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Best Cameras for Vlogging in 2022

No matter if you're an amateur vlogger or setting up a professional YouTube, these are the best vlogging cameras you can use to improve your videos.

Updated Dec. 6, 2022 4:00 a.m. PT

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Written by  Joshua Goldman
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Joshua Goldman Managing Editor / Advice
Managing Editor Josh Goldman is a laptop expert and has been writing about and reviewing them since built-in Wi-Fi was an optional feature. He also covers almost anything connected to a PC, including keyboards, mice, USB-C docks and PC gaming accessories. In addition, he writes about cameras, including action cams and drones. And while he doesn't consider himself a gamer, he spends entirely too much time playing them.
Expertise Laptops, desktops and computer and PC gaming accessories including keyboards, mice and controllers, cameras, action cameras and drones Credentials
  • More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.
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$159 at Amazon
DJI Osmo Mobile 6 camera phone stabilizer being used handheld with a finger tapping on the phone screen.
Best default YouTube rig: Your phone and this gimbal
DJI Osmo Mobile 6
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$140 at Amazon
streamcam-life.png
Best PC webcam for vertical video
Logitech StreamCam
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$350 at GoPro
gopro-hero-11-black-03
Best camera for vlogging wet-and-wild videos
GoPro Hero 11 Black
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$748 at Amazon
screen-shot-2020-08-11-at-9-51-02-am.png
Point-and-shoot video camera
Sony ZV-1
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$1,398 at Amazon
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Mirrorless camera
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH5
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$399 at Mevo
mevo-start-thumb-3
Best vlogging camera for on-location YouTube livestreaming (Update: Unavailable)
Mevo Start
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$47 at Amazon
lume-cube-panel-mini
Best mobile light
Lume Cube Panel Mini
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$50 at Amazon
screen-shot-2019-05-23-at-12-29-35-pm
Best on-camera microphone
Rode VideoMicro
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$115 at Amazon
Blue Microphones
Best studio microphone
Blue Yeti microphone
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$480 at Amazon
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Atomos Ninja V portable monitor and recorder
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$450 at Amazon
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Best hardware encoder
Magewell 53010 Ultra Stream HDMI Encoder
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$170 at Amazon
elgato-hd60s
Best game-capture card
Elgato HD60 S
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Social media dominates all, and there's a good chance you already vlog on YouTubeTwitch or TikTok. There are endless amounts of tutorials, video game playthroughs, podcasts -- you name it. Whether you're an amateur or trying to hit it big as a professional vlogger, you need a good vlogging camera to do so. The days of potato-quality, grainy footage are over. For the best image and sound possible, we have a few suggestions. 

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A good starting point is to decide what kind of video recording you want to do. You don't need to spend thousands or even hundreds of dollars on a high-end DSLR camera if you can easily get the video quality you want with your phone or a webcam with a microphone. Also, a good vlogging camera doesn't have to cost a fortune or shoot 4K video. Most of the affordable vlogging cameras have features such as optical image stabilization, slow motion, autofocus, LCD touchscreens, low-light sensitivity, external mic input and more.

If livestreaming is a priority (which may or may not be for someone interested in YouTube vlogging), you might need additional hardware beyond a camera. I'll include suggestions for that, as well as other accessories to consider, following the cameras' details.

With a small handful of exceptions, every vlog camera listed here has been fully reviewed or anecdotally tested by me or other CNET editors. Those exceptions in the accessories sections are based on positive Amazon user reviews and additional word-of-mouth accolades. I'll periodically update this list of the best vlogging cameras. Happy video recording and streaming!

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$159 at Amazon

Best default YouTube rig: Your phone and this gimbal

DJI Osmo Mobile 6

DJI's latest phone gimbal, the Osmo Mobile 6, uses a clever folding system and magnetic phone clamp to pack down to a pocketable size. Add to that a solid battery life, impressive performance and a neat built-in extending selfie stick. The Osmo Mobile 6 updates the design with a new ergonomic handle, an updated clamp to hold larger phones, even when in a case, and a built-in status panel to check battery level and the gimbal mode it's in. There's also a side wheel for zooming in and out and switching from automatic to manual focus control. The stabilizer is a great choice for mobile creatives wanting to shoot better-looking video without carrying a big camera setup with them.

