OBS Settings for AMD Encoders: A Complete Configuration Guide

OBS Settings for AMD Encoders: A Complete Configuration Guide

If you’re looking to boost your live streaming setup using an AMD graphics card, understanding how to configure your AMD encoder in OBS is crucial. This guide will walk you through the best settings to get the most out of your AMD GPU's hardware encoding capabilities, ensuring you get smooth streams with great image quality. Whether you're a seasoned streamer or just starting out, these tips will help you tweak OBS to provide a reliable and crisp streaming experience.

In this post, we'll cover everything from installing the OBS AMD plugin, configuring OBS’s output settings to match your AMD encoder, and fine-tuning your bitrate and resolution for optimal performance. By the end, you’ll be able to set up an efficient AMD streaming setup to rival more expensive streaming rigs.

Why Use AMD Encoder in OBS?

Before diving into specific settings, it’s worth understanding why using AMD's hardware encoder in OBS might be the smart choice for you.

Traditional streaming encoding relies on the CPU (x264), which can be very demanding and hurt your gaming or multitasking performance. AMD’s hardware encoder, AMF (Advanced Media Framework), offloads the encoding process to your GPU’s dedicated encoder. This means you get:

• Lower CPU usage: More power for games or apps.
• Faster encoding: Real-time performance without lag.
• Good image quality: Recent AMD GPUs have caught up considerably, delivering strong visual fidelity.

For streamers with a supported AMD GPU (commonly RX 5000 series and later), enabling AMD encoding in OBS ensures you can stream smoothly without sacrificing game performance.

However, the default settings or improper configuration can hinder quality. So, tailoring your OBS setup to AMD's encoder is key.

Installing the OBS AMD Plugin

As of now, OBS supports AMD's AMF encoder natively, so there's no need for additional plugins unless you want third-party enhancements. However, it’s important to keep both OBS and your AMD GPU drivers updated to the latest version to maintain compatibility and performance improvements.

• Download the latest OBS Studio from obsproject.com
• Ensure your AMD drivers (Radeon Software) are updated by checking AMD’s official website or using the Radeon Software auto-update feature.

If you do come across community plugins like the obs amd plugin, they typically add additional tuning options or bug fixes but generally aren’t required for basic streaming with AMD encoding.

Step-by-Step Guide to Best OBS Settings for AMD Encoder

Step 1: Access the Output Settings

1. Open OBS Studio.
2. Click on Settings → Output tab.
3. Set Output Mode to Advanced. This unlocks more detailed options for streaming and recording.

Step 2: Configure Streaming Output for AMD Encoder

• Under the Streaming tab in Output:
  • Set Encoder to AMD AMF (or “H264/AVC Encoder (AMD)” depending on OBS version).
  • Set Rate Control to CBR (Constant Bitrate). This is preferred for streaming to maintain consistent video data rate.
  • Set Bitrate based on your internet upload speed and streaming platform requirements.
    • For 1080p60 streaming:
      • 6000 kbps is standard for Twitch.
      • For YouTube or Facebook, 4500-9000 kbps is acceptable depending on your bandwidth.
    • For 720p60 streaming: 3500-5000 kbps is typical.
  • Set Keyframe Interval to 2 seconds. Keyframe interval of 2 is universally recommended for Twitch and other major platforms.
  • Enable Preset and choose Balanced or Quality.
    • Balanced offers decent speed with good quality.
    • Quality prioritises image quality and suitable if your GPU is powerful and you want sharper details.
  • For Profile, select Main. It's compatible widely and recommended for streaming.
  • Enable Look-ahead sparingly — this can improve quality by dynamically adjusting bitrate usage but increases GPU load.
  • Enable Psycho Visual Tuning to enhance perceived image quality by optimising bitrate allocation.
  • Leave GPU at 0 (default device).
  • Tune can be left empty unless you want a specific style such as low latency.

Step 3: Video Settings

Now, switch to the Video tab in Settings:

• Set Base (Canvas) Resolution to your monitor’s native resolution (e.g., 1920x1080).
• Set Output (Scaled) Resolution to your desired streaming resolution.
  • 1920x1080 for full HD streaming.
  • 1280x720 for less demanding streams.
• Set Downscale Filter to Lanczos (32 samples) – best quality for resizing.
• Set Common FPS Values to 60 for smooth gameplay streams or 30 for less demanding content.

Step 4: Advanced Settings

• In Settings → Advanced, set Process Priority for OBS to Above Normal. This helps OBS get system resources preferentially.
• Set Renderer to Direct3D 11 for best compatibility.
• Keep Colour Format as NV12 and Colour Space as 709 for streaming accuracy.

Fine-Tuning Your AMD Streaming Setup

Bitrate Considerations

Your bitrate is the most important setting related to stream smoothness and quality. You want to find a balance between:

• Upload bandwidth limits.
• Viewer internet speed.
• Stream resolution and framerate.

