 Streaming your games on platforms such as Facebook Live, YouTube, and Twitch may appear simple, but in addition to the complexity of designing your layout and plugging in a capture card device, you will need to configure the best possible stream settings to provide a better, smoother experience for your viewers. So, what is a good bitrate for Twitch streaming?
As a streamer, you must always prioritize the best viewing experience for your viewers in order to keep them from leaving your Twitch channel forever.
When you first start streaming on Twitch, here’s a quick and simple guide to the best bitrate settings.
What is a Bitrate on Twitch?
Bitrate the video data that is sent to the streaming platform. The higher the bitrate, the better the stream quality. The bitrate you set on OBS, XSplit, or your preferred streaming software, on the other hand, is highly dependent on your upload speed or bandwidth.
If you don’t have a faster internet connection, the quality of your overall stream will suffer, as will your in-game latency if you’re using the same internet connection. During fast-paced scenes, the video will be blocky and blurry, especially in first-person shooter games like Call of Duty and Apex Legends.
When you decide to make a career out of streaming video games, investing in better internet service and faster upload speeds will be beneficial in the long run.
What is a Good Bitrate for Twitch Streaming?
If you have a strong internet connection, the best bitrate for 1080p 60fps on Twitch is 6,000 kbps. If you have a slower connection, you can choose 1080p 30fps, which requires at least 4,500kbps.
Most guides will tell you that you need at least 4,500kbps to stream 1080p 60fps or 3,500kbps to stream 1080p 30fps, but this is not the best viewing experience for your viewers, according to Twitch.
The standard screen resolution for gamers is 1080p. Most Twitch streamers continue to use 1080p during their live streaming sessions. To get the best quality output when streaming in 1080p, you’ll need fast upload speeds, especially at 60 frames per second.
It’s also worth noting that exceeding 6,000kbps on Twitch will cause instability throughout the broadcast.
Best Bitrate for 720p on Twitch
When you don’t have a 1080p monitor, 720p streaming is sufficient, requiring only a bitrate of at least 4,500kbps for 60fps and 2,500kbps for 30fps.
If you’re concerned that 720p won’t be as good as 1080p, rest assured that using the best bitrate optimal settings will provide your viewers with the best experience regardless of screen resolution.
How to Set Your Bitrate on OBS
To change the bitrate settings in OBS, the most popular open-source streaming software, follow these steps:
- Launch OBS. You can get the software by visiting the official OBS website.
- Select File.
- Navigate to Output.
- Make sure to select CBR in Rate Control under the Streaming tab.
- Choose the best bitrate for 1080p or 720p video.
- Click OK, then Apply.
Here’s a video from our stream with the best bitrate settings for 1080p 60fps
Â
Sign up and level up your game!
Sign Up