The best video capture cards for recording and streaming your games at the highest resolution possible

Video capture, compression, and editing are one of the most resource-intensive tasks. Although processors and graphics cards have evolved to the point where they can do so without the need for special hardware, this can cause computer performance to deteriorate, especially while playing and streaming video games. One of the most important reasons to do video recording and broadcasting in the first place is to use high-resolution online, so using video capture cards is the best solution.

Capture Cards record video of what you are doing on your computer screen for processing, saving or broadcasting on live streaming services such as Twitch or UStream. XSplit also facilitates live streaming if you have another PC dedicated to live streaming or are using a game player such as PS4 or Xbox One.

Video capture cards are very different from each other, as there are types that are connected inside the motherboard of the computer through the PCIe port and there are other external types that can be connected directly via the HDMI port with the possibility of saving directly to the SD memory card as well. Follow this article to learn about the best video capture cards you can use with your computer or gaming player.

Elgato Game Capture 4K60 Pro

Approximate price: $ 340

Elegato is one of the leading manufacturers of video capture cards. This card is one of the best options if you want to record your favorite games in the highest possible resolution. This card lets you record 4K at 60 frames per second without any lag or delay with a powerful enough computer. You may need at least an 8th Generation Core i7 processor and NVIDIA RTX20xx graphics card to be able to play and record 4K without problems.

The card has an encoder inside it that processes the video signal and compresses it to be ready for storage directly on the computer, which helps to reduce the load on the computer since the process of encoding and processing video consumes the resources of the computer, especially with such high accuracy. The card works with PCIe protocol, providing four Lanes transmission lines that are more than enough to transfer and save the large amount of data that must be processed when recording in 4K.

AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K GC573

Approximate price: $ 299

Live Gamer 4K is currently the only video capture card that supports 4K HDR recording at 60 frames per second but still doesn’t support live streaming at this resolution. YouTube 4K HDR after saving.

You can reduce the resolution to 1080p so you can record with a frame rate of 240 fps which is higher than most other video capture cards. This card connects to your PC via a PCIe port and has RGB lights that you can adjust to fit the rest of your computer if it also has RGB lights.

Razer Ripsaw HD

Approximate price: $ 159

Although this card does not support 4K recording, it allows for gaming at this resolution. Most video capture cards have two HDMI ports to connect them to the computer and another connected to the monitor, so the card must support 4K signal transfer to be able to Play this accurately when you connect this way. You can connect this card to your microphone to record your voice while playing high quality and without delay.

Ripsaw HD supports 1080p recording and live streaming at 60 frames per second, and although there are higher resolutions, 1080p is enough to watch as many users still use 1080p displays. The most disadvantage of this card is the lack of software to edit and broadcast video on popular platforms such as Twitch, where you must use independent software such as OBS and XSplit to be able to live broadcast and add writings or modifications to your broadcast.

Elgato Game Capture HD60 Pro

Approximate price: $ 150

If playing and recording 1080p video is enough for you, this card from Elegato is one of the best options, with an encoder inside it helps to process the video signal and save 1080p at 60 frames per second without the need to consume computer resources to do this, and software helps to edit the video to make it suitable for broadcasting with the possibility of making some modifications to it, such as adding effects or specific writings, for example.

The most disadvantage of this card is its price a bit high in that it can not broadcast at a higher resolution of 720p with 60 fps, which has become a few for many users even who do not have high Internet speeds, so this card is not recommended in the case of live broadcasting High accuracy is a priority for you.

AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus

Approximate price: $ 170

This AverMedia card is one of the best portable video capture cards, enabling 1080p recording and live streaming at 60 frames per second, as well as 4K gameplay support such as the Ripsaw HD card. Live Gamer Portable comes with a premium video editing software that offers plenty of options and adjustments that you can apply to your streaming or recording.

This card has the advantage of recording to the memory card directly without the need to save on the computer first, and also supports the connection of the microphone for high-quality sound without any delays between your video and audio.

Elgato Game Capture HD60 S

Approximate price: $ 139

If you’re new to gaming and live streaming and don’t play at high beats, this Elegato card may be a good choice to start with. It allows 1080p video recording and 60fps live streaming, but if you’re planning soon to play beats Higher than 1080p or at a frame rate of more than 60 fps, you might want to choose one of the other cards that support it.

The HD60 S comes in a beautiful design that is distinct from most other portable video capture cards and is also affordable, as you can find it for less than $ 139 at some online stores.

Do you find video capture cards necessary for recording and live streaming? Or is relying on programs to do this a better option for you? Share your opinion in the comments.