As a gamer from the pre internet era, I’m always amazed at how easy it has become to record your gaming achievements and experiences online to share with other people. Gone are the days of dial up internet and highly specialized, sluggish computers.
High speed internet and powerhouse gaming PCs are available to most people at a fraction of what they used to cost. And with the proliferation of online video platforms like Twitch activities like live streaming have become more prevalent than ever. This is ideal if you’re into more retro consoles, as these pre internet games are great fun to stream/record just the same as newer games are. But if you’re looking to get in on the action, you will need a decent capture card.
Capture cards have come a long way since the SD/480i days, and there are a number of different options for capturing video games that are fairly variable: devices range from expensive and highly technical to almost plug n play. Additionally, the current top range of products also come with 4K capabilities, if you’re willing to pay the premium price tag, that is. There are also portable solutions as well if your someone who likes to game on the go.
Pricing & portability aside, we looked at what it takes to capture both retro & modern gaming, and which features make or break a good capture card. We have compared a number of the more popular (and not so popular!) devices below.
Capture Card Guide
Interface type
External USB
External external video capture cards are typically self-contained units. They connect via USB (or in rare cases, FireWire) and are pretty straightforward to set up. Be advised that USB 2.0 devices are SD only, as HD video capture takes a larger amount of bandwidth and USB 2.0 does not have the specs to support capturing via this method. So if you need an external HD capture device you should ensure your PC has USB 3.0 ports or look for a USB 3.0 PCIE card.
Internal PCIE/Video Card
Internal devices typically connect via a PCIE interface. There are also some older video cards that are ideal for analog capture, such as ATI's older All-in-Wonder AGP series.
PCIE is an ideal interface for a computer capture card since it has a very high bandwidth rate. The downside of course is that you don’t get the portability of a USB device. There will also be less lag during game play, as PCIE is connected directly to the motherboard. This may be an important consideration for those of you who are looking to play directly from the recording window. Personally, I have found internal capture cards to be more reliable since there is a lot less that can go wrong in terms of USB host controller incompatibilities.
If you’re concerned about latency, an internal capture card is absolutely the way to go, as some of the best capture cards are PCIE only.
SD or HD Video
Most sub $100 products will only capture in 480i SD format, and usually only in S-Video at best. If you are looking for 720p or better you will likely have to splurge for a higher end device. Additionally, many of the more expensive devices will capture in 60 fps. The current popular format is HDMI capture, but many higher end devices run the gamut of analog video as well, such as component, VGA, RGB, etc.
4K
4K video is a high resolution (3840×2160 ) emerging video format that hasn’t quite become super affordable as of yet. However, like any new technology it is slowly starting to gain traction and become more widely available. As of this writing, there are many 4K capable TV's on the market for affordable prices.
Video cards that can play back 4K at acceptable frame rates are still fairly expensive, but are coming down in price daily. As such, you may want to consider a device that is capable of capturing in 4K if you are looking to future proof you setup. Most of the $200+ video capture devices are 4K capable. Obviously, this means 4k capture devices are quite a bit more expensive than their 1080p only variants, especially if you want to capture at 60 fps.
FPS
Fps is an important consideration when capturing footage for playback. Most of the more expensive capture cards will be capable of capturing footage at 60 fps. This is ideal as it makes for a smoother looking video during playback. 30 fps capture cards are still fairly prolific, and better suited to capturing older consoles or video, as 30 fps is closer to film footage. Personally, I can’t really tell the difference between 30/60 fps but others can.
OS
A great many capture cards only support run on windows operating system. Some will support Windows or Mac, while fewer still have Linux support.
240P/RGB SCART
Capturing 240p properly can be a bit of a headache. This is due to the fact that 240p is more of a trick that older consoles used to save processing power and be able to output a an enhanced picture to a 480i television. Many devices will capture 240p through their component inputs and double the signal to 480i, while others will have compatibility issues ranging from poor color processing to white balance issues. HD Retrovison has a big list of devices that have been tested if you wish to know more about a particular model.
If you wish to capture RGB SCART than there are only a few options. The popular XRGB Mini Framemeister will accept SCART through an 8pin mini din. Be aware that this is the JP21 version of SCART that is wired differently.
The other option is the PEXHDCAP. This device will accept SCART connections over its VGA connector. You will need the appropriate cable that has composite sync wired to pin 13 on the VGA header. It is also likely that you will need to use csync as well, depending on the console you’re trying to capture.
There are also a few devices that can convert SCART to HDMI directly. The Centaur Pro CM-393 is a popular choice for Scart-HDMI scaling and works fairly well, according to most users.
