If you are a gamer and play well, there is a good chance of monetizing your talent through different channels. You can live-stream your gameplay or use the recorded video to enthrall your audience. A game capture card is what you need to be able to display your talent to the world.
Without a game capture card, you cannot compete with many professionals in your field. To make a distinctive place, you need to create better content that is only possible through the best game capture card.
In this article, we will look at some of the best game capture cards in the market. We have selected the following cards. Let’s review each option in detail.
Elgato Game Capture HD60 S
- Stunning design
- Can be connected with multiple gaming consoles
- Low-latency video streaming
If you are looking for a reliable card to capture your game, then HD60 S is what you need. The card allows you to stream and record the finest play conveniently.
The Elgato HD60S comes with a stunning appearance itself. Its slick exterior and striking LED striped pattern makes it look classy. It’s an external game capture card that can be connected with PlayStation, PC, or any device through a USB C connection.
It offers a simple plug-and-play system, and you can record or stream your gameplay giving you the world-class online presence. The external card provides low-latency technology that gets you run on Twitch and YouTube in no time.
The HDS60 S provides a seamless streaming or recording option. Its advanced acceleration power lets you record hours of gameplay conveniently.
The game card allows you to be creative while streaming. You can add webcams, overlays, alerts, or more. The rich features include the option of sliding back in time and recording the video if you have forgotten to hit the record button by chance.
You can create live commentary while streaming. That makes your gameplay more interesting and may hook the audience more with your interesting comments.
The game card allows you to record to stunning 1080p quality with 60ps. Overall, it’s a decent option for gamers and content creators. The rich features allow you to be creative and enhance the quality of your streaming.
AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus
- 4K pass-through
- Supports all gaming consoles
- Three modes for saving recordings
- Allows multiple audio inputs and mixers
If you need a game card that captures the high-resolution game, then AverMedia is what you need. The card records not the only video that is passed through 4K. It can record the 4K video as well.
This one is a new and improved version of Gamer Portal 2 but comes with 4K gaming consoles like PS4 Pro or Xbox One X. One thing that gamers have to face is the latency, Avermedia 2 Plus provides low-latency live streaming and recording. The card comes with a simple plug-and-play system.
The media card works in three modes. You can save the recording in PC, in PC free mode, and lastly, the card reader mode that enables you to transfer the recorded files to the computer. It allows multiple audio inputs and mixer control as well. The card allows your recording to pass through 4K with 60 frames per second. At the same time, the card records amazing gameplay at full HD 60fps.
The game card allows you to record the live commentary along with recording or streaming. It integrates a special feature of Console Party Chat that captures your party chats while playing.
The package includes an ultra 128GB microSDXC card with an adapter. You can record the game directly to the SD card. Overall, it’s a budget-friendly game capture card that serves the purpose well.
Razer Ripsaw HD Game Streaming Capture Card
- Budget-friendly price
- Captures video at full HD
- High-quality audio and video streaming
Here is another budget-friendly Game capture card by Razer. The card is designed to make your game streaming pro-grade quality both on game console and PC. The card is capable of capturing detailed gameplay with clear audio.
The game card is capable of capturing the gameplay at full HD 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second. You can still enjoy playing the game at full 4K resolution. It provides control over your streaming setup and allows you to customize it.
The game card not only provides good visuals but captures and plays the audio while streaming without any latency or syncing delay. The external card contains both HDMI input and output. It includes a headphone/mic jack for including your commentary or chat while playing. The card provides connectivity through USB 3.0. Overall, it’s a budget-friendly option but comes with many decent features for game streaming.
Elgato Game Capture 4K60 S+
- Premium choice for gamers
- HEVC chip for recording long sessions
- Latency-free transmission
This one is the ultimate premium choice for professional gamers. The Elgato 4K60 S+ comes with a cutting edge technology that you need for high fidelity gameplay.
The game capture enables you to take the burden of recording off your computer. You can record the gameplay on an SD card. It does not require any PC at all. Its HEVC chip enables you to record up to seven hours of gameplay. You can record into the SD card or the hard drive of your PC conveniently.
The capture card enables you to record the video into a stunning 4K HDR at 60 frames per second. And the best part is that even while recording at such high resolution, you won’t experience any latency or lag at all.
Overall, it’s the ultimate choice for streamers. Its smart and compact form takes very little space on your desk. You don’t need a PC for recording, and above all, it provides excellent quality video or live streaming with clear audio. It’s a bit expensive but is becoming the favorite of gamers due to its rich features.
This one is a premium game capture card for those who want to take the live streaming of their gameplay to the next level.
