This story is brought to you by Lenovo.
Something we often take for granted when watching our favorite content creators online is the amount of effort that goes behind every single Twitch stream, YouTube video, short film, and even a 'simple' Instagram post.
Sure, some of you might be quick to scoff at content creators or influencers, but the fact of the matter is – it's no easy job, despite what it may look like.
If you've ever dabbled in content creation, or if you're thinking about starting a content creator career or side gig, there's something you have to keep in mind:
Behind every good content creator is an arsenal of useful gear that all play their individual roles in producing the content that folks like you and I love to consume.
Here are 6 essentials that should be included in the modern content creator's toolkit.
1. A workhorse of a laptop, for business and leisure.
IMAGE: Lenovo
Most of us rely on our laptops to perform a multitude of tasks. Whether you need to get some work done or you're simply looking to wind down after a long day, we most probably use them for everything. The only problem is the fact that not all laptops can do multiple things very well. They usually err towards one side (like being able to process heavy renderings) or the other (heavy gaming).
The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro fits the bill just right with its high-performance AI engine, which is always prepared for any heavy task you throw at it. Add the laptop's Q Control into the mix, and you'll be able to swap between different modes to suit your mood.
IMAGE: Lenovo
In Performance mode, you'll be able to max out all the processing power of the Legion 5 Pro, ensuring that the digital rendering you're working on or the graphics-heavy game you're playing pans out smoothly. The Legion 5 Pro comes with Windows 10 Home. Get a Free upgrade to Windows 11* (when available, see below). Play the latest games with graphics that rival reality. Play with players on console. Play with the peripherals that you love. When it comes to playing your way, Windows 11 makes it happen.
Quiet mode sits on the opposite end of the spectrum, allowing you to take things at your own pace, disturbance-free. If you want a happy middle-ground, Balance mode gives you the best of both worlds – especially when you toggle automatic optimization, which lets you sit back and let the laptop decide how much power needs to be drawn for certain tasks.
A good laptop doesn't just do one thing very well. Despite being a gaming-focused laptop, the Legion 5 Pro also benefits creatives looking for a reliable workhorse to handle all their professional needs – like video editing, post production, photography, and even game development.
2. A capable smartphone for on-the-go bursts of inspiration.
IMAGE: Lenovo
It's safe to say that live-streaming content, especially on platforms like Twitch, is no walk in the park. There are so many things to worry about, like lighting, your camera orientation, and even your computing power.
Taking all the fuss away from that is the Lenovo Legion Phone Duel 2, which is more than your average smartphone. It's actually fairer to call it a mobile console, seeing that it has a pop-up camera, designed to work as a streaming camera when the phone is held in landscape orientation. You won't need to worry about downloading special software to make sure your stream is working properly either. The Legion Phone Duel 2 is designed to be live-stream capable straight out of the box.
IMAGE: Lenovo
Something that really contributes to the mobile console nature of the Legion Phone Duel 2 is the presence of not one, but two USB-C ports. More in this in a second. Powered by the Qualcomm? Snapdragon? 888 Plus 5G Mobile Platform, the Legion Phone Duel 2 comes packed with dual-batteries that store a combined 5,500 mAh – enough to last you the entire day, and more.
The two USB-C ports – one positioned on the side and the other at the bottom – allow users to charge their phone while playing their favorite games in either portrait or landscape orientation. 90W fast charging can boost the phone to 50 percent battery-life in just 17 minutes, and a full charge in half an hour. Plugging two 65W chargers into the phone simultaneously will juice it up to 5,500 mAh in just 35 minutes, pretty insane.
IMAGE: Lenovo
And specifically for gamers, the Legion Phone Duel 2 has one (or let's say eight) standout features – eight virtual trigger buttons to maximize functionality when playing your favorite games. Each one can also be remapped to a specific function, allowing you to fine-tune your gameplay.
3. Noise-canceling headphones that will keep you in the zone for as long as you need.
IMAGE: Lenovo
When you're busy editing a video or maintaining a kill-streak, you're most probably going to want to isolate yourself from your surroundings. That's where a nice pair of headphones comes in, allowing you to immerse yourself in whatever you're doing, without posing a disturbance to anyone else around you.
An awesome contender in this space is the Legion H500 Pro 7.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset, which delivers a superb audio experience fit for both gamers and audiophiles alike. The headphones' ergonomic design, along with the high-quality earcup padding made of PU leather allow you to immerse yourself in your favorite game, movie, or song for extended periods of time, without any ear or head fatigue.
The high-end retractable noise-canceling microphone does a super effective job at eliminating the influence of noise in your surrounding environment – something you'll definitely be relying on when you're streaming.
4. A reliable wireless mouse for the most demanding projects and gaming sessions.
IMAGE: Lenovo
A good wireless mouse can mean the difference between a painfully-uncomfortable gaming session and a pleasant one.
Weighing just 107 grams, the Lenovo Legion M600 Wireless Gaming Mouse works wirelessly via Bluetooth or a 2.4GHz receiver, as well as wired connectivity via USB 2.0. The mouse features an ergonomic design tailoring to multiple grip types, including palm and claw grip, along with compatibility for right-handed and left-handed users.
With a single 2.5-hour charge, you'll be able to get 200 hours of battery life out of the device (with multicolor LED off), making sure you're always ready for any task without having to worry about how much juice you've got left.
And of course, for the RGB fans out there, the mouse also features 2-zone LEDs that produce up to 16.8 million colors.
5. A nifty ring light to bring out dazzling halos in your eyes.
IMAGE: Shopee
In every video or livestream, one often-overlooked aspect of behind-the-scenes prep is lighting. Ring lights present themselves as one of the most versatile types of lighting, giving studio-like quality, without the studio-like budget. There's no point in showing your face on stream if your viewers can't see it properly, after all.
But ring lights take things a step further by adding more definition to your face, putting a lot of focus on your eyes (or eye glasses) with their uniquely-round shape. In most cases, people will be able to see a mesmerizing pair of halos reflected off of your eyes, and this helps bring in more audience focus.
Eye-contact, after all, is super important when talking to others, even if they're watching through a digital screen. The best part of it all is their affordability, with places like Shopee and Lazada offering high quality ring lights for well-below RM100.
6. A professional editing software that brings your hard work to life.
IMAGE: E-Spin
So, you're done filming your video. What next? Off to an editing suite, of course. That is, if you care about presentation and all (you should).
If anything, professional editing softwares like Adobe Premiere Pro serve to enhance your work, allowing you to truly unleash your creativity and produce content that you would watch yourself. With a super responsive interface, Premiere Pro will also make it easy for you to work on multiple projects at the same time, because let's face it – the life of a content creator is busy as heck.
And with support for multiple file formats, you won't be stuck with a piece of content that can't even be worked on in post.
Make the most of your device with Legion Ultimate Support.
If you find yourself having a bit of trouble making the most of your new Legion device, Legion Ultimate Support's got your back, 27/4. Think of it as a concierge service for gamers, by gamers.
Yep, whenever you find yourself in need of assistance, you won't have to go through some drab customer service call regurgitating some mildly-helpful advice from a template. You'll be talking to real gamers, just like yourself.
Highly-trained and experienced technicians are on standby via email, chat, and phone. Whether you're just getting started, or you require some technical advice, Legion Ultimate Support is your go-to. They can even assist you with settings, hardware tuning, and software optimization.
If you're looking to put together your own content creator toolkit, you can get your hands on the featured devices on Shopee and Lazada.
To learn more about Lenovo Legion, click here. Alternatively, you can also keep up with Lenovo on Facebook and Instagram.
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Cover image sourced from Lenovo.
