated graphics.
This is a good thing if you have a dedicated GPU already, which you should if you want to stream.
No integrated graphics means this CPU is cheaper and will fit in your budget much better. However, if you don’t have a backup GPU, you should consider getting the 12400 because having integrated graphics will be a lifesaver if your GPU stops working for some reason.
It’s extremely difficult to debug a computer and figure out its issues if you have no graphics card at all, so the integrated graphics can come in clutch.
As far as performance goes, this CPU is great. You won’t be disappointed, especially if you have a banging GPU to pair with it. I’d expect to get pretty high benchmarks with this CPU, even if you only have a GTX 1080 Ti or something like that.
If you’re on a really tight budget, you could always opt for a NVIDIA card with a NVENC encoder, and a CPU that’s a bit higher on the list.
NVENC encoding will take most, if not all of the strain completely off of your CPU and GPU when it comes to streaming, so you only have to worry about running the game on your end.
SPECIFICATIONS
Cores | 6 |
Threads | 12 |
Base Speed | 3.7 GHz |
Overclock Speed | 4.6 GHz |
WHERE TO BUY
View On Amazon
PROS
- Fantastic for gaming and streaming
- Best budget CPU on the market
- Cheap
- Power efficient
CONS
- Not a lot of head room for overclocking
- No integrated graphics
I’m not going to give you the whole spiel about integrated graphics again. If you grab this card you’ll need a dedicated graphics card. If you’re streaming, though, there’s a good chance you already have one or are thinking about picking one up.
This processor performs extremely well. It’s actually one of the top-choice CPUs for Valorant players and streamers alike.
In all honesty, NVIDIA GPUs have streaming on lock thanks to NVENC technology. But this card will give your games a huge boost in frames, and be able to handle stream encoding if you need it to.
If you have the budget, I’d highly recommend picking up an RTX 2060 GPU and streaming with NVENC. It will make a huge difference and blow any budget CPU out of the water when it comes to encoding and stream performance.
Of course, if you pair the RTX 2060 with this Ryzen 5 5600X, you’ll have the perfect “budget” gaming PC. You’ll be able to stream just about anything without issues.
Since this performs well with or without a nice GPU side kick, it is the best choice for a budget streaming CPU.
Can You Game And Stream On A Budget CPU?
You can game and stream on a budget CPU. Your options for games are going to be pretty limited, though, if you do not have a dedicated GPU. For budget streamers, a NVIDIA GPU that supports NVENC is highly recommended because it will handle all of the stream encoding and free up your CPU for gaming.
If you want to game and stream solely on a budget CPU, you’re going to need to find one with integrated graphics. There aren’t a lot of great options for this, though, since streaming takes up a lot of processing power.
CPUs like the Intel Core i5-2400 can handle gaming and streaming, but you shouldn’t expect to play on high graphic settings or very demanding games.
However, if you were to pair that Intel Core i5-12400 with a budget GPU, then the number of games you could play would rise exponentially. NVIDIA cards with NVENC capabilities are very popular and have dropped significantly in price recently.
The RTX 2060, for example, is “only” a few hundred. If you paired the 2060 GPU with an i5-12400, you’d be able to stream pretty much any game your heart desires. If you use OBS and stream on Twitch, all you need to do is enable NVENC and you’re good to go.
Is A Budget CPU Good For A Dedicated Streaming PC?
A budget CPU is good enough for a dedicated streaming PC. The only thing a dedicated streaming PC needs to focus on is encoding from your gaming PC, so a 6 core budget CPU would have plenty of power. It’s important that your budget CPU has integrated graphics if you don’t have a dedicated GPU.
For example, an i5 10600k would have more than enough power to stream at 60 FPS with a decent resolution (720p or even 1080p).
Pretty much, you just want to have something with a decent clock speed, 6 cores, and integrated graphics. Any old CPU will do the job just fine since your dedicated streaming PC only needs to focus on encoding and not on running the game while you stream.
If you add in a GPU to your dedicated streaming PC, you’ll pretty much be wasting your money and the effort. If you’re going to rely on NVENC encoding, you might as well just stream from your gaming PC.
Now, if you want to stick to a single PC for gaming and streaming, you can still get away with a budget CPU as long as you have a decent GPU.
In fact, if your GPU support NVENC, then your stream quality won’t be affected by your CPU at all. You’ll still have to make sure that your CPU is strong enough to actually run the game you want at a decent quality.
Ryzen Vs Intel: Which Is The Better Budget CPU?
Intel has the best budget CPUs at the moment. Every year or two, the two companies swap places when it comes to budget CPUs, but at the moment Intel has the best CPUs. The price to performance ratio on Intel i CPUs outperforms AMD Ryzen CPUs by quite a large margin, making them the go-to for budget rigs.
The i5-12400 is the best budget CPU on the market, but the Ryzen 5 5600X follows quickly behind.
When you look at processors in general, though, you’ll see that Intel has AMD beat at the moment when it comes to cheap CPUs that still perform well.
However, two years ago the answer would’ve been different, and two years from now it might change again, so it’s important to always do your research before buying a new CPU.
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For even more streaming tips and how to content check out my Youtube channel here. And if you want to check out my streams then stop by my Twitch channel here.
[10] Best CPUs For Streaming – Ultimate Guide
Believe it or not, your CPU may be the most important component when it comes to your stream quality.
Sure, NVIDIA cards have built-in encoding thanks to NVENC technology, but x264 can reach higher quality and clarity, especially if you do not have a brand new NVIDIA card.
Even if you do use NVENC, there are many reasons to have a strong CPU for streaming, so which CPU should you choose?
SPECIFICATIONS
Cores | 10 |
Threads | 16 |
Base Speed | 3. 7 GHz |
Overclock Speed | 4.9 GHz |
WHERE TO BUY
View On Amazon
PROS
- Great for gaming and streaming
- Supports DDR4 and DDR5 which is rare in i5s
- Beats some i9 CPUs while being much cheaper
- Great multi-core and single-core performance, which makes it easier to game, stream, or do anything else you need
CONS
- Does not come with a CPU heat sink or thermal paste
- Uses a lot of power
If you take a look at the Amazon link, you will see that this CPU has 6 P cores. These cores offer multithreading and are what people are referring to when they say multi-core performance.
Now, it also has 4 E cores, which are single thread cores. When you’re gaming and streaming you want a good mix between these two types of cores, and you want a decent amount of each.
The i5-12600K gives you that nice mix and its cores perform extremely well. 6 cores for gaming will handle anything you need it to, while those 4 background cores will make multitasking easier as well.
If you’ve streamed at all already, then you know how much multitasking is involved. Being able to seamlessly tab between your game, OBS, Twitch, etc and do what you need to do without any lag is priceless, yet this CPU can be picked up for under $300.
That’s a bit expensive, I know, but as far as performance CPUs go, it is a pretty good deal.
Beyond the basic performance, this CPU also has some excellent quality of life features. There’s really no reason to future-proof your system too much, as we’ll be using the same technology for another 5 years or so.
However, this CPU is compatible with DDR5 RAM which is very handy if you do want to future proof your rig. DDR5 is still in a pretty wishy washy state, but there’s no doubt that it’ll be the norm at some point in the future so you might as well pick up a CPU that can handle it.
On top of DDR5, this CPU also supports PCIe 5. 0 which will also be commonplace before we know it.
SPECIFICATIONS
Cores | 6 |
Threads | 12 |
Base Speed | 3.7 GHz |
Overclock Speed | 4.6 GHz |
WHERE TO BUY
View On Amazon
PROS
- Lots of overclocking room
- Cheap compared to similar cards
- Great CPU for gaming
- Power efficient
CONS
- No integrated graphics (requires dedicated GPU)
If you want to stream in 4k, then this probably isn’t the processor for you. However if you just want to stream some WoW raids, or even modern games at a low or medium quality, then this CPU will do the job easily.
The Ryzen 5 5600X is probably the best budget CPU on the market. The 10400F and 11400F are a lot cheaper, but they’re a lot worse.
On the other hand, the i5-12600K is better but also costs $100 more. So, if you’re on a budget, this is going to be the best CPU you’ll find for under $200.
