Best 1440p 144hz Capture Card
The best 1440p 144hz capture card for gaming is a hotly debated topic. Elgato, Avermedia and Razer have been producing newer and more powerful capture cards to meet the demand of gamers everywhere. Thankfully, today we can purchase a cutting edge capture card, install any drivers and be ready to game within minutes.
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Why you need a 1440p 144hz capture card for gaming
The addition of an internal or external capture card to your streaming setup allows you to greatly improve the quality of your stream. Increased bitrates, higher resolutions and multiple inputs for all of your game consoles makes it a no-brainer. A capture card is necessary for your dual pc streaming setup, Voicemeeter Banana setup, and can co-exist with streaming peripherals like a Stream Deck.
Major brands like Elgato, Avermedia and ASUS have all been competing for dominance in this space and thankfully, their competition has brought us capture cards capable of 1440p 144hz game capture.
The capture cards featured here will work flawlessly with the best streaming software for Twitch, and will transform your Twitch streaming experience. Additionally, a definitive guide to streaming equipment for every budget will provide you with the critical information needed to make the best selection for your gaming needs.
By reading the sections below you will get a better understanding and explanations to the following most popular questions:
- What does passthrough mean for a capture card?
- How do you use a capture card in passthrough?
- How to setup a capture card in OBS Studio
- Should you get an internal or external capture card?
- Are there any 4k 120hz capture cards on the market?
Let’s take a closer look at the best 1440p 144hz capture card for gaming:
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
AVerMedia GC573 Live Gamer 4K, Internal Capture Card, Stream and Record 4K60 HDR10 with ultra-low. .. |
1,249 Reviews | $222.25 | Check on Amazon | |
| AVerMedia Live Gamer ULTRA GC553 – 4K60 HDR Pass-Through, 4K30 Capture Card, Ultra-Low Latency for… | 1,782 Reviews | $150.24 | Check on Amazon | |
Elgato 4K60 Pro MK. 2, Internal Capture Card, Stream and Record 4K60 HDR10 with ultra-low latency on… |
2,291 Reviews | $236.99 | Check on Amazon | |
| DIGITNOW HD 60S USB 3.0 Capture Card HDMI 4K Plus, 1080P 60FPS or 4K HDMI Audio Video Capture No Lag… | 116 Reviews | $99.99 | Check on Amazon | |
ASUS TUF Gaming Video Capture Card (CU4K30) 4K/2K/1080P 120 FPS & HDR Passthrough, Near-Zero. .. |
160 Reviews | $209.99 | Check on Amazon |
AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K
The Avermedia Live Gamer 4k is capable of 1440p 144hz passthrough and has multiple recording and capturing resolutions: 4k 60hz, 1440p 144hz, 1080p 240hz.
This capture card supports recording format MPEG 4 (H.264 + AAC) or (H.265 + AAC). However the H.265 + AAC format is only supported with the Avermedia RECentral streaming software. Along with an internal PC connection of PCIe Gen 2 x4, this is capable of recording and capturing high frame rate gameplay sessions with minimal to no latency.
Looking at the IO side of the Avermedia Live Gamer 4k capture card you’ll notice 2x HDMI 2.0 inputs. Additionally, with the RECentral software and the H.265 + AAC format, this capture card can record HDR gameplay sessions for those with high end PC monitors.
- 1440p 144hz passthrough
- Multiple capture resolutions: 4k 60hz, 1440p 144hz, 1080p 240hz
- MPEG 4 H.
264 + AAC encoding - HDR capable capture only with Avermedia RECentral streaming software
- PCIe Gen 2 x4 connection
- Ultra low latency
All told, this is a very capable and definitely one of the best internal capture cards currently on the market, however, there is some competition.
Pros
- 1440p 144hz passthrough
- MPEG 4 H.264
- PCIe Gen 2 x4
- Ultra low latency
- OBS compatible
AVerMedia Live Gamer ULTRA
The Avermedia Live Gamer ULTRA is the newest capture card for gaming and it’s entry into the market as one of the most feature rich and powerful external capture cards.
Boasting 4k 60fps HDR support, it’s also capable of 1440p 144hz passthrough in addition to a wide range of recording and capture resolutions.
