Console Capture Cards | The best of 2023

Have you ever wondered how it was possible to record your games and then upload them to YouTube, broadcast on Twitch or edit them in some video to show your friends? To do all these things, and a whole series of other related activities such as the creation of video guides, tutorials and much more, you will have to rely on capture cards, i.e. devices designed and developed specifically to capture what you see on the screen and save it in video format.

The usefulness of these tools is therefore really great, with the acquisition cards that are now the faithful companions of a plethora of professionals such as youtubers, streamers, journalists and many others . However, obviously nothing prevents these devices from being used by players as well, who can thus open up a world of possibilities. Thanks to them, recording your own games and gameplay is in fact child's play. But what are the best capture cards on the market?

Before we dive into our list of the best console capture cards, have you already checked out our guides for the best gaming station and the best gaming chair overall? You don't want to record gameplay on a bad workstation, do you?

Best console capture cards

Elgato 4K60 Pro MK.2 EVGA XR1 ASUS TUF Gaming Capture Box CU4K30 AVerMedia Live Gamer MINI KDR Video Capture Card

Elgato 4K60 Pro MK.2

We start from a premium product: the Elgato 4K60 Pro MK.2 is a modern capture card, perfectly compatible with new gaming systems such as PS5 and Xbox Series X. However, this is not an entry level and user friendly product. Unlike other proposals, this capture card is intended for internal use for your PC.

Thanks to the PCIexpress connection, in fact, it will be possible to mount the card directly inside your PC. The card is capable of recording gameplay up to 4K and 60 frames per second with support for HDR (High Dynamic Range). You can record at a variety of resolutions and refresh rates, including Full HD at 240Hz or 1440p at 144Hz. As a product intended for inside your PC, there are no headphone or controller input jacks, but it certainly remains a premium choice for all those who do not seek compromises between quality, size and power.

See on Amazon

See on eBay

EVGA XR1

Born from the famous GPU manufacturer, the EVGA XR1 is certainly one of the most interesting capture cards available on the market. Certified for OBS (i.e. guaranteed live on Twitch, YouTube and other sites included with the most popular streaming tools available for download), the EVGA XR1 allows output in 1080p and 60 frames per second, with a pass through for 1440p at 120 frames per second and 4K at 60 frames per second. A controller, a headset can also be connected to the board and it can also be used to connect digital cameras and video cameras. The aesthetics will certainly not be a plus, but the card is certainly made more captivating thanks to a series of RGB lights. Also present is the built-in audio mixer: in short, an excellent choice for both beginners and more experienced people looking for another brand to entrust with their career or hobby.

See on Amazon

See on eBay

ASUS TUF Gaming Capture Box CU4K30

ASUS has expanded its business dedicated to gamers also in the capture card market. He did it with theASUS TUF Gaming Capture Box, a small compact "box" that we reviewed at this address. The technical features are decidedly interesting: video pass through support in 4K up to 60Hz (or 2K up to 144Hz and Full HD up to 240Hz) and offers the possibility of streaming at 30fps and 4K, 60fps and 2K and Full HD up to 120fps . On the box there are two 3.5mm jacks that allow connection with a controller and headphones for the console's party mode. Certified for OBS Studio, this capture card offers excellent value for money. Finally, the picture is completed by a modern aesthetic and the RGB lights that signal the functioning of the device.

See on Amazon

See on eBay

AVerMedia Live Gamer MINI

Another great solution for video recording that can be counted without too many problems among the best capture cards for consoles on the market is certainly the AVerMedia Live Gamer MINI. In fact, this small recording card allows you to save your game videos with a quality of up to 1080p at 60 frames per second at an excellent price, without burdening the CPU in any way, neither of your consoles nor of your PCs. Simple to use, small and incredibly performing: the AVerMedia Live Gamer MINI is certainly one of the best capture cards for consoles that can be purchased right now. Clearly, if you are next-gen gamers (i.e. in possession of PS5 and Xbox Series S|X) you could opt for this solution especially for the output, which requires a less demanding connection for streaming.