Even if you’re not on a budget, this is still a fantastic card. Intel and AMD usually swap back and forth quite often when it comes to making affordable processors that can still put in the work. It was AMD’s turn when they made the Ryzen 5 5600X.
This will be able to run pretty much any game at over 60 FPS while you’re streaming. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, which is pretty much the minimum you want when you stream.
Of course, unlike the i5-12600K CPU above, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X will not support DDR5 RAM. As I talked about though, DDR4 is definitely the better bang for your buck at the moment, and you don’t need to future proof your computer that much.
Even though this is behind the Ryzen 7 5800X in cores and processing power, this CPU actually keeps up with it quite well. So, whether you’re on a budget or not, if you’re money conscious at all, this may be the better option.
If you’re going to use NVENC, especially, then you won’t see much of a difference between this and the 5800X below. If you’re going to rely on your processor for streaming, though, and you have the money, then you’ll definitely want to get a stronger CPU like the 5800X or the i5-12600K.
SPECIFICATIONS
Cores | 8 |
Threads | 16 |
Base Speed | 3.8 GHz |
Overclock Speed | 4.7 GHz |
WHERE TO BUY
View On Amazon
PROS
- Fantastic Single Core and multicore performance for gaming in general as well as streaming
- PCIe 4.0 Support
- Huge overclock overhead room
- Low power consumption
- Decent base speed
CONS
- No PCIe 5.0 Support
This CPU is actually really similar to the Ryzen 5 above. It has a few more cores and a few more threads, though, which makes it a stronger processor overall.
However, this list isn’t just about strong processors, it’s about processors that are good for streaming.
If you have an NVIDIA card, then there’s a good chance that you have access to NVENC encoding in OBS. If you use NVENC, then your CPU will actually have very little to do with your stream quality.
In this case, you might as well go with the Ryzen 5 5600X, because that will handle games and run very similarly to the Ryzen 7 5800X. There are some exceptions, though. If the games you play are really CPU-intensive (Valorant, Call of Duty Warzone, etc), then you’ll want this 5800X or better.
If you plan to use x264 encoding, this would also be much better simply due to the extra cores.
Now if you were to compare this CPU to the i5-12600K then the two cards are going to be extremely similar. They will perform pretty much the same in most benchmarks and tests, but they also cost about the same so it’s no surprise.
Overall, this is a great CPU that will be able to run and stream even CPU-intensive games. If you have a decent GPU with NVENC capabilities, then you’ll be able to stream pretty much anything you want.
If you only play really easy-to-run games, and are cost-conscious, then you could probably get away with the Ryzen 5 5600X instead.
SPECIFICATIONS
Cores | 16 |
Threads | 24 |
Base Speed | 3.2 GHz |
Overclock Speed | 5.1 GHz |
WHERE TO BUY
View On Amazon
PROS
- Amazing performance for gaming and streaming
- 16 Cores is more than enough for just about anything
- 5.1 GHz max speed
- Supports PCIe 5.0 and DDR5
CONS
- No CPU Cooler
- Expensive
- Needs compatible motherboard
- Pretty low base speed
If you’ve got the money to spend and a motherboard that can handle it, the i9-12900KF is an amazing CPU. I’m sure you know, but 5.1 GHz is an insane amount of speed.
Of course, you’ll have to learn how to overclock this specific CPU in order to reach those speeds, but it’s still a huge deal. This is one of the highest clock speeds on this list, and on top of that, this CPU has 16 cores.
It has 8P and 8E cores, which is fantastic for gaming because it allows 8 cores to focus on your game, while the other 8 focus on background tasks like running your stream.
So, this thing will beat out most other CPUs in performance, but the downside is that it’s expensive. It also requires somewhat newer motherboards, but if you already have a compatible motherboard or are building a brand new PC then that’s not an issue.
Like most products, you pay for quality, and if you get this CPU it will be money well spent because you’ll be able to stream anything your heart desires (as long as your GPU is strong enough).
SPECIFICATIONS
Cores | 8 |
Threads | 16 |
Base Speed | 3. 8 GHz |
Overclock Speed | 4.7 GHz |
WHERE TO BUY
View On Amazon
PROS
- State-of-the-art single core performance for gaming
- PCIe Support
- Lots of overclock room
- Decent base speed
CONS
- Only supports DDR4
- No CPU Cooler / heat sink
- Uses a lot of power
- No integrated graphics
You shouldn’t expect this CPU to keep up with the i9-12900KF in performance. The 12900KF has double the cores, after all.
However, if we’re talking bang for your buck when it comes to performance, then the Ryzen 7 5800X is hard to beat. The price to performance ratio is the main reason that this CPU made it this high on the list.
This is overall a great CPU that you should be able to stream most games with at a high quality.
The major downsides for this CPU are quality of life issues. There are no integrated graphics, it doesn’t support DDR5 (not a big deal, yet), and there is no CPU cooler in the box.
However, assuming you already have a CPU cooler and a banging graphics card, this CPU has plenty of juice for s streaming.
SPECIFICATIONS
Cores | 12 |
Threads | 24 |
Base Speed | 3.7 GHz |
Overclock Speed | 4.8 GHz |
WHERE TO BUY
View On Amazon
PROS
- PCIe 4.0 support
- Insane gaming performance
- 12 cores and 24 threads makes streaming easy
- Fantastic single core performance
- Cheaper than similar CPUs
CONS
- No heat sink
This thing is pretty expensive, but nowhere near as expensive as some similarly performing CPUs. For example, the i9-12900KF costs about $200 more than this CPU.
Of course, the 12900KF is stronger, technically. It has more cores, and a higher max clock speed. However, in practice and in reality, both CPUs are going to give you insane performance for your streams.
I’d go as far as saying that upgrading from the Ryzen 9 5900X to the 5950X or the 12900KF won’t give you a $200 performance increase.
Of course, the better cards will perform better and if you want to min-max your build and get the absolute best, then by all means get the more expensive cards. However, this card will do just fine for all of your streaming needs.
Just make sure you have a heat sink / CPU cooler because it doesn’t come with one in the box.
SPECIFICATIONS
Cores | 16 |
Threads | 32 |
Base Speed | 3.4 GHz |
Overclock Speed | 4.9 GHz |
WHERE TO BUY
View On Amazon
PROS
- Way more than enough power for gaming and streaming
- Able to handle any game and supports high refresh rates
- A lot of room for overclocking
- Great at multi-tasking
- Runs very cool
- 32 threads
CONS
- No CPU cooler included in box
- Low base speed
3. 4 GHz doesn’t seem like a whole lot, and in all reality that’s a little slower than you’d expect from a CPU like this. But actually, it’s pretty common. Take a look at the i9-12900KF further up on the list.
These newer CPUs seem to have lower base speeds, but their cores make up for it. In short, 16 cores and 32 threads is far more than powerful enough to stream on and this CPU will be able to do everything you need and more, which is why it’s so pricey.
SPECIFICATIONS
Cores | 16 |
Threads | 24 |
Base Speed | 5.5 GHz |
Overclock Speed | 7.45 GHz |
WHERE TO BUY
View On Amazon
PROS
- One of the fastest CPUs available
- 16 cores and 24 threads is way more than enough for streaming
- Best Intel CPU for gaming and streaming
- Integrated graphics
CONS
- The 12900K is way cheaper and performs similarly
- Expensive
- Runs hot and needs a great CPU cooler
Alright, there’s no question that this CPU is a beast. If you want to get the best of the best, you want to get the i9-12900KS. Pretty much nothing else on the market beats it.
Of course, you’re paying for that performance. This CPU is very expensive. Now, if you want the best of the best, then you have to pay that price.
However, when compared to the i9-12900K and other high end CPUs, the 12900KS will only slightly outperform them. So you’re paying an extra $200 for a slight performance boost.
This is worth it to some people, but to others you may just want to pick up a cheaper processor and put that $200 towards a higher-end GPU.