*A Quick Primer On Retro Capture
If you’re looking to primarily capture 240p content, there are a couple of ways you can go about it.
Method one is to use a PEHHDCAP / XCapture 1 and capture 240 through component or RGBHV with a sync stripper. These devices will capture 240p signals, however it comes out as the odd format of 720x240p so the image will look squished. This can be fixed in post by stretching the image vertically by 200%. This is a more complex method that will be expensive and requires some technical know how, you may also have to buy or make some special cables as well.
Method 2 involves the Micomsoft XRGB mini and a standard HDMI capture card. The idea here is to go RGB from the console to the Framemesiter, and use the Framemeisters HDMI out to connect to any standard capture card. Since the Framemeister is a very good upscaler the image quality will still be very good, and you will get 1080p video without any fiddling around with cables/video editing.
Whatever your game recording device of choice is, RGB/240P capture will require some thought and a small amount of extra setup when compared to newer HDMI enabled consoles.
PS4/XBOX One
These consoles are powerful machines that are almost like dedicated gaming PC's. As such, they are capable of recording game play on their own, but with a few limitations.
The PS4 can record up to an hour of game play, however the bitrate (quality) will be lower than is typical for this type of footage. The cool thing about the PS4 is that it always saves the last 15 minutes of game play continually, which is very convenient for shorter clips. There is a basic editor for post work but the functionality is a little limited.
PC Gaming
If you are primarily a PC gamer than a capture card may be unnecessary, since most modern PC's are powerful enough to screen record via software only. If you play more modern games you may require a PC with high specs to get acceptable frame rates however, as recording during game play requires a lot of resources.
Streaming
Streaming to sites like Twitch is the latest fad in online gaming and it can be accomplished via a few different methods. You can opt for a very high end PC with a powerful & expensive graphics card to record, stream, and play games all via one PC.
Alternatively, you can also utilize a dual PC setup. Hardcore streamers typically do this by using one PC with a decent graphics card solely for gaming, and a second PC with a capture card solely for capturing footage. This takes a lot of load off of your graphics card so you can use 100% of the cards resources for game play.
Capture software
Most capture cards come with their own software that is fairly straightforward and easy to set up /use. However, if you’re looking for something with a little more flexibility, it may be wise to consider a 3rd party alternative. Open broadcasting Software (or OBS for short) is a popular alternative and has very good support for various standard and custom capture modes. I have also had good luck with Bandicam, however as a software it is fairly basic, but that makes it easier to use as you spend less time fiddling with settings and more time recording.
Editing
One important consideration for your capture card is editing. Software such as OBS can capture in a variety of formats but your capture device may be limited to certain encoding schemes. The majority of cards on this list support H.264 encoding, which is an industry standard. Programs like Adobe Premiere can be finicky with this type of codec however.
Best Capture Cards Of 2018
UTV 007 HDMI USB Review
This is an inexpensive capture card made by UTV. The unique thing about the UTV is that it is one of the only high definition capable USB capture cards that are under $100. In fact, at around $15 THE UTV 007 is the same price as most of the cheaper SD only USB capture devices.
Unfortunately, this device isn’t quite up to par when it comes to actual functionality. Although it claims to do 1080p, the actual capture resolutions maxes out at something like 720x480. The captured footage is also unimpressive as it is interlaced video and not progressive. There are also issues with over scan cropping out some parts of the picture.
Overall, this is likely just an SD capture device with a cheap analog to digital converter built into it. The only upside to this device is that it is has an HDMI input. This is a cheap game capture card that is only suitable for light use.
XCAPTURE 1 Review
The XCAPTURE 1 is without a doubht the best capture card when it comes to simple versatility. It can pretty much record any resolution/ refresh rate you throw at it, and it will record virtually any & all gaming consoles right up until the present era.
It is nearly identical to the PEXHDCAP however it has higher compatibility with odd refresh rates and has the benefit of audio/video pass through. Be prepared to pay a premium for these extra features however.
Startech.com PEXHDCAP/USB3HDCAP Review
*Note: Startech is a Micomsoft reseller, Micomsoft is known for their high quality video capture products.
One area where the USB3HDCAP has its competitors beat is versatility. The USB3HDCAP from Startech has many different input options: DVI, HDMI,VGA, component, composite/svideo, and even (with a SCART-VGA cable) SCART RGB. This allows you to record almost any game console, from the Atari all the way to the Xbox one. The unit comes with most of the adapters you will need, with the exception of RGB which will of course require a separate cable.
The PEX can also capture a range of different video signals, from 240p/60 all the way to 1080p/60. The 60 fps capability is a new feature in the PEX lineup of products, and it certainly makes video footage look much smoother during playback. Video bitrate is pretty decent as well, as the card utilizes the H.264 codec, which is fast becoming an industry standard.
