OBS TWITCH STREAMING SETTINGS GUIDE

Alright, listen up, I will say it again — this is golden advice right here! 🔥

RUN OBS AS ADMIN 🚀

Trust me, this step is going to change your streaming game. Once you’ve got OBS open, head over to the settings and go to Advanced Settings. In the Process Priority section, hit the drop-down and select Above Normal. Don’t worry, I won’t hit you with the technical jargon — just take my word for it!

I keep things simple with SDR recording, since HDR streaming is still a no-go. I love to stream AND record, so SDR is my go-to. Keep your Color Format set to NV12, Color Space to Rec. 709, and Color Range to Limited — and leave everything else at default.

This is the secret sauce to smoother streams and recordings! 🎥🔥

🎨 Let’s keep this one short and sweet!

 Your Base Canvas Resolution is the workspace where you build your scene—think of it as your stream's original layout. Your Output Scaled Resolution is what your viewers will actually see on stream or in recordings. If you want 1:1 clarity, just keep both the same. Want to downscale for performance or bandwidth? No problem—just head to your Downscale Filter and select Bicubic for that nice balance between quality and smoothness. (Trust me, Bicubic delivers the best results for downscaling!)

🛠️ My go-to settings:

• Base Canvas Resolution: 2560x1440

• Output Scaled Resolution: 2560x1440 (but feel free to rescale this in your streaming output settings if needed)

• FPS: 60 for that ultra-smooth motion

Keep it clean, keep it crisp, and make your stream look pro right from the start! 🎥✨

⚠️ Quick Disclaimer! ⚠️

What works for me might not be the perfect fit for you — and that’s totally cool! This guide is here to help you find what works best for your setup and preferences. It’s all about experimenting and fine-tuning until you get it just right! 🎮👌

🚨 STREAMERS—LISTEN UP! After running side-by-side VMAF tests comparing x264 (CPU encoding at Faster preset) and NVENC H.264 (GPU encoding at P6 preset) across resolutions and bitrates from 5000 to 8000 kbps, we’ve got some 🔥 results—and 720p60 is the clear MVP across the board!

📊 VMAF Results at a Glance:

Both encoding methods consistently show that 720p60 delivers the highest visual quality at every tested bitrate. Whether you’re using CPU or GPU encoding, it tops the charts—reaching VMAF scores as high as 86.9 (NVENC) and 86.94 (x264) at 8000 kbps, and still holding strong in the low 80s even at 5000 kbps.

Other resolutions like 1080p60 and 1440p60 might sound tempting, but they fall short in clarity unless you crank the bitrate way up. That’s not ideal if you’re working with a limited upload speed.

🎮 NVENC vs x264: Which Should You Use?

While x264 (CPU) at the Faster preset does a great job and gives slightly sharper results in some cases, NVENC H.264 with the P6 preset is the better long-term choice for most streamers—and here’s why:

✅ Dedicated GPU Encoder – NVENC runs on its own hardware block in your GPU, so it doesn’t hog your CPU, leaving more headroom for your game, overlays, and multitasking.

✅ Consistent Quality – With the right settings (like P6), NVENC offers excellent clarity that’s virtually indistinguishable from x264 during live viewing.

✅ Stable Performance – Less strain on your system means fewer dropped frames, smoother gameplay, and better overall stream health.

🎯 Bottom Line: If you’re streaming at bitrates between 5000–8000 kbps, 720p60 is your best bet for visual clarity and efficiency. And if you want a setup that’s easier on your system while still looking fantastic—go with NVENC at P6. Your stream (and your CPU temps) will thank you.

Let the pixels shine and your gameplay speak for itself! 💪📡✨

🚧 NVENC HEVC & NVENC AV1 — Still in Beta on Twitch! 🚧

Both NVENC HEVC and NVENC AV1 are still in beta on Twitch, meaning they’re not fully available to everyone just yet. Here’s what you need to know:

• NVENC HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding) offers better quality at lower bitrates, but it’s not a free codec — Twitch and other platforms need to pay royalties to use it since it's patented. That’s why it’s still in beta and not widely available just yet.
  
  

• NVENC AV1, on the other hand, is a free codec, offering superior quality and better compression at even lower bitrates. It’s the newer option and the future of streaming tech, and since it’s royalty-free, it's a more attractive choice for platforms like Twitch.
  
  

The key difference? AV1 is the newer, free codec with better efficiency, while HEVC requires platforms to pay royalties to the patent holders. Both are still being tested on Twitch, so they’re not available for all streamers just yet.

Once Twitch fully supports them, I’ll dive into more testing to give you the latest insights. Until then, good luck streaming, and keep doing your best! 🚀🎮