SPECIFICATIONS
Cores | 24 |
Threads | 48 |
Base Speed | 3.0 GHz |
Overclock Speed | 4.2 GHz |
WHERE TO BUY
View On Amazon
PROS
- Decent price per core
- 24 cores and 48 threads is substantial
- Compatable with existing mobos
- Great multi-core performance
CONS
- “Poor” single core performance
- Expensive
- Power hungry
- Low base speed
We’ll just start by addressing the elephant in the room. This is the first CPU on this list to breach the $1,000 mark, but it’s for good reason.
While it’s expensive, you have to remember that this CPU is offering 24 cores and 48 threads, which is absolutely nuts.
I’m sure I don’t need to say this, but this CPU can stream. It can stream anything you want and it’ll probably stream it at 1080p on ultra settings, which is why it’s this high on the list.
SPECIFICATIONS
Cores | 32 |
Threads | 64 |
Base Speed | 3.7 GHz |
Overclock Speed | 4.5 GHz |
WHERE TO BUY
View On Amazon
PROS
- Best multi-thread performance on the market
- 32 cores and 64 threads
- High bandwidth to motherboard
- Easy overclocking
- Unmatched gaming and streaming performance
CONS
- Needs specific, expensive motherboard
- Expensive
- Needs powerful cooling
This CPU is extremely expensive, as I’m sure you’ve seen, but it is the definition of an elite CPU. This processor has 32 cores and 64 threads which is pretty much unheard of. It’s also why you need a specific motherboard (TRX40) to even run it.
However, if you have a TRX40 or don’t mind shelling out the cash to get one, you’re not going to find a better performing CPU. This is probably quite overkill for most people, but if you’re a tech fiend and are trying to show off your beast of a build, then this CPU could be the perfect fit.
What To Look For In A Streaming CPU?
In a streaming CPU, you want enough cores and threads to handle gaming and streaming at the same time. The recommended number of cores is 6 and the recommended number of threads is 12. The age of the CPU will also come into play, as older generations of CPUs are less optimized even when they have more cores.
When you stream, your CPU has to do two things at once. It has to run the game you’re playing and it has to encode your game so that OBS or whatever streaming software you’re using can send the encoded data to Twitch.
This means your CPU has to be good at multitasking, which requires many cores. That’s why it’s recommended that your streaming CPU has 6 cores and 12 threads, so that it has the hardware to multi-task for your stream. Of course, your CPU also needs to be strong enough to run the game that you’re playing at 60+ FPS.
Do You Need A Good CPU For Streaming?
You need a good CPU for streaming. However, the CPU does not have to be a brand new, state-of-the-art CPU. Any CPU that has 6 cores and 12 threads will be good enough for streaming. The better quality you want in your stream and the more demanding games you want to play, the better your CPU should be.
I’ve gone over some really good CPUs in this list, but they’re not good in the traditional sense. They’re good because they’re cheap but they’re still able to run and stream most games.
You probably wouldn’t be able to stream with that 15 year old desktop from Walmart, for example. But picking up an old i5 will be good enough for streaming many great games, as long as you aim for 60 FPS or so.
How Does CPU Affect Streaming?
No matter what kind of encoding you’re using when you stream, your CPU will be used. A better CPU means that you can stream in higher quality if you use X264 encoding, which is more CPU-intensive but also creates a clearer stream with better quality. Your CPU also determines how well your game runs.
Nowadays you can stream without a very powerful CPU. So you mostly just need a CPU that is strong enough to run the game you want to play.
This is assuming that you have a NVIDIA GPU that can use NVENC in OBS. Now, if you do not have a NVIDIA GPU or don’t want to use NVENC, then your CPU will determine how clear your stream is. It will determine your stream’s quality, FPS, etc.
If you have a really strong CPU, you can produce a much better stream with x264 encoding compared to NVENC.
Ryzen vs Intel: Which Is Better For Streaming?
Ryzen CPUs are typically better for streaming than Intel CPUs. Streaming benefits from more cores and Ryzen CPUs usually have more cores than Intel CPUs. However, after a certain point, the differences become less noticeable. This is especially true if you have a NVIDIA GPU and use NVENC for streaming.
It’s hard to compare AMD Ryzen CPUs with Intel i CPUs in general because both companies produce great CPUs that are more than capable of streaming. It gets harder because most people end up using NVENC encoding, which relies more on the GPU.
However, a general rule of thumb is that more cores / threads means better stream performance. AMD Ryzen CPUs always have a high number of cores and fantastic multi-core performance, which makes them great for streaming.
One caveat is if you have a secondary dedicated streaming PC, in which case you may want an Intel card strictly due to Intel’s integrated graphics.
Best GPU | RTX 30390 (click to view on Amazon) |
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Best Processor | i9-12,900K Processor (click to view on Amazon) |
Best RAM | Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 16GB (click to view on Amazon) |
Best Gaming Monitor | Alienware 25 Gaming Monitor – AW2518H (click to view on Amazon) |
Best Cooling | NZXT Kraken X73 RGB 360mm (click to view on Amazon) |
Best Power Supply | Corsair RMX Series, RM750x, 750 Watt (click to view on Amazon) |
Best Motherboard | GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS PRO Gaming Motherboard (click to view on Amazon) |
Best PC Case | Cooler Master Cosmos C700P (click to view on Amazon) |
Best Gaming Keyboard | Razer Huntsman V2 Analog Gaming Keyboard (click to view on Amazon) |
Best Gaming Mouse | Razer DeathAdder V2 Gaming Mouse (click to view on Amazon) |
Best Gaming PC | CUK MPG Velox by MSI Gaming Desktop (click to view on Amazon) |
Lastly, check out my Youtube channel here if you are into streaming or gaming. And if you want to check out my streams then stop by my Twitch channel here.
Choose a PC for streaming | Hyper Ditek
PC selection for streaming
Computer for streaming to the online store HyperDitek
The boom in streaming games online, taking your cob from the resource Twitch. Qiu gaming online platform was created in 2011, and already until 2012, a large number of spectators out-visited 14 million people. Already, through the river, officially, unique contributions to this resource were allocated 45.1 million. In 2018, the online service generated 2.1 million streamers from the earth, and the number of watchers accounted for 15.3 million entries for production. Stream (similar to the English word Stream, that is «potik») — in the IT sphere, the English word means streaming data. In this way, streaming is a demonstration of your game process in real time, like a helper server for your watcher. Twitch, having offered the brains for a profit to all your streamers, as well as the opportunity to demonstrate your gaming skills to all the beauty of your millionth audience. Twitch has practically all the bands for their streamers, if they want to demonstrate how they play games.
At our hour, graves may be simply smart, think and be able to stream:
- Cost-free online services.
- Possibility to earn money through advertising, overpayment and int.
- Some options for encoding your video for customizing for any PC.
- Swedish Internet law, not rozkish.
- The audience is great, they are looking forward to seeing your games again.
VIDEO STREAMING HOW DOES IT WORK?
1. Your computer is trying to store video from the monitor. On the whole process, the PC is stained not more than a part of its tightness. After all, what video files are going to be great. A sprat of such a video like Full HD will easily be the mother of a sprat of gigabytes.
2. The video card or the processor of your PC changes the size of such video and audio, this process is called encoding.
3. Video recoding option is sent to the server at the same time.
WHICH ONLINE SERVICE IS BETTER TO CHOOSE?
Speaking of Runet, the virtual world of streaming game video is on three smart elephants:
- Twitch.tv is a giant company with a million online audience. Pochatkіvtsyam will do it comfortably to squeeze in, the shards of competition are already great.
- YouTube.com — here the online audience is large, often surprised by video recordings, videos on channels, not in online format.
- GoodGame.ru – small online audience, less competition, easier to fill your niche.
Twitch streaming PCs are basically the same as YouTube streaming PCs. The methods of encoding and storing video are determined by software (programs), and not by an online service. For this reason, until the dawn, they will be like that themselves.
WHICH PROGRAM SHOULD BE BETTER VICTORY FOR LOADING VIDEO BROADCASTS?
The storage, encoding and forwarding of video data to the server of the streaming platform is carried out by one program.
The axis of the link:
- OBS Studio is the most popular program, with which it is absolutely cost-free.
- XSplit Broadcaster – mentally cost-free, if you don’t get a license, the program will add its own logo to your video. The main advantage is the possibility of a one-hour video overpowering on a spear of online services.