It supports USB 3.1(Gen 1) Type C connection while it has HDMI 2.0 for video input and video output.
Also includes RECentral software and H.265 + AAC format and is capable of recording HDR content.
- 1440p 144hz passthrough
- Multiple capture resolutions: 4k 30hz, 1440p 60hz, 1080p 120hz, 1080p 60 HDR
- MPEG 4 H.264 + AAC
- HDR capable with supported resolutions
- USB 3.1 (Gen 1) Type C
If you need the features of dedicated PCI-e internal capture cards but in a compact and portable external capture card for gaming, then look no further, the Avermedia Live Gamer ULTRA has you covered.
Pros
- 1440p 144hz passthrough
- MPEG 4 H.264
- HDR capable
- USB 3.1 (Gen 1) Type C
- OBS compatible
Elgato 4K60 Pro MK.2
The Elgato 4k60 Pro MK.2 is a compact and sleek internal capture card. This is aimed at professional streamers and as such is guaranteed to work in a plug and play fashion.
This is an internal capture card capable of 1440p 144hz passthrough in addition to recording resolutions of 4k 60hz, 1440p 144hz, 1080p 240hz or 1080p 120hz.
In order to attain these resolutions it also requires a PCIe Gen 2 x4 internal PC connection. But with the added bandwidth of PCIe, you also have the added HDR 10-bit capture option at your disposal. With a maximum bitrate of 140 Mbps, multiple recording and passthrough resolutions the Elgato 4k60 Pro MK.2 is one of the best capture cards for gaming.
- 1440p 144hz passthrough
- Multiple capture resolutions: 4k 60hz, 1440p 144hz, 1080p 240hz, 1080p 120hz
- HEVC/H.265 HDR 10-bit or AVC/H.264 encoding
- PCIe Gen 2 x4 connection
- Ultra low latency
This is one of the most popular internal capture cards for gaming and it remains at the top of the product stack for Elgato.
Pros
- 1440p 144hz passthrough
- HEVC/H.265 HDR 10
- AVC/H.264
- PCIe Gen 2 x4
- Ultra low latency
Cons
- Internal capture card
DIGITNOW 4K Plus Video Capture Card
The DIGITNOW 4k Plus Video Capture Card is a feature rich external capture card capable of driving any modern gaming console to streaming platforms like Twitch.
This capture card will do 1440p 144hz passthrough in addition to recording resolutions of 4k, 1440p and 1080p. The recording format provided by the DIGITNOW 4K Plus is NV12/YUV/MJPEG.
The exterior of the external capture card has various inputs including USB 3.0, HDMI 2.0 input, HDMI 2.0 output, a headphone jack, a microphone jack and a 5V DC input for power.
- 1440p 144hz passthrough
- 4k 30hz maximum recording resolution
- USB 3.0
- HDMI 2.0 input/output
- NV12/YUV/MJPEG format
This capture card also boasts a driver free installation, truly plug and play. When you connect to a gaming PC it will also work flawlessly with OBS Studio and other streaming software.
Pros
- 1440p 144hz passthrough
- 4k 30hz capture
- USB 3.0
- OBS compatible
Cons
- NV12/YUV/MJPEG format limited
ASUS TUF Gaming Video Capture Card
The ASUS TUF Gaming Video Capture Card is a feature rich and sleek capture card designed for the modern gamer.
Capable of 1440p 144hz passthrough this capture card has multiple recording resolutions including 4k 30hz.
An external capture card that is designed for both PC gamers and console gamers, it’s certified for use with OBS Studio, therefore whichever operating system you choose to use, this capture card should plug and play flawlessly.
Looking at the ports of the ASUS TUF Gaming Video Capture Card we notice USB 3.2 (Gen 1) Type C connector, HDMI 2.0 input and output on the rear panel in addition to a headphone jack and a controller jack on the front panel.
- 1440p 144hz passthrough
- Up to 4k 30hz record and capture
- OBS Studio certified
- USB 3.2 (Gen 1) Type C
Additionally, this capture card comes in a sleek and compact design that should fit nearly anywhere on your gaming desk or under your TV/monitor.
Pros
- 1440p 144hz passthrough
- 4k 30hz capture
- USB 3.
