Stream at 1080p60, play at 4K60
Game Capture Neo captures up to 1080p60 and passes up to 4K60 HDR to your screen. The capture and the display are separate outputs.
Capture cards compared
Compare every current capture card the site covers, across makers, by what reaches your computer and what reaches your screen. Capture and passthrough are separate numbers.
Updated October 17, 2026 · 9 models
Elgato Game Capture 4K S records up to 4K at 60 fps (maximum SDR; software and format conditions apply); Elgato Game Capture Neo up to 1080p at 60 fps (maximum SDR; software and format conditions apply). Elgato Game Capture 4K S has HDR10 passthrough up to 4K at 60 fps, HDR10 capture up to 1080p60, Windows only; Elgato Game Capture Neo passes 4K60 HDR through to your TV but records in SDR.
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| Specs | Elgato Game Capture Neo | Elgato Game Capture 4K S | Elgato Game Capture 4K X | Elgato Game Capture 4K Pro | Elgato Cam Link 4K | AVerMedia Live Gamer ULTRA S GC553Pro | AVerMedia Live Gamer ULTRA 2.1 GC553G2 | AVerMedia Live Gamer MINI GC311 | Razer Ripsaw X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connection | |||||||||
| Capture | 1080p / 60 fps (maximum SDR; software and format conditions apply) | 4K / 60 fps (maximum SDR; software and format conditions apply) | 4K / 144 fps (maximum SDR; software and format conditions apply) | 4K / 60 fps (maximum SDR; software and format conditions apply) | 4K / 60 fps (latest model 20GAM9903 only, in MJPG) 4K / 30 fps (earlier models’ maximum; software and format conditions apply) | 4K / 60 fps (maximum SDR; software and format conditions apply) | 4K / 144 fps (Windows, MJPEG, in AVerMedia Streaming Center) 4K / 60 fps (macOS) | 1080p / 60 fps (H.264 hardware encoding) | 4K / 30 fps; 1080p / 120 fps (maximum capture over USB) |
| Passthrough | 4K / 60 fps | 4K / 60 fps | 4K / 144 fps | 8K / 60 fps | None documented | 4K / 144 fps | 4K / 144 fps; 1440p / 240 fps; 1080p / 360 fps | 1080p / 60 fps | None documented |
| USB speed needed (Gbps) | 5 | 5 | 10 | Not confirmed | 5 | 5 | 10 | Not confirmed | 5 |
| Connection | HDMI; USB | HDMI; USB | HDMI; USB | HDMI; PCIe x4 | HDMI; USB | HDMI; USB | HDMI 2.1 in; HDMI 2.1 out; USB-C; 4-pole 3.5 mm headset; 4-pole 3.5 mm gamepad audio | HDMI in; HDMI out; Micro-USB | HDMI 2.0 in; Fixed USB-A connector (USB 3.0) |
| Video input | HDMI unencrypted | HDMI | HDMI | HDMI | HDMI unencrypted | HDMI | HDMI 2.1 | HDMI | HDMI 2.0, up to 4K at 60 fps or 1080p at 120 fps |
| Video output | HDMI passthrough; USB capture | HDMI passthrough | HDMI passthrough | HDMI passthrough | USB capture only | HDMI passthrough | HDMI 2.1 passthrough | HDMI passthrough | USB capture only |
| HDR | 4K60 HDR passthrough; SDR capture | HDR10 passthrough up to 4K at 60 fps; HDR10 capture up to 1080p60, Windows only | OS and mode dependent | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | HDR10 capture on Windows; not on macOS | No | Not confirmed |
| VRR | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Passthrough; exact mode must be checked | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | VRR passthrough | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| HDCP | Unencrypted input only | Unencrypted input only | Unencrypted input only | Unencrypted input only | Unencrypted input only | Unencrypted input only | Not confirmed | HDCP-protected signals are not supported | Not confirmed |
| Software | |||||||||
| Works with | Windows 10 64-bit+; macOS 12+; iPadOS 17+ | Windows 11+; macOS 14.2+; iPadOS 18 USB-C+ | Windows 10 64-bit+; macOS 11+; iPadOS 17+ | Windows 10 64-bit+ | Windows 10 64-bit+; macOS 13+; iPadOS 17+ | Windows; macOS | Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit; macOS 13 or later; iPadOS 17 or later | Windows 10 or 11; macOS 11 or later (Apple silicon: not macOS 12); iPadOS 17 or later | Windows 10 64-bit or later |
| In the box | |||||||||