- GeForce Experience — software security for video cards from NVIDIA’s list To a small extent, one can see the fact that software security is not included with «native» video cards and does not support webcams.
- FFsplit is a twin of the OBS program for functionality, but it also has a different interface. One of the pluses: it’s much easier to enter the statistics of your video for your control.
- Wirecast — the most effortful software security, yogo vikoristovuyut deaky TV channels for an hour of work in their reports from the month of the day. Vibіr nalashtuvan at ts_єї programs dosit great, and vin already go beyond the scope of that consumption of game streaming. Vagomiya umovny nedolіk price — close to 500 dollars, and also the program makes it harder.
All programs support hardware and software coding in different quality, everything you need, whatever you need to install.
WHY IS THE DIFFERENCE OF HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE CODING?
Your stream’s video needs to be edited before editing. If you want to deprive Yogo in the primary, casual look, then bring Yogo to the server will not just be the one who will be a great expansion. The hardware does not encode the video at a low level of brightness, but when it encodes it takes one minute, it will depend on the help of the video card of your gaming computer. Program coding depends on the workload and resource of the processor, in which case it will lie in the pressure of your processor and partly in the RAM.
What is the bitrate of the stream?
This indicator will show the number of battles, which will be taken to save one second of the video recording. Well, the quality will be too high, it can lead to friezes (a sound of video for a second) through the lack of high speed of your Internet and the low bandwidth of your tariff plan to the Internet. For a low bitrate indicator, the quality of your video will become low. So, if you don’t have top-level knowledge at the time of writing this material, it’s good to know the balance. If the bitrate of your stream is 2000 Kb, one second of video becomes 250 Kb.
WHICH COMPUTER IS REQUIRED FOR STREAMING IN 2022 ROC?
Processor for a computer
For clumsy, easy-to-schedule games, you will have enough to finish a «budget computer» with an Intel Pentium Gold G5400 processor. You can see a picture in 1080p and 60fps in non-viable online games, small indie projects. For AAA igor equal (Battlefield 1, Battlefield 5, Rage2 and in) for high-capacity, select Intel Core i5-11400 or i5-11400F. Deyakі nalashtuvannya іgor all the same happen to reduce or wilt. If you plan to use hardware coding or a video storage card, which processor will be enough for all the latest computer games at maximum settings. Let’s step on the list of the idea «Slow PC» for streaming varto robit by choosing Intel Core i7-11700, i7-11700K. The processors of the same level are running into the software coding of your video files in the most powerful computer games. You can play with permission at 1080p and hit 1440p in the rest of the non-aggressive and powerful computer games. Let’s go «Master PC» for streaming, which will fit right in looking at a 4K monitor and not choke in tight, powerful to the graphics. Processor Intel Core i7-11700K those you need, vіn easily fit into the most complex tasks, 8 cores and 16 threads. This super-monster will not be half-hearted when launching top games. Reshtu yoga tightness can be used to recode the video.
Video card for a computer
For clumsy, easy-to-schedule games, you will have enough to finish a «budget computer» with an Intel Pentium Gold G5400 processor. You can see a picture in 1080p and 60fps in non-viable online games, small indie projects. For AAA igor equal (Battlefield 1, Battlefield 5, Rage2 and in) for high-capacity, select Intel Core i5-11400 or i5-11400F. Deyakі nalashtuvannya іgor all the same happen to reduce or wilt. If you plan to use hardware coding or a video storage card, which processor will be enough for all the latest computer games at maximum settings. Let’s step on the list of the idea «Slow PC» for streaming varto robit by choosing Intel Core i7-11700, i7-11700K. The processors of the same level are running into the software coding of your video files in the most powerful computer games. You can play with permission at 1080p and hit 1440p in the rest of the non-aggressive and powerful computer games. Let’s go «Master PC» for streaming, which will fit right in looking at a 4K monitor and not choke in tight, powerful to the graphics. Processor Intel Core i7-11700K those you need, vіn easily fit into the most complex tasks, 8 cores and 16 threads. This super-monster will not be half-hearted when launching top games. Reshtu yoga tightness can be used to recode the video.
Video card for computer For those who are not able to graphics іgor CS GO, Dota, etc. the GeForce RTX 3050 will be enough, this card is good for rich online projects, such as Apex, League of Legends, Warframe, etc. Tse budget solution for streaming in 2022. This video card can easily be used with two monitors at the same time. Well, let’s go around simple online games on mid-high graphics settings. If you plan to grow and stream on serious resource-intensive games in a Full HD distribution building, you need a minimum of Nvidia RTX 2060 with 6Gb. It will give you the opportunity to play more PC games on high graphics settings with a good FPS (number of frames per second). Axis її is already vistachatime for streaming in 1080p in a different building and an average bitrade. For comfortable gaming at 1440p (2K), you need to buy a GeForce RTX 3060 or GeForce RTX 3070.
These video cards will provide you with a comfortable FPS (FPS) for all video games. Cards of such tightness can hit three monitors at once. Top solutions will be RTX 3070 Ti, RTX 3080 and RTX 3080 Ti from NVidia. These models of videocards were created in order that their masters did not in what they themselves did not play in the games of the next generation of fates, including in the stream. All games without a blame, improved graphics only ultra and 4K!
RAM for the computer
The computer for streaming in 2022 is simply the fault of the mother at least 16 Gb of RAM (RAM). More is needed for the processing of folding orders. The memory frequency is controlled by the memory frequency (2666 MHz, 3000 MHz, 3200 MHz, 3200 MHz) If the indicator of the frequency is higher, then the signal will be transmitted more quickly. The frequency of RAM can be changed by the motherboard, the lower motherboards are mainly upgraded to 64Gb or the processor, for example I911900 raises the frequency to DDR4-3600 MHz, so putting RAM with a higher frequency does not make sense. Processor Ryzen 7 5800 3200 MHz, Ryzen 7 2700 2933 MHz thin.
SSD storage device for computer
Shvidke zavantazhennya igor and location tse those, scho do not hesitate for a long time to check on your beloved that shanovany peep. Install your games, program it yourself on the SSD drive, connect to it and then take the HDD (hard drive), where you will save all your video files and other materials. Here we practice the principle that the greater the amount of your savings, the better for you.
Case and cooling system as quiet as possible!
Would you like to turn your attention to the department that our computer internet store is ready to offer you a solution for this segment of computers at affordable prices. In that case, as a ready-made option, you don’t fit, we can call for a service from computer tag for repair we can choose a computer for you, protecting all your services!
We would be glad that this article helped you understand what kind of computer you need, and maybe you took away the evidence on your needs. In our online store, you can buy a computer for streaming. It is also possible to lock down a PC for a lock, depending on your budget. Please note that in our store you can get not only a game computer, but also a PC for the office, but also a computer for a graphic designer.
Building an AMD Ryzen-based PC for streaming
Streaming is growing in popularity, but to be a successful streamer, you need the right system with the right software and hardware components. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at them so you know where to start.
Types of streaming systems
When deciding which computer to choose for streaming, you should take into account not only budgetary, but also purely physical constraints. We mean the size of the resulting system.
Single PC
This configuration, as the name implies, consists of a single PC. However, when streaming a game, it will have to simultaneously perform two very resource-intensive tasks, so with this option it is necessary to have a powerful processor and video card.
Two computers
In this configuration, a separate computer handles streaming, while the main machine focuses exclusively on the game. An additional computer will require a video capture card and the necessary peripherals for streaming (microphone, camera, etc.). In general, this option will cost more, because in addition to the gaming system, you will need another full-fledged computer plus a video capture card.
Popular streaming apps
Regardless of the hardware configuration you choose, you’ll need apps that can record and stream content to your audience. There are a lot of them, but the most popular today are the following:
- XSplit Gamecaster: https://www.xsplit.com/gamecaster
- OBS Studio: https://obsproject.com/
- StreamLabs OBS: https://streamlabs.com/streamlabs-obs
Assembling a Powerful Streaming PC
If you choose the most popular streaming configuration — a single PC — then choosing the right components is extremely important. Otherwise, it will affect not only the performance of the game, but also the quality of the image that your audience will receive. Image stuttering, constant buffering, pixelation — all this is usually the result of a far from optimal hardware configuration and / or incorrect codec settings.
