10 Best Laptops For Live Streaming

Live streaming is turning out to be a professional career option for many. A lot of people are opting for this as they can control various aspects of where, how, and when one can work giving complete freedom to the user. Most of them prefer using a Windows or macOS based computers that are thin and lightweight.

An enthusiast gamer, teacher or even a personal coach can get into a session with just internet and a good laptop. Live streaming requires high-speed internet with reliable upload speeds and the computer you’re using for it should also be able to handle multiple applications at all the time.

Minimum & Recommended System Requirements for Live Streaming

	Minimum System Requirements	Recommended System Requirements
CPU	Intel Core i3 or Intel Core i5	Intel Core i7
RAM	4GB	16GB
Storage	128GB SSD	512GB SSD
Display	FHD (1920 x 1080)	4K (3840 x 2160)
Battery	At least 4 Hours	Up to 8 hours
GPU	Integrated Graphics	Dedicated GPU with at least 2GB VRAM
Weight	Less than 10 pounds	Less than 6 pounds

Best Laptops For Live Streaming in 2020

We have worked closely with some of the top-tier live streamers on platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch to shortlist the list of laptops that offers the best possible gaming experience. If you are looking for a reliable option, then this list is going to be helpful.

1. Best For Gamers: Dell G5

• CPU: 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-9750H
• RAM: 16GB
• Storage: 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD
• Display: 15.6-inch FHD LCD (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: 4GB Nvidia GTX 1650
• Battery: Up to 6 hours

The Dell G5 is the most low-key looking gaming laptop that one can consider. And it is a great laptop for live streaming because of the high-end specifications and the ports. It has a regular 15.6-inch screen with a full high definition (1920 x 1080p) resolution with a 60Hz refresh rate. Having a low refresh rate screen will result in better performance and better battery life.

The computer comes with the 6-core 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H CPU that usually runs at 2.6GHz and when there is a demand, it can go up to 4.5GHz using Turbo Boost technology. The CPU is paired with the Nvidia GTX 1650 GPU, offering 4GB graphics memory that can run AAA titles at 60fps. PUBG and Fortnite players will have no problem in getting at least 60FPS even with the higher graphics settings.

Another interesting aspect of this laptop is that it comes with a dual-storage solution. The 256GB SSD storage will be useful for storing the OS and softwares, whereas the 1TB HDD can be used to store games that are big in size and can also be used to store high-resolution movies.

The Dell G5 15 can last for 5 to 6 hours on a single charge, which is slightly less. However, given the hardware capability, it is not much. Lastly, it weighs 8.6 pounds, making it one of the heaviest laptop. If you are planning to travel with your laptop, then consider other options, which are thin and light.

2. Best For Non Gaming Purposes: Apple MacBook Pro

• CPU: 2.6GHz Intel Core i7
• RAM: 16GB
• Storage: 256GB SSD
• Display: 15.4-inch Retina (2800 x 1800)
• GPU: 4GB Radeon Pro 560x
• Battery: Up to 10 hours

If you are looking for a laptop for non-gaming related live-streaming, then the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch model is your best bet. It comes with a 15.4-inch screen with QHD resolution (2800 x 1800p) with tempered glass protection with a 720p HD web camera at the top.

With proper lighting conditions, the built-in camera can be used for live streaming at HD resolution. However, if you want to stream at higher resolution, then the notebook does support external web camera from almost all manufacturers.

The Apple MacBook Pro comes with a 9th Gen 6-core Intel Core i7 processor with a base clock speed of 2.6GHz and a boost clock speed of 4.5GHz. The processor is able to run live streaming software like OBS Studio, Wirecast, and Mimolive while running a few apps in the background. Coming to the GPU, The AMD Radeon Pro 560x GPU with 4GB graphics memory can handle light gaming, even though the availability of games for macOS is limited.

The laptop does offer 16GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. The storage is paired with a T2 chipset, which ensures that the data from the storage device cannot be stolen even if one can get access to the laptop. 16GB RAM is also more than enough on macOS, even for an avid multi-tasker. Neither RAM or the built-in storage is user-upgradable, which is one of the downsides of the latest Apple MacBook devices.

The notebook offers a solid 10 hours of battery life per charge cycle and it supports USB PD (power delivery) and can be charged with any charger that supports the proper rating. The laptop weighs 4.08 pounds, and this is one of the lightest laptops in this class of machines.

