The world, amid its recent ups and downs, has seen some bright light. Among the positives, making a career out of streaming might be considered revolutionary.
No matter which platform you wish to stream your content on (Twitch, YouTube, or anything else), having the pieces of equipment that will sort things up for you is vital.
It’s important to understand your laptops compatibility with streaming softwares, so you can have a no-lag experience for you and your viewers.
To make sure your online stream serves its professional purpose, you must invest in getting a good laptop that can stream without lagging itself, closing programs, or crashing during your stream.
Finding the best laptops for streaming Twitch, YouTube is right here; here are the top picks!
Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Laptop for Streaming
From the long list of features that come with a laptop, the major ones that you need to consider before getting one include:
Display
Whether you seek the best laptop for streaming twitch or use OBS for streaming games, having a display that provides a clear image is essential.
In this respect, a laptop that comes with a display supporting at least an FHD resolution is recommended.
Processor
The CPU of your laptop corresponding to the processor is vital in carrying out the tasks you intend to stream.
We recommend you to at least go for an Intel i5 or an AMD Ryzen 4. However, if you are looking to stream heavy tasks, going above the recommendations is preferable.
RAM
The significance of RAM plays out similarly to the processor. RAM is essential for carrying out any task smoothly, and online streaming is no exception.
If you seek to stream mild tasks, having a laptop with a minimum of 4 Gigabytes of RAM is vital, but for streaming high-end games, going for laptops with 8 to 16 Gigabytes of RAM is recommended.
Of course, if you have the budget to go beyond this, 32GB of RAM will you the powerhouse you need to multitask without issues.
GPU
Although the integrated graphics make sure, the casual streaming goes fine, having a laptop with high-performing graphics is essential for streaming games online.
Apart from playing and streaming games, having a powerful GPU is vital for carrying out other heavy stream activities like video editing.
At the fundamental level, having at least 4GB of the graphics card with the latest chips is recommended for smooth, seamless online streaming.
Webcam and Microphone
For webcams, it is recommended to go for an external laptop camera that is capable of shooting 1080pHD/4K videos if you need higher production quality.
View the best microphones for streaming and the best cameras for streaming.
Now that we are done running through the features that make a laptop suitable for live streaming. Let us look at the best options that are available in 2023.
Top 9 Laptops for Live Streaming (Twitch/YouTube in 2023)
After analyzing many different laptops, we picked the following 9 as the best streaming laptops:
- Apple MacBook M2 Pro
- Razer Blade 15
- Acer Predator Helios
- Asus ROG Strix Scar 15
- Asus Zen Book Pro Duo
- Lenovo IdeaPad L340
- Microsoft Surface 3
- HP Spectre X360
- Lenovo Flex 14 2-in-1 Convertible
1. Apple MacBook Pro M2: Best Overall Streaming Laptop for Twitch in 2023
The Apple MacBook Pro comes with a 13-inch Retina display with 500 units of brightness for a spectacular viewing experience.
Its Mac M2 processor, which powers up all applications with ease which makes sure you don’t compromise performance.
The machine comes with 2560-by-1600 resolution and is capable of holding 8GB/16GB Ram
So, if you are an Apple lover looking for the best streaming laptop, the Apple Mac Book Pro for sure deserves to be on your radar.
Specifications:
| Display & Resolution | 13 inch Retina 2560-by-1600 |
| Processor | Apple M2 Chip |
| RAM | 8GB/16GB |
| Storage | 256 GB SSD to 512 GB |
| Battery | 11 Hours |
| Weight | 3lbs/1.4kg |
| Webcam | HD Enabled |
| Operating System | Mac OS X |
Pricing:
The Apple Mac Book Pro costs around $1699.
The alternative variant is to go with the 16inch MacBook Pro. It is an amazing machine with even better resolution and more processing power.
For streamers especially, having a higher RAM option will be more reliable for your setup. If you have many applications open at once, opting for the 32GB to 64GB might bet the way to go.
Though, with both MacBooks, it’ll yield great results if you are running OBS or similar twitch streaming softwares.
2. Razer Blade 15: One of the Best Gaming Laptops for Streamers
Well known as the gamer’s laptop, Razer Blade 15 is an excellent choice if you are looking for live streaming high-end games.
This laptop is loaded with almost every essential and advanced feature to provide you a desktop-like performance with ease.
The Razer Blade 15 comes with a built-in IR HD 720p webcam that ideally aids in high-end streaming, excellent for shooting videos. An exciting addition is that this camera has a unique feature of recognizing faces.
The laptop features a display with a 144 Hz refresh rate which is excellent for running high-end games and streaming at the same time.
