9 Best Laptops For Live Streaming in 2021 [Expert Choices]

Live streaming is turning out to be a professional career option for many. Many people opt 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 Windows-powered machines or macOS based notebooks that are thin and lightweight.

An enthusiast gamer, teacher, or even a personal coach can get into a session with just the 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

	Minimum System Requirements	Recommended System Requirements
CPU	9th Gen Intel Core i5	9th Gen Intel Core i7
RAM	8GB	16GB
Storage	256GB SSD	512GB SSD
Display	13.3-inch FHD IPS (1920 x 1080)	15.6-inch FHD IPS (1920 x 1080)
Battery	Up to 4 hours	Up to 8 hours
GPU	2GB NVIDIA GeForce MX350	4GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 or better

Best Laptops For Live Streaming in 2021

Image	Name	Features	Check Price
	Dell G5 15	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	Check on Amazon
	HP Pavilion 15	CPU: 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	Check on Amazon
	Acer Aspire 7	CPU: 2 GHz Intel Core i5-9300H RAM: 8GB Storage: 512GB SSD Display: 15.6-inch FHD IPS (1920 x 1080) GPU: 4GB NVIDIA GTX 1650 Battery: Up to 8.5 hours	Check on Amazon
	Asus TUF FX505DT	CPU: 2.1GHz AMD Ryzen 5 R5-3550H RAM: 8GB Storage: 256GB SSD Display: 15.6-inch FHD IPS (1920 x 1080) GPU: 4GB NVIDIA GTX 1650 Battery: Up to 5 hours	Check on Amazon
	Acer Predator Helios 300	CPU: 2.2GHz Intel Core i7-8750H RAM: 16GB Storage: 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD Display: 15.6-inch FHD IPS (1920 x 1080) GPU: 6GB Nvidia GTX 1060 Battery: Up to 7 hours	Check on Amazon
	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 MX250 Battery: Up to 10 hours	Check on Amazon
	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: Integrated Intel UHD 620 Battery: Up to 8 hours	Check on Amazon
	LG Gram	CPU: 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-8250U RAM: 8GB Storage: 256GB SSD Display: 13.3-inch FHD IPS (1920 x 1080) GPU: Integrated Intel UHD Battery: Up to 20 hours	Check on Amazon
	Dell Inspiron 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	Check on Amazon

We have worked closely with 37 top-tier live streamers on platforms like Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and more to shortlist this list of laptops that offer the top-notch gaming experience. If you are looking for a reliable option, then this list is going to be helpful.

1. Best Overall: Dell G5 15

The Dell G5 15 is the most low-key looking gaming laptop that one can consider from the house of Dell. It is a great laptop for live streaming because of the high-end specifications and ample connectivity 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 to run AAA titles at 60fps. PUBG and Fortnite players will have no problem 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 software, 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 Runner Up: HP Pavilion 15

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 in Adobe Premiere Pro 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.

3. Best Value for Money: Acer Aspire 7

As a live streamer, you are expected to rely on functional productivity-centric specs and class-leading connectivity suite attributes that are densely stacked into the Acer Aspire 7. While there are several premium gadgets in the market for the same job, the Aspire 7 comes forth as one of the more affordable units.

Powering the same is the Intel Core i5-9300H chipset, boasting of a decent-enough turbo clock speed of up to 4.1GHz. For streamers who are more inclined towards software units like Wirecast, Lightstream, and vMix, this CPU is one of the best computing resources, courtesy of the multi-threaded support and significant cache memory. Besides, the encoding and rendering associated with live streaming input are subtly managed by the GTX 1650 graphics card.

The dedicated GPU, paired with 4GB VRAM, is a reliable resource for rendering texture-intensive images and videos onto the viewport. Besides, if you are a gamer associated with live streaming via the Twitch streamer, the GTX 1650 comes forth as a mid-range GPU, allowing you to play and stream titles like Fortnite, Cyberpunk 2077. PUBG, and more, and 1080p and 720p preset.

Despite being one of the more underrated features for live streamers, the 8GB DDR4 RAM can be quite a handful. As the gadget converts the video input using the processor, you can also reap the benefits of the 2666MHz data processing speeds, associated with the system memory. Next in line is the 512GB of solid-state storage support, capable of retrieving files, streaming applications, and media at enviable speeds.

Coming to the operating platform, Acer accommodates Windows 10 OS, which looks even better on the 15.6-inch 1080p screen. The Widescreen viewing experience, as projected by the Aspire 7, allows you to connect better with the audience. Besides, the visuals projected during creative tasks like photo editing, 3D animation, media streaming, and gaming streams are adequately vibrant, courtesy of the Acer Color Intelligence and the ExaColor technologies.

