5 Best Laptop for Console Streaming (2023)
If you want to stream your console games on twitch, youtube, or any other platform by including yourself in a portable position, picking up the best laptop for console streaming would be a great option.
For console streaming, using a capture card with a PC is a little bit hefty task for the majority of gamers. Instead of using a giant bulky box, laptops are portable and more affordable options for console streaming.
With open broadcast software or stream lab obs you can easily live stream your gaming console through the laptop. Before buying the best laptop for console streaming you have to focus on whether it comes with a powerful processor, dedicated graphics card especially from Nvidia, high refresh rate display, and SSD storage drive.
As we mentioned before it’s better to purchase a laptop with Nvidia series graphics card because it works well with live streaming software like OBS. If you want to encode the video and audio footage receive from the console then the Nvenc encoder will give you full support in terms of the entire encoding process.
In our whole console streaming laptop list, Lenovo Legion 5 completed full of requirements and will suit your needs. It’s a gaming laptop and packed with an intel processor, dedicated Nvidia GPU (Nvenc encoding supported), and a 144Hz display.
Here, you can also use these best laptops for streaming Twitch in case if any user finds the latest option only for using streaming console games on their twitch account with thousands of followers.
let’s talk about the minimum laptop requirement for console streaming.
Top 5 Best Laptop For Console Streaming 2023
Apple MacBook Pro
You might be surprised by seeing the Apple Macbook Pro in the list of best laptops for console streaming. But it’s easy as pie if you think a little carefully about how a MacBook can contribute to your console streaming. It’s not for all though only if some users don’t feel of need any encoder, they can go for this model which has integrated GPU included here.
It has some extraordinary features that a budget gaming laptop can’t offer you. It comes with apples’ latest M1 chip which recently beat some of the best high performed CPUs from Intel and AMD on the market.
Apple MacBook pro packed with 8 core CPU, 7 core integrated GPU, 16 core neural engine, 8 GB of ram, 256 GB of SSD which claimed 12 times faster than any normal storage drive.
The retinal display with 2k resolution will help you a lot while streaming. If you have only a gaming console and you want to play via using a laptop then this is the definite value for money device. In this price range, you won’t find any gaming laptop with a 2k display. Also, streaming software and network like OBS, a twitch will perform like buttery smooth.
The only downside about this laptop is its camera which is a 720p HD where the rest of the world reached the full HD camera in this pandemic. In a word, you need to purchase a top-class webcam or a laptop with the best webcam for nice and rainless live streaming.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS:
| PC Type: | MacBook |
| PC Series: | MacBook Pro M1 |
| Processor: | System on Chip (SoC) Apple M1 chip; 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores;16 core neural engine. |
| Memory: | 8 GB of RAM (Can be expandable up to 16 GB) |
| Storage: | 256 GB Solid State Drive which can be upgraded up to 2 TB |
| Benchmark CPU Score: | Average 15110, Single Thread Rating: 3767 Cross-Platform Rating: 9970 Cpu Benchmark Position: #3 |
| Graphics: | M1 Chip Integrated 8 Core GPU |
| Display: | 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Retina display with IPS technology; 2560-by-1600 native resolution at 227 pixels per inch (500 nits) |
| Communications: | Wifi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Warranty: | One Year Support |
| AC Adapter: | 30 W Fast Charger |
| Camera: | 720p Webcam |
| Keyboard: | White Backlit keyboard |
| Operating system: | Mac Bigslur OS |
| Ports & Slots: | 2 Thunderbolt 4 port |
| Battery: | 5152 mAh, Up to 20 hours battery life |
| Additional Information: | Dimensions: 13.41 x 11.97 x 0.61 inches Approximate Weight: 3 lbs |
Lenovo Legion 5 Gaming Laptop
It’s been always my favorite for gaming, live streaming, and many more usage. Even I am using this cheapest laptop for my VR gaming. But why is this device is called “value for money”? Because it’s loaded with tremendous specs which are very difficult to find at this price range any other laptop in the current market. Also, this is one of the top-selling laptops from Lenovo for console streaming.
