If youre in search of a cheap, prebuilt streaming PC then youve come to the right place.
You dont have to spend a fortune on your rig to get into live streaming.
What is the best cheap streaming PC?
12. iBUYPOWER Gaming PC
TheElement Mini 167Ais ideal for the beginning gamer or streamer.
Also included is a 240GB SSD and Windows 10 home.
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.
Acer Aspire TC-895-UA92 Desktop
The Acer AspireTC-895-UA92is a multitasking machine that offers excellent value.
To keep costs down, the Acer TC takes advantage of the onboard Intel UHD 630 graphics.
As it’s possible for you to 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.
Its a great second PC choice for anyone wanting to stream 1080p 60fps in medium resolution.
The inside layout is well designed and offers great cable management.
Theres also plenty of room for additional storage due to having seven expansion slots and 3x internal bays.
One noticeable difference is that there are two angled bezels on the front of the case.
You could even secure it to the underside of the desk.
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.
Cyberpower Gamer Xtreme PC
TheCyberpower Gamer Xtremeprovides plenty of raw power for gaming at high resolutions and prefs.
It also comes with a 500GB SSD and an 80+ Gold PSU.
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.
ASRock DeskMini H470W
The AsRockDeskMini H470Wis a fast and solid mini-PC.
This particular model also includes 32 GB of DDR4 2933MHz, a 1TB SSD, and a 2TB HDD.
The eight-core, sixteen-thread APU provides an abundance of processing power for encoding a stream at Full-HD tweaks.
Unlike the iBUYPOWER PC, it does lose out on the full-size graphics card so there is some sacrifice.
This is ideal for recording and saving your long gaming sessions.
You wouldnt have to worry about it overheating either, as the aluminum Mosfet heatsink ensures stable system loading.
HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop
TheHP PavilionDesktop Computer is built for gaming on a budget.
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 throw in-C.
Overall, its a great value system with a stylish exterior.
SkyTech Blaze 3.0 Gaming Computer
TheSkytech Blaze 3.0is a prebuilt PC that packs a powerful punch.
The 1440p performance is only slightly worse at 85 fps.
The build uses a custom Metallicgear case that was made especially for Skytech.
This is an ATX case with a high airflow mesh panel so the thermals are also pretty good.
In addition to this, it comes with a 480GB SSD and a 2TB hard drive.
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.
Therefore, you might want to upgrade them in the future.
Overall, its a fantastic deal for the price.
Skytech Shadow 3 Gaming PC
Up next is the secondSkytechgaming computer on our list.
In terms of performance, this PC dominates in every aspect.
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.
In addition to this, we also like that it comes with plenty of ports, including eight USBs.
MSI MPG Trident 3
TheMSI Trident 3is a powerful small form factor desktop that offers excellent value.
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, its more than sufficient for 1080p streaming.
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, its perfect for that.
Furthermore, with the mystic LED light its sure to become the centerpiece of your home.
Designed for gamers, the Aura Sync RGB chassis has a stealthy look that offers both style and functionality.
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, its a super smooth and high-quality system thats fantastic for streaming.
How Much Does a Streaming PC Cost?
A streaming PC can cost anywhere from $600 to several thousand dollars.
Streaming PCs that stream at 720p will cost around $700.
You must remember that when you are streaming, your gear has two jobs.
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.
Twitchthen 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, youre 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 dont have the cash right now.
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.
The GPU wont matter as much, assuming that this PC is only a streaming rig 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 doesnt 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.
Is a Cheap Streaming PC Worth It?
This is because there wont be enough power to play and stream your games at the same time.
When it comes to streaming PC games that dont require a lot in the way of power, e.g.
League of Legends, Fortnite, etc.
you’ve got the option to 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.
For a beginner streamer though, they are a great starting point.
However, if performance is important, then Intel is the route to go down.
Intel chips offer superior multi-core performance.
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.
Moreover, it will allow you to stream some older games in 1080p, too.
you’re able to 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.
Budget
Always think about your budget and, where possible, increase it as much as possible.
The experience would be awful.
Remember, the bulk of your cash will need to be spent on a decent GPU and CPU.
We hope you found a cheap, streaming PC on this listto meet your needs.
Click herefor the best Laptops for Streaming in 2025!
Click herefor a list of Streaming Essentials for Twitch!
Image credit:
Photo byChristian Wiedigeron UnsplashPhoto byELLA DONon UnsplashPhoto byOnur Binayon Unsplash