| Included parts | Game Capture Neo; USB 3.0 USB-C to USB-A cable, 100 cm | Game Capture 4K S; USB-C to USB-C cable (150 cm); HDMI 2.0 cable (150 cm) | Game Capture 4K X; USB 3.2 C-to-C cable (150 cm); 8K HDMI cable (200 cm) | Game Capture 4K Pro; 8K HDMI cable (200 cm) | Cam Link 4K; USB 3.0 A-to-C extension (30 cm), current revision | Live Gamer ULTRA S GC553Pro; HDMI 2.0 cable; USB-C to USB-A cable; Quick Start Guide | Live Gamer ULTRA 2.1 (GC553G2); HDMI 2.1 cable; USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-C cable; 4-pole 3.5 mm audio cable; Quick Start Guide | Live Gamer MINI (GC311); Micro-USB to USB-A cable | Razer Ripsaw X; Important Product Information Guide |
| Before you choose it | |||||||||
| Main check | Use its HDMI output to play on your TV in 4K60 HDR and its USB output to capture up to 1080p60. Choose another card if you need to stream or record in 4K. | Select a listed capture mode and a separate listed display mode. If HDR or high refresh is essential, match both exact modes before choosing this card. | Use a 10 Gbps USB port to get every mode. On a 5 Gbps port, pick one of the lower capture modes, or use a faster port, before buying it for high resolution. | Use a supported Windows desktop with a suitable PCIe x4 slot. Choose a USB capture device for a Mac or a laptop without an accessible compatible slot. | There is no HDMI display output. Identify the unit’s revision before planning 4K frame rates, then test clean HDMI and continuous camera power; use a passthrough card for a separate gaming display. | Choose the capture mode for your Windows PC or Mac. The HDMI source must not be copy-protected (HDCP); a different cable won’t make protected video capturable. | It needs a USB-C port rated USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) and an HDMI 2.1 display and console for its top passthrough modes. 4K144 capture is MJPEG on Windows in AVerMedia’s own software; macOS captures up to 4K60, without HDR. | It stops at 1080p60, with no 4K, HDR or high refresh rate, and cannot capture HDCP-protected video. No HDMI cable comes in the box. | There is no HDMI display output, so it suits a camera, not a console you also play on. Razer lists Windows 10 64-bit or later only, and no HDMI cable comes in the box. |
On the makers’ own sites:
A condition in brackets beside a mode is the maker’s own: a model revision, a video format or a port it needs. Top resolution, top frame rate and HDR rarely come together, so check the maker’s mode table for the exact combination you want.
Choose by the job
Capture at 4K60 over 5 Gbps USB
Game Capture 4K S and Live Gamer ULTRA S both capture up to 4K60 on a 5 Gbps port. The ULTRA S passes up to 4K144 to your screen; the 4K S up to 4K60 HDR10, with VRR passthrough.
4K at 120 Hz on your screen
Elgato names Game Capture 4K X and 4K Pro for 4K at 120 Hz, which needs HDMI 2.1. The 4K X captures up to 4K144 and needs a 10 Gbps USB port for its full set of modes.
A Windows desktop with a spare slot
Game Capture 4K Pro is an internal PCIe x4 card for Windows. A Mac or a laptop needs a USB model.
A camera instead of a console
Cam Link 4K brings a camera’s clean HDMI output into the computer as a webcam. It has no output for a second screen.
A Mac or an iPad
The ULTRA S lists Windows and macOS; for 4K60 on a Mac, AVerMedia asks for an M1 Ultra, M2 Ultra or better. Elgato lists iPadOS for Neo, 4K X and, on a USB-C iPad with iPadOS 18, the 4K S.
Where each model fits
Play at 4K60 on your TV while streaming in 1080p60
Elgato Game Capture Neo
Use its HDMI output to play on your TV in 4K60 HDR and its USB output to capture up to 1080p60. Choose another card if you need to stream or record in 4K.
Connections & full profile →An external capture card for console streaming
Elgato Game Capture 4K S
Select a listed capture mode and a separate listed display mode. If HDR or high refresh is essential, match both exact modes before choosing this card.
Connections & full profile →High-refresh HDMI capture on a fast direct USB port
Elgato Game Capture 4K X
Use a 10 Gbps USB port to get every mode. On a 5 Gbps port, pick one of the lower capture modes, or use a faster port, before buying it for high resolution.