Lenovo legion 5 is equipped with AMD Ryzen 7 processor with a max boost clock of up to 4.2 GHz which can handle console(Playstation 4 / Xbox One) streaming software perfectly. Besides this device fulfill the maximum requirement of the best laptop for console streaming since it comes with 16 GB of ram, two types of storage drive, a high refresh rate display, and a Microphone connector port.
The graphics card used in this laptop is Nvidia GTX 1660Ti which is high performed GPU and supports a Nvenc encoder.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS:
| PC Type: | Gaming Laptop |
| PC Series: | Lenovo Legion 5 |
| Processor: | AMD Ryzen 7 4800H (Base Clock 2.9GHz, Max Boost Clock Up to 4.2GHz, 4MB L2 & 8MB L3 Cache, TSMC 7nm FinFET CMOS, 16 Threads, 105°C Max Temperature) |
| Benchmark CPU Score: | Average 19204, Single Thread Rating: 2655 Cross-Platform Rating: 27,084 Cpu Benchmark Position: #1 |
| Memory: | 16GB DDR4 RAM |
| Storage: | 512GB SSD + 1 TB 7200 RPM HDD |
| Graphics: | Dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti GPU |
| Display: | 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS anti-glare, 144Hz Display (45% NTSC, 250nits) |
| Color Gamut: | Provides 100-percent of the sRGB color |
| Communications: | Wifi6 (802.11ax 2×2) and Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Camera: | 720p HD Webcam |
| Keyboard: | Backlit keyboard |
| Warranty: | One Year Support From Legion |
| AC Adapter: | 170 W |
| Audio: | Dolby Atmos® headphone support, 2 x 2W Harman Kardon® speaker system |
| Operating system: | Windows 10 Home (64-bit) |
| Ports & Slots: | 4 x USB-A 3.2, 1 x USB-C 3.2(DisplayPort), 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x Ethernet (RJ-45), 1 x Headphone/microphone combo jack, Kensington lock slot. |
| Battery: | 4-cell 60Wh, Up to 7 hours battery life |
| Additional Information: | Dimensions: 14.3″ x 10.2″ x 1″ Approximate Weight: 5.5 lbs (2.5kg) |
Razer Blade 15 Base Gaming Laptop
Razer Blade 15 is one of the best laptops for streaming twitch. Lots of console gamers stream their games on twitch and if you are one of them then this is gonna help you to achieve lots of followers in a minimal time.
It comes with a 10th Gen 6 core intel processor, 16GB RAM, two types of storage drive, 144Hz display, and dedicated GPU which is supported Nvenc encoder. Also, it has a microphone/headphone jack combo port which lets you connect your microphone without an external connector while streaming.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS:
| PC Type: | Gaming Laptop |
| PC Series: | Razer blade 15 |
| Processor: | 10th Gen Intel 6-Core i7-10750H (Base Clock 2.6GHz, Max Boost Clock Up to 5.0GHz, Intel thermal velocity boost frequency 5GHz, 12MB Smart Cache, 14nm CPU, 6 cores, 12 Threads, 100 C Max Temp, ) |
| Memory: | 16GB DDR4 RAM (Expandable to 32 GB) |
| Storage: | 512GB SSD + 1TB HDD |
| Virtual Reality Ready: | The Razer Blade 15 Base Gaming Laptop is packed with the required specifications to run VR hardware and software and is compatible with Oculus quest 2, Oculus Rift, valve index, and vive pro 2. |
| Benchmark CPU Score: | Average 12573, Single Thread Rating: 2737 Cross-Platform Rating: 25,464 Cpu Benchmark Position: #3 |
| Graphics: | Dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB, Integrated Intel UHD Graphics |
| Display: | 15.6″ FHD (1920×1080) thin bezel IPS 144Hz Display (72% NTSC, 276 nits) |
| Communications: | Wifi6 (802.11ax 2×2) and Bluetooth |
| Warranty: | One Year Support |
| AC Adapter: | 230 W |
| Camera: | 720p HD Webcam |
| Keyboard: | RGB keyboard |
| Operating system: | Windows 10 Home (64-bit) |
| Ports & Slots: | 4 x USB-A 3.2, 1 x USB-C 3.2(DisplayPort), 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x Ethernet (RJ-45), 1 x Headphone/microphone combo jack, 1 x 4-in-1 Card Reader |
| Battery: | 4-cell 65Wh, Up to 4.5 hours battery life |
| Additional Information: | Dimensions: 0.78″x9.25″x13.98″ Approximate Weight: 4.7 lbs |
Acer Nitro 5 Gaming Laptop
If you’re finding the best gaming laptop under $800 that can be used for console streaming, Acer Nitro 5 is the top choice at this budget price range. It’s the cheapest laptop in our best console live streaming laptop list. The most interesting part about this laptop is it offers a dedicated GPU of Nvidia RTX 3000 series which is kinda insane!