Besides, Acer flaunts an amplified display-to-body ratio of 82 percent, which is a valuable asset to the live streamers. The Aspire 7 takes good care of the productivity, courtesy of the backlit keyboard, potent speakers, and a vibrant webcam. What stands out though is the reliable acoustic conglomerate, comprising stereo speakers and voice purified microphones. From a structural perspective, Aspire 7 is on the lighter side at 4.74 pounds which makes it portable enough for traveling.

The connectivity suite is pretty beefed-up, courtesy of the USB Type-C, Type-A, and HDMI slots, specifically for connecting data devices and external displays. As live streamers require the fastest possible internet speeds, Acer allows access to Gig Ethernet support and the 2×2 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi 5 standard. Not just that, this Intel-powered laptop also offers a decent enough battery backup of up to 8.5 hours, on moderate usage.

Overall, as a live steamer, Aspire 7 is one of the best laptops to put your money on, especially when internet speeds, webcam quality, visual projections, and processing power are concerned.

4. Best AMD-Powered: Asus TUF FX505DT

Honestly speaking, live streaming doesn’t usually stretch the device to the brink, unless you are gaming, podcast recording, and broadcasting, at the same time. Keeping the mid-level requirements in mind, the Asus TUF FX505DT comes forth as one of the best gadgets in the market, featuring a stand-out display and a reliable connectivity suite.

From a processing perspective, you get access to the reliable AMD Ryzen 5 R5-3550H CPU, capable of reaching boosted clock speeds of up to 3.7GHz. Besides, the quad-core CPU is capable enough of running the most common streaming and broadcasting applications like Shadowplay, Wirecast, and more, without breaking a sweat.

If you are a twitch streamer with added reliance on games, the GTX 1650 graphics card is a reliable ally. In addition to being capable of managing mid-range AAA titles like Minecraft, Overwatch, Civilization 6, and more, this graphics card is also good enough for viewport rendering, RTMP streaming, live switching, and more. The CPU-GPU association allows you to handle multiple streaming processes and game-centric live streaming with ease.

Besides, if you are planning to use the NVIDIA Shadowplay streaming software, this graphics card can be quite a handful. Paired with 4GB VRAM, this GPU can shoulder every streaming responsibility, thereby rendering the processor free to manage other relevant processes. The Asus TUF FX505DT also makes room for 8GB of DDR4 RAM, allowing you to manage a wide range of processes and tasks like programming, web designing, and game development with ease.

However, the 256GB SSD unit is slightly disappointing, considering the lack of capacity for the media mongers. Regardless, the boot drive can still retrieve files and media in no time, whilst ensuring that the Windows 10 OS boots up in a heartbeat. The 15.6-inch screen further complements the operating platform, courtesy of the clarity and sharpness in play. Despite being a rugged device, the Asus TUF FX505DT flaunts a NanoEdge panel and improved color accuracy levels.

As far as the resolution is concerned, you have 1920 x 1080 pixels to rely on. Besides, the 120Hz screen refresh rate is an impactful resource, in case you are into live streaming of games and looking to avoid frame drops or screen tearing at 1080p. Other relevant specs include the Hyperstrike backlit keyboard with numeric keypad, 720p webcam, and the SoC-appropriate thermal layout, featuring dual fans and ADC technology.

When it comes to heft, the Asus TUF FX505DT weighs close to 4.90 pounds but doesn’t compromise on the port arrangement, with USB 3.1, Type-C, HDMI, and USB 3.0 being the standard inclusions. Then again, it is the Wave 2 Wi-Fi AC standard that comes forth as a blessing for the live streamers, allowing them to reach speeds close to 1.7Gbps, provided the ISP and modem are compatible enough.

In terms of autonomy, Asus offers a paltry, 5-hour backup. However, you can always tap into the SenseMI user platform for getting through to a more power-efficient professional mode. As far as additional specs are concerned, you get access to an immersive acoustic setup, led by the DTS: X technology and high-fidelity speakers.

Overall, the Asus TUF FX505DT is one of the best sub-$800 laptops for your live streaming indulgences, provided you are fine with the middling battery life.

5. Best with GTX 1060: Acer Predator Helios 300

The Predator Helios 300 is the right fit for the 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.

6. Best Lightweight Laptop: Asus ZenBook 14

The Asus ZenBook 14 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, a premium version that has a few more options than 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, which can be a boon working from home professionals.

The Asus ZenBook 14 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.

7. Best for Teachers: Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14

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 laptop 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 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-114-inch laptop offers faster read and write speed when compared to 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.

8. Best Battery Life: LG Gram

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 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 20 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. Best 2-in-1: Dell Inspiron 5000

As the name suggests, the Dell Inspiron 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 watch movies or videos.

This laptop is based on a dual-core 8th Gen Intel Core i3-8145U processor, which can handle regular tasks like web browsing and Microsoft Office usage 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.

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.