The Best Laptop for Streaming: Ultimate Buyer’s Guide

best laptop for streaming
best laptop for streaming

Complete List: Best 8 Laptop for Streaming

This article may include references and links to products and services from one or more of our advertisers.  We may be paid compensation when you click on links to those products and/or services. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Did you know that live streaming is going to be a $70.5 billion industry this year?

That statistic alone should be motivation for you to get into this scene! Not to mention, you’re probably bored sitting at home during the pandemic, so it can be a great way to kill boredom and maybe even make some extra cash.

But to be successful at doing this, you’ll need a good laptop. Otherwise, the streaming quality will suffer.

Want to pick the right laptop for the job? Read on, as we’ll discuss the best laptop for streaming right here!

1. The Winner: Dell G5 15

If you’ve watched several live streams on Twitch, then you’ll know that the Dell G5 is a popular laptop with streamers. It’s a great one for broadcasting your gameplay.

The Dell G5 has a 15.6-inch screen (1920 x 1080p), a 6-core 9th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, a 256 GB SSD and 1 TB HDD, and a 4 GB Nvidia GTX 1650 GPU. As you can see, this is a beast of a laptop!

With the Dell G5 15 5590, Dell is aggressively courting gamers who want to game on the go for much less than you’d expect. And, it has done so successfully by skipping all the bells and whistles and focusing on specs and performance.

If you’re a gamer, the Dell G5 15 5590 will certainly come as a shock – in a good way. An asking price of $1,149 shouldn’t be possible, not for a name-brand gaming laptop fitted with a 15.6-inch IPS screen, six-core Intel processor, and Nvidia RTX graphics, much less in a package less than an inch thick. But, here we are.

Of course, thanks to the bigger 90WHr battery our review model came with, it’s a bit pricier than its normal configuration. Still, the Dell G5 15 5590 is affordable as you can get without compromising on performance.

This device has plenty of power, as well as storage. As a result, expect to have no hiccups while you’re streaming.

The one downside to all this power is that the Dell G5 weighs over 8.5 pounds, which makes it quite heavy. Plus, its battery life is only about 5-6 hours. You might want to consider having a pretty stationary setup for this laptop.

Of course, this is the winner just to us. If this laptop doesn’t real to you, not worry. We’ll explore a few other choices in this article (and if you’re streaming video games, in particular, you’ll want to check out these top gaming laptops!).

NO 1

61nOSCVdbVL. AC SY300 SX300 QL70 FMwebp

Dell G5 15

Specifications:

  • The perfectly balanced feature set
  • Strong gaming performance
  • Great battery life
Pros
  • The perfectly balanced feature set
  • Strong gaming performance
  • Great battery life
Cons
  • IPS panel is merely OK
  • Confusing configuration options

2. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14

If you’re always on the go, then the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14 is a fantastic choice. It has an 8th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, 12 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB SSD. It also weighs just a little over 3.5 pounds, which makes it very easy to carry around.

The IdeaPad Flex 14 has an integrated Intel UHD 620 GPU. This means it can power an external display, even if it’s in 4K resolution!

This 2-in-1 laptop has a 14-inch screen and 1920 x 1080p resolution. What’s great about this laptop is it can be folded and used like a tablet. This means it’s great for people like educators, who need to interact with the screen and write with a stylus.

Thanks to its SSD, the Flex 14 can both read and write much quicker than laptops with HDDs. This means streaming should be nice and smooth.

This laptop also has a battery life of up to 8 hours. So if you’re streaming and forgot to plug in your adapter, you probably won’t have to worry about your device dying halfway through.

With the AMD Ryzen 5000 hardware inside, the Flex 5 is one of the most powerful 14-inch budget laptops you can get right now. It’s also a convertible and doesn’t compromise on the build quality, inputs, audio, IO, or battery life, but it does come with one major deal-breaker: a dim and washed-out display with a 60% sRGB panel.