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a plug-and-play experience because you don't need an encoder. 

Our top pick for vlogging is the $125 Logitech StreamCam because it is purpose-built for streaming at up to 1080p at 60fps. And this cheap vlogging camera is designed to be mounted horizontally or vertically. 

It's worth noting that because of the increased demand for webcams, many camera-makers including Canon, Nikon, GoPro, Sony, Panasonic and others have made it possible to use some of their camera models as a webcam without additional equipment. Check out our list of best webcams for more options.

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The StreamCam utilizing a tripod (not included).

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The StreamCam utilizing a tripod (not included).

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The StreamCam utilizing a tripod (not included).

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The StreamCam utilizing a tripod (not included).

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$140 at Amazon

Best PC webcam for vertical video

Logitech StreamCam

Whether you're looking to do a quick how-to from your computer, want to stream yourself while you game or anything in between, the simplest option for your vlog is a compact camera that doesn't need to move from your computer. Yes, we're speaking about the noble webcam. True, you won't be able to move around too much, but this vlog camera is pretty much a plug-and-play experience because you don't need an encoder. 

Our top pick for vlogging is the $125 Logitech StreamCam because it is purpose-built for streaming at up to 1080p at 60fps. And this cheap vlogging camera is designed to be mounted horizontally or vertically. 

It's worth noting that because of the increased demand for webcams, many camera-makers including Canon, Nikon, GoPro, Sony, Panasonic and others have made it possible to use some of their camera models as a webcam without additional equipment. Check out our list of best webcams for more options.

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$350 at GoPro

Best camera for vlogging wet-and-wild videos

GoPro Hero 11 Black

From its small waterproof design to its incredible image stabilization to its excellent video quality, the Hero 11 Black is one of the most versatile GoPro cameras you can get for creating YouTube vlog gold. For its latest model, GoPro used an 8:7, 1/1.9-inch sensor. While the size increase improves quality some, it's more about how GoPro is using the full sensor for 27-megapixel photos and 5.3K-resolution video with an 8:7 aspect ratio. With a high-resolution 8:7 aspect ratio, one clip can be edited to 16:9, 4:3 or 1:1, or vertical video at 7:8, 3:4 or 9:16. That means whatever your social media platform of choice is -- YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok -- the single clip can be edited to meet your needs. What's even better is GoPro's Quik app makes the whole process painless. 

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$748 at Amazon

Point-and-shoot video camera

Sony ZV-1

Sony turned its RX100 enthusiast compact into a good camera for vlogging with faster autofocus and a quick way to defocus backgrounds. It gives you a big image sensor and a bright lens for better video quality even when you're working with low light. This Sony camera has a flip-out LCD screen so you can see yourself when you're shooting. It has a handgrip and mics better suited for selfies. And the Sony ZV 1 has a clean HDMI output, too, so you don't have camera settings and info in your video if you output to an external recorder, encoder or display.

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the GH6, earlier this year. It, too, is aimed at video shooters, offering a greater range of resolutions and quality settings compared to the GH5. However, it comes with a steep $2,200 price. The GH5 should continue to meet the needs of many and with a lower $1,298 price, you'll have room in your budget to get a lens or two also.

" superlative="Mirrorless camera" imagegroup="{"alt":"panasonic-lumix-gh5-09.jpg","caption":"

Panasonic Lumix GH5

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Panasonic Lumix GH5

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Panasonic Lumix GH5

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Panasonic Lumix GH5

" overridecredit="Lori Grunin/CNET" linktext="Read our Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH5 hands-on" linkurl="https://www.cnet.com/reviews/panasonic-lumix-gh5-preview/" techobjectinfo="{"uuid":"6a6fc21b-7696-43e6-9bbe-02f1d4fb8070","slug":"panasonic-lumix-gh5","name":"Panasonic Lumix GH5","productType":"SERIES","updateType":"AUTOPID","mod":1668183290549,"displayDate":"Fri Nov 11 2022 11:14:50 GMT-0500 (Eastern Standard Time)"}" usepricing="false" data-key="cnetlisticle__ea0e20ad-48d0-46c7-ad52-8ab74ec009fe" index="5" imagecredit="Lori Grunin/CNET" tagslugs="dji,gopro,logitech,panasonic,sony,youtube" contenttype="Best List - Precap" isbestlistredesign="true" filtershortcodetypes="" totalfilteritems="0" pagelayout="Default - Article Page" showdetails="true" tocheadlineitem="[object Object]" class="c-bestListProductListing">
$1,398 at Amazon

