CPU for Streaming

[EAGLEye52]

I was just wondering if the PC that I would use for Steam in home streaming, as the host needs a strong CPU. would there be any sort of impact to the performance if the processor being used is a FX-6300 compared to something like an i5-4460 or a E3-1231 V3.

 

[lehtv]

Here's what I know - anyone feel free to correct me if needed.

The idea is to have high performance CPU cores so as not to bottleneck the graphics card while playing, and a high number of threads so that the streaming software can do its job without slowing down the cores you are playing the game with.

If budget allows, go with E3-1231 V3 at minimum. i5 is still OK and beats FX-6300 quite easily, unless the FX is heavily overclocked. i7-4790K would be optimal, and for high end streaming setups, even an overclocked 5820K wouldn't hurt.

You'll also want lots of RAM - 16GB would be good. 8GB may run out since encoding video can be RAM intensive.

The only exceptions to all of the above is if you're using a dedicated capture card or streaming via NVIDIA ShadowPlay in which case it's the card and its dedicated memory that does all the work.

Intel QuickSync can be used to lower the CPU load of streaming: https://mirillis.com/en/products/tutorials/action-tutorial-intel-quick-sync-setup_for_desktops.html

 

[VirtualLarry]

and for high end streaming setups, even an overclocked 5820K wouldn't hurt.

Intel QuickSync can be used to lower the CPU load of streaming: https://mirillis.com/en/products/tutorials/action-tutorial-intel-quick-sync-setup_for_desktops.html

Just to clarify a bit - the 5820K (and all Haswell-E CPUs) lack the iGPU of Intel's mainstream "Core" line, and as such, they lack QuickSync. So if you get a mainstream Core CPU, like the i5-4690K or i7-4790K, then you can use QuickSync to stream, but if you get a 5820K or above, then you'll have to use the extra two CPU cores to do the video encoding for streaming.

 

[i7Baby]

I was just wondering if the PC that I would use for Steam in home streaming, as the host needs a strong CPU. would there be any sort of impact to the performance if the processor being used is a FX-6300 compared to something like an i5-4460 or a E3-1231 V3.

Of course there will be an impact. A FX6300 will not be as strong as a Xeon or even an i5.

 

[EAGLEye52]

So if I were to build a PC with the e3-1231 and 16GB ram I would have to get something like a gtx 750 ti. Would this do an adequate job at streaming thought Steam in hone steaming to my Intel Nuc in my living room

 

[lehtv]

GTX 750 Ti is not the best GPU you could get for gaming, and combining that with a Xeon would be imbalanced.

Apparently Steam in-home streaming natively supports NVIDIA hardware encoding so you definitely do want an NVIDIA GPU. Presumably enabling this will considerably lower the CPU requirement, so your best bet is to buy as powerful an NVIDIA GPU as your budget allows, with a CPU that won't bottleneck it. E.g. i5-4460 + GTX 970 (for the streaming PC, i.e. the one you use to actually run the game. The requirements for the client PC are very modest.)

Also with NVIDIA hardware encoding, you don't really need much of system RAM, 8GB should be fine.

 

[Sabrewings]

I was able to do Steam streaming just fine with a Q6600 and GTX 275. Most modern hardware shouldn't break a sweat.

 

[lehtv]

^ You still need faster hardware than that to run the more demanding games. What game were you streaming?

 

[Sabrewings]

^ You still need faster hardware than that to run the more demanding games. What game were you streaming?

Kerbal, Spintires, Batman: AC, Dirt 3, Elite: D, Crysis 2, Deadlight, plus a lot of fun 2Ds that don't really apply here. Always worked without a hitch as long as I was wired. 1080p, BTW.

 

[lehtv]

Interesting info. Were you able to stream at smooth 60 fps or 30 fps?

 

[Sabrewings]

I never tracked it, but it was definitely well above 30FPS. Smoothness was definitely there and I don't recall any serious hitches. I did this mostly to game from my laptop in the living room instead of being in the same room all the time.

For S&Gs I tried it on much older hardware, a P4 3.0C with a 6800GT. It can run original Source games (HL2, Portal, etc) and earlier titles all day no problem @ 1280x1024 (my legacy machine). Fell flat on its face when I tried to stream those games from it, hah. But that was expected.

 

[freeskier93]

GTX 750 Ti is not the best GPU you could get for gaming, and combining that with a Xeon would be imbalanced.

Apparently Steam in-home streaming natively supports NVIDIA hardware encoding so you definitely do want an NVIDIA GPU. Presumably enabling this will considerably lower the CPU requirement, so your best bet is to buy as powerful an NVIDIA GPU as your budget allows, with a CPU that won't bottleneck it. E.g. i5-4460 + GTX 970 (for the streaming PC, i.e. the one you use to actually run the game. The requirements for the client PC are very modest.)

Also with NVIDIA hardware encoding, you don't really need much of system RAM, 8GB should be fine.

Steam supports H264 encoding, even though they only call out Intel and Nvidia in that link AMD will work too since AMD has OpenCL H.264 hardware acceleration. If you're strapped for processing power then the hardware acceleration is the better way to go. If you get something like the Xeon or i7 with 8 threads then turning off hardware acceleration is the better way to go. Software encoding will give better stream quality, minus well put those extra threads to work.

 

[EAGLEye52]

I was looking at pricing online and because I'll also need to work with programs like AutoCAD, Revit and Inventor, but only when projects don't get done at school., I will probably go with the xeon 16GB of ram and the best GPU I can get around $150

 

[lehtv]

Probably one of these:
PowerColor 270X PCS+ $155
Asus R9 270X DCII TOP $173 ($143 AR)
Asus R9 370 Strix $160 ($150 AR)
MSI GTX 960 2GB $190 ($170 AR)
Gigabyte R9 280 3GB $195 ($175 AR)