Let’s go over the key components that carry the brunt of streaming.
Processor (CPU)
The CPU affects both streaming quality and game speed, so if you’re using a single PC setup, make sure that the CPU is capable of handling the proposed tasks. It is a weak / suboptimal processor that is usually the culprit for the poor quality of broadcasts on a single computer.
AMD’s Ryzen line of chips has made workstation-level performance affordable to the general public, and has been one of the factors in the rise of streaming, even among budget-conscious users. For serious streamers looking to showcase the latest gaming titles at the highest visual quality, we recommend the AMD Ryzen 9 processor3900XT (12 cores, 24 threads).
If you’re on a budget, you can switch to hardware-accelerated video processing using your graphics card. In this case, even a Ryzen 5 3600XT-level processor will do. However, then the image quality may be lower, especially in graphics-intensive games, the launch of which in itself creates a serious load on the video card.
CPU cooler
Once you’ve chosen a powerful processor for your streaming system, you should then take care of proper cooling to ensure it performs to its best. This is where water cooling immediately comes to mind, and in the form of ready-made solutions that allow you to avoid the hassle associated with assembling a water cooling system with all its pumps and pipes.
The MSI MAG CoreLiquid 360R cooler is the ideal choice for the Ryzen 9 3900XT. It will allow you to achieve maximum performance by unlocking the full frequency potential of the chip using AMD Precision Boost Overdrive technology. If you use a Ryzen 7 or Ryzen 5 processor, then the less expensive MSI MAG CORELIQUID 240R model will be very effective.
Motherboard
The processor and its cooling are a key component of a streaming system, but no less important is the platform on which they are installed. Reliable power, overclocking support, plenty of storage slots, extra functionality are all reasons to invest in a good motherboard.
MSI motherboards are offered in a wide range of features and prices. Examples are the MEG X570 ACE, MSI MPG B550 Gaming Carbon WIFI and MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk models.
Graphics Card (GPU)
The graphics card is a key component of any gaming system, and this is doubly true for a configuration used not only for gaming, but also for streaming. If you plan to use a GPU for video signal processing, you should make sure that the video card can not only provide high-speed games at the desired resolution, but also cope with the processing of the video broadcast signal in parallel.
MSI Radeon RX 5700 GAMING X-class graphics card is suitable for streaming at 1080p simultaneously.
Memory (RAM)
AMD Ryzen processors support high frequency memory modules. For streaming, you should prefer the best memory, and in a large amount. We recommend the HyperX FURY DDR4 RGB 3600MHz kit — it will be more than enough for any application, including multitasking.
Drive #1: Solid State Drive (SSD)
MSI’s B550 and X570 series motherboards offer the most advanced storage solutions in PCIe 4.0 mode. With twice the throughput of the previous generation of drives, they are ideal for handling large files containing original photo or video footage.
Seagate’s FireCuda 520 (PCIe Gen4, NVMe, 2TB) SSD has plenty of space for both game installation and video streaming. And all this without any compromise in terms of speed. However, for archival storage of video materials, you will most likely need an additional drive, which is described below.
Drive #2: Hard Disk Drive (HDD)
Fast solid state drives are good for intensive work and gaming, but may not be large enough to store all the video content you want to save for later processing. It is in this aspect that HDDs outperform SSDs, offering high capacity at a very attractive price.
Seagate’s Ironwolf series of hard drives is the ideal choice for archiving and other applications.
Power Supply Unit (PSU)
Once you have decided on the components, you need to think about providing them with a proper power supply. Thanks to the energy-efficient microarchitecture of AMD’s new 7nm processors, you won’t need a particularly high power supply, so you should look for a high-quality model that will last for many years. A good choice would be a PSU from Cooler Master with 80 Plus Platinum or Gold certification, which means minimal power loss.
Enclosure
Now all that’s left is to find an enclosure in which the selected components will look as impressive as possible. Many streamers put their computers in the background while broadcasting. If you are going to do the same, you should take care of the appearance of the case, and not just its ventilation.
MSI offers a wide range of computer cases that differ in design and functionality. Front USB-C interface, extra space for cable management, power supply shroud, tempered glass side panels, support for vertical installation of the video card — MSI cases are made to the highest standards.
Recommended PC Components for Streaming and Gaming
To make your choice easier, we’ve compiled a list of components that will suit streamers of all levels, from those who want the best possible picture for themselves and their audience, to those who just taking his first steps in streaming and on a tight budget.
High end streaming PC configuration
- Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 9 3900XT
- Motherboard: MSI MEG X570 ACE
- Graphics Card: MSI Radeon™ RX 5700 GAMING X
- Cooler: MSI MAG CORELIQUID 360R
- Memory: HyperX FURY DDR4 RGB 3600MHz
- HDD: Seagate Ironwolf 6TB
- SSD: Seagate FireCuda 520 PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD 2TB
- Power supply: Cooler Master V850 PLATINUM
- Housing: MSI MPG SEKIRA 500G
Streaming midrange PC configuration
- Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 7 3800XT
- Motherboard: MSI MPG B550 GAMING CARBON WIFI
- Graphics Card: MSI Radeon™ RX 5700 GAMING X
- Cooler: MSI MAG CORELIQUID 240R
- Memory: HyperX FURY DDR4 RGB 3600MHz
- HDD: Seagate Ironwolf 6TB
- SSD: Seagate FireCuda 520 PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD 2TB
- Power supply: Cooler Master V650 GOLD
- Body: MSI MPG GUNGNIR 110R
Streaming Budget PC Configuration
- Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 5 3600XT
- Motherboard: MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK
- Graphic card: MSI Radeon™ RX 5600 XT GAMING X
- Cooler: MSI MAG CORELIQUID 240R
- Memory: HyperX FURY DDR4 RGB 3600MHz
- HDD: Seagate Ironwolf 6TB
- SSD: Seagate FireCuda 520 PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD 2TB
- Power supply: Cooler Master V650 GOLD
- Enclosure: MSI MAG VAMPIRIC 100R
Streaming computers | Useful tips MultiMart.
by
The emergence of services such as TwitchTV on the network marked the beginning of a new era for gamers — streams. Streams, or broadcasting video from a computer monitor through a server in real time, have literally taken over the Internet space. Already at the beginning of 2018, the number of TwichTV streamers reached 2 million, and the number of their viewers reached 15 million people. Now gamers can not only play their favorite games, but also make reviews on them, demonstrate the gameplay to the whole world, and also monetize the created content.
Just imagine: high FPS, detailed picture without annoying delays, minimal lag, fast bitrate — without this, it is simply impossible to become a popular streamer, and a high-performance computer plays an important role in the quality of an online broadcast. The specialists of the MultiMart online store will tell you about which PC is better to choose for a quality stream and what to look for when choosing hardware.
It is a mistake to assume that a good broadcast requires only a high-speed Internet channel (although a good router and reliable Internet service provider play an important role). A large amount of memory, a powerful processor, a good video card from the right manufacturer — these are the «three pillars» on which a streaming PC stands.
Unlike recording content on YouTube, when the information is first received on the SSD, then it can be edited and encoded at a convenient pace, and the video can be uploaded to the hosting at any time, the computer performs all these actions simultaneously during streaming. If its processor does not have time to record, encode and upload information, this will inevitably cause a deterioration in the quality of the broadcast, splitting the image into pixels, and lags. That is why a successful streamer needs a specialized PC, all the components of which are «sharpened» for real-time gaming broadcasts.
What should be the processor
Processor power is required not only by the game itself, but also by video encoding, so in order to reduce the load on the CPU, you need to use hardware rather than software encoding, which can significantly “drain” FPS. For high-definition broadcasts (1080p and above), it’s best to have a PC with a quad- or octa-core processor. Streams heavily load the processor, and since its performance and performance are largely dependent on the clock frequency and the number of cores, the higher both of these indicators, the better.
The choice of one or another processor for a computer largely depends on what toys you are going to stream. So, for indie games that are not demanding on hardware, for example, the Intel Pentium Gold G5400 is suitable, thanks to which the world can see a picture with a resolution of 1080p. If you plan to review the latest AAA toys, then you need a more powerful CPU, for example, an Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 — their power is more than enough to review modern new products on the day of release.