Mirrorless camera

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH5

This Panasonic Lumix GH5 mirrorless digital camera might be shaped like a traditional SLR camera, but the GH5 was built for video. You'll find all the features you need in a camera for vlogging, and then some, regardless of your experience level, and it's all wrapped up in a splash-, dust- and freezeproof body. 

Panasonic released its update, the GH6, earlier this year. It, too, is aimed at video shooters, offering a greater range of resolutions and quality settings compared to the GH5. However, it comes with a steep $2,200 price. The GH5 should continue to meet the needs of many and with a lower $1,298 price, you'll have room in your budget to get a lens or two also.

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NDI HX built into the camera that'll work on your network with either a wired or wireless connection. 

The mobile app is the true star of the show here, though, as it lets you use its high-resolution sensor to create multiple tight and wide shots, and switch between them with a tap on the screen. Or, you can have the software automatically track people and switch between shots.

" superlative="Best vlogging camera for on-location YouTube livestreaming (Update: Unavailable)" imagegroup="{"alt":"livestream-mevo-09.jpg","caption":"

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","imageCredit":"Ian Knighton/CNET","imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageFilename":"mevo-start-thumb-3.jpg","imageDateCreated":"2020/01/07","imageWidth":1920,"imageHeight":1080,"imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}" overridecaption="

" overridecredit="Ian Knighton/CNET" usepricing="false" data-key="cnetlisticle__d7d36a58-d7cb-4836-a966-19e868588953" index="6" imagecredit="Ian Knighton/CNET" tagslugs="dji,gopro,logitech,panasonic,sony,youtube" contenttype="Best List - Precap" isbestlistredesign="true" filtershortcodetypes="" totalfilteritems="0" pagelayout="Default - Article Page" showdetails="true" tocheadlineitem="[object Object]" class="c-bestListProductListing">
$399 at Mevo

Best vlogging camera for on-location YouTube livestreaming (Update: Unavailable)

Mevo Start

Mevo Start lets you create the look of a multicamera shoot with a single small camera. It lets you stream 1080p video live to every major platform instantly with the Mevo app for up to 6 hours without an external power source. It can also simultaneously record high-quality 1080p video to a microSD card in the camera. 

Livestreaming can be done by connecting both a mobile device and the camera to the same Wi-Fi network, or you can directly connect by Wi-Fi to the camera and use your phone's LTE mobile broadband signal to stream. Or, you can use a power-over-Ethernet adapter to power the camera and stream with a wired connection. The Mevo Start also has NDI HX built into the camera that'll work on your network with either a wired or wireless connection. 

The mobile app is the true star of the show here, though, as it lets you use its high-resolution sensor to create multiple tight and wide shots, and switch between them with a tap on the screen. Or, you can have the software automatically track people and switch between shots.

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Must-have accessories

Getting great video for YouTube requires a little more than the best vlogging camera and Wi-Fi connection. You'll want good lighting and audio, too. And if you're planning to stream, you might need a capture card or encoder to get video from your camera and up on YouTube or other video-sharing sites. 

The VC kit, which stands for video conferencing, comes with a small suction cup mount that you can easily stick to your phone, tablet or display for brightening your face or subject without having to reposition the light every time you move your camera.

