One of the most commonly asked questions for those using AMD graphics cards and who don’t have the benefit of the Nvenc encoder is how can you stream on Youtube in 1440p and keep the quality high?

The trick is to force Youtube to use the VP9 codec, which is usually only for Youtube partners, but by streaming in 1440p you can force Youtube into giving you crisp streams too, partner or not.

There’s been plenty of talk over the years of the AMD encoder just not being good enough, but from my own testing using a 5700xt, these settings have worked fine for me and have allowed me to stream in high quality without much loss in quality.

You can see an example of this in the clip below

So if you want to learn this tried and tested setup, then be sure to follow the steps outlined below.

Best OBS settings for 1440p streaming on Youtube

To stream in 1440p to YouTube Gaming using OBS, follow these steps:

  1. Set up your OBS: Download and install OBS on your computer.

    • Configure video settings: In OBS, go to “Settings” > “Video.” Set the “Base (Canvas) Resolution” to the resolution you want to stream in, in this case, 1440p (2560×1440).

    • Select Advanced Output Mode: In OBS, go to “File” > “Settings” > “Output.” Under “Output Mode,” select “Advanced.”

    • Encoder selection: In the “Encoder” section, you can choose the encoder you want to use for your stream. I used to use the x264 encoder, which uses your CPU to encode the footage, but as I was also playing on my PC and found that it was impacting my gameplay too much.

      So I switched to the GPU encoder, H264 and never looked back.

    • Bitrate: Set the bitrate to around 6000+ kbps for 1440p. The higher the better, but remember that a higher bitrate will also increase the required bandwidth, so you should adjust the bitrate based on your network conditions.

    • Apply changes: Once you have configured the advanced output settings, click “Apply” and then “OK” to save your changes.

    • Set up YouTube streaming: In OBS, go to “File” > “Settings” > “Stream.” Choose “YouTube/YouTube Gaming” as the service, and enter the necessary information, such as your stream key, which you can obtain from your YouTube Gaming channel.

    • Start streaming: Once you have configured everything, click the “Start Streaming” button in OBS. Your live stream will start on YouTube Gaming in 1440p resolution.

    Note: The actual quality of your stream may depend on your internet speed and other factors. Test your setup before going live to ensure the best possible experience for your viewers.

    That should be you now forcing Youtube to use the VP9 encoder which by default is much better than the standard AVC codec.


    Typically, the VP9 encoder is only for Youtube Partners, but by streaming at 1440p, it will default to use that one whether you’re a partner or not.

    Enjoy the high-quality streams, your audience will thank you for it!

    My name is Peter and I've been a streamer on both Twitch and Youtube for a number of years.
    Mostly streaming Fifa or FPS games, I've learned as much as I can about improving my streaming setup to give me the best possible output for my audience.
    During the day I work as a digital marketer helping businesses improve their presence and grow an audience which helps me in streaming to do the same.