That’s just not for me and I’d rather pay extra or even sacrifice the performance just to get a usable display instead. You, however, might feel otherwise, and if that’s the case, you’ll hardly find a better-value laptop in this class. My entire experience with this notebook is documented down below.

NO 2

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14

Specifications:

  • clean and practical design, well made for the class
  • fine inputs and good IO
  • long battery life
  • excellent value, especially when on sale
Pros
  • clean and practical design, well made for the class
  • fine inputs and good IO
  • good implementation of the Ryzen 7 5700U hardware, snappy and quiet with daily activities, and fast with games and demanding tasks
  • long battery life
  • excellent value, especially when on sale
Cons
  • bit chunky and heavy for a 14-incher in 2021
  • dim and washed-out screen
  • the small feet choke the air intakes, causing the hardware to run hot with demanding loads; bumping up the back makes a huge difference

3. LG Gram 13

Are you someone who always forgets to plug your devices in? Then you’re probably familiar with the struggles of your phone or laptop being dead when you need them the most.

A solid, if not solid-feeling, ultraportable, the Gram makes up for some design issues with its featherweight body and double-digit battery life.

When LG first entered the US market in late 2015, it made a few mistakes with its Gram series of ultraportable laptops. The initial offerings weren’t necessarily bad, but they didn’t offer much beyond an ultralightweight body to compete in an already crowded category.

With the LG Gram 13, that’ll be a worry of the past. This laptop has a battery life of up to 15-20 hours, which makes it one of the best laptops for live streaming without an adaptor!

Its specs aren’t too bad either. This laptop has a 4-core Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM, a 256 GB SSD, and an integrated Intel UHD GPU. You’ll get a 13.3-inch screen with 1920 x 1080 or full HD resolution.

You’d think that all these features would weigh down the LG Gram 13, but you’d be wrong! This laptop has been so carefully and expertly designed that it actually weighs a little over just 2 pounds!

If you’re used to living streaming your daily life, or you like to flip on your stream spontaneously, then the LG Gram 13 is perfect to have with you. Its extremely long battery life and lightweight build make it a very simple device to whip out and stream with.

NO 3

61PH1aOAYrL. AC SX300 SY300 QL70 FMwebp

LG Gram 13

Specifications:

  • The unassuming LG Gram is impressively light and has long battery life.
  • Enough connections and ports to satisfy business users
Pros
  • The unassuming LG Gram is impressively light and has long battery life.
  • Enough connections and ports to satisfy business users
  • fingerprint reader for extra security built into the touchpad. It’s available with or without a touchscreen.
Cons
  • Despite many fine qualities, its appearance is pretty uninspiring and while the lightweight chassis is appreciated, the Gram feels flimsy compared to aluminum.
  • Poorly placed web cam shoots upward at an awkward angle.
  • USB-C port doesn’t support Thunderbolt 3.

4. Apple MacBook Pro

If you’re not a PC person and would rather use a Mac, then you can’t go wrong with the MacBook Pro. It’s renowned for being excellent when it comes to graphic design, coding, music, and more. So it stands to reason that it’d be great for streaming too!

In fact, it’s one of the best laptops for live streaming. It has a 9th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a 256 GB SSD. As for the GPU, you’ll get a 4 GB Radeon Pro 560x.Thanks in part to its Intel Core i9 CPU option, the sleek 2019 reboot of the 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro we tested is one of the most powerful laptops you can buy for multimedia editing, data analysis, and other similar tasks. We’d just like to see some bolder design moves in the next model.

This laptop has a 15.4-inch screen and QHD resolution (2800 x 1800p). If you’re streaming yourself rather than your screen, then you’ll be pleased to know that the MacBook Pro comes with a 720p camera. You can also plug in an external webcam if you wish.

For the battery life, you’ll get up to 10 hours. Weighing in at a little over 4 pounds, the MacBook Pro is a pretty light laptop.

If you’re concerned about security, then know that this laptop comes with a T2 chipset. This means no one can steal your data, even if they steal your laptop.