2 (Gen 1) Type C - OBS compatible
- Compact
What does passthrough mean on a capture card?
Passthrough on a capture card will allow you to play games at 1440p 144hz while live streaming at a lower resolution. Platforms like Twitch and YouTube will place a cap on live broadcasting at 1080p 60hz.
Any of the aforementioned capture cards will provide you with the flexibility and longevity of native 1440p 144hz gameplay with the option of passthrough. Regardless of what your live broadcasting quality is, you’ll be playing games natively at 1440p 144hz.
How do you use a capture card in passthrough?
Make sure your capture card is connected with your PC/console correctly. You will need to make sure that both of the HDMI 2.0 cables are properly installed. Oftentimes they might come loose and you run the risk of losing the signal.
Depending on the capture card that you have you will have two options, 1. The capture card has provided software that allows you to stream or record gameplay footage or 2.
You will need to download and install streaming software and learn how to stream on Twitch.
Once your choice of software is installed make sure you can see your capture card as a video device. You will know the passthrough is working correctly when you can play games at your native resolution and record or live stream at a lower resolution.
How to set up a capture card in OBS Studio
You can quickly and easily set up a capture card in OBS Studio and this can be accomplished with a handful of steps.
Step 1. Download and Install OBS Studio
Check out the newest software package of OBS Studio and install it on your PC. Follow the prompted steps and within a minute or two you should have completed this step.
Step 2. Open OBS Studio
Once OBS Studio is open you want to look for the Sources section and click on the +(plus) sign to add a new source.
Step 3.
Add a Video Capture Device
A capture card will be seen as a Video Capture Device by OBS Studio. You will first be prompted to name the new Video Capture Device, and this will help you keep track of your live streaming equipment in OBS Studio.
Step 4. Select your Video Capture Device, aka capture card
Select your capture card from the drop down menu, if you don’t see your capture card make sure the HDMI cables are connected properly.
Step 5. Resize your Capture Window
This last step is wholly optional, however for cleanliness sake and making it easier to see your recorded or capture gameplay you can resize your Capture Window to fit your screen. Sometimes this needs to be done when OBS Studio is installed for the first time.
Should you get an internal or external capture card?
In order to determine which is better for you, we need to understand the differences between an internal capture card vs an external capture card.
An internal capture card will utilize the PCIe slot on your PC motherboard for a connection, while an external capture card will most often use a USB connection. The vast majority of capture cards produced fall into either one of these categories, PCIe or USB.
PCIe vs USB capture cards
The more powerful capture cards might require additional power and bandwidth from the PCIe slot of a PC motherboard but you will have lower latency as a result. Although the most powerful live streaming computers will use an internal capture card, the additional processing power comes at a cost and that cost is system flexibility.
A USB capture card, while not as powerful or even as feature rich as a high end PCIe capture card; is a far more plug and play device. You can quickly and easily swap between PCs or gaming consoles should you require this. Can pack it up into a backpack and take it with you on the road.
Technically, the more powerful capture cards will almost always require the PCIe slot, as a PCIe x4 can provide a throughput of roughly 16 Gb/s.
Whereas, a USB 3 connection spec sheet says it’s capable of 5 Gb/s or maximum use case of 625 MB/s.
Are there any 4k 120hz capture cards available?
The majority of consumer capture cards available are unable to record and capture at 4k 120hz and there are a couple limiting factors.
Most of the consumer capture cards on the market are bandwidth limited by HDMI 2.0 and might require a complete design overhaul to incorporate HDMI 2.1. Additionally, adding HDMI 2.1 capability at this point might be too costly for some of these capture cards.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Best 1440p 144hz Capture Card for Gaming
Can Elgato capture 1440p?
Yes, the Elgato 4k60 Pro MK.2 can capture a 1440p signal for gaming at 144hz. This makes it one of the most powerful capture cards currently available and a reason why most gamers buy this capture card for gaming.
Does Razer Ripsaw support 1440p?
The Razer Ripsaw will support 1440p resolution, however this capture card will be locked to a 60hz signal.
What bitrate is 1440p?
A 1440p resolution is also listed as 2k and if we take a look at upload encoder settings for Twitch and YouTube they will shed some light on this.
