In the digital age, a phenomenon is growing in popularity, transforming a simple hobby into a thriving career/passion. From its humble beginnings, livestreaming has conquered a vast audience, propelling platforms like Twitch to the top of the industry. Content creators are numerous and you may feel the irrepressible urge to dive into this captivating universe.
Whether you are a die-hard gamer or an enthusiastic chatterbox, becoming a streamer is not as difficult as it seems. Before you can captivate the crowds, there are a few essential steps to take: acquiring the right equipment. The world of livestreaming equipment is full of choices for all budgets. But make no mistake: quality does not always mean exorbitant price.
You can start with an affordable setup without sacrificing performance. After showing you the ideal setup – which we recommend – for less than 200 euros, we offer you here a selection of slightly more expensive products to create a viable and durable configuration for less than 500 euros. The goal is to have slightly more powerful devices, as well as an additional accessory compared to really tight budgets.
A Microphone
No matter what you plan to stream, sound is certainly the most important component important part of the equation. You should therefore choose a quality microphone, from a brand well known for its expertise in the field. If we go straight to the mid-range, we can only recommend the Yeti GX. Listed on the Logitech website at a price of €160, it is regularly on sale on Amazon, currently at €127.
The Yeti GX microphone is a quality choice for content creators and audio professionals because it offers excellent sound quality. Thanks to its capture technology, it records clear and rich voices. It has intuitive and customizable lighting, as well as a detachable stand. For this price, it is obviously compatible with 5/8 and 3/8 arms and stands. We love its particularly modern design and its button to mute the microphone in the blink of an eye.
Specs to remember
- Supercardioid
- Custom dynamic capsule
- Plug and play
- Lighting: dual zone RGB with LIGHTSYNC
- USB-C port
- Mute button
- Foam included (removable)
- Stand included
- Arm and stand adapter included
For a little less, Yeti also offers a Streaming Kit for €140 which contains the Yeti Blackout microphone with its stand, as well as a noise filter and a download code for Streamlabs content. It is really the best deal to start in livestreaming, although the microphone is a little less design than its counterpart and it does not have a light indication for a top setup. Otherwise, for even less money, do not hesitate to turn to the microphones from HyperX, in particular the DuoCast is displayed at €110. It still has a few fewer advantages, but will be quite satisfactory for an introduction.
A camera
After the sound comes the image. In many categories of stream, showing a visual, whether it's your head, your hands, or your activity, a camera is essential... but also good lighting. In addition to investing in a Ring Light (even a basic one at 20 euros), why not let yourself be tempted by the Logitech StreamCam? This camera is offered at the price of 160€ on the manufacturer's website (105€ on Amazon currently) and offers you quality in addition to fluidity.
Where an entry-level camera will allow us to film in 1080p or 60fps, it is possible to do both with the StreamCam. As with most devices, no tripod is provided, but it fits on your screen/desk thanks to its mounting bracket. The brand indicates that the camera is optimized for most streaming software.
Specs to remember
- Fixed resolution 1920 x 1080
- Video resolution 1080p – 60FPS maximum
- USB 3.1
- Auto focus / Logitech capture
- Adjustable settings
- 1.5m cable
- No tripod
If you're lucky, you might be able to find the Razer Kiyo Pro at a decent price (currently €105 on Amazon). It offers very interesting specifications whose price at €210 can be scary. It nevertheless remains quite stylish and very efficient, in addition to having many adjustable parameters via its proprietary software.
A capture box
If you plan to stream video games, you can't miss out on the capture box. When you play on a console, but stream from a computer, it is a mandatory accessory. Even when you play directly on your PC, the box allows your machine to capture the gameplay before retransmitting it.
AverMedia is a well-known brand in this field and offers its Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus at €180. The small box offers you a compact and portable format, allowing you to capture and broadcast live games with exceptional quality up to 1080p60. Equipped with hardware H.264 compression technology, it ensures low latency and superior image quality while saving storage space. In addition, its USB connectivity allows for easy installation.
Specs to remember
- Interface: USB plug and play
- Input/output: HDMI
- Audio mixing: 4-pin 3.5mm jacks (headphones), 4-pin 3.5mm (controller)
- Maximum capture resolution 1080p60
- Supported resolutions: 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 576p, 576i, 480p, 480i
- Encoding format: MP4 (codec: H.264 + AAC, MJPEG)
- Software provided: RECentral 3
- Compatible software: all DirectShow compatible software such as XSplit or OBS
In the same style, we find the best-seller from Elgato. The HD60 S box is displayed at a slightly more expensive price from the manufacturer, but is regularly on sale on Amazon. Simple and effective, it allows you to capture game videos in high definition up to 1080p60. It also offers remarkably smooth image quality for your live broadcasts or gameplay recordings. You just have to pay attention to your purchase timing to get it at an attractive price.
Buy the AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus case
A Stream Deck?
If we do the math, the camera, microphone and case cost us between €400 and €500 (Amazon price). This is already a solid configuration for your streams. It depends on the field you want to tackle, but having an additional accessory could be useful to you. The mixing console is a tool that allows you to create shortcuts for the different events of your stream. Sound effects, launching music, appearing a GIF: everything is possible with the devices that exist.
Depending on your previous choices, if you have some budget left or can exceed it, know that the Elgato Stream Deck Mini is around €60 and offers you a compact physical version, with 6 keys and an unlimited number of pages. You can put your most used shortcuts there permanently, and it works with almost all functions and applications – even professional suites.
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