NO 4

71pC69I3lzL. AC SY445 SX342 QL70 FMwebp

Apple MacBook Pro

Specifications:

  • Beautiful Retina display.
  • Oversize, accurate trackpad.
  • Four Thunderbolt 3 ports.
Pros
  • In test configuration, excellent performance on CPU-limited workflows.
  • Beautiful Retina display.
  • Oversize, accurate trackpad.
  • Four Thunderbolt 3 ports.
Cons
  • Expensive as configured, with wildly pricey top-capacity SSD.
  • Key travel remains very short.
  • Bezels could use some slimming.
  • No dedicated video output or USB Type-A ports.

5. Acer Predator Helios 300

There are several things we like about this laptop. The specification makes for an interesting read. Under the chunky, clamshell lies an Intel i7 10th Generation processor with 6 Cores. The base clock speed of the CPU is 2.6 GHz. Paired with the CPU is an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GPU with 6GB dedicated GDDR5 VRAM. Both the CPU and the GPU can be overclocked. 

The internal memory of the laptop is 16GB Dual-channel DDR4 RAM. Plus, the storage consists of 1 TB of NVMe SSD. For pure streaming purposes, other than gaming, this is more than enough. For game playing yes, this is not the best, but the configuration you get for the price is simply out of this world.

The large 17.6-inch full-HD IPS display is great for streaming and game playing. For streaming purposes, a larger screen allows you to keep multiple windows open simultaneously. The refresh rate of the screen is 144Hz with a response time of 3ms.

The battery backup on this laptop is 5.5 hours on a full charge.

NO 5

71nz3cIcFOL. AC SY300 SX300 QL70 FMwebp

Acer Predator Helios 300

Specifications:

  • Excellent CPU and GPU configuration.
  • Large 17.6-inch display with 144Hz refresh rate.
  • 1TB Solid State Drive storage.
Pros
  • Excellent CPU and GPU configuration.
  • Large 17.6-inch display with 144Hz refresh rate.
  • 1TB Solid State Drive storage.
Cons
  • On the heavier side. Weighs 6.39 lbs. Going to be a hassle if you are looking for something that is easily transported.
  • Pricey too. But you get what you pay for.

6. HP Omen 15

This particular version of the HP Omen 15 is powered by an Intel 10th Generation Core i7 processor. The 6-core processor supports multithreading. A total of 12 threads is supported. Strapped with it is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti GPU with 6GB GDDR5 VRAM.

The internal memory of the laptop is 16GB DDR4 RAM and with it, you get 512GB of SSD storage.

The display on the HP Omen 15 is full-HD with a 144Hz IPS display. The WLED backlit display is great to have. The anti-glare property of the display is great to have, especially for gamers.

The display is almost bezel-less on the sides, with some real estate at the top to house the camera and the mics and the HP Omen logo at the bottom of the display. 

We love the unique hinge design and the way the lid shuts. 

Total battery life is roughly 6 hours on a full charge.

NO 6

71YiNKnw7VS. AC SX300 SY300 QL70 FMwebp

HP Omen 15

Specifications:

  • Superb display with zero lag time when gaming.
  • Intel Core i7 10th Generation processor paired with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti GPU is a great combination.
Pros
  • Superb display with zero lag time when gaming.
  • Fast processor with excellent handling even when playing resource-hogging games.
  • Intel Core i7 10th Generation processor paired with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti GPU is a great combination.
Cons
  • Comes with the GTX GPU and not the NVIDIA GeForce RTX one.
  • At nearly 5.43 lbs this is a heavy unit and is cumbersome to transport.

7. Asus TUF FX505DT

This is a Ryzen 7 3750H processor-powered laptop. This is a budget laptop for gaming and streaming. Paired with the Ryzen 7 processor is the GeForce GTX 1650 GPU.

Internal Memory & Storage Asus TUF FX505DT is composed of 8GB DDR4 RAM with a 256GB SSD (PCIe) storage unit. While the RAM is definitely on the lower side, for normal streaming like conducting interviews, classes, or consultations this would not be a problem. You will feel that the laptop is running out of breath when playing games like Counter-Strike and live streaming it on Twitch.