Recommended video bitrates:
Standard frame rate(30 fps)
Bitrate for 1440p is 20 Mbps
High frame rate(60 fps)
Bitrate for 1440p is 30 Mbps
Is it better to stream with a capture card?
Yes, it’s always better to stream with a capture card. The additional hardware encoder a capture card provides will alleviate valuable processing away from your CPU and GPU. This will in turn provide you with higher frame rates and less stutter while gaming and live streaming.
How to fix capture card delay in OBS
You can fix capture card delay in OBS in a few easy steps. By adjusting the video and audio delay to match your gameplay, you can accomplish this within OBS Studio.
Step 1. Right click within the OBS Audio Mixer section
Step 2.
Select Advanced Audio Properties from the drop down menu
Step 3. Find the Sync Offset toggle
Step 4. Add a negative offset value of -500 ms
Step 5. The negative offset value should sync your video and audio accordingly
Can the Razer Ripsaw HD do 1440p 144hz passthrough?
Unfortunately the Razer Ripsaw HD is locked to 60hz passthrough.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVerMedia GC573 Live Gamer 4K, Internal Capture Card, Stream and Record 4K60 HDR10 with ultra-low… | 1,249 Reviews | $222. 25 |
Check on Amazon | |
| AVerMedia Live Gamer ULTRA GC553 – 4K60 HDR Pass-Through, 4K30 Capture Card, Ultra-Low Latency for… | 1,782 Reviews | $150.24 | Check on Amazon | |
Elgato 4K60 Pro MK.2, Internal Capture Card, Stream and Record 4K60 HDR10 with ultra-low latency on. .. |
2,291 Reviews | $236.99 | Check on Amazon | |
| DIGITNOW HD 60S USB 3.0 Capture Card HDMI 4K Plus, 1080P 60FPS or 4K HDMI Audio Video Capture No Lag… | 116 Reviews | $99.99 | Check on Amazon | |
ASUS TUF Gaming Video Capture Card (CU4K30) 4K/2K/1080P 120 FPS & HDR Passthrough, Near-Zero. .. |
160 Reviews | $209.99 | Check on Amazon |
Select the best 1440p 144hz capture card with passthrough
Choosing which 1440p 144hz passthrough capture card that suits your needs is no longer searching for a needle in a haystack.
All of the aforementioned capture cards are capable of 1440p 144hz passthrough so you can play games at your native resolution without sacrificing stream quality and this allows you to expand your setup to include a green screen for streaming, a stream deck or a lighting setup.
Additionally, you have the flexibility in choosing between an internal and an external capture card whereas that wasn’t always the case. External capture cards offer portability where there was none before, more ports than ever and remain compact and easy to place on a gaming desk.
If you’re interested in more streaming and gaming centric content then consider your definitive guide to streaming equipment for every budget.
As this will cover the basics of what hardware you will need to get started and even what to consider when taking the next step in becoming a professional streamer.
The best capture cards for PC gaming
(Image credit: Future)
The best capture cards not only fuel your content creation but make it a lot easier. Capturing footage of games can be a tedious process without a capture card that does it with ease and with a high quality picture. The best capture cards make recording on consoles like the PlayStation 5 or your PC simple. Without a good one, you’d lose your best plays and memorable moments.
Nowadays, capture cards come in all shapes and sizes and. Best of all, they no longer require you to pry open your PC and hope to God you’ve got an extra card slot next to your GPU to install. External capture cards are a lot more portable, so much easier to use, and in some cases, cheaper than their internal counterparts since they connect to your PC via USB 3.0 or USB Type C.
We recommend most people focus on a 1080p target resolution and at least 30fps with any potential capture card purchase. 60fps is great if your PC can handle the extra load, but play it safe if you’re starting out. There are good 4K capture cards out there, but they’re also expensive, and those files’ storage needs are harsh. Plus, the bandwidth requirements often mean 4K is not worth the hassle for most streamers.
The picks below were tested using OBS and Xsplit, two popular broadcasting apps among streams, since that’s the best to the most of your footage. A capture card is just part of our broader streaming ecosystem; you should make sure you’re investing in the best webcam and best microphone to complete your setup.
Best capture card for PC gaming
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(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Elgato)
1.