Elgato Game Capture HD60 Pro
- Internal card to be inserted in PC motherboard
- 60 frame per second refresh rate
- Encoder reduces the size of the video
So far, we have only included the external devices for capturing the gameplay. This one is an internal game capture card from Elgato. We have already recommended HD60 and 4K60 S+ that are external cards.
This one also captures the video at 60 frames per second. The card comes with built-in support to both Twitch and YouTube. The HD60 Pro comes with an encoder to reduce the size of your recorded videos.
The few limitations with the card are that it has to be inserted inside the PC that can be time consuming. You need to open up the system and insert the card in the motherboard. As it is an insert-in card, it requires a good system to work properly. The videos are stored on the computer as well. Though it reduces the size, it occupies space on your system.
HDML-Cloner Box Pro
- Works with multiple gaming consoles
- Saves the videos in flash drive
- Comes with a remote control
- Reasonable price
This one is another great choice for gamers. It’s a standalone device that needs not to be connected with the PC for functioning.
The HDML-Cloner Box Pro can be connected with multiple gaming consoles like Xbox One, PS4, PC, VCR, or any other device. The good thing is that you can record the video and save it to a USB flash drive, or hard drive at your convenience.
The best part of this game capture card is that it comes with a remote control. You can instantly playback the recorded video. The OSD menu gives different useful options like fixing picture ratio, bitrate rate, or scheduling the recording.
The device allows you to capture the game from any gaming console, and you can share the recorded videos on YouTube, Twitch, or Facebook instantly.
The HDML-Cloner Pro Box supports 4K input. It saves videos in 1080p resolution and allows you to share videos with the best quality video and audio.
Overall, it’s a good option that comes at a very reasonable price. It has a simple setup that allows gamers to concentrate on their gameplay without worrying about the recording medium.
Buying Guide for Best Game Capture Card
Here are a few things that you should consider while selecting a game capture card.
• Gaming Platform
The first thing you need to consider is what platform you are using for playing games. The card should obviously support your system. You can be playing on PC, PlayStation, Xbox. So buy the gaming card that supports your gaming console. Some of these latest gaming cards support multiple gaming consoles.
• Type of Gaming Card
Game capture cards can be divided into two types.
- Portal Card: It comes as a separate device that you can connect with your PC or game station with a USB card.
- Internal Card: Instead of being a separate device, it is connected inside the PC’s motherboard.
Both types of cards work almost alike, but external cards need extra space on your desk, but it can be connected with multiple devices. PC cards can work only with your PC. Internal cards are also not portable. You cannot carry them along if you are travelling.
• Video Quality
When you are recording the gameplay for streaming, you need it to be of the best quality. The quality of image and video largely depends on your game capture card. The quality of streaming depends on what resolution your game capture card supports and at what the amount of frame per second.
For best streaming results, we recommend you buy a game capture card that records at 1080p or full HD. Gaming cards are available that record the video at full HD or even Ultra HD but they can be expensive as well.
• Pass-through
Not only should the game capture card record the video in high resolution it should be able to pass on different screens as well. Game capture cards can pass through at higher rates. So look for the card that may capture around 1080p but pass through the video at 4K resolution.
• Software
The game capture card usually comes with the software. You can customize the settings as per your needs. It should allow you different options from streaming, recording to editing. At times, you want to edit the footage before sending it to live on your channel. So take a look at what kind of software the card is offering and whether it fulfils your needs.
• Types of Input
Make sure you choose a game capture card that comes with all the necessary inputs. It should have HDMI ports for both input and output. You can have headphone and mic options and other connectivity options.
• Low latency
Latency is the delay you have to face while playing and streaming. If you are not choosing the right card, you may have to face lagging while streaming. That can be problematic and affect the quality of content if you are live streaming. It can ruin the streaming experience if your audio and video do not sync well.
• Cost
Cost of game capture cards vary. You can get an affordable card but be careful while choosing. For competing with all the streamers out there, you should not compromise the quality of your stream just to save a few bucks.
Final Words
If you want to become a professional streamer, a game capture card is a must. Without a quality card, you cannot have the video quality or the refresh rate you need for a seamless streaming experience. All options in our list of the best game capture cards are carefully chosen for your convenience. We choose Elgato 4K60 S+ as our best pick for streamers and content creators to display their gameplay in the best way.
Moreover, a capture card can also be great for producing a podcast if you would like to record your call with a guest. If you’d like to learn more about getting the right gear for your podcasting setup, check out our complete guide on the best podcasting equipment which covers everything you need to know about kitting out your setup.
Bernard currently works full-time as a growth hacker and content researcher for HUSTLR. When he was studying in the US 2 years ago, he flipped Yeezys on eBay as a side hustle to fund his degree and living expenses. He’s currently working on his Amazon FBA business & dropshipping on the side.
