The Best Video Capture Cards: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)

RBE top pick

Elgato Game Capture 4K S

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For the overwhelming majority of streamers, the 4K S captures up to 4K60 and 1080p240, passes through 4K60 with HDR10 and VRR, and sits well below the flagship on price tier. Step up to the 4K X only if you genuinely record high-frame-rate 4K or run a high-refresh 4K/PS5 Pro setup that demands HDMI 2.1 passthrough.

A capture card sits between your console (or second PC) and your streaming rig, turning HDMI gameplay into a clean feed you can record or broadcast. The good news for 2026 buyers is that even mid-priced boxes now handle 1080p60 HDR without breaking a sweat, so the real questions are how much resolution and refresh you actually need, whether you want an external plug-and-play box or an internal card, and how polished the software is. We worked from the specifications each maker publishes to land on two easy recommendations, one card that only makes sense in specific setups, and one popular pick we think most people should now skip.

Elgato

Elgato Game Capture 4K X

Buy it

The future-proof external pick, with HDMI 2.1 4K144 passthrough and capture up to 4K144.

Best for: Creators on current-gen consoles or high-refresh 4K setups who want passthrough that never bottlenecks their gameplay.

$$$$ · flagship

Why we like it

• HDMI 2.1 lets it pass through up to 4K144 with VRR, so a PS5 Pro or high-refresh 4K monitor plays uncapped while you capture
• Elgato specifies capture up to 4K144 and 1080p240, with HDR10 on selected modes (HDR capture is Windows only), giving you real headroom for recording, not just streaming
• External USB-C box that is genuinely plug-and-play and works across OBS, Windows and Mac

Know before buying

• Wants a 10Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 port and a reasonably capable PC for its top modes; Gen 1 works at reduced capture resolution
• Overkill and pricey if you only ever stream 1080p

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RBE top pick

Elgato

Elgato Game Capture 4K S

Buy it

The value default: 4K60 capture, 1080p240 and 4K60 HDR passthrough that covers what most streamers actually do.

Best for: The mainstream streamer capturing 1080p, 1440p or 4K60 who wants the best balance of quality, ease and price.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• Elgato specifies capture up to 4K60, 1440p144 and 1080p240, with HDR10 capture on selected modes (Windows only)
• Passthrough handles 4K60 with HDR10, VRR and ALLM, plus 1440p144 and 1080p240, so it does not cap your monitor while you play
• Simple external USB-C setup for Windows, Mac and iPad, with the same polished Elgato software as the flagship

Know before buying

• HDMI 2.0 only, so it cannot pass through 4K120 or 4K144
• Uses a 5Gbps USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 connection, so its top capture modes sit below the 4K X's
• HDR capture is limited to selected modes, per Elgato's own footnote

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AVerMedia

AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K 2.1 (GC575)

It depends

A true HDMI 2.1 internal card, ideal only if you have a desktop with a free PCIe slot and no spare 10Gbps USB-C port.

Best for: Desktop streamers who lack a 10Gbps USB-C port and would rather have HDMI 2.1 capture built into the tower.

$$$ · premium

Why we like it

• HDMI 2.1 passthrough up to 4K144 with 4K60 capture (4K144 in AVerMedia's Streaming Center) and HDR10 capture support, in the same range as the external competition's headline modes
• Internal PCIe card frees up a USB port and sidesteps the fast-USB-C requirement that trips up some setups
• Supports 5.1 multi-channel audio, and AVerMedia publishes a full spec sheet with supported resolutions

Know before buying

• Desktop-only: you have to open the case and give up a PCIe slot, so it is useless for laptops or console-only creators
• AVerMedia lists Windows 10 or 11 as its system requirement, so it is no use for Mac
• Needs a free PCIe Gen 3 x4 slot and a capable desktop GPU, per its system requirements

Amazon had no buyable listing for this when we last checked. The link still works if it returns.

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We'd skip it

Razer

Razer Ripsaw HD

Skip it

A once-loved entry card that HDMI 2.0 and time have left behind, and that Razer no longer lists.

Best for: Almost no one today; only worth it if you find one heavily discounted and never plan to move past basic 1080p.

$ · budget

Why we like it

• 1080p60 capture that covers basic streaming
• External USB box rather than an internal card

Know before buying

• Stuck on HDMI 2.0 with no HDR capture and no high-refresh or 4K120 passthrough, so it can bottleneck modern displays
• Razer's capture card range page no longer lists it, so support and updates are uncertain
• A step behind the 4K S on HDR capture and passthrough

See our pick instead See it at Amazon anyway Read our detailed assessment ↓

How we judged the field

We do not run our own capture lab. Instead we worked from the specifications each maker publishes, then weighted the things that actually decide whether a capture card is worth your money. Capture quality and supported resolutions came first: what the card can record and stream, and whether it does HDR. Passthrough mattered just as much, because a card that caps your monitor’s resolution or refresh rate quietly ruins the experience you paid a fast display for. We also weighed setup and connection type (external USB versus internal PCIe), latency behavior, and the polish of the bundled software and drivers, since a card you fight with every session is worse than one that disappears into your routine. Finally we looked at value: not the lowest sticker, but whether the price matches what you get relative to the alternatives.

