Encoder selection in OBS is the third stop. The encoder choice determines whether stream encoding runs on the GPU (hardware encoding via NVENC, AMF, or QSV) or on the CPU (software encoding via x264).

The decision: if the streaming PC has an NVIDIA GPU from the last decade, select NVENC H.264 (or NVENC HEVC if your platform supports it). If the streaming PC has an AMD GPU, select AMD AMF. If the streaming PC has only integrated graphics or an older GPU without hardware encoding, select x264 with the veryfast preset.

The configuration: in OBS Settings, navigate to Output, Streaming tab, find the Encoder dropdown, select the appropriate encoder for your hardware. The encoder-specific settings (preset, profile, tuning) appear below depending on the selection.

The hardware encoding lift: NVENC and AMF offload encoding work from the CPU to dedicated GPU encoding hardware, which means zero CPU load from encoding and visually cleaner output at the same bitrate. Use it whenever your hardware supports it.