1. The quick list
2. Best overall
3. Best budget
4. Best 4K
5. Best small size
6. Best mid-range
7. FAQs
The best capture cards are the perfect way to get your console or PC streaming solution together without putting strain on the hardware itself. The following lists details all the top options from the budget, mid-range, and premium sides of the spectrum. This extends from a basic 1080p60 card all the way up to ones that are 4K capable.
One considerable strength of the best capture cards is how they can take the strain off the native hardware when capturing gameplay on PC. While innovations like Nvidia Shadowplay have come a long way, the software is far from perfect for all users. While the PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch have options, a dedicated capture card will produce higher quality and more consistent video which can be further used in tandem with software such as OBS or StreamLabs for a far cleaner streaming setup. Some options in our list can even do 4K for a competitive price as well.
The best capture cards are only one part of a streaming setup, however. For the full experience, check out some of the best webcams, the best green screens, and the best microphones for streaming, too. Getting started doesn’t have to be costly either, as we’re also bringing you our picks for the best free streaming software.
Best capture cards - The Quick List
The best capture card overall
The Elgato HD60 X features leading performance capture, a small form factor, easy setup, and good support to be our top overall pick.
Best budget capture card
The EVGA XR1 Lite's competitive price point and uncompromised functionality make it an easy choice for the best budget capture card available.
The best 4K capture card
If you want the best external 4K capture card then the Elgato 4K60 S+ is as good as they come. You're getting full 4K60 coverage here, which few of its rivals can boast.
The best small form factor capture card
The Genki Shadowcast is truly tiny as the size of just a USB thumb drive, however, it offers big results with HDMI playback on a wide variety of games consoles and PC.
The best mid-range capture card
Despite its age, the AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus is still a powerhouse for modern consoles with its respectable price point and computer-free recording and playback options.
Best capture cards in 2023
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
The best capture card overall
✅ You want ease of use: The Elgato HD60X is about as plug-and-play as capture cards come with setup leading to stellar results in seconds.
❌ 4K60 is a must: If streaming in 4K60 is a top priority then you'll want to consider another capture card in our roundup as this one tops out at 30fps.
The Elgato HD60 X takes the top spot as the best capture card in 2023. Its native Xbox Series X and PS5 support, excellent Full HD picture quality and compact size can’t be beaten. Priced at $199.99 / £189 / AU$315, it’s not the cheapest option available, but it excels in all the right places given its asking price.
Thanks to the 4K passthrough, you can enjoy the full visual capabilities of your current-gen console without any obvious degradation in picture quality. We greatly appreciate that all the essential ports (HDMI in, HDMI out, and USB-C for connecting to a PC or laptop) are housed in the rear of the unit.
There’s support for 1080p60 with full HDR10 and variable refresh rate, meaning the footage captures as smoothly as possible. In our experience, this was the sweet spot for getting consistent results on PC. Mac users may need to look elsewhere for their capture card fix, as we had a few issues connecting with a MacBook. All told, if you have a Windows machine and want the best results with minimal messing around, then the Elgato HD60 X is the capture card to beat.
- Read more: Elgato HD60 X review
The best budget capture card
✅ You're on a budget: The EVGA XR1 Lite is about as cheap as reputable modern capture cards come without sacrificing many features.
❌ You stream or capture in specific formats: There's a limited amount of encoding options available, so double-check that the file types align with your capture software and video editor.
There’s no reason why a quality capture card should cost the earth. The EVGA XR1 Lite is an affordable solution that doesn’t sacrifice recording or build quality. At $99.99 / £105 / AU$176, this capture card is for the money-conscious streamer. Despite the humble price, you’re still getting the full functionality you would hope for from a capture card in 2023.
This includes the ability to record in 1080p60 while maintaining 4K60 passthrough, so you won’t notice any slowdown or visual impacts to the overall picture quality on either Xbox Series X or PS5. There’s also a dual focus of the EVGA XR1 Lite. As well as recording your console gaming footage, you can also use it as a passthrough box for DLSR cameras and professional-grade video cameras for a higher-end picture than what a typical webcam can deliver.
