You’ve upgraded from one PC to a dual PC streaming setup and that you’re going to stream with. Congratulations on the upgrade, but do you have everything you need to make sure your streams are a smooth as can be?
The Basics
A dedicated mic, like the Yeti mic, is essential to any dual PC streaming setup. Photo by Blue
First up, make sure your dual streaming PCs are set up properly. Gaming is generally going to require a stronger GPU while your streaming PC is going to require a stronger CPU. So, if you’re limited on parts, make sure they’re appropriated properly.
Next up, you’re going to need a monitor for your streaming PC. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy like your 4K 27-inch 144hz monitor with adaptive sync that costs a month’s rent. A basic 1080p monitor should do the trick. You mainly want it so you can monitor your stream output and interact with whatever stream software you choose to use. The same goes for a keyboard and mouse—you just need something basic that allows you to navigate the user interface. If you need to find a monitor for your streaming PC, the iBUYPOWER store has great 1080p monitors for as low as $149.
Finally, you’re going to want a capture card of some sort, either internal or external. This is a critical part of your setup and you can usually go with something like the Elgato capture cards or the more robust AverMedia 4k capture card.
More Than The Basics
You can get away with a dual PC streaming setup with the above, but let’s be honest, you are running a dual PC setup to take your streaming to the next level. To do that, you’re going to need a few more things to really stand out and become the next Tyler1.
A dedicated mic and mic arm is an excellent investment to take your stream to the next level. Not only will your audio sound crisper, but it can cut down on any potential confusion with your audio inputs. By plugging your dedicated mic into your streaming PC you can not only run audio software, like the Sound Core3D Audio Processor in the Creative Sound Blaster Z Card, but you also never have to worry about if your headset mic is muted, live, or not positioned properly.
If you’re streaming with a webcam a proper lighting setup is a great next step. One of the most popular items in streaming are ring lights that can attach to the back of your desk or simply rest on your desk. These lights will allow for even illumination of your face so that your viewers can see your every emotion as you absolutely get your ass kicked by that one boss in Dark Souls 3. You know the one I’m talking about. The one that always kills you.
An Elgato Ring Light setup. Photo by Elgato
Depending on how much money you want to spend, you can pick up something like the Elgato Stream Deck for easy streaming macros. They’re great for launching your stream or changing scenes. However, if your keyboard has macro keys you can do a lot of the same things. It’s up to you if you want to invest in a separate device or a more expensive keyboard.
The Final Frontier
We’ve covered the essentials for basic and good streaming, but what if you want to take it to the final level? There are upgrades to almost every aspect we’ve covered that you can find.
If you need a bit more lighting in your setup, you can add a key light or other RGB controllable lights to your existing key light setup for a more dynamic streaming look. Want to fully eliminate your bedroom that you stream from? Acquiring a green screen is a great way to do that and there are many green screen solutions.
Nanoleafs can give your dual pc streaming setup that extra RGB it needs. Photo by Nanoleaf
In addition to a lighting upgrade, you can also upgrade your camera. You can go in two directions here: many streamers have gone with dedicated DSLRs to film them while they game, while others are going a different route and becoming Vtubers and will require a webcam with good resolution that will clearly capture your facial expressions so it can translate it.
Whatever you upgrade, always remember the adage of computer parts: the more RGB the better.
