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Streaming on Twitch is something that many people take seriously. And with good reason. Today it’s actually possible to make a living as a streamer if you put in the work.
However, when you’re just starting out, it might not be easy to get everything that you need due to budgetary concerns.
After all, the list is fairly long and usually includes a good USB microphone, headphones, a capture card, a light (fx a ring light), and a camera – and that’s beside your computer or gaming console!
If you don’t have a lot of cash, then you probably want to be able to find the best deal possible on a good camera for streaming. If you need a more in-depth guide to webcams, I’ve written one here.
So are there good options out there that won’t require you to break the bank? Luckily there are. You don’t need an expensive mirrorless camera to get started. A more traditional webcam will do the trick.
Below I’ve created a quick guide to the best budget camera for streaming on Twitch. This will ensure that you can stream and that everything will look really nice with busting the bank.
These cameras are affordable for beginners who want an affordable web camera, but they’re still quality products. Read about each option to see which one will appeal to you the most.
1. Logitech C922X Pro Stream Webcam
One of the first webcams that you should consider buying is the Logitech C922X Pro Stream (link to Amazon). Logitech produces some high-quality webcams that are available at reasonable prices. I still use the older brother – the Logitech C920 HD Pro (link to Amazon) – for video conferences and it still works like a charm.
It allows you to stream video at 1080P, and it records video at 30FPS. It also has a very good autofocus feature that keeps you from having to mess with the webcam while you’re streaming to keep it in focus.
This camera has very good low-light performance, too. When you’re streaming in a small bedroom that doesn’t have amazing lighting, this camera is going to be a good one to buy.
It’ll ensure that your audience can see you quite well. You won’t need to spend too much to get this webcam either.
It isn’t the best webcam on the market, but it’s incredible for the price.
2. Razer Kiyo Streaming Webcam
Consider buying the Razer Kiyo Streaming Webcam (link to Amazon) if you want to have a solid starting webcam for streaming on Twitch. This is a very good option to buy because it offers excellent video quality.
Much like the Logitech offering above, this will allow you to record 1080p video at 30FPS. You’ll also have the option to record 720p video at 60FPS.
This webcam is another option that works fine in low-light settings as well as it comes with a tiny ring light attached to it. It’ll be fine to record videos or stream in a room that doesn’t have stellar lighting, but, of course, it won’t give you that soft look that you’ll get from a bigger ring light.
But having some sort of lighting source already makes this camera very convenient to use and doesn’t cost too much money either.
This high-quality webcam ensures that everything looks good for your Twitch streams and you’ll be happy with the features that it offers as well.
3. Logitech HD Webcam C310
Another great budget option for streaming is the Logitech HD Webcam C310. This is a solid webcam that doesn’t cost a lot of cash.
It’s a pretty basic webcam overall, but it’ll ensure that you’re able to show up and be seen on your streams, which in essence is all you need. Of course, this isn’t going to be the best webcam that money can buy since it’s a budget option, but it’s a great way to get started on Twitch.
This content was first published on GamersNotAllowed.com
One negative aspect of this webcam that might make you want to stay away from is that it only records 720p video. This isn’t the best video quality in modern times as most are expecting 1080p or even 4K resolution.
Even so, it is a decent webcam if you’re just starting out with streaming. When you’re only just starting out, it’s understandable that you wouldn’t want to invest a ton of money in your streaming setup.
It’s also easy to set up. You simply plug this webcam into your PC – it’s basically plug-and-play – and then you’re ready to start streaming. You can always upgrade and get something better at a later date if money is of concern.
4. AVerMedia Live Streamer CAM 313
The AVerMedia Live Streamer CAM 313 (link to Amazon) is another great budget-friendly webcam, and this will actually let you stream in 1080p. You won’t have to worry about giving your followers and subscribers subpar 720p video. This is a good webcam that has nice features for the price.
