As the technology world continues to evolve, so too does the capture card market. This year, there are a number of new and innovative capture cards on the market that will make your video editing and production process easier and more efficient. Here are five of the best capture cards on the market this year.

  1. Panasonic Lumix GH4 Camera Capture Card This Panasonic Lumix GH4 camera capture card is perfect for anyone looking to create professional-quality videos. It has a fast read speed and writes quickly to your computer, making it easy to edit your videos. The card also features an SDXC slot for added storage space.
  2. Canon EOS Rebel T6i Camera Capture Card This Canon EOS Rebel T6i camera capture card is perfect for anyone looking to create high-quality videos with their camera. It has a fast read speed and writes quickly to your computer, making it easy to edit your videos. The card also features an SDXC slot for added storage space.
  3. Samsung NX8100 4K UHD Camera Capture Card This Samsung NX8100 4K UHD cameraCapture Card is perfect for anyone looking to create professional-quality videos with their camera. It has a fast read speed and writes quickly to your computer, making it easy to edit your videos. The card also features an SDXC slot for added storage space. 4: Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH5 Camera Capture Card This Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH5 cameraCapture Card is perfect for anyone looking to create professional-quality videos with their camera. It has a fast read speed and writes quickly to your computer, making it easy to edit your videos without having any problems . The card also features an SDXC slot for added storage space .

When using a capture card, the source of the audio-visual signal is going to be a game console. While consoles starting with the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One have built-in broadcasting and gameplay recording features, they’re often limited and sometimes even block gameplay from viewers. A capture card not only bypasses the console limitations but also allows you to customize your stream using your PC and broadcasting software (such as OBS or SLOBS).

If you are recording or capturing footage exclusively from a PC, a capture card may not be the best solution. That’s because modern PCs can capture or stream game footage without special hardware. A capture card doesn’t reduce any workload from the PC itself, so it’s only really useful if you want to stream games from gaming consoles.

One important aspect when purchasing a capture card is making sure your chosen console or device can be used with the capture card. Almost all capture cards require HDMI inputs, so if you’re using a retro console, you’ll need an adapter.

Finally, make sure to select a card that supports at least the resolution and refresh rate you want to stream at. Going for higher resolutions and refresh rates is a fine choice, but the hardware you’ll need is generally more expensive. However, if you go for the bare minimum hardware you need to stream, you may need to upgrade sooner. It’s up to you to balance your current needs with future-proofing.

With that out of the way, let’s look at our top recommendations.

Best Overall Capture Card: AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K

Choosing a capture card that’s “best overall” usually means that the product needs to work adequately (or better) in most scenarios. That is exactly what the Live Gamer 4K from AVerMedia brings to the table. It’s not the best at any one thing, but we can’t imagine anyone being let down by it, regardless of what they need.

✓ Flexible card for any type of streaming or capture✓ Offers capture of 5. 1 and 7. 1 surround✓ Supports ultrawide aspect ratios✓ Cheaper than external cards with similar specifications

✗ You need a desktop computer with a free slot

As an internal PCIe card, the Live Gamer 4K has more than enough technical power to handle most standard streaming and capturing settings. At 4K, the card can handle 60 frames per second (FPS) and HDR video. Using the included RECentral software, the card can capture 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound.

PC gamers and console gamers willing to sacrifice 4K resolution can also record at up to 144 or 240 frames per second for 1440p and 1080p resolutions, respectively. On top of all this, the Live Gamer 4K supports ultrawide aspect ratios, which is not very common. Even the price of the card is very reasonable, given how much you get for it.

The Live Gamer 4K seems to have everything anyone could want, but no product is perfect. This is an internal capture card, so those that own laptops or can’t install the Live Gamer 4K are out of luck. If you need an external capture card specifically, don’t worry, we have an external card recommendation for you.

Best Budget Capture Card: Elgato HD60 S+

If you want to stream or capture console game footage easily and already have a capable computer, then the Elgato HD60 S+ is a cost-effective solution. It’s a compact device that you can easily connect to a laptop or desktop system.

✓ Amazing value for money✓ 1080p 60 HDR capture✓ Zero-lag 4K60 HDR10 passthrough

✗ No hardware encoder✗ No 240 or 144Hz Passthrough✗ Best for console capture using PC

The HD60 S+ is limited to 1080p60 HDR footage, but most users are streaming at 1080p or below anyway, so this isn’t a major issue. it won’t affect your actual gameplay either since the passthrough supports 4K60. However, you can’t use the 120fps modes on new consoles if you’re using this Elgato model. The same goes for 240Hz or 144Hz signals.

The lack of hardware encoding is a big reason why this capture card is so cheap, so you’ll need a beefy CPU to ensure smooth capture and preferably the HD60 S+ should have its own dedicated USB 3.0 port.

Considering the type of footage the HD60 S+ produces, we think it’s suitable for all console users unless capturing 4K footage is non-negotiable to you. For everyone else, it’s a bona fide bargain.

Best Internal Capture Card: Elgato 4K60 Pro MK.2

The Elgato 4K60 Pro MK.2 almost received the best overall spot instead of the AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K. After all, they virtually have the same on-paper specifications. However, Elgato’s products don’t offer surround sound capture and can only record in stereo, unlike the Live Gamer 4K. Although it didn’t quite make the cut, there’s a lot to love about the 4K60 Pro MK.2 for a comparable price.

