Settings for Twitch, YouTube and Kick
| Platform | Encoder (Settings → Output) | Resolution | Bitrate (CBR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twitch | AMD HW H.264 (AVC) | 1080p60 (900p60 for fast shooters) | 6,000 kbps |
| YouTube | AMD HW AV1 | 1440p60 | about 17,000 kbps |
| Kick | AMD HW H.264 (AVC) | 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: YouTube gets its better VP9 playback at 1440p; at 1080p60 use about 8,500 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 | Quality |
| Profile | high |
If the game stutters while streaming, choose the Balanced preset before lowering the bitrate.
Why these settings for the RX 7900 XT
Encoder hardware: RDNA 3 media engine. Codecs: H.264, HEVC, AV1.
RX 7000 cards encode AV1 in hardware (OBS 29 and newer), which suits YouTube. Their H.264, which Twitch and Kick need, trails NVIDIA's at the same bitrate, so give Twitch the full 6,000 kbps.
AV1 for YouTube, H.264 at the full bitrate for Twitch and Kick.
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: Windows Central: OBS Studio 29 adds AV1 for AMD RX 7000 and Intel Arc; Club386: Radeon GPUs get Twitch Enhanced Broadcasting (RX 6000 and newer); YouTube Help: Live encoder settings, bitrates and resolutions; Kick Help: H.264 only, CBR required. Checked November 13, 2026.