It comes with a 9th gen intel i5 processor which is powerful enough to handle any type of modern games and console streaming processor. Also, if you need the 10th gen intel version which is also available and will cost you only $1000.
Though this laptop has a minimum of 8GB RAM which is far enough for console streaming, you can also need to adjust with 256GB SSD storage which seems kinda downside for me but not so a big deal since they made a scope for users to upgrade their storage up to 1 TB.
KEY SPECS & FEATURES:
| PC Type: | Gaming Laptop |
| PC Series: | Acer Nitro 5 |
| Processor: | 9th Generation Intel Core i7-9750H 6-Core Processor (Up to 4.5GHz), 12 MB Smart Cache, 14 nm chip, 12 Threads. It is loaded with Twin Fans and Dual Exhaust Ports to keep the CPU cool. |
| Benchmark CPU Score: | Hitting 14,432 on the Geekbench 4.3 overall performance test |
| Memory: | 16GB DDR4 RAM (upgradeable to 32GB) |
| Storage: | 512 GB PCIe NVMe SSD (2 x PCIe M.2 Slots, 1 Slot Available) 1 x 2.5″ Hard Drive Bay (Available) |
| Graphics: | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 |
| Display: | 15.6″ and 17.3″ Full HD Widescreen IPS LED-backlit Display with 144Hz Refresh Rate that was capable of providing 3ms Response Time and |
| Color Gamut: | 100-percent sRGB color |
| Communications: | Wifi6 (802.11ax 2×2) and Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Camera: | 720p HD Webcam |
| Keyboard: | RGB Backlit keyboard |
| Warranty: | One Year Support |
| AC Adapter: | 180-watt AC Adapter |
| Audio: | Waves MaxxAudio sound technology, Acer TrueHarmony Technology, Acer Purified. Voice technology with two built-in microphones |
| Operating system: | Windows 10 Home (64-bit) |
| Ports & Slots: | 1 x USB 3.1 Type C Gen 1 (up to 5 Gbps), 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 (one with Power-off Charging), 1 x USB 2.0, HDMI – 1 x HDMI 2.0, Audio Ports – 1 x Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack |
| Battery: | 4-cell 60Wh, (Up to 8 hours battery life) |
| Additional Information: | Dimensions – 14.31″ x 10.04″ x 1.02″ Weight – 4.85 lbs. |
ASUS TUF Dash 15
If you’re a fan of Asus gaming laptops then I have a question for you, which laptop of Asus is currently in the most demanding phase in the market. The answer is ASUS TUF Dash 15, an ultra-slim laptop that comes with a high-end processor, strongest graphics card, and gorgeous design.
This laptop is kinda equivalent to Acer Nitro 5, but compared to Asus Tuf dash, Acer is left far behind in terms of GPU, storage, and size.
Asus Tuf Dash features an Intel Core i7-11370H processor which has a 12Mb cache and max boost clock up to 4.8 GHz, can perfectly handle your console streaming.
Also, the display is large and supports up to 144fps. That’s why during gaming with Xbox or PS4 or PS5 console, you won’t feel any lag even not in streaming.