" superlative="Best mobile light" imagegroup="{"alt":"lume-cube-air-kit","caption":"

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","size":181224,"width":1498,"height":843,"dateCreated":{"date":"2020-10-22 19:00:29","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"dateUpdated":{"date":"2020-10-22 19:00:38","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"needsModeration":false,"mimeType":"image/jpeg","deleted":false,"credits":"Lume Cube","alt":"lume-cube-panel-mini","restricted":false,"startDate":null,"endDate":null,"preferred":false,"watermark":false,"doNotCrop":false,"doNotResize":false,"primaryCollection":null,"vanityUrl":null,"notes":null,"crop":null,"cropGravity":0,"preservedRegion":null,"isNew":false,"keywords":[],"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false,"typeName":"content_image"},"uuid":"0731091a-0392-4569-bfe0-3f1814a640de","imageAltText":"lume-cube-air-kit","imageCaption":"

","imageCredit":"Lume Cube","imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageFilename":"lume-cube-panel-mini.jpg","imageDateCreated":"2020/10/22","imageWidth":1498,"imageHeight":843,"imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}" overridecaption="

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$47 at Amazon

Best mobile light

Lume Cube Panel Mini

The compact Lume Cube Panel Mini gives you a bright boost when you don't have enough light but still fits in a pocket. It puts out a lot of light that's adjustable in 5% increments and the color is adjustable too, from 3200K to 5600K in 100K increments -- all done with a small toggle wheel on the side. It charges via its USB-C port and can run for up to 14 hours (just not at 100%) and it can be plugged in and run that way as well. 

It comes with a diffuser to help soften its light and the compact, lightweight design and a cold shoe mount so you can just slide it on your camera and start shooting. It also has standard tripod mounts on the bottom and side. 

The VC kit, which stands for video conferencing, comes with a small suction cup mount that you can easily stick to your phone, tablet or display for brightening your face or subject without having to reposition the light every time you move your camera.

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Rode's microphones, such as the SmartLav Plus and the VideoMicro (shown here, mounted on a DSLR). 

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","size":642578,"width":777,"height":537,"dateCreated":{"date":"2019-05-23 16:29:56","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"dateUpdated":{"date":"2019-05-23 16:30:06","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"needsModeration":false,"mimeType":"image/png","deleted":false,"credits":"Rode","alt":"screen-shot-2019-05-23-at-12-29-35-pm","restricted":false,"startDate":null,"endDate":null,"preferred":false,"watermark":false,"doNotCrop":false,"doNotResize":false,"primaryCollection":null,"vanityUrl":null,"notes":null,"crop":null,"cropGravity":0,"preservedRegion":null,"isNew":false,"keywords":[],"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false,"typeName":"content_image"},"uuid":"69606e21-32ef-428e-a7c0-969f352ef9cc","imageAltText":"screen-shot-2019-05-23-at-12-29-35-pm","imageCaption":"

","imageCredit":"Rode","imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageFilename":"screen-shot-2019-05-23-at-12-29-35-pm.png","imageDateCreated":"2019/05/23","imageWidth":777,"imageHeight":537,"imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}" overridecaption="

" overridecredit="Rode" usepricing="false" data-key="cnetlisticle__407cb4ca-c5ea-4fc0-b281-39424ff57eec" index="8" imagecredit="Rode" tagslugs="dji,gopro,logitech,panasonic,sony,youtube" contenttype="Best List - Precap" isbestlistredesign="true" filtershortcodetypes="" totalfilteritems="0" pagelayout="Default - Article Page" showdetails="true" tocheadlineitem="[object Object]" class="c-bestListProductListing">
$50 at Amazon

Best on-camera microphone

Rode VideoMicro

An external microphone is a must for high-quality vlogging. When it comes to mobile or on-camera mics, I lean toward Rode's microphones, such as the SmartLav Plus and the VideoMicro (shown here, mounted on a DSLR). 

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Yeti or its new $99 Ember XLR mic, Blue continues to make some of the best studio and livestreaming mics for the money.

" superlative="Best studio microphone" imagegroup="{"alt":"Blue Microphones","caption":"

Blue Microphones let audiophiles get studio-quality sound from iOS devices, turning laptops into full production studios. In addition to the Yeti Pro desktop USB mic seen here, Blue Microphones also makes portable USB and iPad enabled pro quality mics.

