Dear Content Creators,
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
If we ignore the people who had their decorations up in the beginning of November (he writes near his stocking that has been hung since the beginning of November), we are at the official beginning of the holiday season. With that, a lot of you have some content creators or at least someone looking into becoming one on your gift-giving list. I know finding the best gifts for content creators sounds like a daunting task. There is so much gear to choose from, and it can get expensive.
I wanted to take a moment to help you build your gift list on any budget to help you find a piece of gear that is just right or a whole setup for a content creator you love. It is worth noting that I am going to leave XLR audio solutions off the table because the combination of microphone and interface can cause some unfair price comparisons. Here are the best gifts for content creators at various price points:
Best Gifts for Content Creators: Items Under $50
Microphone: Elgato Wave 1, $49.99 USD
You can keep it really simple for a great price. The Elgato Wave was a revolutionary microphone in the streaming space with their audio mixing software, Wave Link. It allows you to control all your audio sources including mic, game, music, chat and so much more. To add to that, the microphone is very good. It is the best budget choice for a microphone, period.
Camera: EpocCam Pro, $7.99 USD
As far as your camera goes, you likely already have one. Your camera has a better phone than virtually any webcam on the market and doesn’t cost you anything extra. Well an extra $7.99 as iPhone users can download EpocCam Pro for $7.99 USD (there is also a free version) and connect via software. Your smartphone’s camera is also built to adapt to low light situations, so a crazy lighting setup isn’t necessary.
Lighting: A Trip to Home Depot, About $20-$40 USD
Lighting is a super important part of any stream, but it does not have to be expensive. A little DIY will DYG (Do You Good). An old-school metal work light with a clamp will run you about $16. Just add a light bulb (nothing too bright, but make it LED) and a piece of paper for diffusion (This is why I suggested going LED) and you have a nice, soft light on that face of yours. A more all-in-one solution would be a cheap floodlight from Amazon that will run you upwards of $40. Maybe this route isn’t the best gift for content creators, but a gift card might help get them set up!
Best Gifts for Content Creators: Items Between $50-$100
Microphone: Blue Yeti, $89.99 USD (on sale)
This is a bit of a cheat because the Blue Yeti usually comes in around $129.99, but it seems to be on sale a lot lately with the competition breathing down their neck. It is another classic USB Mic with a great look and a good name behind it, and it still sounds good. There is no mixing software to speak of, so if that is a dealbreaker, there are still plenty on the Best Gifts for Content Creators list!
Camera: Logitech C922x, $99.99 USD
This 1080p/30fps camera is descended from the OG stream camera, the Logitech C920. The earliest streamers started with these cameras. Some big streamers still use the Logitech C922x to this day because their personality supersedes the need for a mirrorless camera in their setup. When well lit, this camera can still look great while being one of the cheapest parts of the build for content creators.
Lighting: Pixel Liber RGB Pocket Light, $59.99 USD
Having a portable light with good diffusion, threads for mounting that can be controlled from your phone all at a reasonable price is a wonderful thing. Add to that the fact that the Pixel Liber RGB Pocket Light is RGB ready and is magnetic, so you can throw it up on your fridge and stream from the kitchen for all I care. It’s a good little light that I still use almost every day.
At this point we will add some peripherals to the setup, so have your wallets ready for the next section of Best Gifts for Content Creators.
Best Gifts for Content Creators: Items Between $100-$150
Microphone: RØDE X XCM-50, $149 USD
One of the newer microphones in this list and the newest brand, the RØDE X XCM-50 brings everything you love about RØDE and adds a certain streamer flair. The red colour peeking through the grill is beautiful. It has a great sound, and it comes with—for my money—the best software solution on the market, the RØDE X UNIFY Software. It takes all the best parts from Elgato and BEACN’s software and brings its own functionality born from the RØDECASTER PRO, including recording capability and a sound pad.
Camera: AVermedia PW513 Live Streamer Cam, $149.99 USD
The AVermedia PW513 has been around for a while, but it is a solid 4K/30fps or 1080p/60fps camera with a nice, wide field of view. Their CamEngine Software gives you a lot of control, including an electronic PTZ (Pan, Tilt, Zoom) and content creator capabilities for VTubers.
