The Best Capture Cards

Best image of capture cards
Photo: Elgato Cam Link 4K, External Camera Capture Card, Stream and Record with DSLR, Camcorder, ActionCam as Webcam in 1080p60, 4K30 for Video Conferencing, Home Office, Gaming, on OBS, Zoom, Teams, PC/Mac
UPDATED MARCH 18, 2024

To help you find the perfect capture card, we continuously put forth the effort to update and expand our list of recommendable capture cards. Our team collects, edits and publishes new information, in order to present it to you in an accurate, significant and neatly arranged way.

Our Picks

Elgato Cam Link 4K image
Professional Webcam: easily connect your DSLR; camcorder or action cam to you...
AVerMedia Live Gamer Mini card image
Full HD HDMI Game Capture Card: The Live Gamer Mini compact in size but might...
Card, Audio Video Card image
【4K HDMI Game Capture Card】: TKHIN game video capture card is designed with h...
Our Choice
Elgato Cam Link 4K image
Professional Webcam: easily connect your DSLR; camcorder or action cam to you...
AVerMedia Live Gamer Mini card image
Full HD HDMI Game Capture Card: The Live Gamer Mini compact in size but might...
Low Price
Card, Audio Video Card image
【4K HDMI Game Capture Card】: TKHIN game video capture card is designed with h...

8 More Capture Card Alternatives

Record at 1080P/60FPS while you game at 4K/60FPS

Low Latency, Compact Design

Perfect for capturing/streaming PC/Console gameplay or connect it to a DSLR camera for ...

PLAY IN FULL QUALITY: Play the game as it was meant to be played at up to 4K60 HDR10, o...

STREAMING: Your audience will see every detail with streaming up to 4K30 or 1080p60 the...

PC STREAMS, UPGRADED: Connect a compatible professional camera for high-quality video t...

【Full HD Video Capture】: Our HDMI video capture card supports up to 4K 60fps input and ...

【Easy to Use & Plug and Play】: No need to install any drivers, no need to provide exter...

【Wide Compatibility】: This video capture card adopts advanced chips, has a wide range o...

Premium Capture, Powerful Passthrough: Stunning 4K30 HDR10 or 1080p60 HDR10 quality, 4K...

Plug and Play: Driverless setup on Windows and Mac.

Use Any App, Stream to any Platform: OBS, Streamlabs, Vmix, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Stre...

【4K60 Loop-out & 2K30 Capture】Our video capture card supports up to 2K 30FPS of HDMI vi...

【Easy to Use & Plug and Play】No driver required, plug and play, connect to your compute...

【High Performance & Compatibility】This HDMI capture card has been upgraded with a USB 3...

【USB3.0 YUY2 1080P 60FPS Recording】Real USB3.0 protocol chipset, fast transfer rate and...

【4K@30Hz Signal Input & Pass Through】With a maximum HDMI input and pass-through resolut...

【Plug and Play & Ultra-low Latency】Capture card for streaming is plug and play without ...

【4K HDMI Game Capture Card】: Game video capture card is designed with high-end smart ch...

【HD 1080P 60fps Signal Loop Out】: This HDMI capture card for Nintendo Switch has maximu...

【3.5mm Microphone and Audio Input/Output Port】: Connect the audio video capture device ...

【1080P 60FPS Recording & 4K 30FPS Pass-through】 Enhance your game streaming with the ad...

【70CM Built-In Cable & 2-in-1 USB 3.0 Connector】 Featuring a convenient 70cm built-in c...

【3.5mm Audio Input & Output Ports】 Elevate your audio capture and streaming experience ...

Buying Guide

Video game recording is one of the fastest growing entertainment enterprises in the modern world. Youtube is now a place where people are made celebrities. Playing video games for an audience has become a career for hundreds of entertainers who use witty quips and humor to please their audience.
But the work involved in video game recording is, well, work. Youtubers often record hours of footage at one time and then need to edit the chunks into smaller, seamless videos. They need to make executive decisions about what music to play, when to cut, and when to speed up.

There is something important about the video game recording business: People are passionate. Even if they don't make careers of it, thousands of people record their own gaming exploits to post to their personal Youtube channels. It's a hobby as much as a career choice.

Capture cards are the bridge between a video game console and a PC. People who game directly on their PCs do not need capture cards because a PC is capable of capturing video as you play. PCs are also capable of streaming video as you play. But if you play on an external device and want to record your gameplay for an audience, you'll need a capture card to do so. Capture cards function by converting your gameplay into video format and automatically saving it. From there, you can transfer the video or videos to your computer. (Gone are the days of pointing a shaky video camera at the television screen.)

It can be hard to know where to start when purchasing a capture card. There are several factors to take into account. Are you recording videos personally or professionally? How thoroughly are you going to edit them? What operating system do you have? Some capture cards will only work on PCs, while others are made for both PCs and Macs. Some capture cards let you do small edits before you've even transferred the videos. Others are much simpler and only require the push of a button to set up.

The Elgato Game Capture HD60 S is a high quality capture card. It allows you to capture gameplay in 1080p with 60 frames per second. The device utilizes a USB 3.0 Type C connection. It also comes with a USB cable and HDMI cable. You can easily stream your gameplay using this product. The price is around one hundred and fifty dollars.