The USB version of this device is fairly low profile - coming in at around 8x6” and just under 1lb. This places it somewhere in the middle as far as portability goes. This device is also offered in a PCIE version as well, which I would recommend if you don’t need portability, since some USB controllers can have minor issues with the PEX line of products. This also negates the need for a USB 3.0 equipped PC, although such a thing is easily rectified with an add on card.
The included Stream catcher software has some unique features, such as recording on a schedule and some direct streaming options. It gets the job done but it is fairly basic and if you’re willing to pay the premium price that this capture device demands you’re probably better off with a 3rd party application that has a more robust feature set.
Bottom line: this is an amazing capture card that can record pretty much any console you connect to it. The fact that it is one of the few devices on the market that can support 240p/RGB SCART will keep many retro gamers happy as well.
*Note there is an older version of the PEX that has similar features but only captures in 30 fps instead of 60. This is a great alternate to those who are looking to save a little bit of money. The older version is PCIE only, however.
GV-USB2 Review
The GV-USB2 is an inexpensive but feature rich analog only capture device with a few unique features that set it apart from its competitors.
The GV comes as a USB dongle for ease and convince. It only requires USB 2.0 and can record in composite or svideo. Svideo is obviously preferred choice here for the better color accuracy and sharper graphics.
This capture device is capable of recording retro consoles and you will be able to easily record anything up to the current HD only era, and consoles with odd 240p or 224p resolutions like the SNES are supported as well. Impressively, the GV can also record in 30 or 60 fps, which is rare for a budget capture card.
It being a Japanese product means that most of the documentation and install CDs are in Japanese. However the install is pretty straight forward and the device is recognized out of the box with OBS. There is some included recording software, but it is buggy and doesn’t seem to have a lot of options. OBS works flawlessly with the device so it’s probably a better choice.
Overall, the GV captures very well with high color accuracy, and captured footage is sharp, especially if you deinterlace it. The GV is very affordable at around $40, so for the price the capture quality can’t be beat, especially when compared to more expensive competing products. This is an ideal product for those who do not require an HDMI capture device.
Micomsoft Framemeister XRGB-Mini Review
Although not a capture card per se, I felt i should include this device here. Explaining the features & benefits of this device would require an article on its own, but here is a short version:
The XRGB Mini can be used in conjunction with a good SCART-HDMI converter to produce a picture that is quite amazing for a retro console. The benefits of using the Framemester over a dedicated capture device like the PEXHDCAP are that you wont have to worry about messing around with any settings as the scaling is all done via hardware.
The Framemeister has since been discontinued, however they are still readily availible to purchase from most outlets.
Game Capture Series 4K60 Pro Review
This card is a do-it-all device that is ideally suited for those of you who have a 4k display or console. The Legato 4k pro is feature rich device for early adopters, as it is capable of 4k 60fps recordings. The legato 4k is ideal for people who have a high refresh rate monitor, as it also has the benefit of being able to capture 1080p/144 fps as well as 1440p/144 fps video.
Be advised that the requirements for running this card are very high – you’ll need at least an i7 or better and a GTX 1060, at least.
At a price point of $399, the legato 4K60 pro is easily one of the least expensive 4K capable cards on the market. This comes at the cost of a few missing features. The 4K60 pro lacks H.264 support as well Elgatos master copy, which lets you stream and record in 2 different bitrates/quality levels. The 4K pro also lacks HDR support, a feature that many competing products offer out of the box. This is one of the best capture cards for Xbox One simply due to the HDR & 4k support alone.
Elgato Game Capture HD60S Review
For most people who are looking for a device that can handle all forms of 1080p streaming/recording, the Elgato 60S is a ideal solution.
The best thing about the HD60S is its slim & compact design, which makes it highly portable. At 4.4 x 3 and less than an inch thick, you’d be hard pressed to find a smaller alternative. The aesthetics aren’t bad either: a sleek black and rounded finish with a LED light bar that indicates which ports have a device connected.
This device is sadly digital only, with HDMI, mic, and the addition of a USB type-C connector, which is a slight upgrade over the non S versions USB 3.0.
The HD60S is clearly targeted at streamers with portability in mind. It supports 1080p 60/fps with a very small amount of latency, allowing you to ditch the second monitor and play from the capture stream for all but the most fast paced games.
The actually capturing capabilities can sometimes are about what you would expect for a portable capture card: you’ll get 1080p/60 at a maximum of 40 mbps. Not quite as high as most internal devices, but it gets the job done. The HD60S uses H.264 encoding and only H.264 encoding, lacking the capability of raw or uncompressed footage.