Lighting: Elgato Key Light Air, $129.99
The Elgato Key Light series is the premier name in lighting for streamers. The ability to control them from your phone, computer or via a stream controller makes them perfect for when you go live, because you can do everything without getting up from your seat. The diffuse lighting also makes for some pretty faces on camera.
Peripheral: Elgato Stream Deck Mk 2, $149.99
No streamer doesn’t know what the Elgato Stream Deck Mk 2 is and, if they don’t already own one, they want one. I promise. The 15-button Stream Deck is a diverse streaming tool that doesn’t take up too much room on your desk and puts all the control you need at the tip of your fingers.
Best Gifts for Content Creators: Items Between $150-200
Microphone: RØDE NT-USB+, $169.99
The RØDE NT-USB+ is the newest microphone that I have reviewed on this list and is perhaps the best sounding of any USB condenser microphone I have put my hands on. It looks gorgeous, sounds fantastic and has a solid, professional build quality that can’t be beat at this price point.
Special Shout out to the Neat King Bee II, which I disqualified only because it is an XLR mic. But at the same price, it made my voice sound amazing.
Camera: OBSBOT Tiny PTZ, $199 USD
It may only be a 1080p camera, but with gesture controls that give you the ability to follow you when in motion (if that is something you are looking for) and the ability to zoom in if you move further away, then the OBSBOT Tiny PTZ is where you want to go. Their small, responsive camera and user-friendly app make them the best name in AI Webcams, a great gift for content creators for sure.
Lighting: Viltrox VL-200T Lights, $159.59 USD
The Viltrox VL-200T is a two pack of panel lights that is your complete studio in a bag. Use it for field photography/videography or mount it to your desk. The lights are dimmable, remote controlled and can run from a battery when needed. This is a fantastic budget choice for multiple lights.
Peripheral: BEACN Mix Create, $199 USD
The best audio controller in the game for streamers right now is the BEACN Mix Create. Connected to their fantastic software mixer, the Mix Create moves the controls from your desktop to your desk, so you can control all your audio mid-game. It also has a number of controls for muting, which lets you pick who can and can’t hear your audio.
Honourable mention to the Elgato Stream Deck+, which looks to be a game changer in stream controlling, combining the functions of the Stream Deck, BEACN Mix Create and Razer Stream Controller in one device coming in at $199.99. The only problem is that we haven’t had a chance to try it to confirm if it lives up to the hype.
Best Gifts for Content Creators: Items over $200
Microphone: TIE – BEACN Mic, $279.99 USD/RØDE X XDM-100, $249 USD
This one was too close to call. The prices are similar, they both look great and have quality audio. They also both have on-board DSPs and are both Dynamic mics. The RØDE X XDM-100 takes the advantage with the more robust UNIFY software, but the actual mic control is better with the BEACN Mic on the BEACN App, with surgical control of your VSTs and one of the best noise reduction controls in the market. Its overall look just barely edges out the XDM-100 with its RGB ring and classic dynamic look.
Camera: Elgato Facecam Pro, $299.99 USD
It is true that I haven’t tried this camera, but I have seen a lot from the Elgato Facecam Pro beyond their own marketing and this thing lives up to the hype. It has an enormous sensor, the best camera software in the content creation space and is the only 4K/60fps webcam out there. Many Mirrorless/DSLR cameras can’t give you that. It gives you a ridiculous amount of control and an unprecedented quality for a USB webcam.
Lighting: Razer Key Light Chroma, $299.99 USD
It’s pricey for what it is, given that its main competitor sells their light for $100 less, but the Razer Key Light Chroma’s RGB capabilities and ability to integrate colour changes into their stream via alerts or other commands is a very fun addition to a stream.
Peripheral: Razer Stream Controller, $269.99 USD
Formerly the Loupedeck Live, the Razer Stream Controller comes in at the same price as its predecessor and has all the same functionality. A big plus is their software which has come leaps and bounds since the early days of the hardware. With 12 touch screen keys, 8 additional buttons and 6 dials with push-in capability, there is no limit to how you can set up your controller. If you lack the organizational skills to do that, they’ll do it for you with a large number of profiles for some of the best streaming, video, audio and photo editing software.
Hopefully you found something on our Best Gifts for Content Creators list for the special content creator in your life and, if you’re like me, you’ve started your personal list for Boxing Day.