Paired with the CPU is a GeForce GTX 1650 GPU with 4GB VRAM. 

The large 15.6-inch IPS display offers a full-HD resolution.

Battery backup is somewhat of a sore point for this laptop. Users have complained that the laptop loses charge rather quickly. The average estimate is less than 3 hours on a full charge. Meaning you will have to keep your laptop connected to an AC connection for the time.

NO 7

71O9ktw+XDL. AC SX300 SY300

Asus TUF FX505DT

Specifications:

  • Ryzen 7 3750 CPU and GeForce GTX 1650 GPU provide ample performance
  • Gigabit Wave 2 Wi-Fi for a faster Wi-Fi connection.
Pros
  • Great value for the money
  • Ryzen 7 3750 CPU and GeForce GTX 1650 GPU provides ample performance
  • Gigabit Wave 2 Wi-Fi for a faster Wi-Fi connection.
  • 15.6-inch full HD display.
Cons
  • Poor battery life

8. Dell Inspiron 16

The Dell Inspiron 16 is our top pick for the best laptop for streaming as it has a powerful processor, a good graphics card, and a lot of RAM. It also has a great display that is perfect for gaming and other purposes.

The keyboard is also comfortable to type on and has a backlight. We highly recommend this laptop for streaming as it will surely meet your needs and expectations.

This has an 11th Generation Intel Core i7-11800H Processor that is very powerful and will surely be able to handle your favorite games and apps. It has u

p to 4.6 GHz, 24MB Cache, which is very fast and will not slow down your laptop.

It also has an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 4GB GDDR6 memory that is perfect for gaming and other purposes. Also, this graphics card will provide you with the best gaming experience.

It has 16GB, 8GBx2, DDR4, and 3200MHz Memory that is very fast and will not slow down your laptop even when you are using demanding apps or games. This RAM is also high-speed and will surely be able to handle your favorite games and apps.

It also has 512GB CL35 M.2 SSD Storage that is very spacious and will surely be able to store all your favorite games, movies, and shows. It has SSD storage which is very fast and will not slow down your laptop.

It has a 16-inch 16:10 3K (3072 x 1920) IPS AG Non-Touch, 300nits, 100% sRGB color coverage that is very clear and will provide you with the best viewing experience. This display is also perfect for gaming as it has a high refresh rate.

It has an IPS display so that you can easily view your favorite content from any angle. It has a 16:10 aspect ratio that is perfect for gaming and other purposes. Also, it has 300nits of brightness which is also best for gaming.

It also has a backlit keyboard that is perfect for gaming and other purposes. This keyboard is also very comfortable to type on and will not cause any strain on your hands.

The Dell Inspiron 16 is for streaming as it has a powerful processor, a good graphics card, and a lot of RAM. It also has a great display that is perfect for gaming and other purposes.

The keyboard is also comfortable to type on and has a backlight. It has all the ports that you need, and it is also lightweight. We highly recommend this laptop for streaming as it will surely meet your needs and expectations.

NO 8

Dell Inspiron 16

Specifications:

  • 16-inch 3K display
  • Latest CPU & GPU
  • Good Battery life
Pros
  • 16-inch 3K display
  • Latest CPU & GPU
  • Good Battery life
Cons
  • Average Storage

What does it take to be the greatest streaming laptop?

Yes, you can get reliable streaming and gaming performance on a laptop that costs less than $1,000. However, you must examine the individual components carefully.

If you are wise enough and avoid the perplexing laptop market, you can have a great gaming experience at a reasonable price.

A high-performance graphics card may not be required for Fortnite game experiences. You can get by with AMD Raedon and other similar processors for adequate performance and experience.

  • The Vital Organ in Graphics

Once you get a graphics card, it’s a done thing. It cannot be replaced or upgraded in the future. As a result, you must be highly selective in choosing one, as this component will influence how effectively your computer performs when running high-quality games.

