CPU load question.

[Manolito]

Hello guys,

I have something on my mind for a long time since I'm saving some money to start a proyect on Twitch to share with my friends.

I currently have an i3 4170, I did some test playing games like League of Legends while streaming at 720p@30fps. I'm using the Intel 4400 HD while using QuickSync and I was checking CPU load, was quite high but not 100%.

I'm planning to get an 950 GTX to play smooth and I was thinking about Nvidia NVENC as Encoding... will that reduce CPU load?.

I do not have money to get a better CPU for now, I'm currently playing LoL, Borderland, WildStar, GW1, GW2, and some games like CS. That's my question... using he 950 GTX, Shadowplay or NVENC to encode reduce CPU load?.

Thanks.

 

[Bamse]

Using a hardware based encoding option will absolutely reduce the strain on your CPU ... BUT, and it is a big but;
The encoding done by hardware encoders will look way way way worse at low bitrates than the software x264 used in OBS.

 

[Boildown]

If you're streaming you want to use x264 or maybe Quicksync (since you have a Haswell, its Quicksync isn't too bad). If you're just recording to disk, then NVEnc is a great option, just increase the bitrate to make up for its overall poor quality.

 

[thebigcheese22]

If your having CPU issues I'd try dropping your fps. I had a lot of CPU warnings coming up until I just got annoyed of it where I messed with my settings which fps was the 1st thing I did it instantly fixed it.