3. Acer Predator Helios 300

• CPU: 2.2GHz Intel Core i7-8750H
• RAM: 16GB
• Storage: 256GB SSD
• Display: 15.6-inch FHD IPS (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: 6GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060
• Battery: Up to 7 hours

Acer Predator Helios 300 gaming laptop is the right fit computer for the game live streamers, who plays games like Overnite, PUBG, and Fortnite. The Predator Helios 300 laptop offers a combination of CPU and GPU to maintain a constant FPS, ensuring smooth streaming. The laptop has a big 15.6-inch display with 1920 x 1080p resolution with 144Hz resolution with good color calibration and is good for playing FPS (first-person shooter) titles.

The laptop comes with the 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H 6-core CPU with a peak clock speed of 4.1GHz and a base clock speed of 2.2GHz. Most of the games still depend on single-core CPU performance and having higher clock speed will help games maintain high FPS. Not just that, live streamers can also maintain a minimum of 60FPS on most of the demanding titles due to the NVIDIA GTX 1060 GPU with 6GB video memory. Just so you know, it is capable of offering 90fps or more on most of the titles.

It offers 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD based storage. It does have a dedicated HDD slot, which can accept an additional hard disk along with the flash storage. If you are planning to install more games locally on the device, then install an additional hard disk.

The laptop lasts for 6 hours on a single charge and it comes with 180W TPD, which is plenty considering the individual TPD of the CPU and the GPU. Lastly, it weighs 5.51 pounds, which makes it a bit bulky when compared to the competition. If you want a laptop with good gaming performance and does not care about the weight, then the Acer Predator Helios 300 is the device to consider.

4. Asus ZenBook 14

• CPU: 1.8GHz Intel Core i7-10510U
• RAM: 16GB
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 14-inch FHD NanoEdge Bezel (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: 2GB Nvidia GeForce MX250
• Battery: Up to 10 hours

The Asus ZenBook 14 Ultra-Slim Laptop is a unique-looking laptop as it comes with a secondary display built within the trackpad. The laptop has a primary 14-inch full HD screen with 1920 x 1080p resolution, offering a thin bezel design. The Asus ZenBook 14 is thin and light and the live streamers can use the secondary screen to check comments and user interactions.

The laptop is based on the latest 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with a base clock speed of 1.8GHz and a boost clock speed of 4.9GHz. Having a higher single-core clock speed will improve the gaming performance, as the laptop also comes with the Nvidia GTX MX250 GPU, which can handle casual gaming without any issue. This might not be the most powerful gaming laptop, but it can even handle newly launched titles at slightly lower graphics settings.

The laptop comes with 16GB RAM as standard and the device also offers 512GB SSD, ensuring faster boost speed. A live streamer shall run multiple apps and 16GB RAM will ensure that all apps and software will remain in memory even if they require more memory.

Even in terms of software, the Asus ZenBook 14 Ultra-Slim Laptop offers Windows 10 Pro OS, which is a premium version that has a few more options when compared to the base variant of the Windows 10 OS. The notebook weighs at 2.78pounds making it lightweight and easy to carry. Depending on the usage, the notebook can last for 8 to 10 hours on a single charge and the laptop also supports fast charging.

The Asus ZenBook 14 Ultra-Slim Laptop with a dual-screen display technology enables people who need a secondary display and a computer with high computation capabilities. When compared to the competition, the laptop is not that expensive.

5. Best For Tutors: Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14

• CPU: 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-8265U
• RAM: 12GB
• Storage: 1TB SSD
• Display: 14-inch FHD Touch (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: Intel UHD 620 Graphics
• Battery: Up to 8 hours

If you are a live streamer who works with education-related subjects, then the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14 2-in-1 14-inch laptop that is tailor-made for it. It has a 14-inch screen with 1920 x 1080p resolution and this is no ordinary screen, as it supports touch input and it can also be folded, enabling users to use this computer as a tablet. With touch input, lecturers and online tutors can annotate notes using a pen while live streaming, which is good for students as it offers a classroom-like experience.

This is a mid-range laptop, as it comes with the 8th Gen Intel Core i5 processor with a base clock speed of 1.6GHz on all four cores and a boost clock speed of 3.6GHz. This laptop does not have a dedicated graphics, instead, it uses the Intel UHD 620 graphics, which is capable of powering an external display with up to 4K resolution.

It does offer a massive amount of flash storage with 1TB SSD. Users can install and save everything on the super flash memory. Not just that the Lenovo Flex 14 2-in-1 14-inch laptop offers faster read and write speed when compared to a regular laptop with HDD based storage solution.

