Console capture cards | The best of 2022

Have you ever wondered how it was possible to record your games and then upload them to YouTube or edit them in some video to show to 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 the adventure of a plethora of professionals such as youtubers, streamers, journalists and many others . Obviously, however, nothing prevents these devices from being used also by players, who can thus open up a world of possibilities. Thanks to them, recording your games and gameplay is in fact child's play. But what are the best capture cards on the market?

Before throwing us into our list of the best console capture cards, have you already taken a look at our guides for the best gaming station and the best gaming chair ever? You don't want to record gameplay on a location that's not up to par, do you?

The best capture cards for consoles

Elgato 4K60 S + - The best ever Elgato HD60 S + - The best under 200 euros ASUS TUF Gaming Capture Box CU4K30 - A great choice for less than 200 euros AVerMedia Live Gamer MINI - The best for less than 100 euros KDR Video Capture Card - The best budget

Elgato 4K60 S + - The best ever

You really want the best you can find on the market and you have no spending limits? In this case, the Elgato 4K60 S + is right for you, which is the one that is most likely the best console capture card on the market today. Recordings up to 4K at 60 frames per second with HDR10, bitrate up to 200 Mbps, practically non-existent lag and the ability to record directly to SD without the need for a PC. If you really want the best, the Elgato 4K60 S + is in short the acquisition card for you.

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Elgato HD60 S + - Best for less than 200 euros

Sure, the Elgato 4K60 S + is a fantastic capture card, but if your budget is slightly more limited and you are still looking for one of the best console capture cards on the market to come in your rescue is its younger sister, the Elgato HD60 S +. Do not be fooled by the name: the Elgato HD60 S + is in fact able to record game movies in 4K with great fidelity, easily becoming a great ally even for a professional such as a streamer or a youtuber.

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ASUS TUF Gaming Capture Box CU4K30 - A great choice under 200 euro

“The ASUS TUF Gaming Capture Box CU4K30 has the advantage of portability; it takes up very little space and integrates very well even in the most imaginative stations thanks to the RGB status bar. The aluminum body gives it a solid profile and allows the heat to dissipate ": with these words we described in our review the excellent ASUS Tuf Gaming Capture Box CU4K30, a complete solution for those who want to stream at high levels and are looking for something. extremely portable and reliable.

»View ASUS TUF Gaming Capture Box CU4K30 on Amazon

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AVerMedia Live Gamer MINI - Best for less of 100 euro

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 definitely the AVerMedia Live Gamer MINI. In fact, this small recording card allows you to save your game videos with a quality up to 1080p for 60 frames per second at a great price, without burdening the CPU or your consoles or PCs in the least. Simple to use, small and incredibly high-performance: the AVerMedia Live Gamer MINI is certainly one of the best console capture cards available right now.

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KDR Video Capture Card - The best budget

Your budget is really tight but do you absolutely need a capture card? Fortunately, a long series of small and cheap acquisition cards, such as the KDR Video Acquisition Card, are available for purchase, which allow you to record videos of your games at a really reduced 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 for 30fps, the KDR Video Capture Card is still able to turn out to be a good level product. Perfect for starters and for those on a budget.

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How to choose the best console capture card

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

Why choose a console capture card?

You will most likely 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 possibility of value and able to satisfy the needs of many gamers, but which has several limitations compared to the best acquisition cards on the market. Lower video and audio recording quality, a much lower number of customization options (resolution, video format, etc.) and other structural limitations, such as the inability for certain consoles to record the screen for more than a set time.

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

Compatibility

It seems obvious but it is 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.

Audio quality / video and reference platforms

As mentioned above, another very important aspect to consider when choosing your console capture card is that relating 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 right for you. It is also always important to consider the target platform of your video content. How many users will see your YouTube videos at 4K resolution, does your connection allow you to stream at 60FPS at high resolutions? Before choosing your capture card, therefore, read up on the platform in which you will pour your content.

Portability

It is certainly a less important feature than the previous ones, and for some it might even be useless, but one thing to keep in mind before buying a console capture card is its portability. In case you need to move a product with reduced dimensions and with a not excessive number of cables, it will certainly make you comfortable, allowing you to be highly versatile. Furthermore, if your work will lead you to have to record content "on the fly", perhaps an acquisition card with expandable internal memory could be essential to lighten your load and leave your computer at home while traveling.