Video capture cards make it easy to record or steam your gameplay on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. Here are the best capture cards you can buy in 2022.
A capture card allows you to stream and capture gameplay on PC and consoles without interrupting your gameplay experience. Capture cards serve as a middleman, stealing a feed of your gameplay while you’re playing to record it to your computer or stream it to a platform like Twitch. However, these devices aren’t built equally, so you’ll need one of the best capture cards to record or stream the highest quality gameplay possible. We’ve rounded up seven capture cards that are great for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PC, and Nintendo Switch. All of the cards below will work as long as your console has an HDMI port, but we tailored our selections to offer the highest quality possible for their respective platforms. If you’re interested in a PC video capture card, make sure to read our guide on how to build a PC. Some cards only work inside a computer, so you’ll need to learn how to slot in a PCIe card (it’s pretty easy). Pros: Instant streaming, flashback recording, console, PC, and Mac support Cons: Lacks H.264 encoder, limited editing software capabilities Elgato’s HD60 is crashing into next-gen with the Elgato HD60 S+. Stylistically and mechanically, it’s almost identical to the HD60 S — our previous recommendation for this slot — though it comes with one unique advantage: 4K60 passthrough with HDR. Although the HD60 S+ is still limited to 1080p HDR capture at 60 frames per second (fps), you can still monitor your feed with the full graphical fidelity of your new console. The HD60 S+ can capture 4K, too, though it’s limited to 30 fps. Elgato clearly targeted the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 with the HD60 S+, but it works on the PS4 and Xbox One, too. No matter what console you’re using, getting set up is simple. After hooking up an HDMI cable to both ends and running the included USB cable to your computer, streaming software like OBS Studio and XSplit will automatically detect your console as an input source. Pros: Aluminum body,4K60 passthrough, RGB lighting Cons: No 4K60 capture If you’re looking for an external capture card for your next-gen console, the Asus Tuf Gaming CU4K30 is a great option. As the name implies, you can record or stream gameplay at up to 4K resolution at 30 fps. The card also supports 60 fps capture at 2K, as well as 120 fps capture at 1080p. The passthrough lets you enjoy your gameplay at its full resolution and frame rate, too. You can passthrough up to a 4K signal at 60 fps, or up to 240 fps in the 1080p mode. Asus supports HDR through the passthrough, too. To keep all of your cables tidy, the card includes a headphone and controller port on the front, so you can easily plug everything in without cords reaching to your console or PC. The capture card connects to your streaming computer with a single USB-C cable, too, which works out of the box. You don’t need to download drivers to start using the card. Although the looks of a capture device usually don’t matter, the CU4K30 looks great. It’s a tiny, aluminum capture card with an understated Asus Tuf logo on top. It has some RGB underglow, too, which conveniently tells you about different statuses of the cards, such as if the HDMI signal has been interrupted or if the firmware is updating. Pros: Small and portable,4K passthrough, the software is versatile and easy to use, records footage to microSD, console, and PC support Cons: Mac users need third-party software The Nintendo Switch’s portability makes it a great choice for traveling gamers, and with the right carrying case, you can even take the system’s dock with you. If you want to record gameplay on the go but don’t want to bring a PC, the AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus is the best capture card for Nintendo Switch. Although it’s a great gaming capture card for Nintendo’s hybrid console, it also works with PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, and Xbox One. With the Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus, you can record gameplay without a tethered PC using its built-in H.264 encoder. It captures in 1080p at 60 fps, which is the ceiling for the Nintendo Switch’s limited capabilities. It saves your video to a microSD card, which you can access through the device’s Micro USB connection to a PC (storage mode) or by transferring the microSD card to a PC. The one major downside of the AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus is that its proprietary software only works with Windows.
