Gaming today has become synonymous with streaming. The popularity of live-streaming games has grown significantly over the years, with streamers such as Ninja, shroud and Tfue raking in a combined number of followers of over 20 million. This has increased the demand for high-quality streaming devices, with brands such as Razer, Elgato and Diamond offering stellar choices.
In this streaming technology product review, we will be talking about the AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus (or P2P). This is streaming hardware that allows gamers to connect to their consoles or desktop computers and record and stream their gaming. It is simple to use, with controls that are intuitive and easy-to-understand.
If you would like to up your streaming game, read the product review below to find out more about this nifty little number.
What’s In The Box?
All good product reviews should tell readers what is in the box of the hardware they will be using, and this is no exception. The box decor itself is simple and to the point, continuing the red and black aesthetic of the overall machine.
Upon opening the box, you will find the usual selection of cables, including a 1.5 metre braided black USB 3.0 cable, a 40cm black HDMI cable, as well as a 3.5mm audio cable that is male on both ends. There is also a printed manual for a quick and easy setup, and the external capture device itself. Users will generally not need more than this but can find out more information from the AverMedia site itself if they find themselves needing more cables.
Good Looking Computing
While the appearance of a streaming device is not too important to most users, to some aesthetically-focused gamers, it is. The AverMedia Live Gamer P2P is a small device with an almost triangular shape, which makes it look sleek and modern.
The device measurements are 14.7 x 5.5 x 4.5 cm and it weighs only 200 grams. These measurements make sense when you consider that it is made to be easily portable. At the centre of the Portable 2 Plus is a large button, known as the RECentral button. This button will shine blue when the device is in stand by and red when it is in use.
The front of the device has the 3.5mm mic and headphone port, as well as a slim volume button for controlling the volume of commentary. You will also find an easy-to-use slider for selecting the different recording modes and on the back, you will see the HDMI In-Out, Micro USB, and a slot for a Micro SD card.
Investigating The Installation
The system requirements of the aesthetically pleasing AverMedia Live Gamer P2P are ones that many gamers already meet. The operating system requirements are Windows 10, 8.1 or 7 or the macOS X. A processor such as an Intel Core i5 CPU i5-3330 or comparable is ideal for smooth running and installation.
In terms of a graphics card, you should have or be looking into an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 / AMD Radeon R7 250X or above are recommended. The AverMedia device support three different modes of installation, all of which are simple to set up.
The PC mode requires you to download and install software from the AverMedia website, connect the USB 2.0 cable from a USB port on the PC to the micro-USB port on the device, and connect an HDMI cable from the console’s output port to the device’s input port.
For the PC free mode (which makes the device able to function without using a PC) you simply insert a micro-SD card into the slot, connect an HDMI cable from the console’s output port to the input port of the device, connect an HDMI cable from the output port of the device to the display input port, and connect the USB 2.0 from a power source to the micro-USB port on the device.
Storage mode does not require any installation. You simply plug the USB 2.0 cable from your PC to the micro-USB port on the device. This will allow you to access the micro-SD card as with any card reader.
Pretty Good Performance
In terms of performance (arguably the most important part of a product review) you will find that the AverMedia Live Gamer P2P delivers, and then some. However, there is one caveat to the performance, and that is the fact that the USB 2.0 connection can cause a slight lag in the video.
The 4K pass-through feature (which allows the device to pass data through the system without affecting image quality) and the PC free mode make it a strong contender in the streaming devices industry. If you are interested in streaming your games, look online for more product reviews or visit your local computer store to see what they have on offer.