Streamer
Bandwidth for streamers: what your video link and your upload each carry
Last updated 2026-11-11
Your video link and your stream upload are separate numbers. A 4K 60 Hz signal takes 14.3 Gbps between devices, while the upload is a compressed stream measured in Mbps.
Display Bandwidth Calculator
Required Bandwidth
Uncompressed
14.26 Gbps
With DSC (Display Stream Compression)
4.75 Gbps
Interface Compatibility
HDMI
DisplayPort
Other connections
Assumes one display with no USB or PCIe data sharing. USB-C uses all four DisplayPort lanes. USB4 and Thunderbolt use the DisplayPort profile listed. The 120 Gbps modes add bandwidth for multiple streams, while one DP 2.1 UHBR 20 stream stays at 77.37 Gbps. Compare checks each display separately.
USB-C
Thunderbolt
USB4
Streamers deal with two kinds of bandwidth, and they get mixed up. The first is the video signal that travels between your console or PC, your capture card and your monitor. It's uncompressed, so it's big: a 4K 60 Hz signal at 8-bit 4:4:4 takes about 14.3 Gbps. The second is your upload to the platform, which the encoder compresses to a tiny share of that. This guide covers the first kind, because that's what the Bandwidth Calculator measures.
Why this matters for you
Every device in the chain has to carry the signal you pick. HDMI 2.0 has an effective data rate of 14.4 Gbps, and HDMI 2.1 has 42.6 Gbps. A 4K 60 Hz signal at 8-bit 4:4:4 fits within HDMI 2.0. 4K at 120 Hz with 10-bit color needs 35.6 Gbps, which is beyond HDMI 2.0 and calls for HDMI 2.1. The weakest link sets the mode, so check the console or PC output, the capture card input and its pass-through, and the monitor input one by one.
Video link and upload are different numbers
A 1080p 60 Hz signal needs 3.6 Gbps between devices. The upload that carries your stream is measured in Mbps, and the encoder compresses the picture to a tiny share of the raw signal before it leaves your PC. A fast upload doesn't help a video link, and a fast video link doesn't help your upload. Your platform's help pages list the bitrates it accepts, so read them there.
What common modes need
At 8-bit 4:4:4 with standard HDMI timing, 1080p at 60 Hz needs 3.6 Gbps. 1440p at 60 Hz needs 5.6 Gbps, and 1440p at 144 Hz needs 14.1 Gbps. 4K at 60 Hz needs 14.3 Gbps. 4K at 120 Hz with 10-bit color needs 35.6 Gbps, , which fits HDMI 2.1 at 42.6 Gbps.
Pass-through and capture cards
A capture card has an input and, on many models, a pass-through output. Each one is an HDMI link with its own limits, and a card that records one mode may pass another through. Check your card's spec sheet for the resolution and refresh rate it lists, then use the calculator to see whether the HDMI version it names carries that mode. A certified cable matters too, because a weak cable can drop a mode the ports could carry.
When the link is tight
Color format changes the load. 4K at 60 Hz and 8-bit needs 7.1 Gbps at 4:2:0 and 14.3 Gbps at 4:4:4. That's why a source can drop to a lower color format when a link runs out of room. If text or fine colored edges look soft on the capture or the monitor, check which color format your source chose.
Recordings, uploads and the power bill
Once the stream is running, two other tools help. The Data Transfer Calculator works out how long a recording takes to copy or upload at your connection speed. The Power Cost Estimator turns the watts of your streaming PC and its hours per day into a monthly cost.
Verdict
Pick the mode first, check that each device in the chain carries its Gbps, and read your platform's help pages for the upload bitrate. The Data Transfer Calculator covers recordings, and the Power Cost Estimator covers the PC that's running them.