In our testing, we found out that the laptop on an average can last for 8 hours, which should be sufficient for streaming purposes. With just 3.64 pounds of weight, it is also easy to carry around. If you are into non-gaming purpose and looking for a mid-tier laptop, then consider the Lenovo Flex 14 2-in-1 14-inch.

6. HP Pavilion Gaming

• CPU: 2.4GHz Intel Core i5-9300H
• RAM: 12GB
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 15.6-inch FHD IPS (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: 4GB Nvidia GTX 1650
• Battery: Up to 8.5 hours

The HP Pavilion Gaming 15-inch laptop is also a good machine for live streamers who play demanding games in real-time while streaming on platforms like YouTube and Twitch. It has a typical 15.6-inch display with 1920 x 1080p resolution that reproduces accurate colors with a higher dynamic range.

The laptop comes with a four-core 9th Gen Intel Core i5-9300H CPU that clocks at 2.4GHz by default. While gaming, the prime cores can clock at 4.1GHz ensuring a smooth refresh rate on games like Fortnite and PUBG. The laptop can also handle titles like GTA: V, which is also has a lot of traction in live streaming platform.

The NVIDIA GTX 1650 with 4GB graphics offers best-in-class gaming performance and it is also great for those who post already processed videos, as it is good at rendering videos with higher bit-rates. This could be a professional live streaming gaming laptop.

The HP Pavilion gaming 15-inch laptop offers 512GB SSD based storage. Thanks to the faster read and write speed of the SSD, the laptop can load games and software in just a few seconds and it can also load the OS quickly and it turns on in less than 15 seconds while cold booting.

The laptop offers 7 hours of battery life with regular usage and it varies a bit while playing a game. Lastly, it weighs 7 pounds which is similar to other laptops of this class. If you want a gaming laptop with a good GPU and not really concerned about the CPU performance, then the HP Pavilion Gaming 15-inch laptop is the machine to get.

7. Acer Aspire E 15

• CPU: 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-8250U
• RAM: 8GB
• Storage: 256GB SSD
• Display: 15.6-inch FHD IPS (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: 2GB Nvidia MX150
• Battery: Up to 15 hours

The Acer Aspire E 15 is a budget laptop that does not compromise on hardware. By default, it comes with a 15.6-inch display with 1920 x 1080p resolution. However, the display has thick bezels across making this laptop lookout and outdated. If you are short on budget and do not care about the looks that much, then this should not bother you.

The 8th Gen quad-core Intel Core i5-8250U CPU with a base clock speed of 1.6GHz and a boost clock speed of 3.4GHz. This is an upper mid-range processor that can handle live streaming and one can also play Battle Royale titles, albeit at lower graphics settings. The built-in NVIDIA MX150 is an efficient graphics card that consumes less power and produces less heat ensuring sustained peak performance for an extended period.

It does offer 8GB RAM, which should be sufficient for live streamers, who stream at 1080p or lower resolution. Though it is a budget offering, it still offers 256GB flash SSD storage, which increases the overall performance of the laptop by a huge margin and one should always get a laptop with an SSD storage option, otherwise, streaming software will take a lot of time to load.

The Acer Aspire E 15 can last up to 8 and a half hours on a single charge and it does support quick charging. The notebook weighs 5.27 pounds, making it a lightweight gaming laptop good for students and daily commuters. Overall, a good performing machine at a relatively low price tag.

8. LG Gram Thin & Light

• CPU: 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-8250U
• RAM: 8GB
• Storage: 256GB SSD
• Display: 13.3-inch FHD IPS (1920 x 1080)
• GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
• Battery: Up to 20 hours

The LG Gram is a thin mid-range laptop that offers great build quality and compact design with a 13.3-inch thin-bezel design, offering 1920 x 1080 or full HD resolution, making this a perfect machine to live stream at full HD resolution on various platforms like YouTube and Twitch. LG Gram laptop comes with an IPS grade screen with accurate color reproduction and a good dynamic range, making this laptop a good one for watching movies and videos.

The notebook is powered by the 1.6GHz  4-core Intel Core i5-8250U processor and with the Turbo Boost technology, the CPU can go up to 3.4GHz on all four cores, making this a great machine for multi-tasking as well. It does not have a dedicated graphics card, instead, the built-in Intel UHD 620 GPU can handle some light gaming and it can also power an external monitor with up to 4K resolution.

The laptop comes with a 256GB SSD based storage solution, ensuring faster boot and software load speeds. Similarly, this will also help to reduce the video rendering time as well and the built-in 8GB memory should be sufficient to run some of the most used live streaming software like OBS Studio without any issue.