The best capture card for 4K
✅ You want uncompromised 4K: True to its namesake, this Elgato capture card achieves 4K60 for far higher quality footage and double the framerate than what many alternatives offer.
❌ You're working with a budget: The Elgato 4K60 S+ is one of the most expensive external capture cards available, so the functionality doesn't come cheap.
In terms of raw features and resolution support, the Elgato 4K60 S+ can certainly be considered the best capture card for 4K. However, its biggest selling point is that you can record entirely without a computer, as it can record footage to an SD card.
These innovations don’t come cheap, though; ultimately, that’s what stops the Elgato 4K60 S+ from taking the top spot. With its asking price of $399.99 / £389.99 / AU $628, this isn’t going to be the capture card that you start with. We can only recommend this to seasoned streamers looking for an upgrade or those with serious cash to burn.
What’s particularly impressive about the 4K60 S+ is the HEVC chip which allows for lossless encoding for reliable picture quality with little to no artifacts over the native picture. Should you want to plug into a PC, the capture card features USB 3.0 connectivity and full support for the likes of OBS Studio and direct access to Twitch and YouTube. While an investment, there’s no denying the quality and versatility here.
The best small form factor capture card
✅ You want a small and inexpensive capturing solution: The Genki Shadowcast is compact enough to only take up an HDMI port and nothing else while being able to stream a wide variety of devices for a budget price.
❌ You need consistent results: Due to how the Genki Shadowcast works, the video quality from certain devices can vary if you're after a catch-all solution.
Have you ever wanted a pocket-sized capture card? If so, you can search no longer. The Genki ShadowCast is a full-featured screen capture and mirroring device that’s the size of a typical USB thumb drive. It plugs into any compatible games console, such as the PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, or Steam Deck via HDMI input and then outputs via USB-C to USB-A in 1080p60 to devices such as a gaming TV or gaming monitor.
You can mirror the gameplay from a smaller screen to a larger one, and record through the Genki Arcade program on your computer. For the relatively low asking price of $49.99 / £54.44 / AU$89.99, that’s some serious bang for your buck all wrapped up in a form factor that no other capture card can quite compare to right now. Now, we should stress that you won’t get the same level of consistent quality as you would from a larger box with better encoding. Still, for the price tag, it’s hard to argue against if you’re after something multi-purpose for console streaming.
The best mid-range capture card
✅ You want to capture footage without a PC: With its SD card reader, the AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus is ideal if you're on the go or don't have a laptop or gaming PC to capture to.
❌ You want to record 4K: While the AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus supports 4K60 passthrough, you're capped at 108060 here, so you'll want to consider an alternative if a higher resolution is desired.
Despite being nearly five years old, the AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus continues to thrive as one of the best capture cards in terms of its price to performance. You can expect to pay around $159.99 / £141.99 / $AU221.45, though you can frequently find it cheaper than this as discounts are common.
The AverMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus excels above some of its competition in the mid-range market because of its versatility. You can record in 1080p60 with lagless 4K passthrough both when connected to a PC and Mac, or you can go entirely computer-free and record footage to an SD card. This capture card can also act as a storage box, which means you can use the whole device as a card reader via USB, so you won’t have to worry about corrupting any files or losing previous gameplay clips.
Best capture cards - FAQs
Do I need a capture card for streaming?
If you're on a PC, software like OBS can bypass the need for a capture card by capturing your gameplay directly. If you're playing on a console, though, you may want to look at investing in a capture card so you're able to stream gameplay live to your PC at a higher quality than what's available as standard on your console of choice.
What is the best capture card for streamers?
The majority of high-profile streamers use Elgato capture cards due to the ecosystem associated with the brand, including the likes of the Elgato StreamDeck and Elgato Facecam. From our experience with some of them, we can see why they’ve earned their high-praise.
Is a 4K Capture Card worth having?
4K capture cards, owing to the higher resolution they capture, are much more expensive in terms of both money and bandwidth. If you're streaming live, you may instead want to invest in a 1080p60 card to free up bandwidth to make the process as seamless as possible.
Looking for some games to capture footage of? Consider browsing our lists of the best PS5 games and best Xbox Series X games for a roundup of top titles to capture and stream.