Connections & full profile →A capture card that fits inside a Windows desktop
Elgato Game Capture 4K Pro
Use a supported Windows desktop with a suitable PCIe x4 slot. Choose a USB capture device for a Mac or a laptop without an accessible compatible slot.
Connections & full profile →Use a camera with clean HDMI output as your webcam
Elgato Cam Link 4K
There is no HDMI display output. Identify the unit’s revision before planning 4K frame rates, then test clean HDMI and continuous camera power; use a passthrough card for a separate gaming display.
Connections & full profile →Capture a console over USB while keeping a separate gaming display
AVerMedia Live Gamer ULTRA S GC553Pro
Choose the capture mode for your Windows PC or Mac. The HDMI source must not be copy-protected (HDCP); a different cable won’t make protected video capturable.
Connections & full profile →HDMI 2.1 USB capture with 4K144 passthrough for a high-refresh console or PC
AVerMedia Live Gamer ULTRA 2.1 GC553G2
It needs a USB-C port rated USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) and an HDMI 2.1 display and console for its top passthrough modes. 4K144 capture is MJPEG on Windows in AVerMedia’s own software; macOS captures up to 4K60, without HDR.
Connections & full profile →View at AVerMedia ↗A small 1080p60 USB capture box with passthrough for a first console stream
AVerMedia Live Gamer MINI GC311
It stops at 1080p60, with no 4K, HDR or high refresh rate, and cannot capture HDCP-protected video. No HDMI cable comes in the box.
Connections & full profile →View at AVerMedia ↗Use a camera with clean HDMI output as your webcam, up to 4K at 30 fps or 1080p at 120 fps
Razer Ripsaw X
There is no HDMI display output, so it suits a camera, not a console you also play on. Razer lists Windows 10 64-bit or later only, and no HDMI cable comes in the box.
Connections & full profile →View at Razer ↗Three limits of this comparison
- The highest resolution and highest frame rate are not proof that every HDR, color format or software combination is supported.
- A working game picture doesn’t mean your party chat and microphone are set up; test the audio separately.
- None of these cards captures copy-protected (HDCP) video. Turn HDCP off in the console’s settings where it lets you; we don’t cover ways around the protection.
Two of them head to head
- Elgato Cam Link 4K vs Elgato Game Capture 4K Pro
- Elgato Cam Link 4K vs Elgato Game Capture 4K S
- Elgato Cam Link 4K vs Elgato Game Capture 4K X
- Elgato Cam Link 4K vs Elgato Game Capture Neo
- Elgato Cam Link 4K vs AVerMedia Live Gamer ULTRA S GC553Pro
- Elgato Game Capture 4K Pro vs Elgato Game Capture 4K S
- Elgato Game Capture 4K Pro vs Elgato Game Capture 4K X
- Elgato Game Capture 4K Pro vs Elgato Game Capture Neo
- Elgato Game Capture 4K Pro vs AVerMedia Live Gamer ULTRA S GC553Pro
- Elgato Game Capture 4K S vs Elgato Game Capture 4K X
- Elgato Game Capture 4K S vs Elgato Game Capture Neo
- Elgato Game Capture 4K X vs Elgato Game Capture Neo
- Elgato Game Capture 4K X vs AVerMedia Live Gamer ULTRA S GC553Pro
- Elgato Game Capture Neo vs AVerMedia Live Gamer MINI GC311
- Elgato Game Capture Neo vs AVerMedia Live Gamer ULTRA S GC553Pro
- AVerMedia Live Gamer ULTRA 2.1 GC553G2 vs AVerMedia Live Gamer ULTRA S GC553Pro
Already own an older model?
This table lists models you can buy now. An older model you already own can still do the job: add it in the setup builder and test it. Different colors of one model are not listed separately, and a newer version can need different ports or software from the one before it.
To check whether a camera you own can stay live over HDMI or USB, open the camera capture checker.
Sources
- Elgato Game Capture Neo specifications
- Elgato capture card guide
- Elgato Game Capture 4K S specifications
- Elgato Game Capture 4K X specifications
- Elgato Game Capture 4K Pro specifications
- Elgato Cam Link 4K specifications
- AVerMedia Live Gamer ULTRA S GC553Pro specifications
- AVerMedia Live Gamer ULTRA 2.1 (GC553G2) product page and specifications
- AVerMedia Live Gamer MINI (GC311) product page and specifications
- Razer Ripsaw X Master Guide
- Razer Ripsaw X product page and FAQs