Specifications:
| Display & Resolution | 15.6 Inches with 1920 x 1080 Pixel Resolution |
| Processor | 8th Gen Intel i7 |
| RAM | 16 GB LPDDR4 |
| Storage | 512 GB SSD |
| Battery | 6 Hours |
| GPU | GTX 1070 Max Q |
| Weight | 4.56 Pounds |
| Webcam | HD Enabled |
| Operating System | Windows |
Best Perks for Live Streaming:
- Full HD Display with 144 Hz refresh rate
- HD Camera
- Powerful Processor
- Powerful GPU
Pricing:
The Razer Blade 15 costs around $1569.00.
3. Acer Predator Helios: Most Affordable for High-End Games Streaming
Coming from the home of Acer, the Predator Helios is one of the best laptops available for streaming high-end games.
It binds in the 7th Gen i7 processor with GeForce GTX 1060 Ti effectively for providing efficient performance.
The FHD display with a 144Hz refresh rate is sure to take the experience to a whole new level.
Besides that, the Predator comes with an HD camera capable of shooting high-end videos for live streaming.
Specifications:
| Display & Resolution | 15.6 Inches with 1980×1080 Native Resolution |
| Processor | 7th Gen Intel i7 |
| RAM | 16 GB (Expandable up to 16 GB) |
| Storage | 512 GB SSD |
| Battery | 6 Hours |
| GPU | GeForce GTX 1060Ti |
| Weight | 5.29 Pounds |
| Webcam | HD Enabled |
| Operating System | Windows |
Best Perks for Live Streaming:
- Full HD Display With 144 Hz Refresh Rate
- Powerful Processor and GPU
- HD Camera
- Good Battery Life
Pricing:
Acer Predator Helios costs around $1468.
4. Asus ROG Strix Scar 15: Recommended Laptop for OBS Streaming
If you are ready to spend a bit on the higher side and have a seamless streaming experience over OBS, YouTube, Twitch, or any other platform, then the Scar 15 from Republic of Gamers is here to break the deal.
The base variant comes with 16 GB of RAM, which is expandable up to 32GB.
The overall performance is taken to the next level with a GeForce RTX 2060 graphic card that will provide seamless performance while rendering high-end games.
The FHD display that aids 240Hz refresh rate makes the streaming experience enticing for both viewers and the streamer himself.
Here are the specifications leading the Asus ROG Strix 15 into being a top-notch device for performance.
Specifications:
| Display & Resolution | 15.6 Inches with 1920 x 1080 Pixel Resolution |
| Processor | 10th Gen Intel i7 |
| RAM | 16 GB (Expandable up to 32GB) |
| Storage | 512 GB SSD |
| Battery | 6 Hours |
| GPU | 6GB GeForce RTX 2060 |
| Weight | 5.67 Pounds |
| Webcam | HD Enabled |
| Operating System | Windows |
Best Perks for Live Streaming:
- Full HD Display with 240Hz/3ms refresh rate
- HD Camera
- Powerful Processor
- Powerful GPU
Pricing:
The ROG Strix from ASUS costs around $2099.99.
5. Asus Zen Book Pro Duo: Best High-End Streaming Laptop
Taking the trend of powerful laptops forward, the next laptop on our list is the Zen Book Pro from Asus.
It comes with a 15.6-inch 4K display powered by the latest 9th gen i9 processor capable of running today’s high-end games with somewhat ease.
The laptop comes with an in-built VR camera that can shoot HD videos.
Once you look at the specification, you will know why it is a beast in providing performance.
Specifications:
| Display & Resolution | 15.6 Inches with 3840×2160 Pixel Resolution |
| Processor | 9th Gen Intel Core i9 |
| RAM | 16 GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 1TB SSD |
| Battery | 6 Hours |
| GPU | Nvidia RTX 2060 |
| Weight | 5.5 Pounds |
| Webcam | VR Camera |
| Operating System | Windows |
Best Perks for Live Streaming:
- 4K Display
- VR Camera
- Powerful Processor and GPU
- Good battery Life
- SSD Drives
- Availability of HDMI Ports
Pricing:
The Asus Zen Book Pro Duo costs around $2499.00
6. Lenovo IdeaPad L340: Best for Cheap Laptop for Streaming Twitch
The IdeaPad L340 from Lenovo is a budget laptop powerful enough to – relatively – easily carry out all the streaming necessities.
It comes with an In Plan Switching display that delivers impressive color reproduction.
In addition to that, the 178 degrees wide viewing angle with almost zero color saturation makes the display quality of L340 perfectly suitable for any streaming situation.
To make the streaming services even more polished, the IdeaPad L340 comes with an in-built HD-enabled webcam well equipped with a dual array mic for better voice.