The HDML-Cloner Box Evolve is made for seasoned professionals in the streaming business. This device can capture in 1080p or 720p. You can manually adjust the recording bitrate, and you have the option to either save as one complete video or split the recording into several videos. This is a great option for Youtubers who record long videos and need to split them into equal chunks. You can also schedule recordings at set times. This capture card comes with a free 16GB USB drive as well as free video editing software. The price runs about one hundred and twenty dollars.

The HDML-Cloner Box is made for people who record gameplay in a more amateur light. It can capture 1080p without the need for a PC. It comes with a free 16GB flash drive and HDMI cable. As capture cards go, this is a very simple setup; you only need to press one button to record. It doesn't have the high tech editing capabilities of the HDML-Cloner Box Evolve, and it doesn't have the capability to schedule recordings. This device costs about one hundred dollars.

The Osprey 100e Video Capture Card has a choice of video inputs. Your video spans a single channel with four separate inputs. The drawback is that this capture card is only compatible with the Windows operating system. It costs about one hundred and sixty dollars.

The Matrox DualHead2Go Digital Edition D2G-A2D-IF is a compact device which is compatible with both Windows and Mac. Two independent displays can be added to your desktop system. You have a choice of analog or digital panels. You can also use the entire graphics capability of your desktop computer, including 3D capability. This device is as strong as your operating system. It's great if you have a high quality desktop and want to record high quality videos. Unfortunately the versatility makes it the most expensive item on the list, costing around two hundred and thirty dollars.

The StarTech DVI2HDMIA DVI to HDMI Video Converter is one of the most economic capture cards on the market, costing only seventy dollars. Video and audio can be sent using only one HDMI cable, so the hassle of tangled wires is eliminated. The device is compact enough not to take up space and can be easily transported. This device doesn't need any software for use, which means that you can plug in and play almost immediately. It records in up to HD 1080p.

If you have trouble with complex machines and want a simple setup, the HDML-Cloner Box is the best way to go. If you're on a tight budget, the StarTech capture card is high quality without being too pricey. If you have a Mac, be absolutely sure that the capture card you buy is compatible with Macs. The Matrox DualHead2Go is Mac-compatible and one of the most versatile capture cards on the list. The Elgato Game Capture is the best choice if you want to stream your console gaming in real time.

Top Rated Capture Cards

If you're looking into finding the best rated capture card, you should probable check out the Elgato Cam Link 4K. We looked at various sources of reviews and found this one to have the best mix between review count and average rating stars.

Elgato Cam Link 4K

The Lowest Price We Could Find

Often, going for the best price is a simple but good option. With a price of $28.79 (last checked this morning), we do not list any other capture card cheaper than the Dcyfol 4K HDMI Card. Just remember that it's not always the best option to go for the cheapest one.

Dcyfol 4K HDMI Card

The Capture Card With the Most Reviews

With at least 169 reviews and counting, the Elgato Cam Link 4K might be another option to consider. This large amount of reviews signalizes that many people are using it, with most of them beeing satisfied.

High Quality Capture Cards

It's quite rare that the saying "You get what you pay for" turns out incorrect. If you have the money on the sideline, feel free to choose the most expensive item from our list: The Elgato HD60 X 1080p60 HDR10 External Card currently sells for $128.00.

Elgato HD60 X 1080p60 HDR10 External Card

The Capture Card With the Most Clicks

If you trust us and our users, feel free to check out the Elgato Cam Link 4K. Our statistics say that it is the most favorite Capture Card from the list above.

Our Bestseller

If you're still undecided, I would recommend that you go with the masses and choose the top selling capture card: The Elgato Cam Link 4K is the hottest bestseller in this category right now.

Capture Card Reviews

There are no reviews on capture cards, yet.
Be the first to write a review, or check for additional reviews in the Further Reading section below.

Further Reading on Capture Cards

New: Our editorial list of additional articles. We decided to gather informartion all around the internet and present you a list of helpful, external links to interesting reads about reviews, pros & cons and similar products.
What are the pros and cons of a capture card : Twitc...
Hey guys! im new to streaming and i have been hearing alot about capture cards. since im fairly new id like to know what is the purpose of a Should I buy SDI or HDMI capture card? What are the pros 9 posts8 Dec 2017Capture card pros and ... ...
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Capture Cards VS Recording Software - PC Gaming - To...
Can someone give pros and cons between those two, and give some Recording software uses your computer to record, the capture card  ...
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All Versions - Which Capture Card should I get for s...
I take a look at the different options Capture Cards give you, and their pros and cons. I want to start today's Guide with a few questions: Why do  Question / Help - Which Capture Card Should I Use?21 Mar 2016Question / Help - ... ...
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Alternatives to capture card! : Twitch - Reddit
Hey, this may be a dumb question but heres to being hopeful! I'm looking to get back into streaming again after a short break and was  Alternative to the software Capture HD? : ElgatoGaming28 Mar 2018That magical 1440p144hz cap... ...
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Question / Help - Capture card alternatives | Open B...
Hi everyone, Just wanted to know if anyone knows of any game capture cards other than the black magic that is all of the following: 1) must be  Using two capture cards with OBS?6 Jun 2017Capture card? Suggestions and rants welcome ... ...
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Video capture card - All industrial manufacturers - ...
Find your video capture card easily amongst the 136 products from the leading brands (ADVANTECH, IDS, NATIONAL 18 companies | 136 products. ...
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Research

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Top 5 Budget Capture Cards In 2018!!!

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