Settings for Twitch, YouTube and Kick
| Platform | Encoder (Settings → Output) | Resolution | Bitrate (CBR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twitch | NVIDIA NVENC H.264 | 1080p60 (900p60 for fast shooters) | 6,000 kbps |
| YouTube | NVIDIA NVENC HEVC | 1080p60 | about 8,500 kbps |
| Kick | NVIDIA NVENC H.264 | 1080p60 | 8,000 kbps |
- Twitch: Turn on Enhanced Broadcasting (Settings → Stream) if Twitch offers it to you; it then picks the codec and bitrate itself.
- YouTube: HEVC needs about 30% less bitrate than H.264's 12,000 kbps.
- Kick: Kick takes H.264 only, with CBR.
Use rate control CBR, keyframe interval 2 s and 160 kbps audio on every platform. These bitrates assume a steady upload of at least 10 Mbps (about 22 Mbps for 1440p on YouTube); the finder sizes them to your real connection.
Encoder preset
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Preset | P5: Slow (Good Quality) |
| Tuning | High Quality |
| Multipass | Two Passes (Quarter Resolution) |
| Profile | high |
NVENC barely affects game performance. If a demanding game stutters while streaming, step the preset down to P4 before lowering the bitrate.
Why these settings for the RTX 3060
Encoder hardware: 7th-generation NVENC (Ampere). Codecs: H.264, HEVC.
RTX 30 cards encode H.264 and HEVC very well but cannot encode AV1, so HEVC is the step up for YouTube.
Same H.264 and HEVC encoder as the bigger RTX 30 cards; a very good budget streaming card.
Codecs by platform: Kick takes H.264 only. Twitch's standard ingest is H.264; Enhanced Broadcasting can send HEVC or AV1 where Twitch allows it. YouTube accepts H.264, HEVC and AV1 (OBS 29.1 or newer).
What about the CPU encoder (x264)?
Even on a fast gaming CPU such as the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, the GPU encoder is the better default: it barely touches game performance, while x264 takes CPU time from the game. Use x264 only if your card has no encoder, or on a second streaming PC; start at preset veryfast and move to faster only if OBS shows no encoding lag.
Sources: NVIDIA: Video Encode and Decode GPU Support Matrix; Twitch: Introducing the Enhanced Broadcasting beta; YouTube Help: Live encoder settings, bitrates and resolutions; Kick Help: H.264 only, CBR required. Checked November 13, 2026.