someone should make some sort of benchmark/stress test for streaming

Do you already use an FPS config?

As for upgrading, I would replace that Athlon with an i5 or i7 (and make sure to get a new motherboard). It's expensive, but it helps. Video card may be fine, IDK. You should get 8 GB of RAM because it's cheap. Power supply may or may not work with a new processor or video card.

Your gpu isn't bad and you could probably keep that. However, your cpu won't be able to handle the load of streaming and playing tf2.

Hooky has it right. I recently upgraded to a new i5 and it streams and runs tf2 at 140+ fps (250+ fps when it's just tf2).

Once you get a new i5, you'll need a new motherboard and RAM (I'm assuming you're still using DDR2). The other thing to watch out for is a DVD burner/player. A lot of modern motherboards don't have the IDE cables on them so you'll have to upgrade that DVD burner one that uses a SATA cable.

Something to consider:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116505
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138352
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148544
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

thanks guys, upgraded my mb recently so i upgraded to ddr3 ram when i did that

using chris' highframes atm i think, doesn't often go below 60 besides on crowded pubs occasionally

If you just bought a new motherboard and are still using an AMD socket then an i5 isn't possible for you. You might do ok with an X6 1060T or something like that.

i would watch this stream in a fucking heartbeat

worms is literally the greatest euro

i had that exact build

you can stream dota2, not tf2.

Yay, more streams.

http://www.speedtest.net

You'll need lots of upload tubes.

CPU is your primary concern when it comes to streaming and TF2 in general.

Am3 mobo with a 965 phenom works great with TF2.

thanks for the replies, also looked at some performance list for cpus and the top was just pages of intel so i was like ok maybe i should change over

wondering if http://www.novatech.co.uk/products/motherboardbundles/mbb-35708a.html is a good bundle/worth it/would be decent for streaming

Yes, that'll work wonders.

damn i'm getting 150 fps while streaming, i am not used to this

http://www.twitch.tv/wpminnows if anyone wants to watch my awful 24h baby's first charity stream

- AMD Phenom II X4 955 Processor - Quad Core, 3.20GHz
- ASUS nvidia 550Ti
- 4GB DDR2
- 500GB Hard Drive (7200 RPM)
- Cooler Master eXtreme Power Plus 500-Watt Power Supply
- Thermaltak Case with 3 fans, keeps the computer cool.
- DVD burner and writer

and it can't stream for shit rofl.

and for my new computer I'm making I have this so far:

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2373004&Sku=I69-3570K

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3683258&CatId=4534

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/searchtools/item-Details.asp?EdpNo=91218&sku=O261-6380

I got all three of these for about 300 dollers. Because all of them were on sale

I'm planning on to get the Cool master cpu hyper cooler, Antec case, a Z77 motherboard and a seagate HD.

May I ask why do you need 16 GB of RAM?

Why don't you just try streaming with OBS and see how you do? Use Chris's MaxFrames

I have a similar build:
Phenom ii x3 720 @ 3.4GHz
ATI Radeon 4850
4GB RAM DDR 1600 (timings suck even though it's rated for 1866)

I drop to around ~40-60 fps on my normal settings streaming at 1440x900, but I feel like there's input delay (might just be low FPS at work though). Not really good to stream with. I have amazing university internet so it's just the AMD CPU cap.

oops i got 8gbs of RAM for $40