We recommend processors from Intel because they performed well in online broadcasts compared to AMD counterparts. In addition, it is known that computers of well-known streamers, such as SHROUD and Dr. Disrespect, and their broadcasts are always of impeccable quality.
Ideal graphics card for streaming
The importance of a graphics card for a PC is largely determined by the games you are going to stream. So, for some undemanding games, it is completely optional — a graphics chip built into the CPU is quite enough. Please note that video cards from different manufacturers offer hardware encoding methods, which can vary significantly. NVIDIA models are considered the undisputed leader in this area.
The options for choosing a video card for a streamer PC are approximately the following:
- For non-demanding games with low graphics settings, such as League of Legend, a card with 2 GB of memory, such as the GTX 1050, will do.
- For more powerful FHD gaming or budget streaming at 1440p, a graphics card with 6 GB of memory will do.
- For demanding modern AAA games, it is better to pay attention to a PC with a top-end graphics card, such as the GeForce GTX 1080. This model will allow you to forget about brakes and delays that can «cut» a significant part of your audience. In addition, top-end graphics cards are also good because they can provide excellent overclocking and power enough for games at maximum settings, and the ability to connect multiple monitors to it at once will make your stream really interesting.
How much memory is needed for a quality stream
As a rule, during the broadcast, in addition to the game, a lot of other windows (donations, chats, etc.) are displayed on the monitor. In order for the broadcast to not freeze during such multitasking, a large amount of RAM is required. So, in 2019, a modern streaming PC should have at least 16 GB of DDR4 memory in its arsenal. The golden rule applies here — the more, the better. Therefore, if you want to broadcast an online team game and simultaneously communicate via Skype without delay, make sure that there is enough RAM in your PC.
Cooling system
A silent cooling system seems like an insignificant factor when choosing a streaming PC only at first glance. Live streaming involves live interaction with viewers, and chassis rattle and noise from running fans can reduce your viewership. That is why these elements should be as silent as possible.
Best of the Best: Introducing the 2022 ROG Strix SCAR 17 Special Edition | ROG
In January, we introduced the ROG Strix SCAR 2022, an incredibly powerful gaming laptop built to outperform the competition in esports. However, it is not in our rules to stop there, so we decided to make it even better. We are proud to present the ROG Strix SCAR 17 Special Edition, the ultimate competitive gaming laptop.
The original 2022 Strix SCAR is ideal for most gamers. It’s lighter and more affordable than the new Special Edition, while still delivering exceptional gaming performance. But for those who choose the best of the best, a special edition of the Strix SCAR 17 SE has been created, combining the latest technology with a bold cyberpunk design.
Unparalleled power
Intel Core i9-12950HX processor with up to 65W TDP and 8-core and 8-efficiency hybrid architecture is perfect for both AAA games and multi-threaded tasks. This flagship processor is capable of overclocking to an impressive 5.2GHz, briefly boosting the thermal output to 175W when the graphics card is disabled, allowing the SCAR 17 SE to be used as a powerful media creation workstation in addition to its main purpose. In the Cinebench R23 performance test, the SCAR 17 SE scored 22,257 in Turbo mode, comparable to the performance of the latest desktop PCs.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti laptop thermal packs with Dynamic Boost technology can also reach 175V, a mind-blowing value for a ROG laptop. This gaming monster has all the benefits of the latest NVIDIA RTX GPUs, including support for ray tracing and DLSS deep learning anti-aliasing technologies. Built-in NVENC encoder improves video quality for streaming, while adaptive sync support ensures exceptionally smooth gaming experience.
Speaking of which, the Strix SCAR 17 SE is available in two display configurations — 1080p with a laptop-breaking 360Hz refresh rate or 1440p with a 240Hz refresh rate. Both versions offer support for Adaptive Sync and Dolby Vision technologies, as well as an incredibly low response time of 3ms. No matter which display option you choose, you can rest assured that the screen’s superior «speed» performance will allow you to see your enemies in the game before they see you.
At its highest hardware configuration, the SCAR 17 SE offers 64GB of high-speed DDR5-4800MHz RAM, PCIe Gen4 SSDs in RAID0, and a dedicated display multiplexer for maximum graphics performance in games. With the latest WiFi 6E controller for superb wireless speeds and the latest 2.5Gbps Ethernet controller for wired connectivity, you can be sure of an excellent internet connection for gaming. The I/O set includes two USB Type-C ports (one of which supports the latest Thunderbolt™ 4 interface) as well as a full-size HDMI 2.1 connector for 4K/120Hz video output to external monitors. Whether you’re playing at home or on the go, the SCAR 17 SE adapts to any environment, giving you everything you need to win confidently.
New cooling system
Packing such powerful components into a compact laptop chassis and keeping them running smoothly with high-quality cooling is not an easy engineering task. The 2022 ROG Strix SCAR 17 SE laptop uses Thermal Grizzly’s Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal alloy as the thermal interface for both the CPU and GPU, which significantly reduces the operating temperature of these components compared to conventional thermal pastes. For the CPU, the difference can be up to 15°C.
For even better heat dissipation, the SCAR 17 SE’s cooling system uses a specially designed evaporative chamber that covers 48.8% of the motherboard, including the CPU, graphics chip and batteries. Unlike traditional heat pipes, which transfer heat only along its axis, such a chamber distributes it over its entire surface, the area of which is much larger. All this contributes not only to effective cooling of internal components, but also to a decrease in the temperature of the laptop case, and in particular the area under the user’s palms, so that even in the midst of a virtual battle, your hands are comfortable. Featuring four 0.1mm thick copper fin heatsinks and advanced Arc Flow fans, the SCAR 17 SE’s cooling system does its job perfectly, helping to keep powerful components performing consistently for long hours of gaming. 9ROG Strix SCAR 17 SE It features the same Armor Caps and colorful RGB lighting as the other Strix SCAR models, with one unique addition: an “invisible ink” ornament on the cap. Of course, ordinary invisible ink, which is used to write on paper, is not suitable for the metal cover of a laptop. A special formula was developed specifically for the SCAR 17 SE model — in normal lighting this substance has a matte metallic texture, and in the light of an ultraviolet flashlight it becomes bright blue and green. We have been developing this «invisible ink» for six months, trying seven different formulas to achieve impeccable quality and durability. The ornament made of words and symbols on the lid of the laptop made with these “inks” looks very unusual and attracts the eye.
This ornament also encodes clues to help you complete SCAR Runner, a unique first-person parkour arcade game set in Goemon City. Overcoming obstacles, the hero will have to fight against time in order to have time to get important information from the PKD. In honor of the release of SCAR Runner, ROG is launching a campaign to give away valuable prizes, including the ROG Strix SCAR 17 SE gaming laptop, ROG SLASH accessories, ROG Phone 5s and a range of peripherals. Full campaign rules can be found here.
Specifications ROG Strix SCAR 17 Special Edition
CPU
Intel Core i9-12950HX
Video Card
NVIDIA GeForce RTX3080 Ti
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti
Display
FHD, 360Hz/3ms, 100% sRGB
QHD, 240Hz/3ms, 100% DCI-P3
RAM
Up to 64GB DDR5 @ 4800MHz
User Memory
SSD, up to 4TB, PCIe Gen4
I/O ports
2x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C
2x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A
1x LAN RJ45 (2.5 Gbps)
1x HDMI 2.1
1x 3.5mm combo audio jack
1x power connector
Battery
90 Wh
Size and weight
395 x 282. 1 x 23.4 ~ 28.3 mm
3 kg
different variants and different games
Hello everyone! In today’s post, we will analyze what kind of processor is needed for streaming on YouTube, how to choose the optimal configuration for World of Tanks, CS GO and other games, what to consider when assembling such a computer.
What to consider when assembling a PC for broadcasting
I will not tell you again what a stream is and who are streamers. If you have landed on my blog, then I dare to assume that you already know what it is and, most importantly, why you need it specifically. Here I will just share some observations.
Hardware requirements are not tied to the platform on which you are going to broadcast — be it Youtube, Twitch or their alternative. The video that is captured and streamed to the platform weighs too much in its pure form, so it is pre-encoded.
For any of the platforms from free software, OBS Studio is best suited — a simple program with simple settings that can be used to broadcast or record video from devices connected to a PC.
The settings for any of the platforms are actually the same, since similar encoding algorithms are used. This allows you to broadcast simultaneously on several sites — for example, the same YouTube and Twitch.
There is a common misconception that streaming is necessarily the passage of some game. I do not argue that it used to be so, but today you can find a lot of streamers who are doing something else.
For example, they simply communicate with the audience on related topics, play musical instruments, draw or conduct an ASMR therapy session (this is when a girl smacks into a microphone or scratches Styrofoam with her nails, thereby calming the nerves of the viewer).
I’ll put it this way: whatever game comes to your mind, it can be broadcast. Everything rests only on the equipment with which the process will be recorded, as well as PR. Otherwise, why engage in all sorts of nonsense if no one sees it or there are too few spectators?
Another not even a requirement, but a rule of good manners is to broadcast in 1080 resolution. 720 resolution is morally obsolete today, because the majority of viewers watch the stream (those who watch it) on large screens. The amendment is not accidental — many gamers only listen to game broadcasts, while playing themselves. We will consider game streams. For all of the above, the system requirements are more democratic. The minimum that a beginner streamer needs is a computer with OBS Studio set up and an active account on the broadcast site.
That’s right. There are quite successful streamers (and letsplayers too) who do not even use a microphone when broadcasting games. In this case, I determine success by the fact that there are sponsors who will donate amounts of various sizes.
However, there are few successful in this niche: you need to show a very high skill of the game to make it interesting to watch you — for example, distribute one-shots left or right in CS:GO or consistently take first place in a single royal battle in Fortnite.
In this case, communication with the audience will only distract. If you do not have such skills, I recommend using a microphone and telling something to the audience or commenting on what is happening on the screen. In this case, system requirements increase slightly: an additional load appears on the sound card, and that, in turn, uses the processor.
Many streamers do not use a webcam. Of course, viewers are interested in how the host reacts to game events, so the popularity of such streamers is usually higher. If this is a pretty girl, there will definitely be admirers and sponsors, even if she shamelessly rakes in WoT or loses every rink in DotA. Just because it’s a girl, obviously.
The presence of a webcam increases the system requirements even more, and also requires additional gestures. It will be necessary to organize at least some semblance of a studio and, importantly, to set up the lighting correctly. postpone dancing with a tambourine around the webcam for later. Well, I wanted it to be shorter, but loaded it with a bunch of additional information. Now let’s look at the builds for the game stream.
Budget option
Bundle of GTX 1050Ti video card and Intel Pentium G4560 CPU. You can stream MOBAs like LOL or Dota 2 at 1080 resolution. For more demanding applications, you will need to set the image as 720. Also suitable for streaming passage of tube indie games or proven «classics». You can read about which video card is better — GTX 1050Ti or RX 560 here.
Mid-segment
Video card and GTX 1060 with 6 GB of video memory and AMD Ryzen 5 2600X processor. Such a computer will cope with most AAA games at medium and high graphics settings. As an alternative, you can use a CPU from Intel from the i5 line.
Hardcore build
NVidia GTX 1070 bundled with Intel i7 or Ryzen 7. Can stream any modern game at maximum graphics settings at 1080 resolution and even higher.
Professional Edition
RTX 2080 graphics adapter with Intel i9 CPU delivers 60 FPS live streaming at up to 4K resolution. Such a monster allows not only to conduct a high-quality stream, but also to mount the footage without any problems and quickly render the finished video.
The last couple of options considered are not cheap pleasure. What should a beginner streamer do if the computer is rather weak, and the budget is calculated to the last ruble? Rely on the help of viewers by setting a new computer as a donation target.
If you are interesting to the audience, then over time you will collect the necessary amount on donations. If it doesn’t work out, then I suspect that you started all this in vain and it’s better to find a more productive occupation.
If, however, you doubt the choice between some processor models, then you can safely write to me in the comments — I will definitely tell you.
Also, publications about checking a video card for originality and what is TDP in a video card will be useful for you?. Share this post on social networks if you liked it. Till tomorrow!
Sincerely, the author of the blog Andrey Andreev.
TOP-10. The best processors for games. January 2022. Intel or AMD. Which to choose?
Author Anatoly Vorontsov Reading 10 min. Views 21.9k. Posted
Updated
Hello everyone! In today’s review, I’m going to talk about the ten best processors for gaming from Intel and AMD. The TOP will include both entry-level devices and the most innovative models.
Content
- Intel Core i3-10100f
- Intel Core i5-11400f
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600
- AMD Ryzen 5 3600
- AMD Ryzen 5 5600x 0. 10020
- Integrated graphics: no
- TDP: 65 W
- SOCKET: LGA1200
- lithography: 14 nm
- Number of flows: 12
- Basic Cabbit: 2.6 GGC
- TCO TCU frequency in turbo mode: 4.4 GHz
- Free multiplier: no
- Integrated graphics: no
- TDP: 65 W
- Socket: AM4
- Lithography: 12 nm
- Base clock: 3.4 GHz
- Turbo clock: 3.9 GHz
- Free multiplier: yes
- Integrated graphics: no
- TDP: 65 W
- SOCKET: AM4
- lithography: 7 nm
- Number: 6
- Number of flows: 12
- Basic clock frequency: 3.6 GHC
- Tact frequency in turbo mode: 4.2 GHC
- Free multiplier:
- Integrated graphics: no
- TDP: 65 W
- SOCKET: AM4
- LITO LITAROGRATION: 7 Nm
- Number: 6
- Number of flows: 12
- Basic clock frequency: 3.7 GGC
- Free multiplier: yes
- Integrated graphics: no
- TDP: 65 W
- SOCKET: LGA1200
- lithography: 14 nm
- Number of flows: 16
- Basic clock: 3.6 GGC: 3 turbo frequency: 5. 0 GHz
- Free multiplier: yes
- Integrated graphics: no
- TDP: 125W
- SOCKET: AM4
- Litography: 7 Nm
- Number: 8
- Number of flows: 16
- Basic clock frequency: 3.8 GGGS ACCOM in turbo mode: 4.7 GHz
- Free multiplier: yes
- Integrated graphics: no
- TDP: 105 W
- SOCKET: LGA1700
- lithography: 10 nm
- Number (6p+4e)
- Lumber of flows: 16
- Base clock: 2.8GHz (E-core)/3.7GHz (P-core)
- Turbo clock: 3.6GHz (E-core)/4.9GHz (P-core)
- Free multiplier: yes
- Integrated graphics: no
- TDP: 125 W
- SOCKET: AM4
- Litography: 7 Nm
- Number: 16
- Number of flows: 32
- Basic clock frequency: 3. 4 GGGS ACCOM in turbo mode: 4.9 GHz
- Free multiplier: yes
- Integrated graphics: no
- TDP: 105 W
- SOCKET: LGA1700
- litography: 10 nm
- Number (8p+8e) 900 900
- BAZ BAZ frequency: 2.4 GHz (E-core)/3.2 GHz (P-core)
- Turbo clock speed: 3.9GHz (E-core) / 5.1 GHz (P-core) / 5.2 GHz (TurboBoost)
- Free multiplier: yes
- Integrated graphics: no
- TDP: 125 W
The most affordable solution in today’s selection was the Intel Core i3-10100F. This quad-core processor is made on a 14nm process and is the entry-level model in the 10th generation lineup. The multiplier is locked, the frequency in the base is 3600 MHz, and due to Intel TurboBoost, the figure can reach 4300 MHz.
The processor is quite cold and does not require serious cooling. A boxed cooler will suffice. TDP is 65W. To build a PC with this stone, you can use an inexpensive motherboard with LGA1200 socket support on the h510 or B460 chipset. As for the video card, the processor will work without problems in tandem with a GTX 1660 Super or RTX 2060 level card. You can even config with an RTX 3060, but in the heaviest toys, the power of 10100F will not be enough to unlock the potential of the video card. The percent itself will be loaded to the maximum, while the card will have an unused performance margin.
