The best game streaming gear in 2024

Rode’s NT USB+ is a plug-and-play microphone that delivers professional-quality audio capture, and at $169, it’s priced just right. The NT USB+ has a studio-grade condenser capsule and a cardioid pickup pattern, which reduces background noise while keeping your speaking voice in focus. The fact that it connects to your PC — or tablet, or smartphone — with a simple USB-C cable makes it much more appealing than an XLR mic, which requires a separate, pricey audio interface. Other USB microphones marketed at streamers can cost hundreds of dollars, but the NT USB+ occupies that sweet spot where accessibility, quality and reasonable pricing converge.

Rode also sells the go-to studio arm for plenty of top podcasters and streamers, the PSA1. It’s $100, and combined with the NT USB+, it makes your whole desk feel more organized and professional.

It’s tough to find a solid streaming microphone for under $100, but the Elgato Wave Neo has arrived to prove the market. The Wave Neo is a cardioid mic that connects to your PC, laptop or PlayStation console via USB, delivering crisp audio capture in a ridiculously easy-to-use package. It comes with a pop filter (in gray or pink, your choice), an extra-long metal stand designed to reduce keyboard noise and even a little cord organizer so your setup remains pristine. Elgato has been in the at-home broadcasting game for years, and the Wave Neo is just the latest tool in its box of stellar streaming equipment.

Give your ears the velour comfort they deserve. Beyerdynamic’s DT 900 Pro X are open-back, wired headphones that deliver rich, immersive sound from a bed of ultra-cushiony velour earpads. Spatial audio means you’ll be able to pinpoint enemies and obstacles in-game, and the open-back design keeps things from feeling oppressive even after hours of play. The DT 900 Pro X offers plenty of bass and a crisp midrange that means explosions and gunshots really pop, and it comes with two detachable cables, one of which is nearly 10 feet long. At $270, this is the best blend of audio precision and long-lasting comfort that a few hundred bucks can buy.

Bluetooth headphones are less cumbersome and more versatile than wired sets — and in the world of unwired personal audio, it doesn’t get much sleeker than Sony’s WH-1000XM5. These are some of the best noise-canceling headphones on the market and they’re fantastic for everyday use as well as long gaming sessions. The WH-1000XM5 headphones are incredibly lightweight, with cushy over-the-ear pads and up to 40 hours of battery life. They have a built-in microphone that functions well for phone calls, but streamers should still use an external mic for the best possible sound.

The Logitech Brio 500 is our top pick for the best webcam, period, and it’ll perform super well in your game-streaming setup. It’s basically an upgraded version of the iconic C920s HD Pro, and it shoots video at 1080p/30 fps with improved zoom and automatic light-correction technology that breathes life into even the most cave-like of spaces. It has a physical privacy shutter and connects to your PC via USB-C, which is incredibly convenient. One neat feature of the Brio 500 is the ability to rotate the camera downward to show your keyboard (or maybe that cute drawing you’ve been working on during matchmaking). It comes in black, pink and white colorways, each one made of recycled plastic.

If you’re willing to drop some serious cash on a streaming webcam, Razer is here to make sure it’s worthwhile. The Kiyo Pro Ultra is a high-end peripheral that can capture raw footage at 4K and 30 fps or 1080p and 60 fps, and it was our top-rated webcam in terms of image quality in 2024. Razer says the Kiyo Pro Ultra has the largest sensor of any webcam on the market — 1/1.2 inches — plus it has HDR support, built-in background blurring, and face-tracking autofocus. It’s compatible with the most common brands in streaming software, OBS and XSplit. The Kiyo Pro Ultra is big and beautiful, and it has a price tag to match: $300.

The Litra Glow from Logitech is a small but mighty piece of equipment, and at $60, it doesn’t break the bank. The Litra Glow is a square about the size of an Apple TV box, and it’s designed to clip onto the top of a monitor and pump out the kind of clean, even illumination that makes streamers look good. It has a color temperature range of 2700-6500K (warm white to very cool white), which is comparable to some more expensive devices.

Elgato’s Key Light Neo offers no-glare LED lighting in a sleek white form factor with low-impact mounting hardware. It’s bigger than the Logitech Litra Glow at 5.9 inches square, and it touts a color range between 2900-7000K. A physical knob on the front of the light lets you adjust brightness on the fly, and two buttons allow you to swap between warm and cool settings (both of which are customizable through software). Elgato’s Key Light Neo provides perfectly balanced, stream-ready lighting for $90.

The Stream Deck just keeps getting cooler. Elgato’s latest model, the Stream Deck +, has eight LCD keys, four physical dials and one long, slender touchscreen — and all of it is programmable for your specific streaming needs. The Stream Deck + allows you to open and control apps, and the four new knobs unlock a variety of fresh abilities: adjust camera zoom, audio output, light brightness or color and other finely tuned aspects of your streaming space. The touchscreen can react to the knobs and it’s swipeable for extra control options. Elgato sells plenty of accessories for the Stream Deck +, but it starts at $200.

It’s just a fact — everyone loves an 8Bitdo gadget. The Ultimate Controller is the perfect accessory for any streamer or video game fan (even Steam Deck lovers, since it’s compatible with that, too). The 8Bitdo Ultimate Controller connects via Bluetooth to Windows, Switch and SteamOS, and it’s a fantastic gamepad with all the standard trappings, plus a custom profile switch, two back paddle buttons and motion control on Switch. It’s a customizable, handheld piece of joy.

A capture card is the best way to ensure smooth, stutter-free streams. The HD60 X from Elgato records gameplay at up to 1080p and 60 fps, with passthrough at up to 4K and 60 fps, which is basically everything you need from an external capture card. The HD60 X is particularly great for capturing gameplay on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5, but it’ll work with a dual-PC setup as well. This is professional-level streaming with a plug-and-play interface.

Your butt may not be on screen during your streams (or maybe it is, we don’t judge), but that doesn’t mean it deserves to be neglected in your hot new gaming setup. The Titan Evo gaming chairs from SecretLab are top-tier when it comes to both comfort and style, and that’s why they’re the seat of choice at many professional esports tournaments, including the League of Legends World Championship. Titan Evo is a tried-and-trusted chair with a lay-flat recline of 165 degrees, ergonomic lumbar support and cold-cure foam to keep you comfy all day. Plus, it comes in a ton of stylish, licensed designs from major franchises like Fortnite, Jujutsu Kaisen, Star Wars, Demon Slayer, Attack on Titan, Valorant and Overwatch.

If you just need a place to start with all of this game-streaming nonsense, try Elgato’s Look Good, Sound Good, Stay in Control bundle. It comes with the Facecam Neo, Key Light Neo, Wave Neo and Stream Deck Neo — so, everything you’ll need to film your face, light your space, capture your audio and control your apps. We’ve already recommended the Wave Neo and Key Light Neo here, while the Facecam Neo and Stream Deck Neo are both fantastic substitutes for the products in those categories. This is $380 worth of entry-level streaming equipment for a bundle price of $300, which is truly a great deal.