The major highlight of the LG Gram laptop is the battery life. The computer comes with a massive 72Wh battery, which can easily last for more than 15 hours on a single charge and the company claims that it can last for up to 22.5 hours making this one of the best laptops when it comes to battery life. Even with a massive battery, the laptop just weighs just over two pounds which makes it easy to carry around.

If you are a live streamer and looking for a new laptop with thin and light design, amazing battery life with mid-range specifications the LG Gram could be the machine that you can blindly consider without second thoughts.

9. Dell Inspiron 2-in-1 5000

• CPU: 2.1GHz Intel Core i3-8145U
• RAM: 8GB
• Storage: 256GB SSD
• Display: 14-inch HD Touch (1366 x 768)
• GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
• Battery: Up to 8 hours

As the name suggests, the Dell Inspiron 2-in-1 5000 is not a regular laptop. It is a two-in-one option, which can be used as a tablet computer or a full-fledged laptop. It comes with a regular 14-inch screen with support for touch input with 720p HD resolution. This ensures that you can easily live stream even with a slower bandwidth due to the lower resolution screen. However, this will not be the best laptop to either watch movies or videos.

This laptop is based on a dual-core 8th Gen Intel Core i3-8145U processor, which can handle normal tasks like web browsing and using office apps with ease. However, this will not be the right laptop for game streamers, as it does not have a dedicated GPU and the integrated GPU is also isn’t that powerful.

The notebook offers 8GB RAM, which is more than enough for a laptop with a 720p display, and users will not have any sort of multi-tasking issues on this laptop. Besides, the device also has a 256GB solid-state- drive-based storage solution, which further fastens the overall process and helps the notebook to boost quickly. As it uses the NVMe standard, users can also upgrade the storage to either 512GB or 1TB if required.

The laptop offers an average battery life, under normal scenario it lasts for 8 hours to 9 hours. However, with continuous live streaming and even while charging the device does not get heated up. Lastly, the Dell Inspiron 2-in-1 5000 laptops weigh at 3.9-pound, which makes it a bit heavy when compared to other thin and light laptops with 13-inch screen size.

Go for this laptop if you are looking for a 2-in-1 model that is also affordable. However, if you want more graphics power or a higher resolution screen, then you might have to consider looking for other models that we have suggested.

10. Lenovo Flex 14 2-in-1

• CPU: 2.1GHz Intel Core i3-8145U
• RAM: 4GB
• Storage: 128GB SSD
• Display: 14-inch (1366 x 768)
• GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
• Battery: Up to 8 hours

If you are an amateur live streamer who doesn’t have a big budget to get a fancy laptop, then this laptop will come to your rescue. It comes with a compact 14-inch screen with support for touch input. However, Lenovo Flex 14 does have a caveat, as the resolution of the display is just 720p which could be a deal-breaker for those who want at least a 1080p screen. Again, this is one of the compromises that one has to make to get a laptop of this class at affordable pricing.

The notebook is based on a dual-core 8th Gen Intel Core i3 processor with a base clock speed of 2.1GHz and a boost clock speed of 3.4GHz. This is an efficient processor, which helps the device to operate at a lower temperature. However, this is not suited for tasks like video editing or gaming due to the below-average integrated GPU, which can only handle basic tasks and can drive an external display with up to 4K resolution.

The device has 4GB RAM, which is a bit less for a laptop of this class, as Windows OS  itself will use more than 2GB of that memory for most of the time. However, for a budding live streamer, this should do the job to stream on a browser-based platform. Though the laptop offers flash-based 128GB internal storage, which means you might have to limit the number of files one store or software one installs on this machine.

It offers a solid battery life and in our testing, we found out that the Lenovo Flex 14 2-in-1 on an average lasts for 8 hours with regular web browsing or watching videos. Lastly, it weighs 3.63-pounds and is not the heaviest 14-inch touch screen laptop that we have seen.

If you are new into live streaming or want a new laptop just to monitor the streaming process, then the Lenovo Flex 14 2-in-1 will be a great option. This is definitely not a performance-oriented laptop, it is more of a compact secondary device with touch screen support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

Live streaming is now respectable and profession and unlike any profession, it also needs good equipment to increase the efficiency of the process. The list of the laptops that we have curated will serve this purpose and we have ensured to include different models with different hardware specifications.

If you are a professional streamer or wanting to be one, then you can consider one of these models and they are guaranteed to last longer and serve their purpose without any issue. We hope that these laptops will help you improve your live streaming efficiency.