For the best OBS settings for streaming, you will want to use a bitrate of 8000 with the rate control set to CBR. This will allow you to stream in high quality at 1080p 60FPS. However, if you’re running into issues where you’re dropping frames or your stream is stuttering then lowering the bitrate as low as 6000 may fix the issue.
Video Encoder: NVIDIA NVENC H.264 or AMD HW H.264
Rate Control: CBR
Bitrate: 8000 or 10000 for YouTube
Keyframe Interval: 2
Preset: P6: Slower (Better Quality)
Tuning: High Quality
Multipass Mode: Two Passes (Quarter Resolution)
Profile: High
Look-ahead: Unchecked
Psycho Visual Tuning: Checked
GPU: 0
Max B-frames: 2
Best Video Encoder for Streaming with OBS
When it comes to the video encoder you will want to use either the NVIDIA or AMD graphics card encoder. Many graphics cards designed for gaming have dedicated video encoders that can be used for recording and streaming. By using these encoders you allow your CPU to be utilized for other things, improving performance.
Best Video Settings for Streaming with OBS Studio
When streaming it is best to use a base canvas resolution of 1920×1080 or 1080p. This only controls the canvas that you see in OBS as the preview. Your webcam, gameplay, alerts, and other sources will all be placed on this canvas.
Base (Canvas) Resolution: 1920×1080 (1080p)
Output (Scaled) Resolution: 1920×1080 (1080p) / 1664×936 (936p)
Downscale Filter: Lanczos (If available)
Common FPS Values: 60
Best Bitrate for Streaming with OBS
To find the best bitrate for streaming you will need to consider your upload speed and the maximum bitrate of the platform you’re streaming to. In most cases using a bitrate of 8000 is ideal for high quality across the board. However, if you’re streaming on YouTube then you can stream with a bitrate of 10000.
If your upload speed is above 12mbps then you can use 8000 bitrate. With an upload speed between 10mbps and 12mbps, you’ll typically want to use a bitrate of 6000. Additionally, if your upload speed is lower than 10mbps then using a 4000 bitrate and streaming at 30 FPS is the best option. Although the stream won’t be as smooth, having fewer frames will help improve the image quality.
Bypass Maximum Video Bitrate for Streaming Service
Although not always the case, you can bypass the maximum bitrate when streaming with OBS. To do this you will need to check the box to Ignore streaming service setting recommendations. This setting can be found in the Stream settings tab in OBS.
How to Fix Laggy Stream in OBS Studio
If your stream is lagging then you may need to lower your bitrate. By using a bitrate of 6500 or 6000 you will get a good-quality image, while also freeing up some bandwidth. Another solution is to set preset to slow or medium.
