Customer Story: Running Multi-Instance OBS Streaming on Different GPU Servers

pwrirl.com (https://pwrirl.com) is a professional live streaming content creator and multi-platform broadcaster.
To support simultaneous, high-quality streaming across multiple channels, they required a stable, high-performance GPU server solution capable of running multiple instances of OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) concurrently.
The objective was to benchmark different GPUs — GTX 1650, GTX 1660 Super, RTX 2060, Quadro P600, P1000, P1000, T1000 and RTX 4060 — under maximum quality streaming settings, in order to identify the most cost-effective and stable option for their workflows.

*Submitted by user "su......@pwrirl.com"*

Application Scenario

I evaluated various GPU servers to determine the most suitable option for my live streaming scenario.

• Software Version: OBS Studio v31.1.1 (RTX 4060 used v31.03 for final test)
• Streaming Protocols: SRT, SRTLA, RTMP
• Resolution / Bitrate: 1080p at 6000 kbps (RTX 4060 Max settings test used 10,000 kbps)
• Test Modes:
  • Advanced Mode (P7) — Slowest / Best Quality, maximum encoder load
  • Simple Mode (P6) — Better Quality, lighter encoder load
• Test Goal: Measure the maximum stable number of concurrent OBS instances for each GPU, identify encoder bottlenecks, and compare cost-to-performance ratios.

Server Specifications

Deployment Process

OBS Studio Installation & Configuration

• Installed OBS Studio v31.1.1.
• Applied standardized configurations for both Advanced Mode (P7) and Simple Mode (P6) to ensure consistent results.
• Configured output settings:
  • Encoder: NVIDIA NVENC H.264
  • Bitrate: 6000 kbps
  • Keyframe Interval: 2s
  • Preset: P7 (Advanced) / P6 (Simple)
  • Tuning: High Quality / Psycho Visual Tuning enabled
  • Multipass Mode: Two Passes (Full Resolution)
  • B-Frames: 0 or 2 depending on test case
  • Audio: FFmpeg AAC at 320 kbps

Instance Scaling Tests

• Started with a single OBS instance and progressively added more until GPU encoder utilization reached 98–100% or encoder overload occurred.
• Recorded CPU, GPU, and RAM utilization for each step using Task Manager and GPU-Z.
• Monitored stream stability using local playback and remote feed quality checks.

Stress & Reliability Testing

• Introduced media clips and live camera sources to simulate real-world streaming complexity.
• Measured system stability over extended runs (2–4 hours per configuration).

Performance Review

• The GTX 1650 emerged as the overall winner for multi-instance streaming, sustaining 4 concurrent advanced-mode streams without immediate overload, and up to 6 simple-mode streams in optimal conditions.
• The Quadro T1000 came in close second, particularly for users prioritizing stability and 24/7 uptime.
• The RTX 4060 matched the T1000 in stable instance counts, with strong efficiency in Simple Mode.
• Turing-based consumer GPUs (GTX 1660 Super, RTX 2060) offered higher per-stream quality but overloaded sooner in multi-instance tests.

Network Performance

Fast connection with high bandwidth and ultra-low ping.

Reliability Evaluation

Over multiple extended test sessions (2–4 hours each), the GTX 1650 and Quadro T1000 maintained steady encoder utilization without crashes.
Some Pascal-based cards (P600, P1000) exhibited occasional frame drops when approaching their maximum load.
Turing-based GPUs generally remained stable but with higher utilization spikes under stress.

Resource Utilization (Approximate)

The following charts present the resource utilization of the T1000, GTX 1650, GTX 1660, and RTX 2060 under 85–100% GPU load. The 100% load was achieved through stress testing.

Application Performance Evidence

Why GTX 1650 Outperformed GTX 1660 Super and RTX 2060 in Multi-Instance OBS Streaming
Although the GTX 1660 Super and RTX 2060 are more powerful overall, both use the newer Turing NVENC encoder, which processes each stream with higher quality but also higher computational load.
The GTX 1650’s older Volta NVENC lacks some advanced compression features, resulting in lower per-stream overhead. This allows it to handle more concurrent high-quality streams before hitting encoder limits, making it better suited for maximum instance counts in this specific workload.

Optimization Tips

✅ Limit Advanced Mode instances to 80–90% encoder utilization for headroom.
✅ Use Simple Mode (P6) for higher concurrency without noticeable quality loss.
✅ Disable unused OBS sources and transitions to reduce GPU load.
✅ Match output resolution to source resolution to avoid scaling overhead.
✅ For RTX 2060, lowering preset to P5/P6 and disabling multipass can allow more instances without overload.

Conclusion & Recommendations

For cost-effective, high-concurrency streaming, the GTX 1650 remains the best choice.
For professional-grade stability and long-term operation, the Quadro T1000 offers a strong balance of performance and reliability.
The RTX 4060 provides similar stability to the T1000 with better power efficiency and driver maturity for newer OBS versions.
The Quadro P1000 is a good mid-range choice when budget is limited but moderate concurrency is needed.

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