Elgato Game Capture HD60 X
The best capture card for streaming and recording
Specifications
Resolution: 1080p, 4K
Frame rate: 60fps (30fps @ 4K)
Interface: USB 3.0
Reasons to buy
+
Support for VRR and HDR passthrough
+
Great for modern gaming monitors
+
USB Type-C connectivity
+
Good looking 1080p 60fps capture
+
Same launch price as HD60 S+
Reasons to avoid
—
Look elsewhere for 4K capture
—
Only simple to set-up at 1080p
Elgato’s latest capture card, the HD60 X, aims to make streaming and recording a little more amenable to gamers with a modern, half-decent gaming monitor. With the option of 4K passthrough, there’s a little more this device can offer gamers with high pixel count screens.
Though it’s also pretty handy if you use G-Sync of FreeSync technologies, which also receive timely support on the new HD60 X.
As with any capture card the speeds and feeds can be a lot to chew through. So let’s break it down to basics for this $200 /£190 option. With the HD60 X you’re essentially looking at three key capture resolutions: 4K at 30fps, 1440p at 60fps, and 1080p at 60fps. Then for your passthrough resolution it’s possible to run up 4K at 60fps or 1440p at 120fps, and there’s support for Variable Refresh Rate technologies (VRR), such as G-Sync and FreeSync, and HDR (only on Windows).
I don’t have to sacrifice my own gaming experience to record it for others.
To save bandwidth on the HD60 X, it offers 4:2:0 by default. Corsair tells me 4:2:2 is available via non-default codecs and will work at 1080p at 60fps or 1440p at 30fps, but don’t expect that out of the box.
It does look decent with chroma subsampling, too. And the thing to remember here is that, if you intend to use your content, say, online—which most will—then video compression is going to eat up a lot of the quality anyways.
The passthrough functionality of the HD60 X is, however, fully capable of running at 4:4:4, or in other words, uncompressed. So while your recording may lose some of that information, you don’t have to suffer through a low picture quality while you’re recording.
Though only a few of these 4K cards are standalone units, most being PCIe add-in when you get down to near the price of the HD60 X. Some of the flexibility is removed when you ditch the external connection from your capture card: Not only will you have to make space inside your PC, but you’re removing the ability to run your stream or recording off a laptop close-by. You also lose the option to easily travel around with your capture card, though let’s be honest I can’t imagine that’s of massive importance for many.
Ultimately, a PCIe add-in capture card tends to get you more bang for your buck at 4K, and comes with heaps of benefits in other ways to make up for its lack of portability. So the flexibility of how you wish to set up your streaming setup is something to weigh up before hitting purchase on an external unit like this HD60 X.
As a user of the original Elgato Game Capture HD and then the HD60 S, I’ll admit the HD60X doesn’t feel like a revelatory new product. I’m yet to find any external capture card that makes capturing gameplay as much of a doddle as I’d like to think it to be. That said, there are some things I probably couldn’t go without now that I have used the HD60 X. Adroit 1080p at 60fps recording, yes, though more so the low latency passthrough, VRR, and HDR support. All of which makes it so I don’t have to sacrifice my own gaming experience to record it for others.
Read our full Elgato HD60 X review .
(Image credit: Avermedia)
2. Avermedia Live Gamer Duo
Best two source capture card
Specifications
Resolution: 1080p
Frame rate: 60fps
Interface: PCIe 2.0, HDMI 2.0, HDMI 1.4
Today’s Best Deals
Reasons to buy
+
Can stream 2 HMDI sources at once
+
Easy set up and use
Reasons to avoid
—
HD only
—
Only does passthrough on 1 HDMI source
AVerMedia might not be a household name yet when it comes to capture cards and streaming devices, but that doesn’t mean the company isn’t turning heads.
Its capture cards in particular always seem to come with an interesting innovation—and the AVerMedia Live Gamer Duo doesn’t buck the trend.
Previously we’ve seen the Thunderbolt-only Live Gamer Bolt, and the 4K HDR streaming lineup, in the Live Gamer Ultra and Live Gamer 4K. However, one of the newer entries to the market is the Live Gamer Duo , an internal card that fits into a PCIe slot on your motherboard and can handle two HDMI inputs at once—a very useful tool for streamers and content creators.
