So you’re reading this because you have a streamer in your life, and you don’t know what to get them for the holidays. It must be daunting to go through all of the different peripherals and equipment and not knowing what to get them.
Let’s break it down for you this time – we’ll talk about the basics that a streamer needs and we’ll set you up with some recommendations for the best gifts in each category.
Cameras:
Most streamers need a camera. It lets them show their reactions to the world in real time, which encourages their audience to relate, laugh, and interact with them. And if you’re streaming alone in your room for a few hours, seeing that chat window constantly update with messages can be a huge morale boost.
Most streamers would be happy to work with a basic workhorse webcam – the Logitech C920 is legendary among streamers for a reason. It’s a basic and no-fuss webcam that you can set up with no issue.
Some streamers, however, demand a little more from their webcams, and for them, you can give the Elgato Facecam Pro – it’s a pro webcam that outputs 4K 60 fps video and it provides granular control over video quality.
If the streamer in your life is looking for a little more flexibility, you can give the Sony ZV1 Mk 2. It’s a point-and-shoot video camera that can work as a USB webcam as well. This lets streamers record vlogs and stream using the same camera.
Microphones:
Have you ever had a Zoom call where you had to listen to that one guy with the terrible tinny mic, and everything they said was nothing but garbled, distorted rubbish? I’m guessing that was not a pleasant experience. Some streamers may not realize it, but audio is an important part of any video, and streaming is no exception. A mic makes or breaks a stream and you can help your streamer succeed with a good mic!
You can get started with a good USB mic – we recommend the Razer Seiren Mini for the budget option. It’s a no-frills USB mic with sound quality punching above its weight.
For someone who needs more control over their audio, you can also look at the Elgato Wave:3 mic, as it comes with software that lets streamers control every single aspect of their stream’s audio.
If you know someone who needs broadcast-quality audio, you can also consider the Shure MV7 – it’s made by the legendary audio company, it sounds amazing, and it comes with both a USB and XLR output if your streamer is considering upgrading to more professional audio equipment eventually!
Production Equipment:
Yes, streaming can be a full-blown production, where some of the top-level streamers put on a full show with special effects and other flourishes, just so their audience stays entertained. In turn, companies have put out prosumer-grade equipment so streamers can get broadcast equipment for a fraction of the price.
Any streamer needs the Elgato Stream Deck – it’s a control interface that lets streamers control their streams at the press of a button. This way, if streamers are in the middle of an intense game, they don’t need to go out of the game just to change a scene.
If they stream with a Switch, PlayStation, or Xbox, you might also want to give them a capture card – this lets them capture the console’s video output so they can insert the video into their streaming software. Elgato and AVerMedia make quality capture cards, and are two brands streamers go to for their needs.
Not equipment: Support your streamer!
You might be surprised at how streamer gear is priced. Don’t worry, I have another recommendation for you, and it won’t cost you a small fortune. Just watch that streamer in your life when they go online. Leave a message in their chat. Share their videos. You can even subscribe! Did you know that subscribing to Twitch streamers just cost Php 100 a month? Sometimes a subscription, while cheap, can be worth more to a streamer than buying them expensive equipment.