With compared to Acer Nitro 5 this laptop offers a powerful RTX 3050 Ti graphics card and a faster 512 GB SSD drive. But in case of the price you need to pay an extra $200 for enjoying such an amazing specification.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS:
| PC Type: | Engineering Laptop |
| PC Series: | ASUS TUF Dash 15 |
| Processor: | Intel Core i7-11370H processor (Base Clock 1.0 GHz, Max Boost Clock Up to 4.80 GHz, 12 MB Smart Cache, 7nm CPU, 4 cores, 8 Threads, 100 C Max Temp) |
| Memory: | 8 GB DDR4 RAM |
| Storage: | 512 GB M.2 [PCIe] NVMe (SSD) |
| Benchmark CPU Score: | Average 12441, Single Thread Rating: 3130 Cross-Platform Rating: 22,794 |
| Graphics: | Dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti With 4GB GDDR6 VRAM |
| Display: | 15.6” 144Hz IPS-Type Full HD (1920×1080) display with adaptive sync |
| Communications: | Wifi 6 and Bluetooth 5 |
| Warranty: | One Year Support |
| AC Adapter: | 165 W |
| Camera: | 720p HD Webcam |
| Keyboard: | Backlit keyboard |
| Operating system: | Windows 10 |
| Ports & Slots: | 2 x USB 3.2, 1 x USB-C 3.2(DisplayPort), 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x Ethernet (RJ-45), 1 x Headphone/microphone combo jack, 1 x SD Card reader |
| Battery: | Up to 5 hours battery life |
| Additional Information: | Dimensions: 14.17 x 9.92 x 0.78 inches Approximate Weight: 4.41 lbs |
FAQs
Can you stream from console to laptop?
You can use your console for streaming with a laptop like pc, just turned on your gaming console connected to your laptop, then go to the console companion app, select your device, and stream to show the console device screen and pick your game.
What laptop do streamers use?
According to our massive research report, 37% of streamers are now using Asus laptops, 29% of streamers are using Laptops from Lenovo (specially Ideapad series) and 33% of live streamers are using HP gaming laptops.
How do I stream from my laptop to my Xbox?
- Make sure your Xbox is turned on.
- Launch the Xbox app.
- Select the Xbox icon on the left.
- Locate your Xbox One in the list, then select Connect.
- Select Stream.
- After this initial setup has been completed, your laptop is ready for Xbox one console streaming.
How do I stream the console on twitch?
It’s a very easy process, fast you need to do is –
- Download the Twitch app from the official website.
- Start your game.
- Press the Share button.
- Select “Broadcast Gameplay”.
- Select “Twitch” and log in to your account. (If you don’t have any then select “create account”)
- Edit the settings to your preference
- Create your title.
- Select “Start Broadcasting”
- Now start streaming with your laptop on twitch
Can I use my laptop camera to stream on Xbox?
You can only if your laptop included a 1080 FHD camera because it’s much clear and produces brighter images with higher pixel compared to HD cam. But we would suggest you purchase an extra webcam to live stream from the laptop with console devices.
Are gaming laptops good for streaming?
Basically, a windows gaming laptop comes with a high-end processor that can handle heavy software while streaming. Also, a gaming laptop offers maximum ram which is helpful for multitasking. Besides GPU supports a special Nvenc encoder that produces video and audio via the encoding process.
Conclusion
Using pc for console streaming on twitch little costly compared to a laptop which is portable, fast, and affordable. You don’t need to buy an external monitor or any capture card, just connect to your laptop and start streaming effortlessly.
A laptop is not the only accessory enough for live streaming. Most laptops feature an HD webcam which is not so ideal for console streaming. This is why buying a webcam should be your second priority for streaming on twitch.
The next one is a headset that should be based on noise-canceling technology and can produce great output for an immersive experience. If you want you can purchase a headphone with but for reaching out excellent sound quality to your twitch user while console streaming, it’s better to go for an additional mic.