The Elgato game capture software performs about as well as what one would expect. The software is simplistic and very user friendly, but lacks a lot of the finer tuning that comes standard with 3rd party apps such as Bandicam or OBS. Since the HD60S is portable, Elgato has also decided to omit master copy capability from it as well.
For the most part, the HD60S is more of an incremental upgrade to the HD60, but it does have the welcome addition of a USB 3C connector and greater functionality with the addition of the mic port, which makes it much easier to sync your voice up with game play footage.
Avermedia Live Portable Review
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The avermedia live is capable of recording most HDMI equipped consoles in 1080p/30fps and pass video through at 1080p/60 fps. The live portable supports H.264 encoding at a maximum of 60mbps, and also has a nifty button for hassle free 1 touch recording.
The stand out feature of the gamer portable is its ability to record to an SD card. This is great for gamers on the go or for those who need to record something besides video games such as business presentations and the like. The devices portability also makes it suitable for laptop use.
Avermedias line of capture cards are clearly aimed to be as plug and play as possible. Those who don’t want to deal with lengthy and technical set ups would be wise to consider this device, as it is one of the best capture cards for its price.
Razer Ripsaw Review
While it may not have the most robust feature set, the ripsaw is most certainly a versatile recorder. When the ripsaw was first launched, its price was a bit too high for its rather average performance. However, it has since come down to a more affordable level , which makes it slightly cheaper than its competition.
The major selling point of the ripsaw is its support for legacy consoles – with component inputs you’ll be set for current gen and previous gen console capture. The ripsaw is lacking a type-c connector, but it is equipped with a USB 3.0 port, which is a good thing as the device supports full 1080p 60 fps capture.
Unique to the ripsaw is its 2 separate mic inputs, which is great for streaming/recording on the go and will allow you to easily mix (or keep separate) 2 audio tracks without having to fiddle with any software options.
The only major drawback with the razor is its software. Getting a viewable stream up and running with it takes a monumental effort, and most users report artifacting / latency issues. Luckily, the ripsaw fully supports OBS and Xsplit software.
Hauppauge - HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition Review
Despite the odd brand name, Hauppauge’s capture cards do not disappoint, especially when it comes to capturing older consoles.
As far as aesthetics go, the HD PVR 2 is a winner. It has a sleek, hourglass shaped look with bright led strip along its outer edge. The top of the device has a triangular shaped button that turns as an “instant capture mode” when pressed, which bypasses the software on a connected PC and allows for hands off recording.
The device has fairly decent connectivity options: HDMI in/out, component video, SPDIF, and a USB-C connector. The SPDIF Is a nice addition since it will allow you to capture 5.1 digital audio from older, pre-HDMI consoles such as the PS2 and original Xbox. The device comes complete with HDMI cables and an adapter for component video. It also supports composite and svideo through an optional $15 cable.
Hauppauge’s software of choice is Arcsoft Showbiz, which has all of the basic tools for video capture you’d expect. The interface is fairy streamlined and allows for easy editing, capturing, and switching between bitrate/video formats. Unfortunately, there is quite a bit of lag in the capture window, so gamers who are looking to play & record through their PC may be disappointed.
Blackmagic Design Intensity Pro 4K Review
This card is targeted primarily towards the professional broadcast/media users, but the Blackmagic Design Intensity 4K is an affordably priced product that will please all but the most discerning gamers.
This is a $199 internal PCIE 4x card that is capable of 1080p/30 (sadly no 240p support however) fps capture. In addition to the usual HDMI in/out ports, the device also has the capability to capture composite, svideo, component, and left/right RCA stereo.
The actual capture quality of the intensity 4K is surprisingly good, even better than the more gamer oriented cards. This is probably due to the fact that it supports 4:2:2 YUV as well as 4:4:4 Chroma subsample rates, which is quite remarkable for a card in this price range. And when it comes to 4K resolution, the intensity 4K is in a bit of an odd place. since it is an early 4K capture card it doesn’t support HDR or 2160p 60 fps,, which means consoles like the PS4 will step down to 1080p/60 when attempting to record with this card. This is actually a common problem with many monitors and consoles, as HDMI 1.4 has handshake issues with HDCP at these resolutions. Sony is currently working on a firmware update to fix this.
The included software is clearly designed with professional video editors in mind. The Black Magic media express program is mostly for capturing and does not include any editing features, and it accomplishes that task with minimal fuss. Black magic has also saw fit to include their Da Vinci resolve software as a tie in. Da Vinci resolve is a coloring software that is popular with professional video and broadcasting editors.
However if you are recording video games this software will be unnecessary as games do not have a natural color palette anyway.