What’s the greatest seize card? Grabbing a superb seize card is one of the simplest ways to make sure a top quality recording and streaming expertise each when PC gaming and significantly if you happen to’re recording or streaming your console gaming periods too. They do all of the video encoding for you, lowering the pressure in your PC and making for a dependable output.
The very best general for many players is the Elgato HD60 X, due to its skill to go by means of video at actually excessive settings – so to sport on 1440p@240Hz displays, for example – and seize at an honest high quality. In the event you want actually prime quality seize, although, then the Elgato 4K X is the one to go for. In the meantime, these on a funds ought to hunt down the NZXT Sign HD60. For some steering on what to search for, take a look at the how to decide on and FAQ sections of this information.
Why you’ll be able to belief our recommendation ✔ At , our specialists spend hours testing {hardware} and reviewing video games and VPNs. We share trustworthy, unbiased opinions that will help you purchase the perfect. Discover out how we take a look at.
Finest seize card 2025:
Elgato HD60 X
Finest for 1080p/1440p
Elgato HD60 X specs:| Seize high quality | 4K30, 1440p60, 1080p60 |
| Passthrough high quality | 4K60, 1440p120, 1080p240 |
| Connections | USB 3.0 |
Professionals- Top quality seize
- Presents gameplay rewind
- Moderately priced
Cons- Restricted to 4K60 seize
- Does not work on Mac
- Solely marginally higher than earlier fashions
The Elgato HD60 X is the go-to alternative for players seeking to play video games on as much as 240Hz gaming displays 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 could solely seize at as much as 60Hz, no matter decision. That is sufficient for many players to play at a comfortably quick tempo and share respectable high quality clips.
The HD60 X also can seize 4K footage at 30Hz however it could solely go by means of 4K at 60Hz, so when you have one of many more and more frequent 4K displays that may run at 120Hz, you may 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 help, the HD60 X helps variable refresh fee (VRR) so your monitor can nonetheless use its Freesync or G-Sync modes to eradicate tearing and stutter.
All this and the cardboard’s exterior kind issue and straightforward USB connection makes it simple to setup and versatile, although as with all USB seize playing cards, you may have to ensure you have a quick sufficient USB port.
Elgato 4K X specs:| Seize high quality | 4K144, 1440p144, 1080p240 |
| Passthrough high quality | 4K144, 1440p144, 1080p240 |
| Connections | HDMI 2.1, USB 3.2 Gen2 Sort-C |
Professionals- 4K seize at as much as 144Hz
- 1080p seize at as much as 240Hz
- Compact and straightforward to make use of
Cons- Overkill if not gaming at excessive body fee
- Costly
The Elgato 4K X is a extra severe seize card for any PC gamer seeking to seize 4K high quality excessive refresh fee gaming. With its skill to seize and pass-through video at as much as 144Hz at a 4K decision, you’ll be able to sport with gorgeous visuals whereas capturing all that element and clean movement to be used in later video edits. You possibly can even seize 240Hz at 1080p and 144Hz at 1440p.
Crucially, all this energy comes at a value, so if you happen to do not sport at excessive refresh charges, or need not seize at these charges, it is best to take a look at saving cash and getting a lower-tier card just like the Elgato HD60 X. In the meantime, if even increased resolutions are what you want, the Elgato 4K Professional is a greater wager as it could seize at 8K and go by means of 4K at 240Hz.
For the overwhelming majority of players, although, the Elgato 4K X needs to be all of the seize card they ever want.
AVerMedia Stay Gamer 4K
Finest worth seize card
AVerMedia Stay Gamer 4K specs:| Seize high quality | 1080p240, 1440p144, 4K60 |
| Passthrough high quality | 1080p240, 1440p144, 4K60 |
| Connections | PCle x 4, HDMI in, HDMI out |
Professionals- Quick and excessive decision seize
- Nice worth
Cons- Want a robust PC to benefit from it
- Native software program not perfect
The AVerMedia Stay 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 value 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 inner card kind issue is not as handy because the USB kind issue utilized by the HD60 X, so it is much less simple to swap between utilizing it for capturing PC and console footage, for example. Or for capturing footage of some other gadget. Plug the HD60 X right into a laptop computer, although, and it may be used for capturing all kinds.
Nonetheless, the large benefit right here is value. The AVerMedia Stay Gamer 4K is presently solely a greenback or two dearer than the HD60 X whereas providing all that further capturing hearth energy. In the meantime, the 4K X is much more costly. So, if you happen to’re positive you are pleased with an inner card that may stay sat in your major gaming PC, that is the perfect worth choice to get.
