If you want to stream games for an audience, or maybe you just want to record some high-quality footage from your PS5, the more powerful PS5 Pro, Xbox Series X, or Nintendo Switch, you might need a capture card. It’s a USB-to-HDMI accessory that can process your console’s uncompressed video signal (unlike those consoles’ built-in recording functions), then send it to your PC for safekeeping.
The best capture cards
Record and edit gaming footage with these picks
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There are several competing options out there, and our guide narrows it down to the most feature-packed USB-based capture cards, whether you want to record games at 1080p or get one that can go all the way up to 4K with a fast frame rate. And, since we know that many streamers want to use a high-end DSLR as a webcam, we’ve included some camera capture card recommendations as well.
Best overall capture card
Elgato HD60 X
$139$16013% off
$139
The best capture card for most people is going to be the Elgato HD60 X. When we polled the Polygon video team for their input, the HD60 X was the unanimous winner. It was chosen because they think it offers the best performance and features compared to other capture cards in its price range.
The HD60 X connects to PCs via USB (it includes a USB-C to USB-A cable), and it has a maximum capture resolution of 4K at 30 frames per second. It can handle 4K passthrough at up to 60 fps (passthrough means the video quality you will see on your screen while you play a game). These specs are more than sufficient for capturing footage from any current-gen console. If you’re recording in 1440p or 1080p resolutions, it can capture at a faster 120 fps.
Adding to its impressive list of specs, the HD60 X grants buyers access to Elgato’s 4K Capture Utility software. This application isn’t totally necessary, but it’s easier to learn for streaming newcomers than OBS Studio. The 4K Capture Utility also allows you to record commentary over your video clip, if you’d like, and take high-quality screenshots from the captured video.
If capturing 4K at 144 frames per second is something you seek, we’ve got you covered with a recommendation below.
Best 4K-ready capture card
$230
PCIe capture cards used to be your best — and only — option if you wanted to capture 4K gameplay beyond 60 frames per second. Those required slotting them into a PC, which isn’t convenient. But thanks to the widespread adoption of HDMI 2.1, newer USB capture cards like the AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 are able to do this without the need to open up your PC.
The Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 is capable of capturing 4K footage at 144 frames per second, plus it offers up to a 4K / 144 Hz passthrough resolution (it can also capture at various 1440p ultrawide resolutions). Recording footage at even higher frame rates is also possible, with a maximum of 240 frames per second at 1080p. If the PC you’re plugging the Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 into lacks a USB-C Gen 2 port, it’s worth knowing that your 4K capture will be limited to just 60 fps.
The Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 is one of a select few options for capturing 4K footage at over 60 frames per second, along with the Elgato 4K X that’s selling at the same $229.99 price. The AVerMedia capture card seems to be the better of the two options if you’re hoping to capture ultrawide resolutions.
Best budget-friendly capture card
AVerMedia Live Gamer Mini
$70$10030% off
$70
If you’re testing the waters with capturing and editing gameplay footage, there are some good capture card options that cost well under $100. The AVerMedia Live Gamer Mini is one of them, regularly available for around $70.
This pocket-size capture card is capable of recording 1080p footage at up to 60 frames per second and has a matching passthrough resolution and frame rate. The Live Gamer Mini is compatible with other consoles as well, but this model won’t make PS5 and Xbox games look their best due to the limit of 1080p capture resolution.
Best capture card that doesn’t require a PC
$119
Stand-alone capture cards can capture footage without being tethered to a PC, making them incredibly useful for, say, capturing footage at a gaming tournament.
Instead of connecting to a PC, they simply store footage on either a microSD or full-size SD card until you can deposit the files later onto your PC. This feature makes this kind of capture card the most versatile option, even though they currently support a lower capture resolution than the alternatives.
Until Elgato follows up its discontinued 4K60 S+, your best option for a stand-alone capture card is the AVerMedia GC513 Portable 2 Plus, which supports 4K passthrough at 60 fps, but is limited to recording 1080p at 60 fps. While recording to remote storage is a key selling point for the GC513, it can also be used while connected directly to a PC, just like other capture card models.
Best camera capture card
$98
Camera capture cards are more of a niche product, allowing you to turn most DSLR cameras into a webcam. Some newer DSLR cameras support this feature out of the box with native USB connections, but other cameras will need to rely on a camera capture card to translate what your camera sees into a video signal that’s usable by your PC.
Your best option for this is the Elgato Cam Link 4K, which allows for 4K video capture at up to 30 fps and is fully compatible with a variety of DSLR cameras from popular manufacturers like Nikon, Canon, and GoPro.
AVerMedia offers a slightly less expensive camera capture card that features similar specs for about the same price. The AVerMedia BU113 can technically record 4K footage at 30 fps, but its shorter list of fully compatible cameras means only a handful of devices can support this feature.
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