I started streaming in December 2020. I didn’t know anything about it except that I loved watching other people on Twitch and I wanted to try it out myself.

I already had some items on hand, for example the ring light that I bought off Amazon for $13 a couple years ago. I used it to hold my phone when recording videos for social media, and it works just fine to light my face.

Professional streamer gear costs a lot. There are dedicated brands that make gear specifically for content creators. And they are awesome – I’d love to be able to own stream decks and green screens in the future. However, if you’re only starting out, you really don’t need to spend all this money upfront.

Start with what you got and figure out if you even like streaming. And once you know that it’s for you, start upgrading your setup. At first, i used regular gaming headphones with the in-built microphone, and it was doing just fine. In fact, the only reason I bought a microphone and a new headset was because the old one (3+ years of heavy use) has given out, and the left side stopped working.

So yes, this setup is not the best, and it’s hardly even considered to be “professional”. However, it will get you started in no time. Many things here are extremely budget-friendly (ex. lights), and some are more high-end (headset and mic). My philosophy is to spend more on things that really matter, i.e. sound and camera, and be more frugal with the rest of the setup.

Truth be told, I love having a wireless headset, and I will spend premium $$ to be able to listen to music or streams while doing the dishes or doing other stuff around the house. Its mic is perfectly fine for streaming, but I also have a habit of touching my hair a lot, and that messes with the sound too much for my liking. That’s why I decided to splurge on a separate microphone.

Camera: Logitech C920 Pro HD Webcam

Microphone: Blue Yeti USB Mic for Recording & Streaming on PC and Mac

Headphones: Corsair HS70 Pro Wireless Se Gaming Headset, Cream

Light: 3.5″ Ring Light with Stand And Phone Holder

LED light: Creatrek RGB Color Changing LED Tea Lights, Battery Powered Submersible Vase Lamps W/ Remote Control

Software: StreamLabs with custom-made overlay

Background music: Epidemic Sound music played on Spotify

Hope this list of products is helpful for you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them here in the comments or during my streams! And even if you’re reading this article when I’m offline, you can always check saved videos to see and hear how my gear is performing 🙂