Compare Capture Cards

15 ranked products · Two to 4 at a time · Updated 24 Aug 2026

Pick any two to four of the 15 ranked capture cards and read them side by side. This page opens on the board's top 3, Elgato HD60 X, EVGA XR1 Lite and AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra S GC553Pro.

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Capture Cards compared side by side. Each column is one product, each row is one measure taken from the same research that built the board.
Measure	Elgato Elgato HD60 X	EVGA EVGA XR1 Lite	AVerMedia AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra S GC553Pro	Genki Genki ShadowCast	Elgato Elgato 4K60 S+	AVerMedia AVerMedia Live Gamer Extreme 3	NearStream NearStream CCD30	AVerMedia AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus	AVerMedia AVerMedia Live Gamer 4K	Elgato Elgato Game Capture Neo	AVerMedia AVerMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1	Elgato Elgato 4K X	EVGA EVGA XR1	AVerMedia AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable 2	Elgato Elgato HD60S
Tier	S	S	A	B	B	C	C	D	D	F	F	F	F	F	F
Rank on this board	1 of 15	2 of 15	3 of 15	4 of 15	5 of 15	6 of 15	7 of 15	8 of 15	9 of 15	10 of 15	11 of 15	12 of 15	13 of 15	14 of 15	15 of 15
Ladder points	1319 LP	985 LP	737 LP	638 LP	578 LP	386 LP	378 LP	294 LP	244 LP	205 LP	172 LP	139 LP	106 LP	51 LP	0 LP
Our verdict	Most reliable and well-supported card, balancing performance with frequent firmware updates.	Excellent build quality for its class, with strong longevity and minimal failure reports.	Robust build, excellent firmware support, and full HDMI 2.1 make it a durable premium option.	Compact, reliable, and well-maintained; great for portable setups.	Future-proof HDMI 2.1 passthrough and low latency make it the top choice for high-resolution capture.	Strong performance with solid long-term support, though slightly pricier than the Ultra S.	A USB-3.0 card that delivers 1080p/1440p capture with very low latency, and is priced well below the flagship Elgato HD60 X.	Portable yet powerful; firmware updates keep it current for years.	Solid value for 4K capture with proven firmware longevity.	Budget-friendly with solid reliability; best for users who need a low-cost solution.	Excellent HDMI 2.1 support, but slightly older firmware than the Ultra S; still reliable.	The flagship 4K X is priced at roughly double what the best value 4K cards (Elgato 4K60 S+ or AVerMedia Live Gamer Extreme 3) offer, yet it delivers only marginally better performance. It is overhyped for most streamers who can get full-frame 4K 60p capture at a fraction of the cost.	Good performance but older firmware cycle and higher price than Lite make it a step below the Lite.	Original portable model that has shown long-term durability.	Lacks future-proofing; better alternatives exist at similar price points.
What reviewers rate	Supports 1080p60 HDR capture while preserving 4K60 Frequent firmware updates keep it current Balanced 1080p/1440p capture with HDR Low latency	Budget-friendly 1080p capture Solid build and firmware support Same USB-3.0 bandwidth as HD60 X Lower price than flagship	HDMI 2.1 passthrough Strong firmware support Best external 4K 60p HDR passthrough Price about half of Elgato 4K X	Compact design Reliable 1080p/1440p capture Matches HD60 X latency and quality One-third the price	High-resolution performance with minimal latency HDMI 2.1 passthrough True 4K 60p capture Same performance as 4K X	4K60 HDR capture Low latency Best external 4K 60p HDR passthrough Lower price than Elgato 4K X	Very low latency Priced well below HD60 X Marketed as a high-performance card captures 4K60 HDR	Portable design High-quality recording without a PC Low latency HDR support	Good 4K capture Durable design Reliable firmware updates affordable 4K capture	Compact size Solid performance at a lower price point Solid 1080p/1440p capture HDR support	HDMI 2.1 support with minimal lag Solid performance Low latency Good value for price	Capable for 4K144 capture Excellent build quality Firmware longevity Highest resolution (4K144)	High-resolution 4K capture Full-feature USB-3.0 capture Matches HD60 X performance Half the price	Proven durability Firmware stability Portable design	Versatility Low latency Solid build Reliable performance
Where it falls short	Nothing recorded	Nothing recorded	Price close to 4K60 S+ No built-in audio mixer	Nothing recorded	High latency Occasional frame drops	High failure rate Firmware stagnation Premium price Performance below expectations	Higher latency Software instability Occasional HDMI handshake failures No firmware updates after a year	No full 4K passthrough Higher latency	Infrequent firmware updates Compatibility issues with newer GPUs Marginal performance improvement Higher price	Limited 1080p60 performance No firmware updates Limited to 1080p capture Firmware lags newer models	Higher latency than cheaper options Price near flagship almost twice as expensive no significant benefit	Price roughly double best value cards Marginal performance improvement Stalled firmware updates Driver instability after a year	Firmware updates lag behind competitors Higher price for similar performance Higher latency Less advanced than Lite	No built-in microphone input No wireless streaming mode Dated hardware design Unmaintained internal recorder firmware	No 4K passthrough Mixed firmware updates higher latency no HDR support
Evidence behind it	28 sources across 27 outlets	12 sources across 11 outlets	5 sources across 5 outlets	49 sources across 44 outlets	25 sources across 22 outlets	7 sources across 7 outlets	6 sources across 6 outlets	7 sources across 7 outlets	31 sources across 27 outlets	7 sources across 7 outlets	13 sources across 13 outlets	13 sources across 9 outlets	24 sources across 20 outlets	17 sources across 14 outlets	18 sources across 18 outlets
Flagged as one to avoid	Not flagged	Not flagged	1 of 11 research runs	Not flagged	1 of 11 research runs	2 of 12 research runs	3 of 10 research runs	2 of 12 research runs	2 of 9 research runs	2 of 12 research runs	3 of 12 research runs	4 of 6 research runs	4 of 6 research runs	4 of 5 research runs	5 of 9 research runs
Announced	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded	Not recorded
Where to buy	No link on record	No link on record	No link on record	No link on record	No link on record	No link on record	No link on record	No link on record	No link on record	No link on record	No link on record	No link on record	No link on record	No link on record	No link on record

Every column is the same research that built the board. Nothing here is a specification sheet copied from a maker. Read how we rank for what a tier and a ladder point mean.