The software setup was also fairly effortless. After downloading the drivers as well as the AVerMedia RECentral 4 software, all my PC needed was a restart and everything was working as expected. I’ve wrestled with capture cards not always picking up sources before but was very happy to lower my guard.
A single one-time set-up unit that’s largely plug and play.
Even since the initial install I’ve only experienced problems when having two different programs trying to use the card at once.
When the RECentral 4 software is running, while something like Xsplit or OBS are also getting signals from the card, the audio will feedback on itself in your recording or stream. It doesn’t seem to matter whether I’ve got PC audio turned on or any other settings. So you’re limited to only using one software at any time, which is actually very fair.
I probably wouldn’t even have come across the issue if I wasn’t using the RECentral 4 software as a screen to play games on rather than using passthrough. This is actually a testament to the latency because it was good enough that I didn’t really notice.
RECentral 4 software can have problems when left open but not in use for long periods of time. The audio and visual information become distorted but are immediately fine again when restarting the program. It’s never happened while the software has been in active use or during streaming so has never felt like a problem that inhibited performance.
That’s what impresses me about the Live Gamer Duo the most.
It does everything it advertises with relatively low effort. The full HD recording and high-enough-frame rate streaming just works and is immediately recognisable by third party software.
Video processing, such as downscaling or frame rate conversion, is all done on the card itself, and I believe it. My PC is unbothered while the card is operating, though it still takes the usual hit from my streaming software. Meanwhile, the 4K passthrough has remained unhindered entirely by the process, though it would be nice to have passthrough options for both inputs rather than solely HDMI1.
Of course, it’s not without sacrifice. If you want to be able to record in 4K or higher than 60 fps this quite simply isn’t the device. What you get with AVerMedia’s Live Gamer Duo is a single one-time set-up unit that’s largely plug and play. It has especially made streaming easier by having a setup that simply works, and one which I can mostly leave in place. For anyone looking to include multiple sources for minimal hassle, AVerMedia’s Live Gamer Duo is a really smart choice that lives up to all its promises.
Read our full Avermedia Live Gamer Duo review .
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(Image credit: AVerMedia)Avermedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus (Image credit: Avermedia)AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus (Image credit: Avermedia)AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus (Image credit: Avermedia)AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus (Image credit: Avermedia)
3. Avermedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus
Best capture card that uses a SD card
Specifications
Resolution: 1080p
Frame rate: 60fps
Interface: USB 3.0
Today’s Best Deals
Reasons to buy
+
Ease-of-use
+
Play in 4K while you record
Reasons to avoid
—
Inconsistent frame rate
The Avermedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus packs smooth 60fps 1080p recording and 4K pass-through so you can still play in Ultra HD (even if it’s not captured in 4K), USB 3.0, Mac compatibility, and dirty great flashing lights to tell you if you’re capturing or have left HDCP on.
Besides an attractive form-factor, it also offers intuitive software for live editing and the ability to record straight onto a Micro SD card if you’d prefer to keep your HDD clear of space-absorbing video. This capture card is flexible, but particularly tempting if you need to record on the go. It works straight out of the box, too—always a plus.
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(Image credit: Elgato)Elgato Game Capture 4K60 Pro (Image credit: Elgato)Elgato Game Capture 4K60 Pro (Image credit: Elgato)Elgato Game Capture 4K60 Pro (Image credit: Elgato)Elgato Game Capture 4K60 Pro (Image credit: Elgato)
4. Elgato Game Capture 4K60 Pro MK.2
The best 4K capture card
Specifications
Resolution: 4K
Frame rate: 60fps
Interface: PCIe x4
Today’s Best Deals
Reasons to buy
+
4K capture with 60fps
+
Video encoding
+
1080p @ 240Hz / 1440p @ 144Hz passthrough
Reasons to avoid
—
Pricey
Pro-users, who want nothing but the best, need look no further than Elgato’s 4K60 Pro.
It may need a high-end PC to get off the ground, but this is an excellent piece of kit for those intent on capturing gameplay at the highest resolution and frame rate possible.
