Question / Help Suggestions for quality/resource usage on low spec laptop?

[dbz09]

I've been using OBS for a month or so to record a 3Mbps sports stream that runs in my browser (Chrome). I'm a novice at this and have just been screwing with the settings half knowing what I'm doing but I'd like to reach a happy medium between resource usage (50% or less CPU) and quality.

Not sure what specs are needed so here's....a ton of them.

System

Processor - Intel Pentium Dual Core 2020M 2.40 Ghz (full spec sheet)
GPU - Onboard Intel HD Graphics (Shared system memory)
RAM - 6 GB DDR3 1600
Operating System - Windows 8.1

Current OBS Video/Output Settings

OBS Settings Screenshots - Video Settings - Output Settings - Advanced Pt 1 - Advanced Pt 2

Original Resolution - 1280 x 720
Output Resolution - 960 x 540 (I'm downscaling because 720p maxed out CPU)
Format - MP4
Encoder - x264
Rate Control - CBR
Bitrate - 1920 Kbps
Frames Per Second - 30.00
CPU Preset - Veryfast
Profile - Baseline
Tune - None
CRF - Not set. I keep reading about this and, if I understand correctly, it has a bigger impact on quality than bitrate, etc.
Process Priority - Normal
Renderer - Direct3D 11
Color Format - NV12
Color Space - 601
Color Range - Partial
Sources - Enable Browser Source Hardware Acceleration

With this setup, the load on the CPU stays right around 50% and RAM around 30% but, as mentioned, I'd like to find the best config.

Thanks!

 

[Nardella]

Have you tried
output mode: simple
Recording quality: indistinguishable
Encoder: software x264 (low CPU usage preset

 

[Narcogen]

If you want to reduce CPU usage, either lower the resolution or use a faster preset. Quality will suffer.

If you're streaming, CRF is not relevant. That's a quality setting used primarily for recording. Most streaming providers require CBR.