Specifications:
| Display & Resolution | 15.6 Inches with 1600×1200 Pixel Resolution |
| Processor | Nine h Generation Core i5 |
| RAM | 8 GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 512 SSD |
| Battery | 8 to 9 Hours |
| GPU | 3 GB GeForce GTX 1650 DDR5 |
| Weight | 4.84 Pounds |
| Webcam | HD Enabled |
| Operating System | Windows |
Best Perks for Live Streaming:
- Full HD Display
- HD Camera
- Powerful Processor
- Powerful GPU
- Excellent Battery Life
Pricing:
The Lenovo IdeaPad L340 costs around $729.00.
7. Microsoft Surface Laptop 3: Best for Live Webcam Streaming
Although every laptop in this list serves the purpose of live webcam streaming, the Microsoft Surface 3 is sure to grab the limelight.
The 10th Gen Intel i7 binds up to the 32Gb of RAM to how well the webcam performs during live streams.
The Surface 3 laptop from Microsoft is a professional and premium solution for live streaming and work-related tasks.
So if you are looking for a laptop with an exceptional camera to have live chats with fans or need a laptop for video conferencing for work, this is the best option for you.
Specifications:
| Display & Resolution | 13.5 Inches with 3000×2000 Pixel Resolution |
| Processor | Core i7 10th Gen |
| RAM | 32 GB LPDDR4X SDRAM |
| Storage | 512 GB SSD |
| Battery | 11.5 Hours |
| GPU | 4GB GeForce |
| Weight | 7.01 Ounces |
| Webcam | 8MP, HD Enabled |
| Operating System | Windows |
Pricing:
The i7/32Gb combination of Microsoft Surface 3 costs around $2380.00.
8. HP Spectre X360: Best Laptop for Productivity Streamers
Suppose heavy gaming isn’t your prime task, and all you need is a perfect device for live streaming day-to-day professional activities. In that case, this laptop has to be on your marked list for sure. The HP Spectre X360 is a mid-range laptop that fits the purpose of general live streaming perfectly.
It comes with an FHD display for an excellent viewing experience and a 7th Gen Intel i7 powered by 8 GB of RAM, making sure the laptop doesn’t compromise with power.
The standout point, though, is its battery life. It comes with a run time of around 12 hours to help you have long sessions on YouTube with ease.
Specifications:
| Display & Resolution | 13.3 Inches with 1980×1080 Native Resolution |
| Processor | 7th Gen Intel i7 |
| RAM | 8 GB (Expandable up to 16 GB) |
| Storage | 512 GB SSD |
| Battery | 10-12 Hours |
| GPU | Intel HD 540 |
| Weight | 2.92 Pounds |
| Webcam | HD Enabled |
| Operating System | Windows |
Best Perks for Live Streaming:
- Full HD Display
- HD Camera
- Excellent Battery Life
Pricing:
The 8GB variant of HP Spectre X360 costs around $1229. However, if you have the budget, we recommend you go for the 16GB version at around $1429.
9. Lenovo Flex 14 2-in-1 Convertible
Aided with top-notch features, the Lenovo 2020 Flex is an excellent option for compatible live streaming.
Among the many eye-catching features, the one that stands out for this laptop is its flexible display that bents up to 360 degrees. Thus, enabling you to use the laptop as a large-screen tablet.
Besides convenience, another prominent feature that makes it a perfect fit for live streaming is its inbuilt 720p webcam, in case you don’t have an external camera. This camera comes with fixed focus and is capable of shooting videos at 30 frames per second.
Overall, this laptop will ensure you have a good streaming experience.
Specifications:
| Display & Resolution | 14 Inches with 1920×1080 Pixel Resolution |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 4 4300U |
| RAM | 4 GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 2 TB PCIE SSD |
| Battery | 5 Hours |
| GPU | AMD Radeon |
| Weight | 3.06 Pounds |
| Webcam | HD Enabled |
| Operating System | Windows |
Best Perks for Live Streaming:
- Convenient and Flexible
- High Performing Display
- 720p webcam with fixed focus.
Pricing:
The Lenovo Flex 14 costs around $849.00
We are sure you’ll find the laptop you’re looking for on this list. Each of these nine laptops is great for streamers and has everything you’ll need for your Twitch and YouTube needs.
If by any chance you have a particular need and feel like these laptops won’t cut it, send us an email, and we’ll make sure to help you find the right one.
Happy creating!
Replacement Laptop Keys says
Such a great share!!! Online streaming become a great trend in recent years. This post is really helpful for choosing the best laptop for streaming. Keep sharing useful information like this!!