Twitch Desktop App

Twitch.tv, an incredibly powerful platform that does not require any kind of presentation for any avid gamer out there. Since it uniquely blends live video game streaming and mighty chat tools, Twitch has been redefining what the essence of gaming communities is all about for quite some time now.
Be that as it may, Twitch is not perfect and having to run it with the help of a web browser might bring out a handful of annoyances for some. Good news, now there's another way: Twitch Desktop App.
As you can gather just by reading its name, it brings most of the functionality of the platform directly to your computer's desktop, within a more focused and less distracting environment.

Thoroughly designed and smooth-running Twitch client

Straight off the bat, we can say that it does not disappoint. Even though it's currently in Beta, the application runs very smooth, feels solid and looks right at home on computers that are running modern versions of Windows.
The interface is very responsive and intuitive, with smooth transition effects and a very minimalist layout setting. The overall effect is topped off by the "chunky" fonts and the appropriate color scheme that looks just as good on both provided UI themes.

All your favorite gaming communities in one place

That said, Twitch Desktop App provides you with a soothing environment where you can watch online video game streams or tutorials, as well as chat with your friends, subscribers or directly with the person that is currently streaming. Special attention has been granted towards making the voice and video calls as neat as possible, with the mention that the screen-sharing feature is also not bad.
Despite its apparent simplicity, the app actually offers more customization features that you would expect, especially in the Privacy, Notifications, and Audio/Video areas.

The official client that brings Twitch.tv out of the web browser and onto your computer's desktop

To conclude, whether you want to watch a tournament stream of your favorite game or get a better idea about one that you are planning on buying, or you simply want to chat with other gamers that share your passion for gaming, Twitch still remains the top pick, but you can now do all that without having to use your web browser thanks to Twitch Desktop App.
It may still be lacking various bits and bobs, for example, the possibility to watch two streams simultaneously or to carry your settings over across multiple devices via the cloud, but it somewhat compensates for this by putting less strain on your computer and by offering a more user-friendly environment.