7 Essential Pieces of Gaming Tech for Streamers

Streaming is no longer a niche hobby. Over the past decade, Streamers have gone from hosting small communities to being large forces shaping opinions, trends and entertainment within the entire gaming industry. For many, it’s become a full-time job which combines entertainment, social skills and technical prowess.

It goes without saying, that over this period the bar has also been raised. With streamers adopting high level gear to ensure their stream stands out in the now crowded entertainment marketplaces of Twitch and other streaming services.

If you’re just starting out or are simply looking to upgrade your setup to compete with the best in the business, this article is for you. It will break down seven pieces of gear which any streamer needs to be considering in 2024.

Note that while this list will recommend specific pieces of gear for each category, you can also mix and match with other high-quality gear. But you’ll still want to make sure you have all seven bases covered.

1. High-Quality Camera: Sony ZV-E10

A great stream looks good. Yes it’s as simple as that. Some viewers may be happy putting up with a mid-tier image, but anything less than great image quality may cause a lot of viewers to bounce off your stream. There are plenty of methods you can use to get great image quality—even simply using a built in webcam or your phone camera; depending on what you’ve got. But the most surefire way is to use a high-quality camera. Vlogging cameras are particularly good, given their focus on self-presentation. And the Sony ZV-E10 is one of the best vlogging cameras on the market today.

2. Professional Microphone: Shure SM7B

Sound is perhaps even more important than image quality when it comes to streaming online. That’s because a large portion of the audience are likely to be doing other things while tuning into your stream—meaning poor audio will see them log out real fast. There are plenty of microphones out there to choose from, but many streamers opt for Shure microphones given their balance of price and quality. The Shure SM7B in particular is great for capturing warm, smooth vocals while effectively rejecting any background noise that may be in your space.

3. Stream Deck: Elgato Stream Deck MK.2

When streaming games, there’s a lot to think about. Not only do you have to focus on playing the game; but you have to be in tune with your community and ensuring that everything in the stream is running smoothly. Stream Decks are a great way of doing this; controlling your stream with the touch of a button. The Elgato Stream Deck M2 is a full streaming control centre, letting you easily switch between scenes, adjust audio, launch media and more. With up to 210 programmable actions you can ensure your stream runs smoothly without needing to faff around after you’ve gone live.

4. Lighting Solution: Elgato Key Light Air

While image quality is a lot about what camera you use, it’s also largely dependent on lightning. This is something a lot of streamers really undervalue. Grabbing a professional-grade lighting solution like the Elgato Key Light Air can help give your streams a visual flair that separates you from the competition.

5. Capture Card: Elgato HD60 X

If you’re a console streamer, you need a capture card. And you NEED one that’s reliable. The Elgato HD60 X is one of the most well regarded options on the market today, offering 4K60, HDR10 captures in a reliable and ultra-low latency package.

6. Green Screen: Webaround Big Shot

While there are plenty of different ways to present yourself in a stream, one of the most popular and most enjoyed is through a green screen. This allows your image to sit neatly in the corner of gameplay without taking too much visual space away from the game your playing. If that’s the look you’re going for, be sure to grab a green screen.

7. Comfortable and Ergonomic Chair: Secretlab Titan Evo 2024

While we’ve been talking a lot about your audience, you also need to remember that your experience is important, too. A key part of this is being comfortable. Seriously, streaming for long hours can result in serious body pains if not well managed; so getting yourself a comfortable and ergonomic chair to sit it is a real must.

Bonus: Rare In-Game Items

It’s great having a good looking stream, but if your character skins and items are standard, you’re unlikely to stand out. Many streamers will have their signature skins. The rarer the better. So you may want to buy cod points, or head to an in-game marketplace, to get your hands on some of the rarer aesthetics in your game of choice.

Together, these seven pieces of tech will certainly up the quality of your stream. Ensuring that your stream screams value to potential audience members, while simultaneously affording you more time to focus on the content. With the right equipment, streaming audiences will come flocking.