If your internet upload is limited, drop the bitrate accordingly. For example:

• 4.5 Mbps upload → 3500 kbps bitrate for 720p60.
• 10 Mbps upload → 6000 kbps for 1080p60 with some overhead.

GPU Usage Monitoring

Streaming with AMD encoders uses dedicated hardware, but enabling features like Look-ahead or high preset selections may increase GPU load. Keep an eye on AMD Radeon Software’s performance metrics or Windows Task Manager’s GPU utilisation to adjust settings if you experience frame drops or overheating.

Audio Settings

Ensure your audio bitrate is set between 160-320 kbps in OBS (Settings → Output → Streaming → Audio Bitrate) for crisp sound without overloading bandwidth.

Expert Insight: What Streamers Often Overlook

Many streamers transitioning to AMD hardware encoders rush to set bitrate high, thinking it directly improves quality. However, proper resolution, framerate, and GPU preset matter just as much, if not more. For example:

• Streaming 1080p60 with a 3000 kbps bitrate results in pixelated feed.
• Streaming 720p60 at 4500 kbps with the quality preset often looks sharper and smoother.

Likewise, some overlook OBS’s downscale filter — a poor filter choice can cause blurry or aliased images regardless of encoder quality.

Also, enabling Psycho Visual Tuning improves the look but bumps GPU load, so adjust carefully.

Alternatives and Comparisons: AMD Encoder vs NVENC vs x264

• AMD AMF is great for AMD users who want to balance CPU load and decent quality.
• NVIDIA NVENC generally delivers slightly better quality at similar bitrates, especially on newer RTX GPUs.
• x264 (CPU encoding) offers the best visual quality at any bitrate but uses a lot of CPU power, which may cause game performance drops.

If you’re not committed to AMD hardware, and have the budget for an NVIDIA RTX 30/40 series GPU, NVENC remains the gold standard for live streaming quality. However, AMD’s encoder continues improving and is more than sufficient for many streamers on a budget.

Quick Summary of Best OBS Settings for AMD Encoder

• Encoder: AMD AMF (H264/AVC Encoder AMD)
• Rate Control: CBR
• Bitrate: 4500-6000 kbps for 1080p60, lower for 720p
• Keyframe Interval: 2 seconds
• Preset: Balanced or Quality
• Profile: Main
• Look-ahead: Optional (GPU intensive)
• Psycho Visual Tuning: Enabled for better image quality
• Output Resolution: 1920x1080 or 1280x720
• FPS: 60 for gaming streams
• Downscale Filter: Lanczos

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does OBS support AMD encoding natively?
Yes, OBS Studio includes native support for AMD’s AMF encoder, so no extra plugins are generally needed.

Q: Can I stream 4K using the AMD encoder in OBS?
Streaming 4K is possible, but requires very high bitrate and a strong upload connection. Most platforms don’t widely support 4K streams yet, so 1080p or 1440p is more practical.

Q: Should I use look-ahead or psycho visual tuning?
Use psycho visual tuning to improve image quality if your GPU can handle it. Look-ahead is optional and can increase GPU load—test for your system’s stability.

Q: What bitrate should I choose?
Bitrate depends on your upload speed and streaming resolution. Typically, 6000 kbps for 1080p60 and 3500 kbps for 720p60 streamed to Twitch.

Q: Is AMD’s encoder better than x264?
AMD’s AMF frees up CPU and delivers near-x264 quality at medium presets, but x264 still leads for highest quality and slow encoding presets.

Pricing and Availability

The AMD encoder is free and included with most AMD Radeon GPUs, which start around $250 for budget options like the RX 6600. OBS Studio remains free and open source software.

If you want a cost-effective streaming rig, an AMD GPU plus a solid CPU can be built under $800 for capable 1080p60 streaming.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

Setting up your OBS AMD encoder correctly unlocks smooth, high-quality streaming with lower CPU usage, an ideal combo for gamers and content creators alike. Prioritise balanced bitrate, proper resolution, and the AMD encoder’s quality-oriented presets. Also, keep your GPU drivers and OBS updated for best compatibility.

For those on a budget or using AMD GPUs exclusively, this setup is perfect. Streamers wanting the very best visual fidelity with NVIDIA hardware or CPU encoding can explore alternatives, but AMD’s current encoding tech is a powerful, cost-efficient solution.

Ready to level up your stream? Explore related guides on optimising your streaming PC or configuring audio settings next. Don’t forget to subscribe for more handy streaming tips!

Related links:

• Optimising CPU Usage in OBS Studio
• Choosing The Best Bitrate for Twitch
• How to Set Up Audio Filters in OBS

This extensive guide should cover everything you need to master your AMD encoder in OBS. Happy streaming!