Yes, most modern PCs can stream and game at once if the game still runs smoothly after reserving resources for encoding, and hardware encoding cuts the performance hit.
One wrong setting turns a smooth game into a slideshow: leave OBS on software encoding and your CPU does two jobs at once. Whether your PC can stream and game simultaneously comes down to headroom — how much processing power the game leaves free for the encoder.
Hardware encoders built into your GPU handle compression on a separate part of the chip, so the game barely notices. Software encoding (x264) leans on your CPU and competes with the game for the same cores.
What Are The System Requirements For OBS?
OBS runs on Windows 10 or 11, macOS 11 (Big Sur) or later, and Linux or Unix systems with a compatible GPU and display support — the baseline the OBS Project lists. Specific hardware floors:
- Windows: DirectX 10.1-compatible GPU (any card from the last decade clears this).
- macOS: Intel or Apple Silicon CPU plus OpenGL 3.3-compatible GPU.
- Linux: OpenGL 3.3-compatible GPU and X Window System or Wayland.
Those floors are low; the real question is whether your hardware has an encoder worth using. Instead of guessing whether a prebuilt is up to the job, there’s a tested roundup of computers built for gaming and streaming that matches hardware to the encoder it supports.
Which Hardware Encoder Does Your GPU Support?
NVIDIA NVENC, Intel Quick Sync, and AMD’s encoders work on Windows and Linux; Apple VideoToolbox covers Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. Each has a cutoff older hardware falls below — check your exact card first.
| Encoder | Hardware Floor | Streaming Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA NVENC | GeForce 750 Ti / 900-series (Maxwell) or newer | Best on 6th-gen NVENC (Turing), including GTX 1650 rev 2 and up |
| Intel Quick Sync | Compatible Intel integrated graphics | Supported on Windows and Linux |
| AMD hardware encoder | AMD GPU with encoder support | Supported on Windows and Linux |
| Apple VideoToolbox | Apple Silicon or Intel Mac | Intel Macs cannot stream with it; Apple Silicon streams H.264 |
| x264 (software) | Any CPU | Universal fallback, heaviest load on the game |
| Apple ProRes (recording) | Apple Silicon | Recording only, alongside H.264 and HEVC |
NVENC support stops at the GeForce 750 Ti and 900-series — anything older falls back to software. Turing cards and later give the best results, so a GTX 1650 rev 2 or newer is a safe floor for NVENC streaming.
Why Hardware Encoding Beats Software While Gaming
Hardware encoders carry minimal performance impact versus x264 at the same bitrate, because encoding happens on dedicated silicon rather than the CPU cores your game uses, per the OBS Project. Software encoding runs compression on the CPU, asking it to render game logic and encode frames simultaneously — which can overload the CPU and drag framerate down. OBS notes x264 delivers strong quality per bit, useful when you have CPU cores to spare, less so while gaming.
To pick your path:
- Open OBS and go to Settings.
- Select Output and set Output Mode to Advanced.
- Under Streaming, pick your GPU’s encoder — NVENC, Quick Sync, or AMD.
- Set the bitrate to match your output resolution, then apply.
When it works, the dropdown shows your GPU’s name and in-game framerate holds close to pre-stream levels. If your GPU predates the NVENC cutoff, software encoding still works — drop graphics settings and cap stream resolution to give the CPU room.
Do Macs Handle Streaming And Gaming The Same Way?
Not quite. Apple Silicon Macs stream fine over H.264 and record to H.264, HEVC, and Apple ProRes, but Intel-based Macs cannot stream through VideoToolbox at all because constant bit rate support is missing; they must use x264.
Intel Macs can still record using hardware: go to Settings → Output, set Output Mode to Advanced, open Recording, choose Apple VT H264 Hardware Encoder, and match the bitrate to your video settings.
The same limits apply everywhere. One workaround beats the ceiling: add a capture card or stream from a second machine so encoding never touches the gaming PC. Otherwise, check OBS’s hardware encoding guide to confirm your card first.
FAQs
Will streaming lower my framerate?
It can, but far less with hardware encoding. NVENC, Quick Sync, and AMD encoders run on dedicated GPU silicon, so impact is minimal at the same bitrate. Software x264 competes with the game for CPU cores and can cut framerate noticeably if your processor lacks spare threads.
Can a budget PC stream and game together?
Often yes, if it has a hardware encoder. A GTX 1650 rev 2 or newer handles NVENC streaming with a light hit. Without one, x264 works but demands CPU headroom, so lower game settings and stream at 720p.
Why can’t my Intel Mac stream with VideoToolbox?
VideoToolbox streaming needs constant bit rate support Intel-based Macs lack, so OBS blocks that path. Intel Mac owners stream with x264, offloading nothing to the GPU. Apple Silicon Macs stream over H.264 normally.
References & Sources
- OBS Project. “System Requirements” Lists supported operating systems and the DirectX 10.1, OpenGL 3.3, and display-server requirements.
- OBS Project. “Hardware Encoding” Covers NVENC, Quick Sync, AMD, and VideoToolbox support and their hardware cutoffs.
- OBS Project. “Streaming With x264” Explains software encoding quality per bit and when x264 is the right choice.