Top Streaming Upgrades for 2021
It’s that time again – time to consider the upgrades for your streaming setup for 2021. Of course, you don’t need to upgrade every year! But if your equipment and software are slowing down, or if you’re feeling that you can no longer do everything you want with the setup you have, then it’s probably time to consider an upgrade. In this blog, we will take a look at a few options for the top streaming upgrades for your hardware and software in 2021.
Graphics Card Upgrades
If you’re experiencing lags, dropping frames, or a delay in rendering images in real-time, then it could be time to upgrade your streaming setup with a new graphics card. If you already have an NVIDIA GeForce GPU, you have access to the NVIDIA Encoder (NVENC) to take the strain off your CPU and free up the system to run resource-intensive tasks, like playing a game, so you can deliver a better broadcast.
However, by upgrading to the GeForce RTX 2080 Super, you’re able to livestream 4K video (depending on your internet connection and streaming platform of choice) with maximum quality and performance. Plus, as 3080’s can be hard to find here at the start of 2021, the 2080 might be a better choice! It offers better performance at a cheaper price than its predecessor and comes with 3,072 CUDA (compute unified device architecture) cores and a boost clock of 1,815MHz. The real upgrade, however, is in VRAM – the RTX 2080 offers up to 15.5 Gbps of memory bandwidth.
Upgrading Your Camera Setup
There’s a number of live-streaming cameras available which makes choosing the right camera for your needs a tricky task. For live-streaming, the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III is a high-end compact with the same lens as the G7 X Mark II, but with a new sensor and no 4K crop.
Another solid choice in these top streaming upgrades for 2021 is the new Sony A6400, which comes with 4K video and a front-facing screen – perfect if you’re also a vlogger, particularly if you’re a single-handed video shooter who wants to talk directly to the camera. Keep in mind that these types of cameras will require a capture card or using software that you can get from the manufacturer to get them working with your PC and connected to XSplit Broadcaster.
If you’re upgrading to multiple cameras, you’ll want to switch seamlessly between them. While this can be done with software, the physical control of a dedicated switcher can make it easier to direct your stream. Two top choices are the SlingStudio switcher, which allows you to connect cameras wirelessly, record and switch using voice activation or custom timed intervals, and the Blackmagic ATEM Mini Pro, which lets you switch between four video camera inputs and has built-in DVE for live production.
Improve Your Streaming Setup With a New Interface
Finally, for those looking to upgrade their streaming interface, consider the Elgato Stream Deck – a customizable control pad for live streaming. It includes 15 LCD keys, so you can switch scenes, launch media and adjust audio with a single touch. You can also use the pad to trigger tweets and chat commands. We would recommend this to people with lots of scenes and sources as part of our top streaming upgrades for 2021 and, of course, it works with XSplit Broadcaster!
For an excellent all-in-one package, our own XSplit Premium comes with Broadcaster, VCam, and Connect: Webcam included. For 2021, XSplit Broadcaster 4.0 offers a host of new features, including an updated user interface, improved audio effects, the ability to set up multiple recording profiles, and much more.
Few of us can upgrade everything all at once, so it’s best to prioritize. Is your camera the right choice for what you’re doing? Is your GPU too slow? Once you know what to focus on, you can upgrade the equipment that will provide the most useful improvements – for you and your viewers!