","credits":"James Martin/CNET","imageData":{"id":"ef6fb41c-f0ee-11e2-8c7c-d4ae52e62bcc","title":"Macworld Blue Microphones","filename":"macworld-2012-8623.jpg","path":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/0c6b4a8819146b52adc166c46a3c382ad88a6224/2012/01/26/ef6fb41c-f0ee-11e2-8c7c-d4ae52e62bcc/macworld-2012-8623.jpg?auto=webp","caption":"Blue Microphones let audiophiles get studio-quality sound from iOS devices, turning laptops into full production studios. In addition to the Yeti Pro desktop USB mic seen here, Blue Microphones also makes portable USB and iPad enabled pro quality mics.\n","size":459348,"width":900,"height":600,"dateCreated":{"date":"2012-01-26 16:58:31","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"dateUpdated":{"date":"2013-07-25 09:37:42","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"needsModeration":false,"mimeType":"image/jpeg","deleted":false,"credits":"James Martin/CNET","alt":"Blue Microphones","restricted":false,"startDate":null,"endDate":null,"preferred":false,"watermark":true,"doNotCrop":false,"doNotResize":false,"primaryCollection":null,"vanityUrl":null,"notes":null,"crop":null,"cropGravity":0,"preservedRegion":null,"isNew":false,"keywords":[],"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false,"typeName":"content_image"},"uuid":"ef6fb41c-f0ee-11e2-8c7c-d4ae52e62bcc","imageAltText":"Blue Microphones","imageCaption":"

Blue Microphones let audiophiles get studio-quality sound from iOS devices, turning laptops into full production studios. In addition to the Yeti Pro desktop USB mic seen here, Blue Microphones also makes portable USB and iPad enabled pro quality mics.

","imageCredit":"James Martin/CNET","imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":true,"imageFilename":"macworld-2012-8623.jpg","imageDateCreated":"2012/01/26","imageWidth":900,"imageHeight":600,"imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}" overridecaption="

Blue Microphones let audiophiles get studio-quality sound from iOS devices, turning laptops into full production studios. In addition to the Yeti Pro desktop USB mic seen here, Blue Microphones also makes portable USB and iPad enabled pro quality mics.

" overridecredit="James Martin/CNET" linktext="Read our Blue Yeti USB review" linkurl="https://www.cnet.com/reviews/blue-microphones-yeti-usb-mic-review/" usepricing="false" data-key="cnetlisticle__46497875-4411-47bd-a659-68a2833ba418" index="9" imagecredit="James Martin/CNET" tagslugs="dji,gopro,logitech,panasonic,sony,youtube" contenttype="Best List - Precap" isbestlistredesign="true" filtershortcodetypes="" totalfilteritems="0" pagelayout="Default - Article Page" showdetails="true" tocheadlineitem="[object Object]" class="c-bestListProductListing">
$115 at Amazon

Best studio microphone

Blue Yeti microphone

Whether it's the long-standing favorite Yeti or its new $99 Ember XLR mic, Blue continues to make some of the best studio and livestreaming mics for the money.

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$480 at Amazon

Atomos Ninja V portable monitor and recorder

Monitors like the Ninja V not only give you a better view of what you're shooting, including seeing your framing when you're working solo, but also let you continuously record to their built-in storage. The Ninja V, for example, has an internal 1TB SSD so you can record up to 150 minutes of 4K video. Along with monitoring and recording, it also supports playback so you can instantly make sure you got the shot you wanted. And it's not just for cameras: You can also use the Ninja V for video game capture and playback at 4K resolution in HDR. 

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$450 at Amazon

Best hardware encoder

Magewell 53010 Ultra Stream HDMI Encoder

If you want to livestream from most cameras, you'll need a hardware encoder like the Magewell. It allows you to connect HDMI and USB audio and video sources and stream from them to YouTube, Twitch or Facebook over Wi-Fi or Ethernet. It has an HDMI output, too, so you can monitor your stream.

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A software encoder will let you stream your PC games and webcam video to YouTube and Twitch. However, console players will need a capture card like the HD60 S. Connect this to your Nintendo Switch, PlayStation or Xbox and then to a PC or Mac and a display, and it will capture your gameplay and set you up for streaming. The included software will help you mix in webcam video as well.

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$170 at Amazon

Best game-capture card

Elgato HD60 S

A software encoder will let you stream your PC games and webcam video to YouTube and Twitch. However, console players will need a capture card like the HD60 S. Connect this to your Nintendo Switch, PlayStation or Xbox and then to a PC or Mac and a display, and it will capture your gameplay and set you up for streaming. The included software will help you mix in webcam video as well.

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