See on Amazon

See on eBay

KDR Video Capture Card

Your budget is really tight but you absolutely need a capture card? Fortunately, there are a long series of small and cheap capture cards that can be purchased, such as the KDR Video Capture Card, which allow you to record video clips of your games at a very low price, about 15-20 euros. Of course, the performance and possibilities are much lower than those that are the best capture cards on the market, but with an output up to 1080p at 30fps, the KDR Video Capture Card is still able to prove to be a good product. Perfect for getting started and for those on a budget.

See on Amazon

How to choose the best console capture card

How you can imagine and as you may have guessed by reading the product descriptions in this article, choosing the best capture card for consoles is certainly not a simple and immediate undertaking. In fact, there are many variables to take into consideration and the questions to ask yourself before jumping into a purchase are different: here are the main things to look at before buying a capture card for consoles.

Why choose a capture card for consoles?

Most likely you know that almost all current consoles, such as Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and Nintendo Switch, are already equipped with them video recording software. It is certainly a valuable possibility and able to satisfy the needs of many gamers, but which has several limitations compared to the best capture cards on the market. Lower video and audio recording quality, a decidedly lower number of customization options (resolution, video format, etc.) and other structural limitations, such as the impossibility for certain consoles to record the screen for more than a set time.

Not to be underestimated is the fact that, however optimized they may be, they are still software that requires a computational load and, as such, could reduce the console's performance when in use. This is why, if you want something reliable, versatile and with a great final result, you need to equip yourself with a console capture card.

Compatibility

It seems obvious but it's always better to say it : The first thing to look at when choosing your console capture card is compatibility with your gaming platform. For example, if we want to record our gameplay on PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X, at the highest possible quality, we will have to make sure that the chosen capture card supports recordings in 4K and 60FPS. Otherwise it is better to use a certain lower performance card exclusively for streaming on Twitch: a good line can easily handle 1080p and 60 frames per second, it is more difficult to raise the resolution and frame rate instead.

Recording software

Although the majority of capture cards are purchased mainly for live streams on Twitch, it is good to keep in mind another very important aspect, namely video and audio recording. All these devices are distributed on the market with their own software, but clearly each one has its own peculiarities. So when you go to choose a capture card it is necessary to understand what are the features of the software that allows us to record the various gameplays. All the information can normally be found on the websites of the various manufacturers.

Audio/video quality and reference platforms

As mentioned earlier, another very important aspect to take into consideration in Choosing your own console capture card is the one related to the highest audio and video quality of the recording. Do you really need to record in 4K? Is 30fps enough for what you have in mind? These are for example some of the questions to ask yourself to evaluate whether or not a console capture card is for you. Furthermore, it is always important to take into consideration the target platform of your video content. How many viewers will see your YouTube videos at 4K resolution, does your connection allow you to stream at 60FPS at high resolutions? Therefore, before choosing your capture card, read up on the platform in which you will pour your contents.

Portability

It is certainly a less important feature than the previous ones, and for some it may even be useless, but one aspect to keep in mind before buying a console capture card is its portability. If you need to move around, a small-sized product with a not excessive number of cables will certainly come in handy for you, allowing you to be highly versatile. Furthermore, if your work requires you to record content "on the fly", perhaps an acquisition card equipped with expandable internal memory could be essential to lighten your load and leave your computer at home during travel.

Price

Even when we go to choose a capture card, it is important to evaluate the price carefully. Normally, for a quality product that lasts a certain period of time, it is necessary to invest at least a hundred euros. Clearly, if you are just starting out and you want to do it out of passion, you can also choose cheaper products, but always remaining with a view to changing them as soon as possible. As always, the rule applies: the more you spend, the less you spend. In this guide, we have selected video cards in a fairly similar price range, but there is also a low-cost alternative, perhaps also suitable for newbies entering the world of streaming or gameplay on YouTube for the first time.