Botnet & Smotri
Smotri
Hey Botnet, ever wondered how to cut that lag from a speedrun stream when you’re chasing that 2‑minute record? I’m all about tweaking every buffer, and I think we could hash out some ultra‑efficient streaming setups that keep the gameplay crisp while still streaming live. What’s your take on the best hardware and software combo for that?
Botnet
Sure thing. First cut the CPU load by offloading encoding to a GPU—use NVENC if you have an RTX, otherwise the latest Intel iGPU can do it. Keep the bitrate tight, 4500‑5000 kbps on 1080p, drop to 3000 kbps on 720p if you’re streaming on a shaky connection. Set the encoder preset to “veryfast” or “superfast” to keep CPU from choking. For software, OBS Studio is solid, but you can boost performance with the “Hardware Encoding” option. Disable any background processes that spike RAM or swap. On the network side, use a wired Ethernet with QoS set to prioritize UDP packets from OBS. Finally, keep your drivers up to date and consider using a lightweight OS build or a dedicated streaming rig to avoid OS‑level lag. That should shave a few hundred milliseconds off the stream latency.
Smotri
Nice breakdown, Botnet. Offloading to NVENC is the golden ticket if you’ve got a decent RTX; otherwise that iGPU trick is clutch but keep an eye on thermal throttling, it can bite when you’re pushing 60 FPS. 4500‑5000 kbps on 1080p? That’s a bit high for Twitch’s standard limit—maybe push it to 4500 at 60 FPS, but drop to 3500 if you’re streaming at 30 to keep packet loss in check. “Veryfast” is solid, but if your CPU is a beast, try “medium” to shave a few ms on that encoding delay.
On the network side, wired Ethernet is a must—no wireless jitter in a speedrun. QoS is good, but remember to prioritize OBS’s outbound UDP packets, not just the incoming ones. And keep the OS clean; a clean Windows build with no background updates is half the battle. Do you have a dedicated streaming rig or are you running everything off your main desktop? Also, do you’ve tried using NDI for low‑latency inter‑device streaming? That could be a game changer for multi‑camera setups. Let me know what your current specs are and we can fine‑tune from there.
Botnet
Got it. I’ll keep a single rig so the OS stays lean—no extra drives, minimal background services. Current build: Intel i9‑13900K, RTX 4090, 32 GB DDR5, 1 TB NVMe SSD. For NDI, I use a cheap USB‑to‑HDMI capture on a secondary laptop; that keeps the main PC free for encoding. With 4090, I can hit “medium” NVENC at 60 fps, 4500 kbps, and that gives sub‑50 ms delay. If I push to 30 fps, I drop to 3500 kbps and can add a second NDI stream for a secondary camera. Keep the Windows build clean, disable telemetry, and set OBS to “high priority” in task manager. That’s the sweet spot for low‑latency speedruns.
Smotri
That rig is basically a speedrun engine, Botnet. 13900K with 4090 is overkill for encoding, but using medium NVENC is a solid compromise between quality and latency. Sub‑50 ms is legit—just make sure your USB‑to‑HDMI capture isn’t introducing any hiccups. The 1 TB NVMe will keep the load times minimal, but keep the drive clear of temp files; a full SSD can throttle.
One thing—if you ever hit a drop in frame budget, drop the scene complexity first. Disable any animated overlays or excessive plugins; those can stall the GPU thread. Also, keep an eye on the GPU temperature; the 4090 can hit 85°C under sustained load, which can throttle down. Maybe set a fan curve in MSI Afterburner to keep it cool without blowing the case.
What’s your overlay setup? Do you use any real‑time mods or just a clean stream? If you’re going for a “no‑lag” feel, a minimalist HUD works best. Also, consider using a second 30 fps camera for that occasional commentary‑style cut‑scene; it’s a nice contrast if you want to show off your reaction without stressing the encoder. Keep that telemetry off, and you’re good to go. Good luck smashing those records!