How Much Data Does Twitch Streaming Use?
If you are a gamer, you must have heard of Twitch. Currently, it is probably one of the more popular services used for streaming. One thing that sets Twitch apart from other streaming services is that you could also be a streamer broadcasting your video game on the website.
But you may have wondered how much data does Twitch streaming use? If you wish to stream on Twitch, you need to be acquainted with the answer to this question before starting your stream.
This blog will look at the amount of data that Twitch uses and the factors that determine it. So read on to find out how much data does Twitch streaming use.
How Much Data Or Bandwidth Does Twitch Use?
On the Twitch platform, your upload speed is measured in kilobytes per second or kbps. That is different from other streaming sites, where it is measured in megabytes per second.
To simplify this, we have broken it down to how much data is consumed in an hour of Twitch streaming in one chart. We have converted the kilobytes per second to megabytes and the megabytes to gigabytes. Apart from that, we have multiplied the gigabytes by another 3600 to consider the seconds in an hour.
In this way, we have tried to estimate data usage in an hour of Twitch streaming.
- 1080p resolution – 1.35 GB to 1.575 GB of internet data usage
- 720p resolution – 0.81 GB to 1.125 GB of internet data usage
- 480p resolution – 0.405 GB to 0.54 GB of internet data usage
- 360p resolution – 0.27 GB to 0.36 GB of internet data usage
- 240p resolution – 0.22 GB of internet usage
Twitch Streaming
Twitch currently has over two million active broadcasters, and the number is continuously growing. To stand out among them, you need to be a technically proficient individual.
The Twitch platform is also integrated with Amazon Prime. As a result, it allows streamers to earn money by providing in-stream links that viewers can use for purchasing the games being played online on the platform.
These features can make anyone wonder how much data Twitch streaming use and how it is popular. Let us take a closer look to understand better.
Video Game Broadcasting Basics
Twitch streaming works the same way as uploading a video on the internet to put it in simple words. What happens in Twitch is that people upload a real-time video game on the platform. It is possible that it also has an in-built audio track and possibly other added effects too. As with other video uploads, a higher quality video on the Twitch feed would require higher bandwidth.
Due to this, you would need first to establish and then subsequently maintain a continuous stream without any tearing or lags. If your video lags in the middle of the game, it defeats the entire purpose of live streaming it on the Twitch platform.
Your ability to stream will also be determined by the upload speed in your internet plan in the same way as you upload the videos on the world wide web.
So how much data does Twitch streaming use? The live streams with higher quality typically use 4,500 to 6,000 kbps at 1080p 60fps settings. On the other hand, lower quality live streams use 400 to 1,200 kbps and across all the low video quality options, including 240, 360, and 480.
All these setting, however, collectively depend upon –
- The uploading speed limit of your Internet plan
- The output that you have chosen
- The software that you are using
- The settings of your PC
The majority of the popular streamers provide 1080p resolution. Even if not that high, you should still aim for at least 720p for Twitch.
If all the other things are equal, you will require an upload speed of around 3.6 Mbps to stream at a 1280 x 720 resolution at 30 frames per second.
However, nothing is usually ever equal between the program used for broadcasting, your internet service, and Twitch servers at once. So, to be on the safe side, let us round up the speed required to 4 Mbps.
Final Words
We hope you found our blog on how much data Twitch streaming use to be handy for you to start on your live streaming journey.
Having the appropriate internet plan will help ensure that your viewers have a good-quality experience. If your bandwidth does not match, you can consider switching to a service with a faster upload rate.
Another alternative that you can consider is recording and uploading your gameplay sessions so that people can watch them on demand. It might not be as immediate as live streaming, but pre-recorded shows can also amass quite a sizable following if the streamed content is good enough.