AVerMedia Stay Gamer Extremely 2.1
Finest plug-and-play seize card
AVerMedia Stay Gamer Extremely 2.1 specs:| Seize high quality | 4K144, 1440p144, 1080p240 |
| Passthrough high quality | 4K144, 1440p144, 1080p240 |
| Connections | HDMI 2.1, USB 3.2 Gen2 Sort-C |
Professionals- Easy plug-and-play format
- Phenomenal efficiency and suppleness
- Small kind with RGB
Cons- Designed for PS5 and Xbox consoles
- Costly
- Port place could possibly be higher
AVerMedia’s Stay Gamer Extremely 2.1 seize card makes use of an HDMI 2.1 connection – which implies it could help increased 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 value. It is also designed particularly for PS5 and Xbox Collection X/S consoles, however that does not imply you’ll be able to’t apply it to a PC or macOS.
Our knowledgeable reviewer discovered the seize card simple 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 doubtless want an exterior SSD for gaming to retailer 4K seize information.
The Extremely 2.1’s design is agreeable, with RGB lighting that you could customise. It is compact too, so sits unobtrusively on a gaming desk or media unit. We might prefer to see a USB-C enter so as to add an exterior streaming microphone along with the three.5mm headset choice. For stay streaming, it’d preserve all of the audio inputs going by means of one gadget.
The AVerMedia Stay 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 perfect footage cash should buy.
Learn our AVerMedia Stay Gamer Extremely 2.1 assessment
Elgato 4K Professional
Finest for professional setups
Elgato 4K Professional specs:| Seize high quality | 4K60, 1440p144, 1080p240 |
| Passthrough high quality | 8K60, 4K144, 1440p240, 1080p240 |
| Connections | HDMI In + Out +PCIe x 4 |
Professionals- Can push video output to 2 sources
- Simple to make use of
- Captures 4k gameplay at 60fps
Cons- It is an costly seize card
- Higher with twin PC setup
The Elgato 4K Professional does simply what it suggests by being your best 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 major gaming PC, this card can present extremely high-quality pass-through, high-quality seize, and crucially, can work with a number of apps directly.
So, if you wish to seize video, stream to Twitch, and to Zoom on the identical time, you’ll be able to with this card. What’s extra, it could 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 inner card, so it is not as simple 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 dwelling, particularly when you have a 240Hz 4K monitor, it is a best choice.
NZXT Sign HD60
Finest funds seize card.
NZXT Sign HD60 specs:| Seize high quality | 4K60 |
| Passthrough high quality | 4K60 |
| Connections | USB-C to USB-A |
Professionals- Superbly low value
- Simple to make use of
- First rate seize high quality
Cons- Captures decrease fps than others
- Footage lacks the element of others
That is in all probability the most cost effective seize card you may get that is truly good. Go any cheaper and also you threat utilizing unreliable merchandise from dodgy, unknown manufacturers. NZXT, after all, is well-known for creating incredible parts for gaming PCs and this seize card just isn’t beneath the usual you’d count on from them.
Admittedly, you may get a decrease fps fee and the image high quality will not be fairly as spectacular because the extra premium choices on the checklist. Nonetheless, it nonetheless boasts zero-lag passthrough help for 4K at 60Hz along with HDR and 1080p at 240Hz. It isn’t such as you’ll get potato-quality footage.
In the meantime, that is additionally a sensible choice for anyone buying their first seize card. It is simple to make use of and set up and does not require that you just obtain any additional items of software program to stream or report your gameplay. Contemplating all of that and its low value, it is arduous to criticize the NZXT Sign HD60.
Genki Shadowcast 2
Finest small kind issue seize card.
Genki Shadowcast 2 specs:| Seize high quality | 1080p60 |
| Appropriate with | Any HDMI enter |
| Connection | HDMI in, USB-C |
Professionals- Compact and moveable
- Plug-and-play on all gadgets with a HDMI
Cons- Seize high quality varies by gadget
Want a tiny seize card that 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 gadget you need to seize footage from through an HDMI out port, then stick a USB into the opposite finish to attach it to the gadget you need to stream by means of.
As soon as that is all arrange, you utilize the Genki Arcade app in your PC or laptop computer and you may then do no matter you need with the footage you are capturing. This will probably be significantly interesting to anybody who desires, not solely to stream PC video games, but in addition PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Swap content material.
This a really low-cost seize card, and consequently, the seize high quality will not be fairly pretty much as good as you may see with different gadgets. On high of that, the standard will fluctuate from gadget to gadget, however due to its dimension and comfort, we stay very impressed with it.
