Content Creator’s Holiday Gift Guide 2016 — Part 3: High End Setup
Seasons greetings, content creators! The holidays are upon us, and while it’s an important time to spend with your family and loved ones, it’s also the universal season to get cool new stuff. So whether you’re looking for a gift for that creator in your family, or perhaps you want to splurge on yourself, check out our recommendations throughout the week and piece together your perfect content creation rig.
Part 3 of this 4 part guide will focus on the high end setups for content creation. If you’re looking to put out the highest quality content, this is what you’ll need to do so. Be on the lookout for our next installment where we cover mobile setups!
ASUS ROG GL502VS ($1649)
If you’re looking to get full desktop power in laptop form, you can’t do much better than the ASUS ROG. Equipped with a Core i7 6700HQ and a GTX 1070, this laptop can handle most gaming applications with ease, and will handle any type of recording or streaming task you can throw at it. For full power though, check out this custom desktop configuration, rocking the Core i7 6700K, GTX 1070, 32GB of RAM, and water cooled to boot. Not only do you get a boost in power with the Desktop, but you’re also able to use the Elgato HD60 Pro as well.
Elgato HD60 Pro ($199.95)
1080p 60fps. Instant Gameview. Master Copy. The HD60 Pro is the ultimate capture card for the content creator. Whether you’re recording, streaming, or both, the HD60 Pro handles them all flawlessly. The only question you have to ask (after reading the next recommendation) is do you want 1 or 2?
Canon HF G40 ($1099)
The best part about being a content creator is connecting with your fans. So let them see you in the highest quality possible. Not only can the Canon HG40 be used for YouTube content creation like VLogs or Commentary videos, but you can connect this camera to an Elgato HD60 S or HD60 Pro and turn it into an amazing 1080p/60fps webcam!
BestLight LED Video Light ($149.99)
If you need some serious lighting, look no further. One of these lights has 600 LEDs on them with a dimmer, allowing you a ton of control over how much light your video or stream needs. 2 work best so you can have them on either side for a nice even lighting, and these things help out chroma keying a ton too. A little pricier than a CFL soft box set, but these have a much smaller profile when broken down, have a lot higher lumen output, and run cooler. Just don’t forget to pick up light stands as they’re sold separately.
Rode Procaster ($229) | Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 ($149.99)
Once you get into professional audio, there is a myriad of different options you can go with. And honestly there are a lot of strong contenders out there. But in our testing, the Rode Procaster puts out amazing quality for the price. If you’re looking to go into high end, this microphone will perform admirably. You’ll need the Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 interface to use this XLR microphone on your computer. This setup will give you the best quality, and gives you the freedom to add in a second microphone if you so wish. If you want to save some money, the Rode Podcaster USB also performs very well.
Astro A40 TR ($249.99) | Scuf Controller ($119.95+)
If you’re going to be broadcasting at the highest level, you should be playing at the highest level as well. There’s no better way to do so than with these 2 weapons in your arsenal. The Astro A40 TR will let you hone in on your enemies with its virtual surround sound, so no one gets the jump on you in an FPS, and its extensive output options make capturing your conversations with your friends on PS4/Xbox a breeze. And with a Scuf controller, you’ll be able to decimate the competition with its patented Scuf Paddles. Map face buttons to these paddles to be able to hit those controls without your thumbs leaving the joysticks, giving you the competitive edge online or at tournaments. And the best part is you’re able to customize the controller to fit your personality or to go along with the rest of your creator cave.
Be sure to check out our other holiday gift guides on:
