12 Best Cheap Streaming PC’s [May 2023]

If you’re in search of a cheap, prebuilt streaming PC then you’ve come to the right place.

You don’t have to spend a fortune on your rig to get into live streaming. Providing the system has enough processing power to meet the minimum requirements of full-HD encoding and gaming at the same time, this is the primary factor.

Moreover, with the current demand for PC parts, it can save you a ton of hassle from having to source your own.

In this post, we will take a look at the latest systems that would make an awesome streaming PC.

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What is the best cheap streaming PC?

12. iBUYPOWER Gaming PC

The Element Mini 167A is ideal for the beginning gamer or streamer. It’s powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 (with a 4.2GHz turbo boost), a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GT 730 2GB graphics card, and 8GB DDR4 RAM. Also included is a 240GB SSD and Windows 10 home.

The components pack nicely inside a modern, tempered glass case that measures just 7.5  x 19 x 19.5 inches. As the name suggests, the Element Mini case houses micro ATX motherboards, and with this bit of kit, you get an ASRock A320M MOBO with an AMD A320 chipset.

In terms of appearance, the case is lit up by three big RGB fans that are visible through the front and side glass panels. No inputs or outputs can be found on the front of the PC. Instead, they locate discretely on top and the back for a very clean look.

Overall, if you’re new to Twitch and are searching for a cheap streaming PC capable of 720p at 30/ 60fps, this is a great budget answer.

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11. Acer Aspire TC-895-UA92 Desktop

The Acer Aspire TC-895-UA92 is a multitasking machine that offers excellent value. It comes with a 6-Core Intel Core i5-10400 Processor (that can reach a 4.3Hhz turbo boost), 12GB of DDR4 2666MHz RAM, and a 512GB NVMe M.2 SSD.

To keep costs down, the Acer TC takes advantage of the onboard Intel UHD 630 graphics. As a result, it’s not exactly the best gaming PC, however, with the 6-core processor – it would make an ideal dedicated streaming PC that’s using x264 to encode the stream.

As you can see from the photo, the TC case is nothing aesthetically special. Rather, it has quite a stealthy look that you could easily tuck out the way. To help you achieve this, all of the I/O’s (a USB 3.2 Type C port, an HDMI output, and 3.5mm jacks) locate on the front for convenient access.

All in all, with its 6 core processor, the Acer Aspire TC offers excellent bang for your buck. It’s a great second PC choice for anyone wanting to stream 1080p 60fps in medium resolution.

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10. iBUYPOWER Gaming PC

Our next iBUYPOWER PC on the list steps up the power with a 11th Gen Intel i5-11400F processor 2.6GHz processer, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 480GB SSD. It also comes with a much-improved NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 GPU to make it a viable performer in the 1080p budget space.

With this model, you’re getting a slightly larger Trace 4 9310 case to house all of the internal components. The inside layout is well designed and offers great cable management. There’s also plenty of room for additional storage due to having seven expansion slots and 3x internal bays.

As you can see, the design is very similar to the Element Mini 9300. A few easily accessible I/O’s position on the top, and the side glass panels allow you to admire the five large RGB fans. One noticeable difference is that there are two angled bezels on the front of the case.

Overall, if you’re searching for a cheap, prebuilt PC that’s suitable for gaming or streaming, you can’t go wrong with the price.

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9. HP ProDesk 400 G5 Micro Tower

The HP ProDesk 400 G5 Micro Tower is a reliable, small form factor PC that’s ready for now and in the future. It features a 6 core Intel Core i7-8700 (with a 4.60 GHz turbo boost), AMD Radeon™ RX 550 4GB graphics, and 16GB of DDR4 Ram.

If you’re searching for a cheap, prebuilt streaming PC that you can stash out of the way, the G5 Micro Tower fits the bill. The compact size of the tower measures only 6.7 x 13.3 x 10.8″ so it won’t take up much space. You could even secure it to the underside of the desk.

The 6 core Intel processor is on par with some of the Ryzen 5 models on this list, however, it’s worth noting that it can’t be overclocked. Furthermore, although the RX 550 is just fine for basic games, it’s likely to struggle with more intensive titles so this might be one area in need of an upgrade.

All in all, this PC offers great processing power for the price. The high system proccessor and 1TB HDD are just what you need for x264 encoding.

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8. Cyberpower Gamer Xtreme PC

The Cyberpower Gamer Xtreme provides plenty of raw power for gaming at high resolutions and settings. To achieve this, It features a 6-core i5-11400F processor, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and a trusty GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GPU. It also comes with a 500GB SSD and an 80+ Gold PSU.

As the second i5-11400F build on our list, the main difference between this listing and the Ibuypower is that you’re getting an RTX 2060 included in the deal. Moreover, the 11^th-gen processor not only makes it a great prebuilt PC for streaming, but also for playing games too.

In addition to the GPU and CPU, the setup has a more appealing, re-branded Cooler Master “MasterBox Lite” case. We particularly like the front pattern design on the front of the case. This not only looks great with the RGB shining through but also allows for sufficient ventilation.

Even though the motherboard is a mATX MoBo, the case can fit most ATX sized motherboards as well.

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7. ASRock DeskMini H470W

The AsRock DeskMini H470W is a fast and solid mini-PC. It takes advantage of an Intel Core i9-9900 APU with integrated UHD 630 graphics to reach a clock speed of 3.1 GHz – 5.0 GHz. This particular model also includes 32 GB of DDR4 2933MHz, a 1TB SSD, and a 2TB HDD.

If you’re searching for a cheap, prebuilt desktop that would make a brilliant dedicated streaming PC, the DeskMini H470W has everything you need. The eight-core, sixteen-thread APU provides an abundance of processing power for encoding a stream at Full-HD settings.

Unlike the iBUYPOWER PC, it does lose out on the full-size graphics card so there is some sacrifice. On the plus side, it comes with extra storage, and there’s even room for up to 4x storage expansion. This is ideal for recording and saving your long gaming sessions.

At just 6.1 x 3.15 x 6.1 inches in size, the ASRock would make an excellent second PC that you could tuck out of the way. You wouldn’t have to worry about it overheating either, as the aluminum Mosfet heatsink ensures stable system loading.

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6. HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop

The HP Pavilion Desktop Computer is built for gaming on a budget. With the cutting edge hardware inside, HP boasts it can meet the most demanding triple-A games (including Fortnite, League of Legends, and Overwatch) at their minimum system requirements.

To meet this demand, it features a 6-core Intel  i5-10400F CPU, a GeForce RTX 3060 GPU with 12GB GDDR6, and 8GB of DDR4 RAM. As a result, the CPU and GPU combo won’t let you down if you’re searching for a cheap, prebuilt streaming PC that’s capable of 1080p, 60fps.

The HP Pavilion does offer some additional features that you might expect to find with a PC at this price. This includes multi-monitor support, upgradeable memory, and customizable RGB on the bottom front of the case. Furthermore, on the front of the case are 4x USB ports and 1 USB Type-C.

Overall, it’s a great value system with a stylish exterior. 

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5. SkyTech Blaze 3.0 Gaming Computer

The Skytech Blaze 3.0 is a prebuilt PC that packs a powerful punch. To handle multi-thread loads, it flaunts a 6-Core i5-10400F CPU with a 4.3 GHz (max boost) clock speed. In addition to this, you’re getting an AMD Radeon RX 6600XT GPU that’s capable of cranking out the high frames.

In terms of performance, the SkyTech III can reach 117 FPS on most AAA game titles at max settings (Full-HD). If you did want to use it as a cheap streaming PC or even stream and play games on it at the same time, it’s perfectly capable of that. The 1440p performance is only slightly worse at 85 fps.

The build uses a custom Metallicgear case that was made especially for Skytech. The tempered glass door on the side gives you immediate access to the interior so you can manage your setup accordingly. This is an ATX case with a high airflow mesh panel so the thermals are also pretty good.

Other hardware includes 16 GB of DDR4 RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a free RGB keyboard and mouse.

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4. iBUYPOWER Gaming PC

The third iBuyPower Gaming PC on our list is a big step up from both of the previous models. It’s powered by an Intel i7-10700F (Max Turbo 4.8 GHz) CPU, 16GB of DRR4 RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB. In addition to this, it comes with a 480GB SSD and a 2TB hard drive.

Due to its 8 core/ 16 thread processor, the iBuyPower certainly hits the sweet spot for 1080p60 streaming on Twitch. Given the price, the specs of this computer are quite impressive. It should also save you a large amount of hassle from having to put the components together yourself.