How to decide on a seize card
Choosing proper video seize card to your wants is a comparatively easy course of. That is as a result of, for essentially the most half, the options you get scale fairly linearly with the worth you pay. So, in order for you 4K recording at 120Hz, you are going to be paying greater than for a 1080p 60Hz card.
For many players beginning out within the streaming sport, a lower-end card with 1080p, 60Hz recording is ok. That is clear and clean sufficient to see what you are doing. Nevertheless, if you happen to’re seeking to actually develop and viewers and make some cash, stepping as much as the next decision and body fee card is a alternative that ought to pay for itself comparatively shortly.
When it comes to different options, the mains ones to search for are further inputs and outputs. Some fundamental seize gadgets simply have one HDMI enter whereas others embrace HDMI passthrough (i.e. output) ports and sockets for various audio sources, equivalent to direct out of your mic.
Gaming seize card FAQs
What’s a seize card?
Seize playing cards are gadgets that provide help to report gameplay and stream on Twitch, YouTube, or some other platform. They don’t seem to be fairly plug-and-play, given that there is software program to arrange and tinker with, however they streamline the method and make encoding simpler so there’s much less of a efficiency hit in your system.
They often are available in both an exterior USB format, such because the Elgato HD60 X or an inner card that slots right into a PCIe growth slot in your PC, identical to a graphics card. The previous are broadly extra versatile as they’re simple to setup to report console output and may be plugged into gadgets equivalent to the perfect gaming laptops. Nevertheless, inner playing cards can typically be extra highly effective and might make for a tidier setup as they’re contained in your PC.
Which seize card must you select?
The very best seize playing cards come from established manufacturers within the house like Elgato and Avermedia, however that does not imply you’ll want to pay a premium value. The little guys can typically shock you on the subject of gaming {hardware}, however there is a purpose Elgato and Avermedia seem prominently on our checklist, and that is as a result of they’re tried-and-tested gadgets, backed by feature-packed software program that is well-supported and ceaselessly up to date.
The seize card you select must work along with your general setup. Examine the specs to make sure it is appropriate along with your laptop’s working system and favourite streaming platform, in addition to any video enhancing software program. Seize playing cards sometimes have enter ports to attach completely different video sources, and these embrace DisplayPort, HDMI DVI, or VGA. If you wish to seize gameplay from a console, you may want a card with HDMI or element video inputs. Examine that the output will hook up with your laptop, normally through Thunderbolt or USB.
Do you want a seize card to stream?
The brief reply is not any, however seize playing cards are an incredible assist. Fashionable graphics playing cards have video encoders that imply you’ll be able to usually report and stream your gameplay direct out of your PC, through software program equivalent to OBS Studio. Nvidia Shadowplay and AMD Radeon ReLive software program additionally make for a simple strategy to seize video clips whilst you play.
Nevertheless, these recording and stream encoding duties put an additional pressure in your graphics card and PC normally, which may end up in a drop in body fee or unreliable streams/recordings. That is the place seize playing cards are available in, as they’ll offset lots of that work, releasing up your PC to largely consider powering your video games. Many professional streamers will go so far as having a complete separate PC to seize and handle streams however a seize card is the following neatest thing.
Plus, outdoors of a few of their built-in clip-recording options, utilizing a seize card is the one strategy to report and stream full gaming periods from consoles. They’re particularly useful if you happen to repeatedly stream or report from a number of PC setups and consoles.
What manufacturers make seize playing cards?
There are various manufacturers on the market making high quality seize playing cards – a few of them particular to gaming and others designed for common video manufacturing. Listed below are a number of the hottest manufacturers:
Elgato: An offshoot of common gaming gear model Corsair, Elgato is understood for its high-quality streaming merchandise, which embrace seize playing cards. It gives playing cards for a spread of budgets, together with the Elgato HD60 X with native Xbox and PS5 help, and the Elgato 4K60 S+ with full 4K help.
Razer: One other well-loved gaming {hardware} producer, Razer has seize playing cards optimized for sport streaming, such because the Razer Ripsaw HD which gives good ease of use.
Hauppauge: Hauppauge producers seize playing cards for players, streamers, and content material creators. We might advocate particular gaming editions just like the HD PVR2 Gaming Version, which comes with cables for Xbox and PlayStation consoles, and allows you to share your clips on YouTube in only a few clicks.
For extra streaming gear to finish your setup, take a look at our information to the greatest gaming microphone and the greatest webcams.
