What is the minimum PC specs for streaming?

For 1080p 60fps gaming + streaming simultaneously: CPU with 8+ cores (Ryzen 5 5600X or better), GPU with hardware encoder (NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super or better — NVENC encoding), 16GB RAM minimum. For non-gaming streams (just chatting, IRL): any modern quad-core CPU with 8GB RAM handles 1080p streaming easily. Using NVENC encoding offloads stream processing to the GPU with minimal performance impact on games.

Do I need a capture card for streaming?

For PC gaming: no — OBS captures your screen directly. For console streaming (PS5, Xbox, Switch): yes — a capture card captures HDMI output from the console into your streaming PC. The Elgato HD60 X ($180) is the standard. For dual-PC streaming setups: yes — the gaming PC outputs to a capture card in the streaming PC. For single-PC game streaming, a capture card is unnecessary.

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