In terms of the build, the hardware fits snug inside a unique tempered glass RGB gaming case. As you can see from the pic, the front of the case has an addressable V shape RGB strip. Also included is a free iBuyPower RGB Gaming keyboard and mouse

For connectivity, the desktop offers 4 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0, and 1x HDMI display port. A Wi-Fi card does come with the build, however, this is a budget component much like the PSU. Therefore, you might want to upgrade them in the future.

Overall, it’s a fantastic deal for the price.

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3. Skytech Shadow 3 Gaming PC

Up next is the second Skytech gaming computer on our list. If you liked the Skytech case on the first model but were screaming for more power, then get a load of this. It features a 6-core Ryzen 5 3600 CPU, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and an RTX 3060 8GB graphics card.

In terms of performance, this PC dominates in every aspect. The CPU and GPU can run triple “A” games at the highest settings, and if you wanted to stream at the same time, no problem. To encode, you could either use x264 with the CPU or even in NVENC with the graphics card.

Compared to the Shadow 2, the build gets a further upgrade. As already mentioned, there’s double the RAM, and a reliable 600 Watt 80 Plus Gold PSU to handle the extra wattage.

In addition to this, we also like that it comes with plenty of ports, including eight USBs. Moreover, while you only get a single 1TB NVMe SSD, there are two extra SSD slots and a single M.2 slot for storage expansion. The stock SSD is pretty generic but it does the job,

Overall, it’s a top prebuilt PC that’s capable of streaming 1080p, 60+ FPS gameplay on the cheap.

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2. MSI MPG Trident 3

The MSI Trident 3 is a powerful small form factor desktop that offers excellent value. Packed inside the discreet 4.72-liter volume case is an 8 core Intel Core i7-11700F Processor (with a max turbo frequency of 4.80 GHz), 16 GB of DDR4 RAM, and a GeForce RTX 3060 (ITX).

With this little monster, you could use it for either gaming, streaming, or both. The 11th Gen. Intel Core i7 processor brings you an unparalleled gaming experience, with the utmost computing power. Moreover, due, to having 8 cores and 16 threads, it’s more than sufficient for 1080p streaming. 

Besides the obvious power, the MPG Trident 3 makes a name for itself as the smallest VR-ready gaming PC. It measures 9.9 x 13.93 x 3.84 inches and weighs just 6.99 pounds, to give you effortless portability. If you ever wanted to do some streaming while on the road, it’s perfect for that.

The design of the case is particularly clever and can be placed either vertical or horizontal with the included stands. Due to the bevel cut exterior, it looks great no matter which way up you decide to flip it. Furthermore, with the mystic LED light – it’s sure to become the centerpiece of your home.

Just as you would expect with a top-of-the-line model like this, it features WIFI 6, can support multiple monitors and has an abundance of inputs and outputs.

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1. ROG Strix GA15DK Gaming PC

The ROG Strix GA15DK is a fast and fluid gaming desktop that aims to give you a competitive edge. It features an eight-core AMD Ryzen 7 5800X processor (32M Cache, up to 4.7 GHz), 16GB of DDR4 3200 MHz RAM, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB graphics.

With all that power inside the case, the ROG is definitely a great choice as a cheap, prebuilt streaming PC. The potent eight-core, sixteen-thread CPU and GTX 3070 GPU combo is more than enough to play (and stream) at 1080p 60fps on a single PC setup.

Designed for gamers, the Aura Sync RGB chassis has a stealthy look that offers both style and functionality. On top is a built-in carrying handle for easy portability, and on the side is a special, EMI-shield glass that lets you watch the components at work.

To lower temperatures, the multi-zone chassis separates the CPU, GPU, and PSU into their own individual chambers. Additionally, the case has extra-wide vents to direct more cool air through the machine. Unfortunately, It still heats up a bit but this can be fixed with better a better cooler.

In short, it’s a super smooth and high-quality system that’s fantastic for streaming.

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How Much Does a Streaming PC Cost?

A streaming PC can cost anywhere from $600 to several thousand dollars. If you are looking for a budget streaming PC that is capable of streaming in 1080p, then expect to spend a minimum of $1,000. Streaming PCs that stream at 720p will cost around $700.