To attain consistent gaming performance, you don’t need the finest of the best. The GTX 1650 is an entry-level GPU with a modest price tag. It can also play 1080p games with medium-to-high graphical settings.

Expect lower frame rates on newer titles, however. We recommend a GTX 1660 Ti or higher, or a more modern RTX 30-series GPU if you require a little more power.

  • Monitor Requirement – For Top Experience


In this section, we’ll avoid jargon. Because the display is what you’ll be looking at, you should thoroughly inspect it before purchasing a laptop for streaming videos.

Because the display is what you’ll be looking at, you should thoroughly inspect it before purchasing a laptop for streaming videos.

Remember that 1080p with a refresh rate of 60Hz is the bare minimum. Size is a matter of personal preference. If you’re streaming and working with multiple windows, I’d recommend getting something large, like a 17-inch monitor.

Don’t forget to consider the display’s sRGB color gamut coverage. Color gamuts are essentially spaces that contain a wide range of color tones. Although most manufacturers do not release color gamut coverage information, you should check benchmark websites. The more coverage there is, the more accurate the color reproduction.

This is the gold standard for laptop gaming and media creation as well. The majority of laptops use IPS panels, which are known for their high contrast ratios and wide viewing angles.

Then there are other display standards, such as TN displays, which are high-performing in terms of refresh rate. However, it can be a little inept when it comes to tone reproduction because colors tend to shift as you shift your viewing posture.

  • Processor- For Smooth Operation

Processors are the brains of computers. The higher the generation, the better the processor’s overall performance. To get the most out of your desktop PC or laptop, check sure your CPU is up to the task.

Although CPUs are long-lasting and can be kept in good condition for years, PC technology is continually advancing. Newer gaming CPUs utilize faster clock rates, larger cache sizes, and higher thread counts when matched with suitable current hardware, resulting in better performance.

Finding the finest gaming CPU for your PC boils down to the type of performance you desire from your laptop.

So here is a disclaimer for you. You have to be selective because the processor can’t be upgraded either. For AMD, hop on to either a Ryzen 4000 or 5000. In this case, a processor with just 4 core processors is pretty good but a 6-core processor works brilliantly.

As for Intel, we recommend everyone an 11th-gen Intel Core i5 or i7. 


  • Ports- Enhanced Experience 

Ports are essential for great gaming and streaming experience. Video streamers gravitate toward feature-rich connectivity suites on laptops because video streaming platforms support multi-display connections. Taking a look at the connectors will save you a lot of time and dongles!

Most laptops have HDMI ports, which support 4K display connectivity at a refresh rate of around 30 Hz.

Aside from Display Ports, the all-purpose Thunderbolt 3 ports are the cornerstone of connectors because they provide a plethora of uses for laptops, ranging from power delivery to DisplayPort connectivity. At the very least, the best laptop for streaming should have this.

DisplayPorts (or Mini DisplayPorts) are also desired by video streamers for multi-display setups when watching content. DisplayPort, unlike HDMI, supports 4K displays at 120 Hz or 8K displays at 30 Hz, which is a significant improvement! 

  • Memory- Smooth Run

You can normally upgrade memory, so you can always swap it out and if you want, add more later on. Therefore, if you can afford 16GB of RAM, go for it. If not, try to get at least 8GB of RAM. 

  • Storage Capacity

You must exercise caution when storing items. This is because storage limits the number of games and applications you can install on your laptop. Storage, like RAM, is upgradeable and can be swapped out later.

However, because AAA games take up a lot of space, you should target at least 512GB of SSD storage that a hard drive. Because data is stored on chips rather than spinning discs, SSDs load games faster. Video streaming is a type of data transfer.

You can either upload content or queue it to be downloaded and watched later. For that, you’ll want a quick storage drive with high write and read speeds: SSDs.

SSDs connect to the motherboard via a built-in interface rather than the traditional SATA cables used by snail-like HDDs. Furthermore, SSDs have no moving mechanical parts, which allows for data recovery because they convert to read-only drives when their lifespans are reached.