This is the card to buy when you want to stop worrying about the future. Its HDMI 2.1 input and output pass through up to 4K144 with variable refresh rate, which means a high-refresh 4K monitor or a current-gen console runs exactly as it should while the card quietly grabs a copy. On the capture side Elgato specifies up to 4K144, with HDR10 on selected modes (HDR capture is Windows only), and 1080p240 if you would rather bank frames than pixels, so it has genuine recording headroom rather than just streaming competence. Because it is an external USB-C box it stays approachable: no case to open, and it plays nicely with OBS on both Windows and Mac. The catch is that it expects a real 10Gbps USB-C port and a capable PC to unlock its best modes, and if you only ever push a 1080p stream you are paying for ceiling you will never touch. For the right setup, though, it is the most trouble-free way to capture modern gameplay at its best.

The 4K S is the card we would hand most people without hesitation. Elgato specifies capture up to 4K60, with 1440p144 and 1080p240 on offer if you would rather bank frames than pixels, and HDR10 capture on selected modes (Windows only). Its passthrough sends 4K60 with HDR10 and VRR, or 1440p144 and 1080p240, to your display, so plugging it in does not force you to game at a lower resolution or refresh than your monitor supports. Add Elgato’s polished, broadly supported software and a genuinely plug-and-play USB-C connection for Windows, Mac and iPad, and you get a card that just works. The honest limits are that it is an HDMI 2.0 device, so it will not pass 4K120 or 4K144, and it uses a 5Gbps USB connection where the 4K X uses 10Gbps. Neither restriction touches what the mainstream streamer does day to day, which is why it is our top pick. Elgato names it as the successor to the HD60 X, which the maker has discontinued.

This internal card is a strong piece of hardware aimed at a specific person. It offers HDMI 2.1 passthrough up to 4K144 and 4K60 capture, in the same range as the external flagships on the headline numbers, with HDR10 capture support. Being an internal PCIe card, it frees a USB port and sidesteps the fast-USB-C requirement that occasionally trips up external setups. But those strengths only land in one scenario: a desktop with a spare PCIe slot and no convenient 10Gbps USB-C port. If you use a laptop, or you only capture from a console, it is a non-starter, and even for desktop owners it means opening the case and committing a slot. It is also Windows only. Right setup, quietly excellent; wrong setup, an awkward buy.

The Ripsaw HD was a genuinely likable entry card in its day, and it offered 1080p60 capture for basic streaming. The problem is that time and the market have moved past it. It is stuck on HDMI 2.0 with no HDR capture and no high-refresh or 4K120 passthrough, so on a modern console or high-refresh display it can become the bottleneck rather than the enabler. Razer’s capture card range page no longer lists it, which makes updates and support uncertain, and the 4K S captures HDR and passes through far more. Unless you stumble on one at a steep discount and never intend to move past basic 1080p, spend a little smarter.

Elgato 4K S vs Elgato 4K X: which should you buy?

This is the decision most readers are really making, and it comes down to one honest question: do you need more than 4K60? If your stream lives at 1080p or 1440p (or you record up to 4K60 for editing), the 4K S gives you HDR capture on selected modes, high-refresh passthrough so your gameplay is never capped, and the same excellent software as its bigger sibling, for a lower price tier. It is the smart-money pick. The 4K X justifies its premium only when your setup demands it: you record local 4K at 120 or 144 frames per second, or you run a high-refresh 4K monitor or current-gen console and want HDMI 2.1 passthrough that keeps everything uncapped. Buy the 4K X for the display and workflow you actually have, not the one you imagine; for most people, the 4K S is the card that ends the search.

What to look for

• Match capture to your output, not the box’s ceiling. Most streams are 1080p; 1080p60 HDR capture is plenty unless you specifically record 4K for editing.
• Check the passthrough, not just the capture number. The card should pass your monitor’s full resolution and refresh (and VRR, if you use it) so gameplay never gets capped.
• HDMI 2.1 vs HDMI 2.0. Only HDMI 2.1 cards handle 4K120 and the newest high-refresh modes; HDMI 2.0 is fine for 1080p but shows its age fast.
• External vs internal. External USB cards work everywhere including laptops and consoles; internal PCIe cards suit desktops that lack a fast USB-C port.
• Mind the USB requirement. The fastest external cards need a genuine 10Gbps USB-C port to reach their top modes.
• Weigh the software. A polished, well-supported app saves you real frustration; rough drivers can undo good hardware.

Our final take

Capture cards have quietly gotten good enough that the wrong move is overspending, not underspending. The Elgato 4K S is the card we would recommend to most streamers: it captures what you actually broadcast, passes through high-refresh gameplay untouched, and pairs great software with a fair price. Step up to the Elgato 4K X only when your workflow or display genuinely calls for HDMI 2.1 and 4K capture, in which case it is the most future-proof external option here. The AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K 2.1 is a fine internal card for the narrow group of desktop owners who need exactly that, and the Razer Ripsaw HD is the one to pass on now that better cards exist. Buy for the setup in front of you, and you will not overpay for headroom you never use.

Deciding between the top two? See our head-to-head: Elgato Game Capture 4K S vs Elgato Game Capture 4K X.

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