When buying a streaming PC, you need to think about what you are planning on streaming. You must remember that when you are streaming, your computer has two jobs. The first is to play the games (and record them if you are not using a capture card), and the second is to encode the video for streaming. This means that you need a streaming PC that exceeds the spec of the games you want to play.

At the minimum, you will require at least 8 GB of RAM. This will allow you to run your streaming software. However, you may want to bump it up to 16 GB for a bit more power.

Twitch then recommends a minimum of Intel Core i5-4670 (or AMD equivalent) as the processor. This can easily set you back $200-$300. The minimum GPU will be an RX 570, which can easily be $300. As a result, you’re looking at $600 as a bare minimum to pay for a streaming PC.

The most important factors are the CPU and GPU. The better they are, the better the overall streaming experience will be. Both of these components can be upgraded over time if you don’t have the cash right now.

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What PC is Good For Just Streaming?

There is no one good PC just for streaming. You will need to consider a variety of different things. This includes how you wish to encode your videos.

For example, if you are plan to use x264 encoding, which is software-based, then you will need to choose a dedicated streaming PC with a quality CPU. The GPU won’t matter as much, assuming that this PC is only a streaming device i.e. it is not going to run games directly.

If you purchase an Nvidia graphics card, check whether it has NVENC on it. This is a hardware-based video encoder. If you have a graphics card that uses NVENC, the CPU speed doesn’t matter too much. Your focus here is on ensuring that you pick up the best GPU within your budget.

Beyond this, you will need to consider the amount of RAM the computer has. 8 GB is just fine for streaming, though 16 GB may work a little bit better for high-quality software encoded streaming. 

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Is a Cheap Streaming PC Worth It?

It depends. If you plan to stream your games in the highest quality imaginable (2K/ 4K ultra settings), then a cheap streaming PC probably isn’t going to be what you are after. This is because there won’t be enough power to play and stream your games at the same time.

When it comes to streaming PC games that don’t require a lot in the way of power, e.g. League of Legends, Fortnite, etc. you can get away with purchasing a cheaper PC. However, if you are streaming intensive titles at higher resolutions then this will become more of a challenge.

Another thing to keep in mind is longevity. Due to cheap streaming PCs only having entry-level hardware, you may need to purchase a completely new set-up with a motherboard and hardware that can grow with you in a couple of years. For a beginner streamer though, they are a great starting point.

Furthermore, if you are plan on streaming console games with the addition of a capture card, then a cheap streaming PC may be worth it. As long as there is enough power for the PC to run the required software and stream at the same time, then it should be fine.

Overall, If you are just getting started in the world of streaming and the games you want to play aren’t too demanding, then we recommend purchasing a cheap streaming computer. As your business expands, you will be able to add more components, or even invest in a second computer purely for rendering. 

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How To Choose The Best Cheap Streaming PC in 2023

Choosing Between Intel and AMD Processors

AMD processors are likely going to be the cheapest option when you are buying a streaming PC. However, if performance is important, then Intel is the route to go down. Intel chips offer superior multi-core performance. This means that they may be able to squeak a couple of extra frames out of the games that you play. They also support streaming software a little bit better. Although, for basic streaming, any option is fine.

Selecting The Right GPU

Base the GPU on the games you plan on playing. If you are looking out for the cheapest, but most effective option, then picking up an RX 750 should allow you to stream most modern games in 720p. Moreover, it will allow you to stream some older games in 1080p, too.

Then, when you have more cash available, picking up a GTX 1660 Ti or above should allow you to play modern games for the foreseeable future in 1080p. You can stream at this quality too.

Is Streaming CPU or GPU Intensive?

This depends on the game and what you are streaming. However, in most cases, streaming is always going to be much more GPU intensive. While the CPU is going to be an important part of the computer, a lot more of your cash should go towards the GPU. This will ensure that you can play your PC games at the highest resolutions and frame rates.

Budget

Always think about your budget and, where possible, increase it as much as possible. Yes. You may be able to build a streaming PC for $500, but it isn’t going to be worth it. The experience would be awful. At a minimum, you will be spending at least $700, with mid-range streaming PCs around the $1,000 mark. Remember, the bulk of your cash will need to be spent on a decent GPU and CPU.

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We hope you found a cheap, streaming PC on this list to meet your needs.

Click here for the best Laptops for Streaming in 2023!

Click here for a list of Streaming Essentials for Twitch!

Image credit:

Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash
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