  • Battery life

Gaming laptops are notorious for having short battery lives. This is because they make extensive use of power. They are also heavier than other laptops because heatsinks and other cooling components require more space. Depending on the application, most will last between four and six hours on a single charge.

Find yourself the best budget laptop for streaming and ruling!

Conclusion

We’ve now shown you what we think is the best laptop for streaming. Not only that, but we’ve also given you some great alternatives for most gaming laptops.

No matter which you choose, you’re sure to purchase the best device for live streaming on a laptop. Whether you’re gaming, talking about your daily life, or teaching lessons, there’s definitely a fantastic streaming laptop that’s right for you.

Are you on a budget and want to buy a cheap gaming laptop? Then you’ll want to check out our article on 5 cheap gaming laptops under $200.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can you stream a movie from your laptop to a TV?

You can cast the laptop’s screen to the TV using a video platform like Netflix. You can, however, stream movies to your TV if your laptop has a consistent HDMI cable connection port.

You can, of course, stream a movie from your laptop to your television. A Chromecast is required to participate in a live-streaming session.

2. What to look for in a laptop while video streaming?

If you’re looking for the best laptops for streaming online videos, take a look at the list of laptops designed for online streaming. The laptop’s display performance should be amazing. To double-check the color accuracy, an image resolution of 720p/1080p or higher must be used.

It’s an added bonus if it has a Thunderbolt port. Options for connecting to a variety of third-party devices.

For multi-display connectivity, a DisplayPort/HDMI cable port is provided.

3. How much RAM do you need for online streaming?

To be clear, running online video streaming requires a minimum RAM of around 720HDp or 1080p. The laptop must have a minimum of 16GB of RAM memory.

It is advantageous to have additional graphics processors with Video RAM capacities greater than 4GB for online 4K+ gaming resolution. For high-definition gaming, 32 gigabytes of RAM are required for live HD streaming.

4. Which are the good laptops for online streaming?

There are various other laptop versions available in the market. If you’re looking for the best ones amongst those, then these laptops must be on top of your preferences.

However, if you’re confused about finding the perfect laptops for online streaming, then you may pick any one of these laptops mentioned above.

5. Can gaming laptops handle streaming?

Yes, gaming laptops can handle streaming easily! It is a piece of cake. Because most modern games are extremely graphic-heavy and require huge RAM size for them to function properly, a good gaming laptop can easily handle the load of streaming.

Given the high-power games a good gaming laptop can handle, it can easily let you stream games online. That with high resolution, barely any lagging, and good graphic quality.

Of course, this is provided that you have a good bandwidth internet connection. So, at the end of the day, if you have a good gaming laptop, all kinds of streaming can be done easily on it!

6. Can I stream a video on a 720p monitor?

Yes, you absolutely can! Usually, video display quality for most platforms ranges from 144p to 1080p. So, videos can be easily streamed on any screen all the way down to 144p. But, sadly most videos are a minimum of 1080p especially while streaming (FHD). So, streaming a 1080p video on a 720p monitor will sadly not give you the best possible experience. But if you are ready to compromise on that front then you should be good.

7. How much RAM do I need for streaming videos?

For maximum, optimal performance, the general recommendation is to get a 32 GB laptop. But, generally, a 16GB laptop should work sufficiently well.

8. How much storage do I need for streaming?

If you want an HDD as well as an SSD, then go for 500 GB or more on the HDD.

You need plenty of storage on your device to store all your games and files. Therefore try getting an SSD with 1 TB or more. 

9. What kind of processor do I need for streaming?

You need a processor like the Intel Core i7, intel iris xe graphics or AMD Ryzen 7 CPU. These come with plenty of power to handle the demands of streaming, .

10. What type of graphics card do I need for streaming?

You’ll need a graphics card with at least 6GB of VRAM to stream and game without any lag or dropped frames.

Best AMD Laptop

Top 8 Best AMD Laptop: Ultimate Buyer’s Guide

best 4K laptops

Do Best 4K Laptops Really Live Up To The Hype?