Intel Core i5-11400f
Raising the bar. Next in line is an inexpensive 11th generation Intel processor — Core i5-11400F. The filling uses 6 cores and 12 threads. The manufacturing process is 14 nanometers. Base frequency — 2600 MHz, turbo — 4400 MHz. As usual, in entry-level devices without the “K” index, the multiplier is locked. Overclocking occurs independently due to TurboBoost technology, and the frequency dynamically adjusts to the current conditions of use.
The processor was a direct continuation of the popular 10400F. There are more than enough differences between them. There was support for PCI-Express 4.0 and memory modules with a frequency of 3200 MHz. The cache size remained unchanged, and the clock frequency in the base became even smaller — in the 10400F it is 2900 MHz. Heat dissipation has not changed — 65 watts. Again, you can use a boxed cooler and not worry too much about the temperature. But ideally, you should put at least the simplest tower with a power dissipation in the region of 125 watts.
In synthetics, the 11400F outperforms its predecessor by about 30%. The processor is able to work without a bottleneck with a video card of the RTX 3060 level. With the RTX 3070 and 3070 Ti, it also turns out quite a good picture, but occasionally the stone can be loaded by 100%, while the card load will not exceed 70-80%.
AMD Ryzen 5 2600
90 019 Number of Cores0019 Number of threads: 12
9002 favorite — Ryzen 5 2600. The processor was born in the second quarter of 2018, but still gives a «light» to many competitors. True, the popularity of the model played a cruel joke on users. The price tag for this stone has increased significantly over the past year. But it is quite possible to snatch it at discounts for an acceptable price.
The CPU is made on a 12nm process technology and has an unlocked multiplier. The frequency in the turbo is 3900 MHz, inside 6 cores and 12 threads. There is no integrated graphics. The L3 cache is 16 megabytes, which is the same as the top 11th generation Intel processors. Although the difference between them is 3 years. In terms of performance, the Ryzen 5 2600 is roughly comparable to the 10400F, which beats it in synthetics in single-threaded tasks, but is significantly inferior in multi-threaded tests.
In games, the processor performs more than well. The ideal combination would be a build with 2600 and RTX 2070, or even with 2070 Super. At the same time, the bottleneck is practically excluded if you play in FullHD. At 2K or 4K resolution, there is a chance that the processor will be fully loaded, while the video card still has some headroom. In short, the Ryzen 5 2600 is the perfect choice for an AMD-powered mid-range gaming build.
AMD Ryzen 5 3600
AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a logical continuation of the previous model. The updated 7nm process technology, the L3 cache increased to 32 megabytes and significantly increased frequencies — all this allowed the fresh processor to bypass the 2600th by almost 30% in synthetic tests. The logical question is why not the 3600X? It’s simple — models with the prefix «X» cannot be found on sale now. The same goes for the 2600X. Therefore, today I am reviewing the younger versions of these processors.
Ryzen 5 3600 can be multiplied up to 4200 MHz. For such operating conditions, you should take care of good cooling, and you won’t get off with a boxed cooler here. The maximum supported frequency of RAM has increased to 3200 MHz, against 2933 for its predecessor. The processor is more than relevant for gaming assemblies of the pre-maximum level. Together with an RTX 3060, RX 6600 XT or even RTX 3070 card, you can assemble a more than decent configuration for FullHD and 2K gaming.
AMD RYZEN 5 5600x
9001 turbo mode: 4.6 GHz
5600X. It would be most correct to compare it with the 3600X, which it was intended to replace. In fact, there are not many differences. But the overall performance increased by about 20%.
The maximum frequency in turbo mode can reach 4600 MHz, versus 4400 for the 3600X. The cache size of all three levels is identical, as is the layout of the cores and threads — 6 and 12, respectively. The updated architecture of Zen 3 significantly improved the energy efficiency of the processor. TDP has dropped to 65W, while its predecessor had 95W.
The 5600X can be used in high end gaming systems. An RTX 3070 Ti or RX 6700XT will run at full power when paired with this gem. And even if there is a bottleneck with the RTX 3080, then the average user will most likely not feel it, since the difference compared to a more powerful processor will be 5-10 FPS, no more.
Intel Core i7-11700KF
It’s time to get back into blue territory. Next on the list is the Intel Core i7-11700KF, the first octa-core in my ranking. The processor has an unlocked multiplier, the maximum frequency in turbo mode can reach 5000 MHz. Of course, such a “beast” turns out to be quite “gluttonous”. TDP is 125W. A tower with a power dissipation of 150 W or more is the minimum required to cool this stone. There are versions without the “F” index, which have an integrated graphics chip, but the expediency of buying them in a High-End class gaming assembly is in great doubt. Is that the price tag for such a model will be lower.
There are also options with a locked multiplier — the base frequency is reduced there, and the maximum figure reaches 4900 MHz. The difference in performance with «K» models is about 10-15%, but they do not differ much in price either. Therefore, I do not see the point in this small savings.
Not much to say about the gaming potential. Any desktop graphics cards available today work well with the 11700KF. For building with an RTX 3090 or 3080 Ti, this is one of the most affordable options.
AMD RYZEN 7 5800X
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X is designed to compete with 11700KF. And I must say, he does it very well. It costs about 10% more, but gives the same performance boost. The key advantages of the 5800X are improved power efficiency due to the 7nm process technology and an increased L3 cache to 32 megabytes. In single-threaded tasks, there is practically no difference between devices. But in multi-threading, AMD’s stone takes the lead.
There won’t be much difference in FPS in games. The 5800X, just like its competitor, will successfully cope with any video card. But if, in addition to games, maximum performance is required in work tasks, then the «red» percent becomes the undisputed favorite.
Intel Core i5-12600KF
9 900 9 900 9 900 9 900 9 900 9 900 99
Where without new processors from Intel. The Core i5-12600KF is already on sale today at a fairly attractive price. The recently reviewed 11700KF is slightly inferior to the new product in almost all respects, and we are not talking about a direct continuation of this processor in the face of the 12700K model, but about the youngest device in the line.
The transition to a new architecture changed the layout of the cores inside fresh Intel stones. 12600KF received 6 productive and 4 energy efficient cores. The maximum frequency of the P-core is 4900 MHz when overclocked by the multiplier. The processor supports the new DDR5 memory and the 5th generation PCI-Express interface. The cache of the 3rd level has grown to 20 megabytes. Once again, I will not talk about the gaming potential — everything is clear. Why choose it, and not 11700KF? It’s not even the difference in performance, which is not particularly great here. The new generation switched to the updated LGA1700 socket, and it would not be very advisable to build a system on LGA1200, taking into account the prospect of installing faster DDR5 memory and PCI-Express 5.0 support.
AMD RYZEN 9 5950X
Ryzen 9 5950X is the most powerful processor from AMD today. Of course, I’m not counting the Threadripper lines or the EPYC server lines, which are far ahead of their performance along with their price tags.
5950X got 16 cores and 32 threads. Of course, the multiplier is unlocked here, and the frequency in turbo mode can reach 4900 MHz. Not the most impressive figure, but this is more than enough for absolutely any task: from the most demanding games to working with heavy projects and 3D modeling. The TDP of 105W sets it apart from more power hungry Intel processors. But, of course, you can immediately throw out the boxed cooler if you suddenly bought a non-OEM version. This percent is located to overclocking and requires appropriate cooling. From 9With a 9% probability, it can be argued that it will work without any problems with all future video cards that will be released in the next 3-4 years.
Intel Core i9-12900kf
Closes today’s TOP brand new Intel Core i9-12900KF . If before that I was talking about the most powerful processor from AMD, now it’s the turn to talk about the same device from the «blue» company. The total number of cores is 16: 8 productive and 8 energy efficient. The maximum frequency when Intel TurboBoost is activated is 5200 MHz.
It would be logical to compare the new product with the 5950X. The 12900KF is more than twice as small as the L3 cache — 30 MB versus 64 MB for the competitor. There are also fewer threads here — 24 versus 32. The main advantage is increased turbo frequencies, support for PCI-Express 5th generation and DDR5.