Games are meant to be played, at least by one player and maybe 2 or 3 players. Recently, this has changed. Thanks to the online game-streaming service Twitch, games can now be viewed in spectator mode. Twitch has gained stupendous popularity in recent years, hosting thousands of game streams at a time. To build a streaming PC, there are some things you need to get basically, and you’re good to go. So How do I build a dedicated Streaming PC? We are going to outline all you need to DIY-build a dedicated Streaming PC with expert recommendations.
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AMD Streaming PC Builds
Budget AMD Streaming PC Build List
AMD Budget Streaming PC Build
Choose this build if you want a budget Streaming PC based on the AMD platform. All parts are vetted for compatibility.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X (6 cores, 12 threads – solid for x264 medium preset)
- CPU Cooler: Wraith Stealth (stock)
- Motherboard: MSI B550M PRO-VDH WiFi
- GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6600 8GB (H.264/AV1 support for OBS with AMD hardware encoding)
- RAM: 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4-3200
- Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
- PSU: 550W 80+ Bronze
- Case: Montech AIR 100 / NZXT H510
- OS: Windows 11 Home
Best value gaming + streaming combo if you stick to 1080p output
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Mid-Range AMD Streaming PC Build List
AMD Mid-Range Streaming PC Build
Choose this build if you want a mid-range Streaming PC based on the AMD platform. All parts are vetted for compatibility.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7700 (8-core, 16-thread, with iGPU if GPU fails)
- CPU Cooler: DeepCool AG400 / Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120
- Motherboard: MSI B650 Tomahawk WiFi
- GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT / RX 7600 XT
- RAM: 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5-6000 CL30
- Storage: 1TB NVMe Gen4 SSD
- PSU: 650W 80+ Gold
- Case: Phanteks Eclipse G360A / DeepCool CK560
- OS: Windows 11 Pro
Excellent for gaming at 1440p and using GPU encoding via OBS (AV1 or H.264)
High-End AMD Streaming PC Build List
AMD High-End Streaming PC Build
Choose this build if you want a high-end Streaming PC based on the AMD platform. All parts are vetted for compatibility.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (16 cores, 32 threads – incredible for CPU encoding + multitasking)
- CPU Cooler: Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 / DeepCool Assassin IV
- Motherboard: ASUS ProArt X670E-Creator WiFi
- GPU: AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX / NVIDIA RTX 4070 Super (Blender & OBS performance)
- RAM: 64GB (2x32GB) DDR5-6000 CL30
- Storage: 2TB Gen4 NVMe SSD + 2TB SATA SSD
- PSU: 1000W 80+ Gold
- Case: Phanteks NV9 / Lian Li Lancool III
- OS: Windows 11 Pro
For heavy multitasking streamers who game, edit, encode, and broadcast all on one rig
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Intel Streaming PC Builds
Budget Intel Streaming PC Build List
Intel Budget Streaming PC Build
Choose this build if you want a budget Streaming PC based on the Intel platform. All parts are vetted for compatibility.
- CPU: Intel Core i5-13400F (10-core: 6P + 4E, excellent for x264 encoding)
- CPU Cooler: Intel Laminar RM1 (stock)
- Motherboard: MSI B660M-A Pro DDR4
- GPU: Intel Arc A580 8GB or NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super (NVENC support for OBS)
- RAM: 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4-3200
- Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD (Crucial P3 / WD SN570)
- PSU: 550W 80+ Bronze (EVGA 550 W1 / Thermaltake Smart BX1)
- Case: DeepCool CC360 ARGB / Thermaltake Versa H18
- OS: Windows 11 Home
Best value gaming + streaming combo if you stick to 1080p output
Mid-Range Intel Streaming PC Build List
Intel Mid-Range Streaming PC Build
Choose this build if you want a mid-range Streaming PC based on the Intel platform. All parts are vetted for compatibility.
- CPU: Intel Core i5-13600K (14-core: 6P + 8E, beast for encoding)
- CPU Cooler: DeepCool AK620 / Thermalright Phantom Spirit
- Motherboard: ASUS B660-A WiFi D4
- GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4060 / Arc A770 16GB
- RAM: 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4-3600
- Storage: 1TB Gen4 NVMe SSD (Samsung 980 Pro / WD Black SN850X)
- PSU: 650W 80+ Gold (Corsair RM650e / Seasonic Focus GX)
- Case: NZXT H510 Flow / Lian Li Lancool 215
- OS: Windows 11 Pro
Can stream and game at 1080p/1440p at high settings while using NVENC or Quick Sync for great quality
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High-End Intel Streaming PC Build List
Intel High-End Streaming PC Build
Choose this build if you want a high-end Streaming PC based on the Intel platform. All parts are vetted for compatibility.
- CPU: Intel Core i9-14900K (24-core: 8P + 16E – extreme x264 streaming performance)
- CPU Cooler: Lian Li Galahad II 360 AIO / Noctua NH-D15
- Motherboard: ASUS Z790 ProArt Creator WiFi
- GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4080 Super / RTX 4070 Ti Super (superb NVENC + AV1 encoding)
- RAM: 64GB (2x32GB) DDR5-6000 CL30
- Storage: 2TB NVMe Gen4 SSD + 2TB SATA SSD (media/scratch drive)
- PSU: 850W – 1000W 80+ Gold (Corsair RM1000e / Seasonic Vertex)
- Case: Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO / Fractal Meshify 2
- OS: Windows 11 Pro
Flawless 1440p or 4K streaming with NVENC/Quick Sync + simultaneous recording
The most important components for a dedicated Streaming PC
PROCESSOR
For starters, you’ll need a capable processor, at least a quad-core processor. It must be powerful enough to allow you to play the game and stream in high resolution simultaneously.
RAM
You need a minimum of 8GB of RAM for a decent streaming experience, buy hey, RAM is a lot cheaper nowadays. At least 32GB should be the standard.
GRAPHICS CARD
Your graphics card must be DirectX10 compatible, and DirectX 12 is recommended.
WEBCAM
This allows you to capture with your webcam and incorporate it into your stream, thereby adding a personalized touch to your game stream.
SOFTWARE
Of course, you need an account on Twitch, which you can create here. Next, you need to download the free streaming software Open Broadcaster Studio (OBS). OBS is a versatile desktop streaming software that can record and stream video game footage from your gaming computer to the Twitch network.
HEADSET WITH MIC
You’ll need this to be able to respond to chats, and questions, and also communicate with your audience.
INTERNET CONNECTION
Your internet connection must be able to support the high-resolution footage you’ll be streaming. You need at least 4.5 to 6Mbps to upload a 1080p stream at 60 frames per second, and 3.5 to 5Mbps to stream a 1080p stream at 30 frames per second.
Concluding thoughts
You should have a pretty good idea of the kind of hardware you need for a dedicated streaming PC build. How did your build go? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We would love to hear from you.
Meanwhile, see other build guides here.