It’s worth making sure you’ve got enough storage space for all those videos, too, because they can get huge very quickly. And if you want to go big, Sabrent’s 4TB RocketQ or even the ultra-expensive Sabrent 8TB SSD will be your dream tickets to storage nirvana. The 4K60 Pro’s encoder can reduce file size and save you much-needed memory real-estate, but they can still be chunky in real terms.
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Elgato Game Capture HD60 Pro (Image credit: Elgato)Elgato Game Capture HD60 Pro (Image credit: Elgato)Elgato Game Capture HD60 Pro (Image credit: Elgato)Elgato Game Capture HD60 Pro (Image credit: Elgato)
5. Elgato Game Capture HD60 Pro
Best internal capture card for beginners
Specifications
Resolution: 1080p
Frame rate: 60fps
Interface: PCIe x1, HDMI 2.
0
Today’s Best Deals
Reasons to buy
+
Advanced encoder
+
Bitrate of 60Mbps
Reasons to avoid
—
No 4K capture
If you want to take your recordings from amateur to the next level up, Elgato’s internal HD60 Pro card is a good shout. Indeed, Elgato’s website claims this card features “an advanced, onboard H.264 encoder that enables you to record unlimited footage in superb 1080p [60fps] quality, at a bitrate up to 60Mbps.” Not too shabby.
It can also stream at 1080p when using Game Capture HD, OBS Studio, and Xsplit. Petite, classy form-factor is in the HD60 Pro’s favor as well, although it does mean you’ll have to install it on a desktop PC, so using a laptop to control your capture card is out. Still, if you’re looking for a neat solution, this is pretty sweet.
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EVGA XR1 (Image credit: EVGA)EVGA XR1 (Image credit: EVGA)EVGA XR1 (Image credit: EVGA)EVGA XR1 (Image credit: EVGA)
6.
EVGA XR1
Best capture card with built-in audio mixer
Specifications
Resolution: 1080p (up to 4K/60fps HDR passthrough)
Frame rate: 60fps
Interface: USB-C
Today’s Best Deals
Reasons to buy
+
Customizable ARGB LEDs
+
Built-in Mixer
+
4K @ 120fps HDR Pass-Through
Reasons to avoid
—
Hard to configure
Read more
(Image credit: Future)
Our pick of the best gaming monitors to buy in 2022
EVGA is best known for its graphics cards, so it was a surprise when it announced the XR1, its first external capture device for streamers. The flashy OBS certified capture device has a built-in audio mixer that’ll show your levels using these neat-looking RGB LEDs on the unit itself.
The XR1 records and streams at 1080p/60fps and supports advanced Pass-Through of 1440p/120fps and 4K/60fps signals.
This means the XR1 will take those native signals and spit them out at 1080p/60fps for your stream without needing to change any of your display settings while you game. The capture does a good job, although we did notice the colors were a little washed out; nothing a little tweaking in OBS couldn’t handle, though.
Best capture card FAQ
Why do I need a capture card if I just use OBS?
OBS and other third-party capture and streaming software are great, but there are limitations, let’s say you want to stream gameplay from a game console or use an HDMI camera instead of a webcam; the easiest way to get them to work your PC without an external or internal capture card.
With software like OBS, you are entirely reliant on your system resources, such as your CPU or GPU, when it comes to capturing video inputs. That can be a drain if you’re capturing at a high bit rate and trying to play a game simultaneously. Modern CPUs have gotten good at the necessary multi-tasking, but a dedicated capture card can help lighten the load.
Also if you dual-wield a PC and console, such as the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, an external capture card can help you pull footage from those devices.
Do capture cards reduce quality?
On the contrary, a good capture card could increase the quality of your stream, potentially lighten the load on your main PC, and improve the performance of your games while streaming.
If you’re asking on purely technical terms, however, then yes, they can. Capture cards often use something called Chroma Subsampling to reduce bandwidth requirements, and that will reduce the quality of the final picture. Though it’s worth bearing in mind that once you upload your footage to a service, such as YouTube, they will severely drop the quality anyways. So there’s not a tremendous loss overall as a result.
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Jorge is a hardware writer from the enchanted lands of New Jersey. When he’s not filling the office with the smell of Pop-Tarts, he’s reviewing all sorts of gaming hardware from laptops with the latest mobile GPUs to gaming chairs with built-in back massagers. He’s been covering games and tech for nearly ten years and has written for Dualshockers, WCCFtech, and Tom’s Guide.