✓ 4K60 capture at a great bitrate for the money✓ Zero-lag 4k passthrough✓ Supports high refresh rates at sub-4K resolutions. ✓ Can capture HDR footage

✗ Requires a desktop with a free PCIe slot

As the name suggests, this card can capture 4K footage at a 60Hz refresh rate. It’s also good for capturing HDR10 video, so you don’t need to switch it off while playing.

If you’re happy with resolutions below 4K, refresh rates up to 240Hz are possible. While Elgato has stated that the 4K60 Pro supports ultrawide resolutions, user feedback indicates that this is easier said than done, so buyer beware if you have an ultrawide monitor!

But if neither ultrawide support nor surround-sound capture matters to you, the Pro MK.2 is a solid alternative to the AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K.

Best External Capture Card: NZXT Signal 4K30

NZXT has been producing some incredible computer peripherals and accessories lately, including the Lift Gaming Mouse and Function Mechanical Keyboard. The NZXT Signal 4K30 is another great piece of hardware to add to that list. This small, high-quality external capture card is everything you need to start creating video content.

✓ Zero-lag HDMI passthrough✓ Easy plug and play setup✓ Record or stream at up to 4K@30hz✓ Compatible with Windows and Mac

✗ Requires USB 3. 2 support

The Signal 4K30 is compatible with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles, as well as the previous generation from both companies. It supports recording in 4K at up to 30hz and 1080p at up to 120hz. And if you want to game at 4K but stream or record at 1080p, HDMI passthrough allows you to do so easily.

Your recording computer, which can be either Windows or Mac, needs to support USB 3.2 to allow for the higher data rate required by 4K recording and streaming. The only other requirements are a spare HDMI port and some screen recording software such as OBS Studio. There is software supplied with the capture card, but only to customize the setup and only for Windows.

The combination of reasonable price, 4K lossless recording, ease of use, and high-quality build makes it easy to recommend the NZXT Signal 4K30 to anyone looking for an external capture card.

If you don’t need to record or stream in 4K, it is worth checking out the other external capture card from NZXT. The Signal HD60 offers effortless 1080p recording and streaming at an even more attractive price.

Best 4K Capture Card: AVerMedia Live Gamer Bolt

The big advantage of internal PCIe capture cards is the access to oodles of computer resources. This means they can capture and stream footage at astronomical bitrates and offer the best visual quality and performance. External cards that rely on USB, such as the Elgato 4K60 S+, will always be limited in comparison.

✓ Uses Thunderbolt 3, unmatched bandwidth for external cards✓ Allows for uncompressed footage capture✓ Allows for up to 240fps capture in FHD

✗ No USB C support✗ Does not work with M1 Mac at the moment✗ Cannot capture HDR on Mac

Moving from USB to Thunderbolt 3 solves the resource issue for external capture cards in a definitive way. That’s how the Live Gamer Bolt can capture 4K 60Hz HDR footage as well as faster frame rates at lower resolutions. This external card is functionally as capable as an internal card but doesn’t require installation. So, any Windows system with a Thunderbolt 3 port will work.

Macs are also supported, which means a Mac Mini or MacBook Pro could be the ideal pairing with the Live Gamer Bolt. There is, however, one major caveat with Mac computers. AVerMedia doesn’t support the M1 Mac ecosystem. Posts from AVerMedia’s technical support staff indicated that an M1 driver was in development, but it was never released and MacBooks have largely moved to the M2 chip.

Thunderbolt 3 is becoming more common on laptops and can be added to many motherboards using a compatible add-in card. That makes the Live Gamer Bolt a more flexible solution than comparable internal 4k capture cards. Its current Mac limitations are regrettable, but it’s a great way to turn your Thunderbolt-equipped laptop into a professional streaming powerhouse.

Best Capture Card for Streaming: AVerMedia Live Gamer Duo

Streaming is about more than just finding a way to get incoming footage onto a service like Twitch. A streaming setup consists of many moving parts that come together to craft an attractive and professional stream.

✓ Dual HDMI input allowing high-end camera usage✓ 4K60 and 1080p 240 passthrough

✗ Limited to 1080p capture

As such, the Live Gamer Duo is one of the best products we’ve seen for a livestream setup. While it isn’t at the technical cutting edge, it has several useful features that make life much easier for low- to mid-budget streamers.

The best feature the Live Gamer Duo has is its dual HDMI inputs. This allows you to plug a camera into the second port and then mix the gaming and camera inputs using your favorite broadcasting software. No USB webcam setup will compare to a direct HDMI camera feed, so this card really helps your whole streaming setup punch above its weight.

Another killer feature is the asymmetrical passthrough and capture. Even though this card is limited to capturing uncompressed 1080p 60Hz footage, you can pass through almost any resolution you like. You can still enjoy 4K60, 1440p144, and 1080p240 imagery on your local display, while keeping the livestream at the 1080p resolution most viewers will be watching on.

If you’re someone looking to set up a dedicated streaming solution with high-quality camera footage, this is the card we’d recommend for most of you.