Finest seize card 2025

The Elgato HD60 X is the go-to selection for avid gamers seeking to play video games on as much as 240Hz gaming screens with decision as much as 1440p however who aren’t too involved about capturing very quick footage. That is as a result of this card helps 240Hz pass-through at 1080p or 1440p however it might probably solely seize at as much as 60Hz, no matter decision. That is sufficient for many avid gamers to play at a comfortably quick tempo and share first rate high quality clips.

The HD60 X also can seize 4K footage at 30Hz however it might probably solely cross via 4K at 60Hz, so when you’ve got one of many more and more frequent 4K screens that may run at 120Hz, you will want a extra highly effective card. Likewise, if you wish to seize your gaming footage at above 30Hz.

In addition to this nice seize and pass-through assist, the HD60 X helps variable refresh price (VRR) so your monitor can nonetheless use its Freesync or G-Sync modes to remove tearing and stutter.

All this and the cardboard’s exterior type issue and straightforward USB connection makes it straightforward to setup and versatile, although as with all USB seize playing cards, you will have to be sure to have a quick sufficient USB port.

The Elgato 4K X is a extra critical seize card for any PC gamer seeking to seize 4K high quality excessive refresh price gaming. With its capacity to seize and pass-through video at as much as 144Hz at a 4K decision, you may sport with gorgeous visuals whereas capturing all that element and clean movement to be used in later video edits. You’ll be able to even seize 240Hz at 1080p and 144Hz at 1440p.

Crucially, all this energy comes at a worth, so if you happen to do not sport at excessive refresh charges, or needn’t seize at these charges, it’s best to have a look at saving cash and getting a lower-tier card just like the Elgato HD60 X. In the meantime, if even greater resolutions are what you want, the Elgato 4K Professional is a greater guess as it might probably seize at 8K and cross via 4K at 240Hz.

For the overwhelming majority of avid gamers, although, the Elgato 4K X ought to be all of the seize card they ever want.

The AVerMedia Reside Gamer 4K is a great-value choice that gives specs  that sit someplace between these of the Elgato HD60 X and Elgato 4K X, however a worth that is a lot nearer to the HD60 X. Particularly, this card helps you to seize 1080p at 240Hz, 1440p at 144Hz, and 4K at 60Hz, all of that are charges almost double that of the HD60 X. In the meantime, the 4K X provides that essential 144Hz 4K seize choice.

The draw back to this card is that its inside card type issue is not as handy because the USB type issue utilized by the HD60 X, so it’s miles much less straightforward to swap between utilizing it for capturing PC and console footage, as an example. Or for capturing footage of another machine. Plug the HD60 X right into a laptop computer, although, and it may be used for capturing all types.

Nonetheless, the massive benefit right here is worth. The AVerMedia Reside Gamer 4K is at present solely a greenback or two costlier than the HD60 X whereas providing all that further capturing fireplace energy. In the meantime, the 4K X is much more costly. So, if you happen to’re certain you are pleased with an inside card that may stay sat in your fundamental gaming PC, that is the very best worth choice to get.

AVerMedia’s Reside Gamer Extremely 2.1 seize card makes use of an HDMI 2.1 connection – which suggests it might probably assist greater resolutions. With a max 4K144 pass-through, it captures clean, lifelike gameplay and makes your streaming extremely high-end. However this comes at a excessive worth. It is also designed particularly for PS5 and Xbox Collection X/S consoles, however that does not imply you may’t apply it to a PC or macOS.

Our professional reviewer discovered the seize card straightforward to make use of, and the output was very good, with zero glitching or tearing. Whereas footage from the Extremely 2.1 is gorgeous, be cautious of file dimension. You may probably want an exterior SSD for gaming to retailer 4K seize recordsdata.

The Extremely 2.1’s design is agreeable, with RGB lighting which you could customise. It is compact too, so sits unobtrusively on a gaming desk or media unit. We would prefer to see a USB-C enter so as to add an exterior streaming microphone along with the three.5mm headset choice. For dwell streaming, it’d hold all of the audio inputs going via one machine.

The AVerMedia Reside Gamer Extremely 2.1 is a premium seize card for PC (and next-gen consoles). I like to recommend it if you happen to want the very best footage cash should purchase.

Learn our AVerMedia Reside Gamer Extremely 2.1 evaluation

The Elgato 4K Professional does simply what it suggests by being the only option for these in search of a professional-level setup. Whether or not you are mounting it in a second devoted seize PC or your fundamental gaming PC, this card can present extremely high-quality pass-through, high-quality seize, and crucially, can work with a number of apps without delay.

So, if you wish to seize video, stream to Twitch, and to Zoom on the similar time, you may with this card. What’s extra, it might probably present pass-through video of as much as 8K at 60Hz and 4K at 240Hz. Oddly, although, it truly has barely decrease seize high quality settings than the Elgato 4K X. That card tops out at 1440p240 and 4K144, whereas the 4K Professional stops at 1440p144 and 4K60.

The opposite limitation right here is that it’s an inside card, so it is not as straightforward to make use of with a wide range of gadgets or take with you to seize output from different gadgets elsewhere. For a devoted streaming setup at house, particularly when you’ve got a 240Hz 4K monitor, it is a best choice.

That is in all probability the most cost effective seize card you will get that is truly good. Go any cheaper and also you danger utilizing unreliable merchandise from dodgy, unknown manufacturers. NZXT, after all, is well-known for creating unbelievable parts for gaming PCs and this seize card will not be beneath the usual you’d anticipate from them.

Admittedly, you will get a decrease fps price and the image high quality will not be fairly as spectacular because the extra premium choices on the listing. Nonetheless, it nonetheless boasts zero-lag passthrough assist for 4K at 60Hz along with HDR and 1080p at 240Hz. It is not such as you’ll get potato-quality footage.

In the meantime, that is additionally a good selection for anyone buying their first seize card. It is easy to make use of and set up and does not require that you just obtain any additional items of software program to stream or file your gameplay. Contemplating all of that and its low worth, it is laborious to criticize the NZXT Sign HD60.

Want a tiny seize card which you could simply transport and swap between gadgets? You may battle to search out one thing as nifty and handy because the Genki Shadowcast. You simply plug it into the machine you need to seize footage from by way of an HDMI out port, then stick a USB into the opposite finish to attach it to the machine you need to stream via.

As soon as that is all arrange, you utilize the Genki Arcade app in your PC or laptop computer and you’ll then do no matter you need with the footage you are capturing.  This might be notably interesting to anybody who needs, not solely to stream PC video games, but additionally PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Change content material.

This a really low-cost seize card, and because of this, the seize high quality will not be fairly pretty much as good as you will see with different gadgets. On prime of that, the standard will differ from machine to machine, however due to its dimension and comfort, we stay very impressed with it.