It comes with two built-in mono microphones that are surprisingly good. And you can capture 1080p footage at 30fps. It’s incredibly simple to set this webcam up for your streams, too. You just plug it into the USB port on your PC and it will be ready to go.
You’ll also like that this webcam comes with free CAM engine software. The software is really good and makes it simple to adjust the settings of the camera.
You can tinker with the brightness and the sharpness to make the video look as good as it can.
There’s even a convenient privacy slider that you can put on the camera when it isn’t in use.
5. The Microsoft LifeCam
The Microsoft LifeCam (link to Amazon) isn’t a camera that is only used for streaming. People often use this camera for business purposes.
It’s a very high-quality camera with great glass that comes with a good built-in noise-canceling microphone, that removes annoying background noise – fx from the fans in your computer.
You’ll also like the great auto-focus feature that this camera has, which comes with face tracking. It makes your life that much simpler as a streamer. It has light correction capabilities as well that will help to keep your streams looking nice – even in low light.
And, of course, it comes with USB connectivity for easy plug-and-play.
This camera is going to work for Windows as well as Mac. It isn’t all that expensive either. This one is worth the money and will certainly help your streams to look professional.
6. Logitech StreamCam Plus
The Logitech StreamCam Plus (link to Amazon) is a bit more expensive than some of the other options on this list, but it’s still a bargain compared to buying an actual mirrorless video camera for streaming.
It’s well worth the price since it offers some of the best quality videos that you can get from a streaming webcam. You can enjoy 1080p video at 60FPS when you’re using this camera.
The footage from this camera looks absolutely great. It comes with great glass and excellent auto-focus and it can automatically dial in the right exposure so you don’t end up with grainy low-light footage.
The StreamCam Plus from Logitech also comes with a fast USB-C Connection which ensures a reliable 1080p video quality for your streams and videos.
It has two microphones on the front that lets you record in either stereo or dual mono. I’d recommend you use dual-mono for speech and stereo if you’re playing an instrument.
This camera has also been optimized for streaming software such as Twitch and YouTube.
Many streamers love using this camera. It’s among the most popular cameras for streaming on Twitch. You’ll even be able to enjoy versatile mounting options that make it easy to put the camera wherever you need it to be.
7. The Elgato Facecam
Another camera that is very much on the high end of affordability is the Elgato Facecam (link to Amazon). It offers 1080P video at 60FPS to ensure that your streams look amazing. Everything will look so smooth when you’re using this webcam for streaming.
It’s also just very easy to use this webcam. This is a professional type of webcam, but it’s intuitive and beginner-friendly.
This camera comes with software that allows you to adjust various things to make things look as good as they can. You can even use the software to make adjustments to the camera while it’s in use.
You’ll find this webcam to be one of the most convenient ones to use for streaming. It has a fixed focus range that will always keep you in focus.
The video quality is pretty much second to none when it comes to this price range except for the Logitech StreamCam Plus mentioned above.
However, you do need a beefy computer and a good internet connection to get the best out of this cam. 1080p at 60fps is a lot of data to stream, and since it’s your computer that does the processing, I wouldn’t recommend this camera if you’re on fx an older laptop.
In Closing
I hope you found this guide to seven good budget cameras for streaming on Twitch helpful.
Some of the options above are going to be better than others. The more expensive ones on the list will offer a better experience overall.
However, the very inexpensive ones can still get the job done. They just won’t be able to record or stream video that looks quite as good.
Decide which option will work for you based on what your budget looks like. If your budget is on the low side, then you might want to go with an entry-level option.
If you have the cash then buying either the Elgato Facecam or the Logitech StreamCam Plus are great options.
Enjoy your time as a streamer and you’ll surely be able to build a following with enough effort.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jan has played video games since the early 1980s. He loves getting immersed in video games as a way to take his mind off stuff when the outside world gets too scary. A lifelong gamer, the big interest led to a job as a lecturer on game sound at the University of Copenhagen and several written articles on video games for magazines.