Updated 4K60 Pro MK.2 video capture card from Elgato!
Updated 4K60 Pro MK.2 Video Capture Card from Elgato!
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Updated 4K60 Pro MK.
2 video capture card from Elgato!
About a week ago there was a presentation of a new 4K60 Pro MK.2 video capture card from Elgato, one of the leading brands in the development of modern equipment for streamers and creators of high-quality video content. The device boasts wide functional and technical capabilities, including video capture in 4K60 HDR10 quality, minimal latency (due to the integrated Instant Gameview technology), and a port with frequency parameters up to 240 Hz. Of course, that’s not all! The card is quite compact and uses a PCIe slot. It is half the size of the previous model, which allows you to place the device even in a small case, and then start streaming or recording video online.
Elgato 4K60 Pro MK.2 was of course developed on the basis of the popular 4K60 Pro model, which is very popular among many modern streamers and vloggers. In turn, the novelty has even more features and allows you to record your gameplay in the best resolution and dynamic spectrum.
And with 4K HDR10 video recording that supports 60 FPS, you can stream 1080p 60 FPS gameplay to Twitch while playing the latest games. In addition, the device will allow you to record video in 4K60 HDR10 resolution to your hard drive.
Be sure to highlight the integrated Instant Gameview technology. It allows you to monitor the recording with minimal delay and, in addition, thanks to it, you can synchronize the broadcast and your gameplay. In general, all of the above makes the card as productive as possible, and this is by no means an empty phrase! The video capture card supports high resolution settings: 1080p at 240Hz and 1440p at 144Hz, and also allows you to play with excellent FPS and capture video from two computers at once!
It is also worth adding that the new card from Elgato allows you to enjoy your favorite games while using HDR technology, and in parallel it is capable of capturing video in SDR. And all this is made possible thanks to advanced hardware tone mapping.
It provides perfect color reproduction without overburdening your CPU. Among other things, the device supports the multi-recording function, which allows you to simultaneously record video, for example, in OBS and Elgato 4KCU applications. And that is not all! You can also connect multiple 4K60 Pro MK.2 cards to your PC, allowing you to capture multiple cameras, consoles and computers simultaneously.
The Elgato 4K60 Pro MK.2 card fully supports the Elgato 4KCU application, which provides you with a wide range of device control options. Among them is the Flashback Recording option, which allows you to backdate your gameplay footage with convenient DVR-like controls. The device has a Live Commentary function, with which you can record the sound of a microphone as a separate track. The features described above allow you to edit gameplay videos, as well as game and voice audio recordings in post-production. Thus, at your disposal will be all the necessary functionality to create the highest quality content in 4K HDR resolution.
And most importantly, the most important thing is that you will enjoy working with this card and in a couple of weeks you will not be able to imagine how you managed without it before.
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Compatibility with your equipment.
Multi-source support
Capture video from multiple applications at the same time.
Plug and play
Works with all streaming software, including OBS Studio, Streamlabs OBS and XSplit, without additional configuration.
Multi-source support
Capture video from multiple applications at the same time.
Your super studio.
Dedicated software for unlimited productivity. Unsurpassed power and convenience. With the 4KCU app, you get the most out of your 4K60 Pro.
HDR10 recording
Bright highlights and deep shadows.
Real-time commentary
Add voice on separate track for easier editing.
Flashback
The ability to go back and save all the most epic moments of the past broadcast.
Video library
Convenient organization of the archive and the ability to quickly find everything you need.
Superb clarity.
Instant Gameview ensures consistently high quality streaming with ultra-low latency. Even at maximum load, not a single frame will fall out!
Comfortable playback
Playing and streaming on two computers at the same time? Record gameplay in uncompromisingly high quality. 1080p at 120Hz? Easily. 1440p at 144Hz or 1080p at 240Hz? No problem. The 4K60 Pro supports a huge number of resolution and refresh rate options.
Uncompromising reliability.
Black electro-galvanized steel case with clean geometric shapes, eye-catching port markings and iconic design. All the hallmarks of Elgato’s PCIe devices are included in the 4K60 Pro, a compact card that will firmly take its place in your PC and your life.
